Recruited for the Arctic.--Departure.--Coast of Kamtschatka.
--Copper Island.--Going into the Ice with Captain Crosby.--
Gale of Wind.--Dangerous sailing in the Ice.--Cape Thaddeus.
--Bay of the Holy Cross.--Plover Bay.--Dead Whale.--St.
Lawrence Bay.--Whales working north.--Loose, floating Ice.--
Ice covered with Walrus.--Fine Weather.--Striking an Iceberg.
--Ship leaking.--Return to St. Lawrence Bay.--Damage
repaired.--Arrival in the Arctic.
At the port of Hilo the ship was recruited for the Arctic. We remained
in port fifteen days, sailed for Honolulu, and left letters for owners
and for home. We touched at another port before proceeding to the
north, and there we took in an additional supply of provisions, and
then directed our course towards the straits.
In lon. 180 deg. W. we hauled to the north towards the coast of
Kamtschatka. Passed Copper Island. We saw many ships on our passage
thus far, but we took no whales until June.
About this time we captured two whales off shore, and found great
quantities of ice. Spoke with Captain Crowell, of the ship Columbus,
and Captain Crosby, of the ship Cornelius Howland.
We went into the ice with Captain Crosby, in search of whales, and soon
found them; boats were lowered; pursuit commenced; several were struck;
but our irons drew, and we therefore lost them.
A gale of wind coming on and increasing, we worked out of the ice as
soon as possible. We were at that time, when the gale commenced, some
fifteen or twenty miles in the floating and broken masses, of varied
thickness and dimensions, greatly obstructing the course of the ship,
and rendering her situation at times exceedingly dangerous. But by
constant tacking and wearing in order to avoid concussion with the ice,
or being jammed between opposite pieces, both ships were finally worked
out of the ice in safety.
On the inside of Cape Thaddeus, we saw a large number of ships; spoke
with several, but they reported that whales were scarce.
We now put the ship on her course for Behring Straits. We took one
whale off the Bay of the Holy Cross, which made the fourth since we
left port. We sailed along the coast towards the east; land frequently
in sight; foggy; heard many guns from ships for their boats.
When off Plover Bay, ten miles from land, we picked up a dead whale,
having no irons in him, nor anchored, and therefore a lawful prize.
Many dead whales are found by ships in course of the season, and
especially when ice is prevalent. They are struck by different boats,
and if in the vicinity of ice, they will surely make for it, and go
under it or among it; under these circumstances the lines must be cut.
After some time, the badly wounded whales die, and are picked up as
before stated.
We passed between St. Lawrence Island and the main land, or Indian
Point. The huts of the natives were plainly seen from the ship's deck;
still working our way towards the straits. At this time, we were in
company with the ship Montezuma, Captain Tower, and the ship Almira,
Captain Jenks. Whales were seen going towards the north, as it is usual
for them to do so at this season of the year.
We anchored in St. Lawrence Bay; weather foggy. The natives came off to
trade, and brought their accustomed articles for traffic, such as deer
and walrus skins, furs, teeth, &c. They take in exchange needles, fancy
articles, tobacco, &c.
After a few days, the fog having cleared away somewhat, we stood
towards the north again; heard guns; saw whales; still in company with
afore-mentioned ships; blowing heavy; all the ships in sight were
under double-reefed topsails; beating.
Passed East Cape. Saw whales, but they were working quickly to the
north; we followed them in their track with all the sail we could
carry on the ship; they came to loose, floating ice, into which they
went and shortly disappeared. A novel, and yet a common sight was now
witnessed; the ice was covered with a vast number of walruses, which,
to appearance, extended many miles.
The weather being fine for the season, the last part of June, in
company with the Almira, Captain Jenks, we concluded we would go into
the ice again, and if good fortune would have it so, we might capture a
few whales.
[Illustration: WALRUS AMONG ICEBERGS.]
Accidents occur not unfrequently when least expected, and sad ones,
too, arise sometimes from the slightest circumstance, or inattention.
