OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE COR WIN'S CRUISE. 477 



were found. They followed the edge of the pack to the westward and southward 

 hoping to effect a landing on the south end of Wrangel Land. Finding it impos- 

 sible to effect a landing until a decided change should take place in the condition 

 of the ice, they crossed over to the Siberian coast, following the edge of the west- 

 ern pack. On the morning of August 5th, latitude 9° 50' N., longitude 179° 25' 

 W., they picked up a lower yard about fifty feet long and twelve inches in diam- 

 eter at the slings, possibly a part of the wreck boarded by the natives at Cape 

 Wankarem. A part of the iron work still remained on the yard, quarter-blocks, 

 shng-band, jackstay, etc. To the latter a piece of bolt-rope was attached, show- 

 ing that the sail was bent when the yard was detached from the mast. The en- 

 tire surface was so chafed and worn by contact with the ice that nothing remained 

 to indicate its color, except under a piece of metal, where it had the appearance 

 of having been painted black. 



They made Cape Wankarem on the evening of the 5th, where they procured 

 from the natives the following articles taken from the wreck, supposed to be the 

 Vigilant: One chain bodstay, with heart attached; several pieces of chain- plate, 

 one whole, with dead-eye strap attached; several small pieces of chain, iron bolts 

 pieces of iron bands, etc.; a sheath-knife bearing the initials " W. B."; a table 

 fork, an iron spoon bearing the letter "H" on the handle, a small black leather 

 pocketbook, containing a number of articles of cheap jewelry; a finger-ring with 

 Masonic emblems, two coins, i cent and 5 cents, a portion of a truss-pad and a 

 Rodger's pocket-knife. Many of the articles were of no value for identifying the 

 vessel. Two whisky casks were also seen, marked Honolulu. The articles ob- 

 tained were placed on exhibition for identification at the office of Wright & 

 Browne, ship chandlers, San Francisco, who fit out many of the whalers. 



On the 8th of August they steamed to the northwest, following the coast line 

 as far as Cape North, where they again came up to the ice-pack and hauled off 

 shore, shaping a course for Wrangel Land. Two days later they landed, after a 

 hard battle with the ice, and raising the American flag took possession of the coun- 

 try in the name of the United States, giving it the name of New Columbia. 



It is, he says, with some degree of diffidence that a new name is suggested 

 for this hitherto unexplored and untouched land. It appears that Admiral Wrang- 

 el, after whom it had been called, not only never landed upon its shores, but 

 never approached near enough to the shore to obtain a glimpse of it. Kellett, 

 whose name has been appended to the country by the English map-makers, only 

 dimly saw what he supposed to be an island, lying south of Herald Island. The 

 name of New Columbia is suggested as one of national character, and not calcu- 

 lated to do injustice to any one, as the two prominent capes are named after 

 those eminent Arctic navigators, Wrangel and Kellett. They had good observa- 

 tions during the day, and found their landing place to be in latitude 71° 40' N. , 

 longitude 177° 40' W. They had confidently hoped to find some tidings of the 

 Jeannette at this point, either a cairn containing records or some sign of parties 

 from the vessel having passed. When last seen by the whaler she was in the 

 vicinity of Herald Island, evidently trying to get near enough to effect a landing 



