The San Francisco call. [volume], April 09, 1898, Page 1, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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VOLUME LXXXIII.— NO. 130.
THE ICE BOUND WHALERS
ARE IN NEED OF HELP
ONE SHIP BURNED,
ANOTHER IS SUNK,
BALANCE IN PERIL
Third Mate Tilton of the Belvedere Sent
for Thousands of Miles Across
Alaska to Seek Aid.
Meets Lieutenant Jarvis of the Bear Expedition
and Brings the News That After July
the Men in the Ice Will Be
Without Food.
BY GEORGE F. TILTON.
•PORTLAND, Or., April B.— The whal
ing steamer Belvedere. M. B. V. Mil
lftrd master, left San Francisco on the
Tth day of March, 1897, and I was
chirred on her in the capacity of third
mate.
■\Ve had either stormy weather or
jjaleß all the way up, and during one
ffalc a sea swept her decks, carrying
lively two of our whaleboats and the
jihboom.
Ths same sea washed one of the
men around the decK so violently
thut he died from the injuries he le
ccived, and we buried him in XTna
laska, Into which port we put in to
make repairs.
After leaving Unalaska we had a
THAT NIGHT THE FREEMAN BURNED TO THE WATER'S EDGE.
succession of gales and were in the
same storm that wrecked the ship Sa
in aria and the schooner General Sig
lon.
We succeeded In catching one bow
head whale, the bone of which we
shipped to San Francisco on the
schooner Sailor Hoy, which was re
reiving freight from the whale ships at
Port Clarence.
In July we returned to Unalaska to
get sufficient coal to last the balance
of the voyage, and then went bark to
the Arctic Ocean. We had fair weather
up to the Bth of September last. On
that date \v<; were in young ice, about i
miles to the eastward of Point
Barrow. Close to us lay the steam
whaler Orca, Captain A. C. Sherman;
the steamer Jessie H. Freeman, Cap- \
tain Humphreys, and the schooner Ro- j
Bario, Captain Edwin Coffin. Previous!
to this date the schooner Rosario lay |
In i-ueh a dangerous position that the
Ft<-;:mer Orca steamed over to her and
1 her to safer anchorage, thereby '
saving the officers, crew and vessel.
On the evening of September 8 a na
tive boarded us, bringing with him a
message from the whaleships over to
the eastward, and requesting us to
cache on the shore all the provisions
we could spare and then work south j
as quickly as possible to a place of
safety, where they could join us and
go with us to San Francisro.
Early on the morning of the 9th the
masters of the four ships held a con
sultation as to the best method of work-
Ing our way out. The young ice was
making fast, and there was also a
heavy ridga of ice along the coast,
The San Francisco Call
through which we would have to blow
out a canal. The engine force of the
three steamers was immediately put to
work making cartridges, weighing five
pounds each, of the blasting and gun
powder on our ships, and the tonite
powder was taken out of the darting
and shoulder bombs and also made into
cartridges. These cartridges were
placed on the ends of long poles, shoved
under the ice and exploded. Mr. Wal
l«er of the Orca and myself had charge
of exploding the bombs.
The distance we had to blow out was
about one mile and a half, and we
used over a thousand pounds of powder
and tonite in the work.
The balance of the crews were busy
In sawing and poling the ice out of the
way. Young ice was making- all the
time, ajid the steamers had all they
could do with both steam and sail to
work their way through the canal. The
schooner Rosario did not attempt to
come through the canal, aa Captain
Coffin hoped the Ice would open enough
to permit him to get into the lagoon
! near Point Barrow, where she would
jbe safe. We afterward learned that she
had failed to get into the lagoon.
In forcing through the ice the
Orca broke the three rudder pintels,
! making her unmanageable, so she
was taken in tow by the Freeman and
towed through the balance of the
distance.
To make this canal took all hands
three days and nights, stopping only for
meals. The ships got out of the canal
on September 14.
The Jessie H. Freeman and the Belve
dere lay by the Orca until she had re
paired her rudder, and when that was
finished all steamed toward the south,
the ice getting heavier all the time. We
arrived off the Sea Horse Islands on
the 22d day of September, a distance of
forty-five miles from Point Barrow.
On this date the Orca, while fol
lowing us, was caught between two
immense ice floes and crushed with
such force as to take the stern post
and steering gear completely out of
her and hurl the wheel through the
pilot house. Her officers and crew
jumped for the ice immediately.
At this time our ship was near clear
water, but seeing the predicament of.
SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1898 — TWENTY-FOUR PAGES.
the Orca's crew we turned back, work
ing through the Ice, to save them. We
finally succeeded in getting: all the men
on board our ship and steered toward
clear water again, the Jessie H. Free
man being at this time about three
miles to the northward.
We were forcing our way along,
when, about two hours after rescu
ing the Orca's crew, we saw the Free
man in the same predicament as the
Orca, and her crew jumping on the
ice, so we turned back, again to save
these men.
The wind was now blowing heavily
from the westward, forcing the old
ice against the young ice and shelv
ing it, making it impossible for us
I THE ORCA GRADUALLY SLID UNDER THE ICE FLOE UNTIL SHE DISAPPEARED.
