/ 

 22 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



later in the season. ■ On the arrival of the steamer St. Paul, from the seal islands, I received a 

 letter from Col. Harrison G. Otis, special agent in charge at that place, which contained the fol- 

 lowing : 



On the night of the 8th instant, a schooner, supposed from her suspicious movements to be on a predatory mis- 

 sion in these waters, was sighted off the east side of the island bearing in a northerly direction, and next morning at 

 2 o'clock she was discovered by the lookout at Northeast Point, standing close in shore. Late in the morning, after 

 the men on shore commenced moving about, she stood out to sea. 



As parties on board the Flying Mist acknowledged to having been in the vicinity of the seal 

 islands, she was undoubtedly the vessel referred to by Colonel Otis, and our suspicious as to their 

 intentions were confirmed. She had probably beeu frightened off by seeiug the men on shore, and 

 would return later in the season when the nights were louger, and endeavor to take seals during 

 the night and stand off shore before daylight. 



Our stay at Saiut Michael's had been enjoyed by all. Professor Muir took long rambles on 

 shore, studying botany, collecting specimens, etc. Some necessary work on the boiler and engine 

 and taking in a supply of coal detained us until the evening of the 21st, when we got under way 

 and proceeded direct to Saint Lawrence Island. Mr. E. W. Nelson, naturalist in the employ of 

 the United States Signal Service, accompanied us for the purpose of taking notes on the natural 

 history of the country, and making an ethnological collection at the deserted native settlements on 

 Saint Lawrence Island and other places. 



We arrived off one of the deserted villages on the morning of the 23d, and stood in for an 

 anchorage, but a northwesterly gale coming on compelled us to change our plans and haul off 

 shore. In carrying sail hard to get off the lee shore and clear the northwest point of the island 

 the weather-jib guy parted, carrying away the jib boom. Fortunately we had taken on board the 

 jib boom of the wrecked schooner Lolita, which made a very good substitute. After clearing the 

 point of the islaud we stood in on the west side aud came to anchor close in shore, but the wind 

 backing to the north-northwest during the night, drew on shore and made our berth very uncom- 

 fortable. 



On the morning of the 24th we ran down to the south side of the islaud aud auchored off a 

 deserted village. The sea was quite smooth, although the wind blew down off the high cliffs in 

 terrific gusts. Owing to the strength of the gale we were unable to visit the shore and make 

 an examination, but it is probable that this was one of the villages depopulated in the terrible 

 famine which visited the island in the winter of 1878-79. We were informed by the natives at the 

 Northwest Cape that at a settlement on the south side a few of the natives were still alive, and, 

 as we saw no signs of life at this place, although the shore was constantly scanned, I concluded 

 that there must be another settlement farther along the coast to the eastward. The wind moder- 

 ating a little towards night, we got under way, and steaming slowly to the eastward, with the lead 

 going, and keeping a sharp lookout on the shore with the glasses, we were at length rewarded by 

 the sight of two houses, which appeared to be occupied, situated on the top of a small hill. Haul- 

 ing in for them, we came to anchor near the shore in six fathoms of water. The location of these 

 houses on top of a hill at first caused some surprise, as it was contrary to their usual custom of 

 establishing themselves near the shore. For greater convenience in using their skiu boats, they 

 build at the point nearest to their place of lauding, where the snow does not drift. A lauding place 

 is selected with a view to two things, namely, a sloping bank for the convenience of launching and 

 hauling out their boats and game, and water sufficiently deep near the shore to enable them to land 

 without much difficulty the walrus and whales captured. Landing and making an examination, 

 the cause of the singular location of their houses was apparent. The original settlement had been 

 near the water, on a slightly elevated flat, protected from all winds except southeast, but during 

 the famine all the inhabitants had died, with the exception of those now occupying the two houses 

 on the hill, about sixteen in number, and as their blanched corpses were now lying on the ground 

 in the immediate vicinity of their former houses, and even inside the houses, so that it was almost 

 impossible to get around without stepping over them, the survivors had withdrawn to the hill to 

 avoid the ghastly sight. 



From the report of the natives on the north side of the island last year, I estimated the number 

 who had died at this place to be 75. This I find is very much below the truth. Professor Muir, 



