The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-10-03

inc along with the current Fearing they might
strike the vessel and part the moorins liheS' eo'
under way and steamed into an lnuehtauoh III
the ground ice. where the steamer Jeanette was
made fast. suitable mooring place was louhu
and the vessel made fast to the ground Ice
"On Aueust l and loose ice would drift in
and mack around the vessel where she lay In the
indentation in the ice. AS there was only a trl-
fling pressure no danger was anticipated Al
D. M August came a sudden pressure OF the
ice. the four forward fasts carried away and the
vessel forced astern about hve feet Inc pres
sure then coming against the starboard slde
forced the port side against the ground ice
"a point of ice under water abreast the engine
room. the weakest place in the vessel. as there
are no athwartshp timbers there. forced the port
side in sufficiently to buckle the engine room moor
plates Men were Immediately sent with ice
chises and the ice was cut away. AS soon as the
ice was removed the pressure at that point
ceased end the floor plates dropped back in place
The after section of the rudder was sprung
about an eighth of an inch. The ice was cut from
around the rudder and the pressure on that was
removed So far as can be seen no material dam
age was done by the nip. vessel less strongly
constructed would have been crushed at once
On more than one occasion that year the little
Bear was hard put to it and her mission or mercy
was fraught with hazards. On several occasions
during that Arctic summer she had to blast a
chdGnel open TO ctear water, anu eApiot was
not always Immediately successful while the odds
against escape piled up in threatening manner
However, the ship kept steadily at her task, and
in the end the ice bound whalemen were succored
and carried back to civilization, or after restora
ton to health set upon other whalers in that
treach> rous region.
Ice was not the only peril, for with the milder
months there was fog, and occasionally very
strong winds or gales that meant danger upon
that barren coast. AS part Of the relief expe
dition sled party was dispatched overland long
before the Bear could nose her way into the
Arctic ocean, and of the gallant work of those
men Americans and the personnel of the revenue
cutter service may well be proud.
In closing his report to the treasury depart
ment Captain futile said THE officers and
crew bore the monotonous isolation with the
greatest patience, complaints being almost un
heard of. The courage, fortitude and persever
ance shown by the members Of the overland ex
petition are deserving of the highest commenda
ton
Starting over a route seldom travelled before
by dog sleds, with a herd of over 400 reindeer to
drive and care for. they pushed their way through
what at times seemed impossible obstacles
across frozen and snow-clad mountains
with tireless energy until Point Barrow was
reached and the object of the expedition success
fully accomplished"
Such is the type OF the men now aboard the
little cutter, and there is every reason to expect
the same splendid performance Of their present
mission witnessed under somewhat kin
dred conditions II years ago.