TILTON'S DEPARTURE FROM THE POINT BARROW STATION.
now to get out, so we worked with
the ice toward the main land and
succeeded in getting into Pearl Bay,
the heavy ice grounding outside.
Our crew at this time numbered
forty-five men, and we had rescued
fifty-three men from the Orca and
forty-nine men fmm the Freeman. We
knew that the best place to camp
would be on the Sea H^n-se Is'.vtuls, and
ff we could fret the ship l.<*himl tho
islands we would have a change to save
her. On the twenty-third some of the
men commenced sledding 1 provisions
over to the islands, a distance of three
miles, others emptied water out of the
casks to lighten ship, the bulkheads
were torn down for the purpc.-se of
making houses on shore, the black
smith commenced making cookstoves
from the coal oil drums, and others set
to work cutting a canal.
Mr. Walker volunteered to go back
to the Orca with a ccruple of natives
and save all the provisions he could,
and said he would signal to us his
safe arrival.
That afternoon we saw smoke from
the Freeman, and at night she lit up
the sky. She burned to the water's
edge.
We afterward learned that some na
tives had boarded her, got into her
hold and had dropped a lighted lamp,
setting fire to the ship.
On the 29th of September, not having
seen any signals from the Orca, I vol
unteered to go to her, to save what
provisions I could and learn the fate
of Mr. Walker and his two natives.
I t(K>k with me four natives. I
was instructed to loose the gaff top
sails and set the main royal should we
succeed in reaching her, and if Mr.
Walker was safe to run the flying jib
up and down a few times. They would
answer by the same signals.
The Orca was lying fully twelve miles
from us. The ice between the two
ships was In a very poor condition. It
was full of holes, and' the pressure of
the heavy ice would make large cracks
in the new ice, sometimes right under
our feet, causing us at times to move
very lively. After six hours' hard
work we reached the ship and boarded
her. We found Mr. Walker and his
two natives hard at work. We imme
diately signaled our ship, as agreed
upon, receiving their signals in return,
and then went to work to get the pro
| visions Mr. Walker had saved on the
i ice. I found the ship nearly full of
water, and to get the provisions we
had to fish for them with long-han
dled bow hooks. We got thirty-two
sacks of flour and twenty cases of
canned meats, and some other material,
on the Ice. Both the ship and ice were
drifting all the time, the ship having
been kept up by the ice pressing against
her sides.
I was coming to the rail with a
case of meat, when I felt a peculiar
motion. I threw the case on the ice
as far as I could and jumped. The
ship careened slowly over on her
side and at the same time gradually
slid under the ice floe until she com
pletely disappeared.
We had not been on the ship three
hours when she sank. We then com-
menced sledding the provisions we had
saved to the south sandpit of the Sea
Horse Islands, which was about three
miles to the westward. We were two
days in getting these provisions to the
beach, making our camp on the beach,
our tent being made of boat sails.
The water was cold the thermometer
registering from 4 to 8 degrees below
zero. In the meantime the Belvedere
had been worked through the ice and
was placed in as good a place as could
be found behind the Sea Horse Isl
ands, and about fifteen miles from our
camp. Some Indians who had been out
hunting polar bear passed b our camp
and told us that we could get dogs and
sleds from Point Belcher to help take
the material saved to our ship. We
went with these natives and they
brought over two teams of five and six
dugs each, and on the sixth dp- al! the
food saved was put on the Belvedere,
the sleds making one round trip each
day with small loads.
The natives wanted provision* for
their work, but we could not spare any,
and paid them in drilling-, needles,
thread and similar articles. I was ab
sent from the ship on this trip nine
days.
On October 3 Captains Mlllard,
Humphreys and Sherman had another
consultation and called for volunteers
to go to Point Barrow and inform Mr.
Charles Brower, superintendent of the
Liebes whaling station, of our situation
and ask him to help us if he possibly
could. Stephen Cottle, our second
mate, and the fourth and fifth mates
of the Freeman volunteered. They had
to go on foot. They made for the main
land and then for the station. They
traveled over sixty-five miles, the trip
being made in three nights and two
days. Mr. Brower received the officers
in a most kindly manner, and went to
work right away to engage all the dog
teams and sleds he could find around
Point Barrow and r'&pe Bmith. He
dispatched Alfred Hopson, his as
sistant, with the teams to the Belve
dere, arriving there October 7. He had
instructed Mr. Hopson to say that all
of us were welcome at his station, and
he was willing to divide the last crust
with us. Mr. Brower has, by his kind
ness, saved the lives of over 300 men.
He has over 100 natives engaged to
work for him. He gave them rifles and
cartridges and Instructed them to
brin in all the game they could find,
but that they must at any rate get
enough meat to support themselves.
Mr. Hopson had six teams with him
and started back to the station, taking
forty men and some provisions. Some
of the men were so sick and feeble they
had to ride back the entire distance,
the trip being made in four days' time.
