The Alaska daily empire., 1915-07-02
CAPT. LANE AND
 POLAR BEAR HAVE
 IHRILLING VOYAGE

NOME, Alaska Thursday Juno lo.
 Tho power schooner Polar Bear in command oi the we'll known old time CT Capt Louis t.anc dropped anchor in the roadsied at siX-thirty last even- Ing after an evertiu' voyage from se. attie by way of Siberia, during which time the staunch little steamer under went variety Of experiences theron dition Of which forms a tale rifalin6 even the strangest of 'he many strange tales told by those ,'ho follow the sen.
 The little schooner leii Unalaska on ! May first and headed for East chpe. for the purpose of hunting md trading but was all but wrecked In a fierce storm off Cape Navarin Siberia the damage sustained required that the boat return top rot for repairs. About the same time to add further to the troubles the second officer Harry Slaae died of an apopectic stroke and was buried at sea. On the re- turn Journey from Unalaska the yes- sel touched at Nunivek island to pro cure fresh water and encountered Che crew of the Japanese schooner Diaki Maru who had wintered on the island following the wreckng of their ship some time duling september, 1914 Capt Lone found Che seven men in a pitiable condition, an suffering more or less from frost bites received during the winter After treating them to the best of his ability, ln- cludlng the administering of some rough and ready remedies, Capt. Lane transported the men to Unalaska at which place they were taken care of by the marine hospital After placing the vessel in shape to continue her voyage Capt Lane again put te' sea at the same time the steamer Cor win took up ,he last stage of Che Journey to this city During the time elapsing sice leaving Unalaska, the Polar Bear has visited the Siberian coast and reports meeting Che Cor ! Wlu near Edal Dtpe
 Four Men Drowned
 cupt Lane also brings news of a sad fatality to the whaler Belvedere, now under command of Capt Joohmidsen, formerly master of the King and Winge by which the vessel lost four members of her crew while lying In Kamchatka Bay According to the story told by Capt. Lane. Olaf Sven sen, hero Of the Karluk crew rescue, together with the chief engineer of the Belevederc. and four members of the crew were capslzed while en- route to their ship in small boat. Swenson and the engineer alone sur viving, both reaching the beach at- ter a hard struggle in the icy water. Both men were In a badly exhausted condition by the time they reached shore Capt Lane states chat the four men who lost their lives were George Isbester, Antonia Roderick, John Domingo and un unnamed Rus sian. Two of the men were good swimmers and their failure to reach tho shore IS unaccountabie.
 Lane also brings the further news that Capt Wedding, of the gasoline schooner Eagle. which wintered at the Kalyma river had the misfortune to lose one hand and also ali of the fingers of the other by freezing some time during the winter.
 The Russian mali boat Kalyma was also frozen in the ice at the same point
 Capt Lane says that inquiry on the Siberian coast discloses no trace of the crew of the missing schooner New Jersey as no strangers have been heard Of as far north'as their jour- ney extended
 After cruising on the other shore for some days the vessel was headed for Nome and the remainder of the voyage was devoid of accident Capt tain Lane states that little ice was encountered and the sea was prac- tically clear in the vicinity of Nome On coming to anchor Customs collec- tor R. w. J. Reed and Dr. Newman visited he vessel in the interest of the government and found everybody well and in good spirits.
 When the ice conditions permit the little vessel will continue on as far north as Banks Land' in an effort to find some trace of the missing | cslI ca. ..........