10 CRUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIK. 



After getting clear of the pack I proceeded to the westward under sail. At 2.15 p. ni. the 

 steam whaler Onu was spoken, and iVoni her master 1 learned that but six vessels had entered 

 the Arctic, the rest of the fleet being blocked by the ice to the southward of St. Lawrence Island. 

 Such being the case, I deemed that the interests of the Government would be best served by 

 remaining in the vicinity of the straits and boarding these vessels as they entered the jurisdiction 

 of the United States. Two weeks later the fleet passed into the Arctic on the Siberian side, and 

 therefore it was out of my power to intercept any licjuor they might have had on board for trading 

 purposes. 



Meanwhile I visited East Cape, St. Lawrence Bay, Diomede Islands, Cape Prince of Wales, 

 and Port Clarence, making frequent but unsuccessful attempts, as the ice receded, to enter 

 Kotzebue Sound. 



June 15, at Kruzenstern Island, one of the Diomedes, 1 learned that whisky had been sold to 

 the natives by one of the whalemen, but the most searching inquiries failed to discover the name 

 of the vessel or that of her master. At one time the Indians would say that the ship that sold 

 them the liquor was a steamer, and almost in the same breath declare that it was a sailing vessel 

 with one, two, three, and even six masts; that her master was a little man, a big man, and almost 

 anything else they were asked. So contradictory were they in their statements that it was abso- 

 lutely impossible to gather any reliable information as to the guilty vendor. An armed boat's 

 crew, under the command of Lieutenant Hall, was sent to the village with instructions to search 

 the huts and seize any liquors that might be found there. On landing he was surrounded by a 

 crowd of half-drunken Indians, and was informed by one of their number where a fivegallon can 

 of alcohol could be found. Tliis lie obcaini'd and brought on boanl. With the single exception 

 noted no liquor has been found on the Alaskan shore, and, judging from the conduct of the natives, 

 none has been landed. The same can not be said, however, of the Russian side, as at nearly all 

 the settlements visited on that shore natives were seen uiuler the influence of liquor. 



Until July 1, when a heavy gale broke up the ice and drove it to the northward, little could 

 be done. The dritting ice required the vessel to be kept in motion, while the dense fog rendered 

 unceasing vigilance imperative. 



On the 7th of July 1 was unable to reach Hotliam Inlet, and on the Sth sent a boat's crew in 

 the steam-launch to explore the river located by a boat's crew from this vessel under Lieutenant 

 Storey last year. The party consisted of Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, in charge; Assistant Engineer S. 

 I{. McLeiiegan, Quartermaster Horace W^illmr, Fireman J. Lewis, Mr. Miller, a miner iireviously 

 mentioned, and our native interpreter. Lieutenant Cantwell was furnished with necessary orders, 

 a copy of which is inclosed. Lieut. George H. Doty, who was to have charge of the expedition, 

 nnfortuiiatcly lacerated his hand so badly just before starting as to wholly unfit him for the work 

 to be performed, and Mr. Cantwell being aviiilahle, I placed him in charge. 



Having dispatched the expedition and landed the necessary supplies for it, we got under way 

 and stood to the westward. After several days' hard fighting with the ice we reached Point Hope 

 on the 17th with the steam whalers. I!nt two sailing vessels had arrived, the rest having been 

 detained by the ice and a dense fog which had i)revailed during the previous three weeks. On the 

 18th the steamer Beda and bark Thomas Pope arrived with mail and supplies for the fleet. The 

 Beda brought uj) a party of four men for the purpose of ascertaining if the coal seams near Cai)e 

 Sabine could be worked with profit. I understand that an 18 foot seam has been found. The coal 

 is of better quality than has hitherto been mined at this place, and arrangements will be made the 

 coming winter for taking it out. 



The Beda also had eight men on board, who are to establish at Ca|)e Smythe, eight miles from 

 Point Barrow, a whaling station similar to those on the coast of California. These jieople are to 

 remain here all winter. 



In this connection I desire to suggest to the Deiiartment the advisability of establishing a 

 life-saving or relief station at Point Harrow for the benefit of the large and constantly increasing 

 number of American vessels frequenting the Arctic during the whaling season, which are obliged 

 to encounter the rigors and dangers of this jiolar climate. Such a station located at this j)oint 

 would be of the greatest value to these vessels, as ships are frequently wrecked by ice in this 

 vicinity and the crews undergo great hardshijjs and suffering while on shore waiting for rescuing 



