Year: 1879

scurvy has been prevalent it has not been
severe usual. and as yet the graveyard Dead
mem Island" on the outer harbor. has received no
accession from the crews. The successful treatment
Of the disease seems to be to compel the patient
eat abundantly of raw walrus or seal meat and to
take moderate exercise, at first under shelter and
then in the open air.


The officers Of the vessels treated with the
most unbounded generosity and readily placed at
our disposal whatever they could spare that we re-
quired. The wreck of the A. j. Ross has thrown the
OF another crew upon them. and yet they could


nd plenty to add to the comfort of those who have
another season in this climate and long and
journey before them. Captain Sinclair though him
self great q sufferer by the loss of vessel in
which nearly his whole means were invested. has
been large contributor toward the search party.
Tho feet will be frozen In here until about the 1st
of June. when they will have freed themselves by
saving a channel through the ice to the clear
water beyond Deadmen's Island. Marble Island
been the winter quarters Of whaling
vessels for many years. though altogether safe
harbor. In the winter of 1872 two vessels were
wrecked here. the Ansel Gibbs and the Gray Taft.
The hulk of the latter still lies upon the shore Of
the innor harbor. but the Ansel Gibbs broke up out
side and has long since gone to pieces The graves
of number OF their crews are in the graveyard by
the sea. Upon the bald face of rock the out
side harbor is list Of written in rcd paint
nearly century ago, but whether visitors list
a gigantic tonbstone to record those who perished
here long ago by shipwreck is unknown. Upon the
northeast end Of the island. partly hidden by moss.
is q quantity Of soft coal, which probably left
here by one of the early Arctic explorers.


AN ARCTIC sHlPwREcK


The gale during which the brig A. ]. Ross went
ashore commenced on Friday, August %, 1878. and
fortune OF those officers who are spending the
winter here to have encountered in these
into tho bay, where they had plenty OF room.
At nine A. M. on Saturday Captain Sinclair found
himself in nineteen fathoms OF water and
ship of shore under foretopsail. storm staysails
and reefed mainssil the Land bearing northwest At
O'Clock wore ship in shore. and ut two o'clock
At three o'clock wore ship of shore, the wind blow
ing o gale from the northwest. The Welcome
is too narrow for security in bad weather. and Cap
tain Sinclair made every effort to reach the more
open water of the bay but without success. He
OF Saturday night without finding bottom. up to
three o'clock A. M. OF Sunday. At quarter to
four found six fathoms OF water. and at the same
time line OF breakers the lee beam and
close aboard. He ut gave orders to let go both
anchors and took in all SAIL but the anchors dragged
vessel struck in fourteen feet Of water the surf
making clean breach her. In short time
sns masts ware cut away Which sased her. The
boats were got ready at once. but the tide
lower them. % The gale continued until after five
O'Clock in the afternoon, when it broke, but the
wind still blew very hard. At low tide the anchors
plainly visible above water but ut high tide the
vessel is full Of water to the main rail. Sunday
night dismal one, the officers and crew vainly
endeavoring to get some rest in the upper berths
OF the cabin and upon the table, but they were wet
through with the surf that broke completely over


sp the anS M ssS
were saved worked ashore by keeping the boats in
line by = rope attached to the wreck. which they
smooth water, and soon all were safely landed
sand spot upon an uninhabited shore. out OIL
the track Of even the few vessels that in the
bay Captain Sinclair the last man to leave the
vessel. aud that all hands were saved with large


part OF their stores due to his courage and skill


which never forsook him under the most trying cir
cumstances. When all were landed the spare boat,
wood. and after cooking some coffee all hands turned


in the bare ground and slept soundly after their
tatguing labors, The next day was spent in drying
the crew walked out to the wreck and got at cache
of bread which broken open and six bags filed.
but the tide began to rise so rapidly that they had to
hasten tor the shore again One of the men shot
! deer. which proved great blessing. On Thurs
| day the weather moderated. and the boats
loaded with what provisions and water they could
carry and at four r. NJ they set sail for Whale Point


M oL tey nn 9o
A. NJ, when they took in sail and lashed the boats
together. The wind was still blowing and the men
all suffering with the intense cold. 1t appa-
rent that unless relief at least
must perish. At daylight they again set sail. steer


ing northwest and ut eight O'Clock saw the land of
Yellow Bluff. The starboard boat leaking


badly at this time that it was found necessary to





as the gale was still increasing. At nine
o'clock the sea was running so high that
with 100 fathoms Of line out three oeIoeI
the was running SO high that 1t would be impos
sible to land; but as It was apparent that II COM
PEELED to lie to their anchor all night there would be
few sur vivors the waist boat ightened aud
ashore with o picked crew when they found
passage through the SURF and all the boats got


inside the chain OF reefs into smooth water. After
landing the men lay down In their wet clothes and
slept soundiy. The next morning the sun shone
hriy q a
about three miles below Yellow Bluff. sharp look


out was kept for sails. but none were visible. The
following morning Captain Sinclair with his first and
second officers, started to walk to Whale Point.
but when about half way saw boat ap-
came ashore aud took the party board
and returned to the camp of the shipwreckod
shot four deer. which Captain Sinclair purchased
for his crew. and the following day they all set sail


~ho anS Sore do%n
them. 1t was not long. then. before they wero all
safely aboard the Abbie Bradford. and when the
three vessels came together the unfortunate crew
was divided up among them


pEyEcrs OF THR ADMIRALTY CHART.


Captain Sinclair though n sailor OF vast exper-
ience aud acknow lodged skin. has lately been singu


larly unfortunate. On his last previous voyage he
lost his vessel. the A. Haughton. Cape Fuller
ton after securing fair cargo Of oil aud bone.
Tho loss OF 80 many vessels in these waters is
chiefly attributable to the imperfections in the
Adm. rally charts. a may be seen by the enclosed
chart Of the shore from Cape Fullerton to Marble
Island which is made from careful surveys by
trisngulstion from points established by as
Economical observation. BY comparing II with
only is the coast line altogether wrong. but that
Marble Island, the usual winter harbor OF the
whaling fleet, is laid down several degrees west of
its sctuai location, although its longitude
rectly given In "Bowditch's Epitome." Captain
Fisher. who has had more experience in this bay
than any other officer OF the entire whaling fleet.
says that Lieutenant Schwatkas chart conforms
exactly with personal observations and each OF the
masters this harbor has gratefully accepted copy
OF the chart from Lieutenant Schwatka- As will DO
1t also represents the course of the river. which
l described in former letter likely to afford
new and entirely feasible route to King william
Land. With the hearty approval or Lieutenant
ScAwatka I have named my discovery the Connery
River. after Mr.. Thomas B. Connery. OF New York.
CLEws FOR SEARCH.


The preparations Tor the departure Of the Frank
lin search party for King William Land