14 CRUISE OF STEAMER COR WIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



I believed it to be only a question of a few hours before the uorthern pack would rest against the 

 shore as far south as Cape Serdze, and to be fairly caught between the pack and shore ice would 

 be certain destruction for any vessel, no matter how strongly built. We steamed slowly to the 

 south anil east during the day, sighting ice on both sides, as the weather cleared a little from time 

 to time, enabling us to see a distance of four or five miles. 



At 4 p. m. it stopped snowing entirely for a few minutes and gave us a view of Koliatchin 

 Island. I had just sent for the interpreters and asked them if they considered the ice passable in 

 such weather. John, the Tapkan native, was scanning it carefully, and although apparently in some 

 doubt as to the cbances,'he evidently preferred to make the attempt than endure a repetition of our 

 experience of the past twenty-four hours. Suddenly his face brightened, and pointing to the south- 

 west, he said one word, " Koliatchy." I looked in the direction indicated, and to my great delight 

 saw Koliatchin Island, apparently not more than 5 miles away, although it proved to be more than 

 double that distance. 1 again asked if they considered the ice passable. A short consultation 

 between the natives resulted in a grunt from the Tapkauian, which Joe interpreted to mean, " He 

 thinks it pretty good." I waited to hear no more, but passed the order for the sledge party to 

 embark, and an hour later they were on the ice, where they were met by a party of native seal 

 hunters, who rendered them valuable assistance in getting their heavily-loaded sledges over the 

 rough ice. 



The party consisted of First Lieutenant Herring, Third Lieutenant Reynolds, Coxswain Gessler, 

 and the two natives. Their outfit consisted of twenty-five dogs, four sleds, and one skin boat, one 

 tent, one coal-oil stove and furniture, with 5 gallons of oil. Five skin coats, 3 pairs skin trousers, 6 

 pairs seal-skin boots, 2 deer-skins, and 2 rubber blankets, an aneroid barometer, thermometer, 

 marine glass, boat compass, lead and line, &c, 1 hatchet, sail needles and twine, 15 yards cotton 

 canvas, a quantity of sealskin line for securing loads to the sledges, 140 pounds of bread, 10 pounds 

 coffee, 10 pounds sugar, 50 pounds dried potatoes, SO pounds pemmican, 3 rifles, 3 revolvers and a 

 shot-gun, with an abundance of ammunition, completed the outfit. Instructions were given Lieu- 

 tenant Herring to proceed along the coast as far as practicable, communicating with the natives'at 

 each settlement, and, if possible, to find the parties who were said to have discovered the wreck, 

 and gather all facts in connection with it that could in any way throw light on the fate of the miss- 

 ing whalers or the Jeanuette. In regard to rejoiuiug the vessel when this task had been completed, 

 they were instructed as follows : 



The Corwiu will be at Tapkan June 15, June 20, and July 15. If yon do not meet the vessel at any of these dates 

 proceed to East Cape, leave letters at all settlements stopped at, both going and coming. In case the vessel does not 

 reach East Cape by the 15th of August, go to Plover Bay ; on the way stop at Saint Lawrence Bay, and leave letters 

 with the natives to be put on board whaling vessels or to be delivered to the Corwin, giving information of date of 

 passing, &c. Inform all natives met with of the object of your visit, and request them to assist any parties of white 

 men that may at any time appear on their coast, and assure them that any services rendered will be well rewarded. 



These instructions were written out early iu the afternoon before laud had been seen, and with 

 the expectation that we would be compelled to return to Tapkan before embarking them, and in 

 the event of their being unable to cross Koliatchin Bay, they were to return to Tapkan, where we 

 would pick them up on the 15th, and make another attempt to laud them west of the bay, as 

 I had no doubt we would be able to do by that time without difficulty. After seeing our sledge 

 party fairly started on their way, we ran south and east under sail, intending to go to Plover Bay 

 and repair our rudder. Fortunately, we had been able to save the broken parts, and hoped to be 

 able to scarf them so that the rudder could be used by lashing it to the rudder-post. On the 

 following morning we passed Cape Serdze, which we caught sight of at intervals between the snow 

 squalls. During the afternoon the wind moderated and the weather cleared a little. 



Just north of East Cape, we saw eight whalers, six of them " boiling out." Several reported 

 having taken as high as eleven whales, a remarkable catch so early iu the season. 



A bright ice-blink had been in sight, to the eastward, all the afternoon, and about 8 p. m. the 

 ice was raised on the port beam and ahead. We soon discovered the straits to be entirely filled 

 with ice, coming through from Bering Sea, compelling us to lay by until morning. During the 

 night the set of the current, after careful observation, was found to be about one knot per hour to 



