CRUISE OF STEAMER OORWlN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 9 



tude, and is of volcanic formation. It was discovered by Bering on Saint Lawrence day, August 

 10, iu the year 1728, and was at first supposed to be a group of small islands. Attention was first 

 called to the wretched condition of its inhabitants by Capt. George W. Bailey, in his report of 

 tbe cruise of the revenue steamer iu 1879. A report of the natives had been brought to Ouua- 

 laska by J. J. Nye, master of the trading schooner Pauline Collins. It being late in the season, 

 Captain Bailey was unable to visit the island and learn the truth. On his return to San Francisco 

 he reported all the facts to the Department, and I was ordered to investigate the matter during the 

 cruise of the Corwin in 18*0. This I did, visiting the island and making a personal examination 

 of the deserted villages, but, as will be shown farther on, through lack of time and a fear of ex- 

 aggerating the horror, I fell very far short of the truth. 



After spending several hours at Saint Lawrence Island we got under way for Plover Bay, 

 taking on board two families of natives, who appeared very anxious to reach the Siberian coast. 



1XXUIT SETTLEMENT, NORTHWEST END SAINT LAWRENCE ISLAND. 



On the occasion of a subsequent visit to this island, this same party came alongside, having just 

 returned from the Siberian coast, where we had landed them, and where it appears they had bought 

 a supply of deer-skins. 



We arrived off Plover Bay in the evening, but were unable to enter on account of the ice, which 

 was still unbroken. The land as far as we could see in every direction was white with snow to the 

 sea-level, and the shore lined with ice. Off Marcus Bay, a few miles northeast of Plover Bay, we 

 spoke the whaling bark Rainbow, Captain Lapham, and delivered the mail, brought from San Fran- 

 cisco, for the whaling fleet. The barks Abraham Barker and Hunter were also in sight to the 

 southwest. 



We learned from Captain Lapham that a report had reached the whale ships, through the na- 

 tives at East Cape, and other places along the coast of Asia south of the straits, that a party of 

 Tchuktchis, belonging to Cape Serdze, while sealing on the ice near that place, had discovered a 

 wreck which was believed to be one of the missing whaling barks. Captain Lapham stated that 

 the story had been related with a good deal of detail, and with lint slight variations at the different 

 places, and that the impression prevailed among the whaling captains that, notwithstanding the 

 well-known mendacity of the natives in this vicinity, the report contained a ground work of truth. 

 Considering this report of sufficient importance to justify a thorough investigation, I determined, 

 as it would be impossible to visit the north coast with the vessel for some weeks, to dispatch a 

 sledge party in that direction to learn all the facts as to the reported discovery of the wrecks and 

 to make inquiries in relation to the Jeannette. After speaking the Rainbow, we stopped at Marcus 

 Bay, where we engaged a native named Joe to accompany us as interpreter and dog driver and 

 also secured a team of dogs. 

 S. Ex. L'lif 2 



