10 CEUISE OF THE STEAMEE COEWIN. 



After gettiug clear of the pack I pioceeded to the westwiuil under sail. At 2.15 p. in. the 

 steam whaler Orca was spoken, and from her ma.ster I learned that but six vessels had entered 

 the Arctic, the rest of the fleet being blocked by the ice to the southward of St. Lawrence Island. 

 Such being tlie case, I deemed that tlie interests of the Government would be best served by 

 remaining in the vicinity of the straits and boarding these vessels as they entered the jurisdiction 

 of the United States. Two weeks later the fleet passed into the Arctic on the Siberian side, and 

 therefore it was out of my power to intercept any liquor they might have had on board for trading 



purposes. 



Meanwhile I visited East Cape, St. Lawrence Bay, Diomede Islands, Cape Prince of Wales, 

 and Port Clarence, making frequent but unsuccessful attempts, as the ice receded, to enter 

 Kotzebue Sound. 



June 15, at Kruzenstern Island, one of the Diomedes, I learned that whisky had been sold to 

 the natives by one of the whalemen, but the most searching inquiries failed to discover the name 

 of the vessel or that of her master. At one time the Indians would say that the .ship that sold 

 them the liquor was a steamer, and almost in the same breath declare that it was a sailing vessel 

 with one, two, three, and even six masts; that her master was a little man, a big man, and almost 

 anything else they were asked. So contradictory were they in their statements that it was alKso- 

 lutely impossible to gather any reliable information as to the guilty vendor. An armed boat's 

 crew, under the command of Lieutenant Hall, was sent to the village with instructions to search 

 the huts and seize any liquors that might be found there. On lauding he was surrounded by a 

 crowd of half-drunken Indians, and was informed by one of their number where a five-gallon can 

 of alcohol could be found. This ho obcained and brought on board. With the single excei)tion 

 noted no liquor has been found on the Alaskan shore, and, judging from the conduct of the natives, 

 none has been landed. The same can not be said, however, of the Russian side, as at neaily all 

 the settlements visited on that shore uatives were seen under the influence of liijuor. 



Until July 1, when a heavy gale broke up the ice and drove it to the uortliward, little could 

 be done. The drifting ice required the vessel to be kept in motion, while the dense fog ren<lered 

 unceasing vigilance imperative. 



On the 7th of July I was unable to reach Etotham Inlet, and on the 8th sent a boat's crew in 

 the steam-launch to explore the river located by a boat's crew from this vessel under Lieutenant 

 Storey last year. The party consisted of Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, in charge; Assistant Engineer S. 

 B. McLenegan, Quartermaster Horace Wilbur, Fireman J. Lewis, Mr. Jliller, a miner previously 

 mentione«l, and our native interpreter. Lieutenant Cantwell was furnished with necessary orders, 

 a copy of which is inclosed. Lieut. George H. Doty, who was to have charge of the expedition, 

 unfortunately lacerated his hand so badly just before starting as to wholly unfit iiim for tlie work 

 to be jterlbrmed, and Mr. Cantwell being available, I placed him in charge. 



Having dispatched the expedition and lauded the necessary supplies for it, we got uuder way 

 and stood to the westward. After several days' hard fighting with the ice we reached Point Hojie 

 tni the 17th with the steam whalers. But two sailing vessels had arrived, tlie rest having been 

 detained by the ice and a dense fog which had prevailed during the previous three weeks. On the 

 18th the steamer Beda and bark Thomas Pope arrived with mail and supplies for the fleet. The 

 Beda brought up a party of four men for the purpose of ascertaining if the coal seams near Cajie 

 Sabine could be worked with profit. I understand that an ISfoot seam has been found. The coal 

 is of better quality than has hitherto been mined at this place, and arrangements will be made the 

 coming winter for taking it out. 



The Beda also had eight men on board, who are to establish at Cape Smythe, eight miles from 

 Point Barrow, a whaling station similar to those on the coast of California. These people are to 

 remain here all winter. 



In this connection I desire to suggest to the Department the advisability of establishing a 

 life-saving or relief station at Point Barrow for the benefit of the large and constantly increasing 

 number of American vessels frequenting the Arctic during the whaling season, which are obliged 

 to encounter the rigors and dangers of this polar climate. Sucjh a station located at this point 

 would be of the greatest value to these vessels, as sl)ips are freciuently wrecked by ice in tiiis 

 vicinity and the crews undergo great hardships ami suffering while on shore waiting for rescuing 