Mr. Hopson started back for the Belve
dere on October 13, making the trip in
twenty-two hours. Mr. Brower sent by
him a complete inventory of the provis
ions at the station and also the reports
from the four ships that were in the
ice to the eastward, together with the
list of provisions each of these ships
had on hand. An inventory of the pro
visions on the Belvedere was taken and
we found that there was not enough
on board to keep the entire crew, pro
viding we did not get out until spring.
Mr. Hopson started back the same
day he arrived, taking with him this
time sixty-four men and sufficient pro
visions to last a few days. Captain
Millard had fitted the Orca men with
all the blankets and clothing possible,
as they had to leave the vessel hur
riedly. The Freeman men had had
more time, and had saved all the oloth
ing and blankets they could carry. I
was successful in getting a dog team
and left the ship October 15 to go to the
station. I made the trip in three days.
Captain Millard was successful in se
curing a good dog team and he came to
Point Barrow with Captains Sherman
and Humphreys to discuss the situation
with Mr. Brower and the officers of the
ships.
At this meeting the inventories were
all completed and the entire amount of
provisions on hand from al! sources as
certained. It was decided that by care
ful use an allowance of two scant meals
per day could be made for the men of
the eight ships, which would last up to
the first dax of July, but the allowance
must be a scant one.
It was also decided at this meeting
to call for a volunteer to go south
not only to carry news, but also to
ask help at the earliest possible op
portunity.
I volunteered to make the trip and
others were willing to go with me,
but after considering the situation
carefully we came to the conclusion
that, providing I failed, one dead
man would be enough.
Captains Millard, Sherman and
Humphreys and Mr. Bowers were giving
me all the encouragement they could,
both by word and deed. Mr. Brower
purchased the dogs. The Indians would
gladly have given a dog for a sack of
flour, but not an ounce of provisions
could be spared. The dogs were pur
chased with trade and cost us over one
hundred dollars each. A sled was made
for me, harness made for the dogs, the
native women made skin clothing and
sleeping bags for myself and the two
Indian runners. These runners would
not accompany me any further than
Point Hope. A mast and sail were also
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
included in the outfit and an American
ensign added to float from the mast
head.
I loaded the sled with provisions to
last us for fifteen days, in which time I
expected to arrive at Point Hope, only
allowing myself the same amount per
day that all the men were setting —
two scant meals a day and frozen fish
for my dogs.
Everything being ready, my Bail put
up and the flag fluttering from the
masthead, we shook hands all around,
received lots of good wishes and en-
couragement, and started on my trip
toward civilization, all hands giving
hearty cheers until I was out of sight.
I left Point Barrow at 12 m. on Oc
tober 22, my first objective point be
ing to get to the Belvedere and get
from her a boat compass, a rifle for
the natives, a rifle and shotgun for my
own use, a parallel ruler, a pair of di
viders, and chart, and a portable stove,
which the blacksmith of the Orca was
making for me.
The first stop was made at the refuge
station, now in charge of Michael
Heeney, who is making an Arctic col
lection of curios for the Smithsonian
Institution. A number of shipwrecked
officers are being sheltered and cared
for by Mr. Heeney. He insisted on
us having a lunch with him, photo
graphed the outfit and off we started.
About a mile farther south we met Dr.
Drigs and his wife.
Our outfit was photographed ajraln,
and the doctor prepared a lot of lini
ment and medicines in case it would
be necessary to use them. They wished
me godspeed on my journey, and that
night we camped at a native village
called Simroe. Left the next morning at
5 o'clock, and reported the ship in time
for supper, the actual traveling time
! from the point being seventeen and a
I half hours.
The morning I left Point Barrow Mr.
j Brow^r had received news from the
j ships to the eastward and had succeed
i ed in getting six dog teams, and it was
his intention to get Dr. Driggs to ac
company him to this fleet, as there
were several that needed the doctor's
| attention. He was also taking back
j with him all the men necessary to
watch the ships.
The steamer? Fearless, Captain
James McKenna, and the steamer
Newport, Captain G. B. Leavett, were
about sixty miles to the eastward, of
the point, five miles off shore and in
heavy ice. The tender Jeannie, Cap
tain P. H. Mason, was about fifteen
| miles still further to the east and
i about the same distance from shore.
| The bark Wanderer was about ninety
• miles west of Herscliel Islands, but
did not learn her exact position.
The general opinion was that the
entire fleet would be either ground to
pieces or else carried away by the
ice, but no lives would be lost.
Our tent having been made and ev
erything finished, I left the Belvedere
on the morning of October 26, being
cheered by my shipmates as far as I
could hear them, and that night camp
ed at Point Belcher.
We made an early start the next day
and that night camped at Wainwright
Inlet, and on the night of the 28th
camped at Icy Cape. As the wind was
blowing a hurricane from the southeast
we remained in camp all day, but man
aged to get an early start on the morn
ing of the 30th.
The heavy wind had blown all the
snow from the shore, and soon after
starting came to water along the shore,
so were compelled to go out on the ice.
At one time we were eight miles from
the beach. It was hard traveling that
day, as the ice was rough and we had
to go over considerable young ice.
We kept trying this ice all the way
with an ax to see if it was strong
enough to sustain our weight. We tried
this once too often and lost the ax, and
I was compelled to cut fuel with my