18 CRUISE OF STEAMEE CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



along shore in search of the wreck of the Lolito, which was discovered about noon well up on 

 the shore. Anchoring about a mile outside in four fathoms of water, we found the wreck 

 embedded in the shore ice, which at this place was still unbroken. The hull appeared to be but 

 little injured, but the wreck had been stripped of everything movable by the natives. A party of 

 men in charge of an officer landed and commenced cutting ice away from around the stern. Un- 

 fortunately, after several hours' hard work, it was discovered that the rudder and pintles were 

 broken. We got some bolts and bands and a part of a wire backstay, all of which were useful. 

 We also took on board two barrels of oil which were found on the beach. These were subsequently 

 sold at San Francisco, and the proceeds used for the benefit of the vessel. Judging by the quan- 

 tity of drift-ice in the sea that we would not be able to get the vessel on the beach in Plover Bay for 

 some time, and realizing our helpless condition in the ice or in a gale at sea, it was decided not to 

 wait until the vessel could be put on a beach, but to repair the damage at once as best we could. 

 The rudder having already been scarfed and bolted, a lower pintle was made of a piece of 14- 

 iuch iron bolt, fitted by sawing into the strap of the old metal pintle, and held in place by two 

 iron strips fitted over it and bolted through the rudder. A middle pintle was made of a spare 

 200-pound anchor, the shank of which was cut off 18 inches from the crown, and was driven into 

 the rudder, a hole of suitable size haviug been bored for the purpose. The arms being left about 

 6 inches long, one was let into the rudder by sawing into the metal straps as in the first case, and 

 the other arm serving as the pintle was fitted into the socket. This done, we shipped the rudder, 

 and in place of the upper pintle, figure-of-eight lashing of wire rope was passed through a hole 

 previously cut for the purpose in the rudder and around the rudder post. The rudder head, owing 

 to its haviug been shortened by the scarf, could not be connected with the screw steering gear. 

 The wheel ropes running to the pilot-house were rove off and got in readiness for connecting np 

 when needed. An extra pair of wheel ropes connected with the preventer tiller through leading 

 blocks on each quarter, and running outside the monkey rail were rove off and connected with the 

 pilot-house wheel in order to relieve the scarf as much as possible. The latter were used most of the 

 time. I hoped by putting the vessel on the beach to get a lashing on well down to support the 

 heel. Although unable to do so, we had made it quite strong and had no fears of its giving way, 

 unless struck by a heavy blow near the heel. 



On the following morning, June 11, we made an early start and after working to the northward 

 several hours, through heavy drift-ice, we came to spaces of open water and shaped a course for 

 Plover Bay, where we hoped to take in some coal. After working through heavy drift-ice all day, 

 about midnight we came to the sound spit, which forms a natural breakwater in the only place 

 where anchorage can be found in the bay on account of the great depth of the water. As I had 

 feared, the ice was found unbroken inside the spit, and we could only be made fast to its edge, a dis- 

 tance of a mile and a half from the coal pile. The following day we tried to cut a dock in the ice by 

 blasting with powder, but the charges, which were exploded under the ice in tin cans, had no other 

 effect than to break a hole of a few feet in diameter and send a column of water into the air 15 or 

 20 feet without cracking the surrounding ice. The ice, which was melting rapidly, was soft and 

 spongy and had not that brittleness which it has iu cold weather. 



On the morning of the 13th, all hands were turned to coaling ship. We had constructed two 

 large sleds which would carry about half a ton each, and dividing the crew into three parts, one 

 part was put at the coal pile to fill coal into sacks, while the other two were drawing it to the ship 

 ou the sleds. The distance from the coal pile to the vessel in a direct line was about a mile and a 

 half, and the rapidly melting ice was very soft on the surface and covered with deep pools of 

 water. Notwithstanding the long distance and the unfavorable conditions, with the assistance of 

 the natives we succeeded in taking in about nine tons a day. The natives used their sleds and 

 dogs and assisted our men at the drag- ropes of the large sleds. The Plover Bay natives are not 

 fond of work, and when employed require constant urging. They are Tchuktchis and were once 

 powerful and wealthy, having large herds of reindeer. Now only a few poor miserable wretches 

 remain, and but one small herd of deer. Contact with civilization has wrought the change. I 

 saw among them a very pretty half-breed girl named Pelurza, about five years of age, with 

 bright clear blue eyes and light curly hair. Her history, as told by the natives, is as follows : 

 Two white men coming to Plover Bay in a trading- vessel were left on shore with a stock of liquor 



