CRUISE OF THE STEAMEK COR WIN. 13 



traders, and stops were made at Cape Deceit, (Jhamisso Island, and HotLam Inlet, but no signs of 

 traders were found. 



August 20 we watered ship at Cape Thompson, and proceeding on to Point Hope we picked 

 up Lieutenant Howisou and boat's crew. Mr. Howison had boarded what vessels ha<l come to the 

 point without finding trade liquor on board, aud had not been able to detect any attempt at illicit 

 trade. From Mr. Howison I received a letter that had been written me by Capt. E. E. Smitb, 

 master of the late steamer Bowhead, informing me that he had been crushed by the ice thirty 

 miles to the northward of Icy Cape, stating that he was in a destitute condition, aud requesting 

 the aid of the Corwin. Notwithstanding the thick fog that was prevailing at the time, we 

 proceeded at once to the northward, arriving at the coal mine near Cape Sabine (where Captain 

 Smith informed me he was) that night. On the following morning, with Captain Smith on board, 

 our northern course was resumed. Captain Smith made me acquainted with the following facts 

 concerning the loss of his vessel, which I give as nearly as possible in his own words : 



" On Monday, August 11, 1884, at about 9 a. m., in latitude 70° 32' north aud longitude 161° 

 27' west, and in 10| fathoms of water, the Bowhead was made fast to a large cake of floating ice, 

 starboard side to. There was a light northeast breeze blowing at the time and a current setting 

 to the southwest at the rate of half a knot per hour. Fires were hauled and the boiler partially 

 blown down for the purpose of repairing seventeen leaky tubes from which the water was running 

 so rapidly as to flood and overrun the ash pans. At meridian the wind had fallen to a calm and the 

 weather had cleared up fine. At about 3 p. m. a cake of ice, drifting with a northeast current of 

 about two knots, was observed coming towards me. 



" When about three-quarters of a mile distant I first perceived that it was liable to come in 

 contact with us. I immediately proceeded to run lines and warp the vessel toward the eastern 

 end of the cake to which she was attached, the end being but about two hundred yards distant. 

 When within two-thirds of the ship's length to the end of the ice, the two cakes collided, nipping 

 the vessel between them, raising her bodily, and heeling her at an angle of forty-five degrees to 

 port. Then, as the ice began to give way, a sharp corner was brought against the port side six to 

 eight feet forward of the mizzeu rigging, staving a hole below the water-line and between decks. 

 Another point took against the rudder-post, stern-post, and deadwood, breaking the rudder-post 

 off at the water-line, forcing the deadwood up at a right angle to its position, bending the shaft to 

 starboard, and splitting the sleeve and a three-inch seam in the stern-post from the main transom 

 as far down as I could see. The crushing of the ice, the crashing of the timbers, and our appall- 

 ing condition were enough to shock the strongest nerves, and, to add to the difficulties of our posi- 

 tion, within five minutes of the collision a thick fog shut down, bringing with it a fresh southwest 

 wind. The vessel began to make water immediately, and so rapidly that the engineer was unable 

 to reach the valves of the donkey-pump, which were near the bottom of the vessel. It being evi- 

 dent that nothing could be done to save the ship (there being fifteen miles of packed ice between 

 her aud the shore), I at once proceeded to get the boats on the ice and prepared for leaving the 

 ship, securing what provisions and clothing I could, as well as nautical instruments, ship's papers, 

 log, etc. 



" In a few minutes the cakes separated, the vessel then righting to an eight to ten degrees 

 list to port. 



"After much difficulty we succeeded in gettiug the boats to the edge of the ice, where we 

 could launch them. By this time, about 5 p. m., the fog lifted, and we were delighted to see two 

 steamers about four miles distant to the westward. Signals of distress wei'c set, and, launching 

 our boats, we proceeded towards the vessels, abandoning the ship. Seeing our signals, the steam- 

 ers, which proved to be the Narwhal and Ba'lena, met us, took us on board, and steamed towards 

 the wreck. On our arrival at the Bowhead, there being danger of the vessel's masts sinking our 

 boats in case she fell on her beam's ends, the wreck was towed clear of the ice and then boarded 

 in the hopes of saving provisions. We found so much water in the hold, howevei*, that we were 

 unable to move anything of value. Thick fog had now set in again. The vessel settled rapidly in 

 the water, owing to the quantity of coal aud iron in her, and deeming it dangerous to remain in 

 proximity, it was determined to leave her. The last seen of her was at about 7.30 p. m., and the 

 water was then over her port rail and up to the port side of her main hatch coamings. Dividing 