Contact with icebergs, or large masses of block ice, when a ship is
under sail, is highly dangerous. A momentary relaxation of vigilance
on the part of the mariner may bring the ship's bows on the submerged
part of an iceberg, whose sharp, needle-like points, hard as rock,
instantly pierce the planks and timbers of a ship, and perhaps open a
fatal leak. Many lamentable shipwrecks have doubtless resulted from
this cause. In the long, heavy swell, so common in the open sea, the
peril of floating ice is greatly increased, as the huge angular masses
are rolled and ground against each other with a force which nothing can
resist.
The striking of the Citizen against a mass of ice, which nearly
resulted in the loss of the ship and the destruction of the voyage, was
simply inattention or misunderstanding the word of command.
The man at the wheel was ordered not to "luff" the ship any more, but
"steady," as she was approaching a mass of ice; indeed, ice was all
around us, which would have passed us on our larboard bow, and thus we
should have escaped a concussion; but instead of doing this, he put the
wheel down, which brought the ship into the wind, and the consequence
was, a large hole was stoven in her larboard bow; the ship began to
leak badly. Casks were immediately filled with water, and placed on
the starboard side of the ship, and thus in a measure heeled the ship,
which brought the leak to a considerable extent out of the water;
otherwise, she must have sunk in a very little time. So far as we were
able, we temporarily repaired the injury, and made all possible sail on
the ship, in order to seek some place of safety, where the whole extent
of the damage could be ascertained.
In the present disabled and crippled condition of the ship, we felt it
was exceedingly perilous and unsafe to remain even a single day in the
Arctic. We therefore left the whale ground, and though our progress was
slow, yet we put upon the ship all the sail she would bear, since on
account of the leak she was very much heeled, and we were obliged to
sail her in that condition.
Nor was it safe for our ship to be left alone to beat her way back two
hundred miles or more, unaccompanied by another vessel, lest by some
unforeseen circumstance,--an event not altogether improbable,--the ship
might founder at sea, and all on board perish.
Captain Jenks, of the ship Almira, therefore, kindly proffered his
services, with whatever aid he could give, and accompanied our ship
nearly to the point of her destination, to the Bay of St. Lawrence,
which was about two hundred miles distant from the place where the
accident occurred.
When off East Cape, we obtained some plank from the ship Citizen,
Captain Bailey, of Nantucket. We passed the heads of the bay, and, with
shortened sail, we worked our way up more than thirty miles beyond the
direction of any chart, our boats being sent ahead, and sounding the
depth of water. We finally reached a point, and came to anchor in
a little basin, or inlet, about one hundred and sixty feet from the
shore, in five fathoms of water, completely landlocked.
Here in good earnest we commenced breaking out the fore hold abreast of
the leak, and took out casks, shooks, &c., and careened the ship still
more, which exposed at once the full extent of the damage which the
ship had sustained from the ice.
It was found that several planks and timbers were badly stoven. Repairs
were made with the utmost expedition; and in seven days from the time
the ship went into the bay, she was out again, and on her way towards
the north, as strong, and perhaps stronger than she was before.
We passed through the straits, and came to anchor north of East Cape,
in company with the ship E. Frazer, Captain Taber, and the bark Martha,
Captain Crocker. After lying there three or four days, we got under
weigh and stood towards north by west, with high winds, and foggy. We
heard whales blowing in the night. The next day whales were seen going
north; we followed, and finally passed the "school." We changed the
course of the ship, beat back, found them again, and commenced taking
oil.
About the first of August, the fog having cleared away, we saw a large
number of ships "cutting in" and "boiling out," actively engaged in
securing a good season's work. We took several whales at this time.
All were busy, and at work as fast as possible, in capturing whales,
cutting and boiling. The whole scene, in which were some forty or fifty
ships taking whales and stowing away oil, was one of exciting and
cheering interest.
Such times as these are the whalemen's harvests.
On the 15th of August, during a heavy blow, we lost run of the
whales. We spoke with several ships about this time, among which were
the Benjamin Morgan, Captain Capel, and the General Scott, Captain
Alexander Fisher.
From this last date to the 22d of September, we spoke with a great
number of ships; sometimes whales were plenty, and at other times
scarce; and the weather equally changeable; sometimes heavy blows,
rainy, and foggy; and then again mild and pleasant.
Among others we spoke with Captain Henry Jernegan, and Captain John
Fisher, both of whom are now no more, having finished their earthly
voyages, and gone to their "long home."