DANGEES OF THE FISHERIES. 117 



is not so much an object of interest, the lookout is not kept with such vigilance. The greatest 

 precautions against collision with ice are taken from the time the vessels approach the region where 

 they expect to find ice — about the latter part of June — through July, August, and the first part of 

 September. 



Vessels engaged in the whale fisheries of the Arctic Sea, north of Bering's Straits, are exposed 

 to great danger from ice, and many of them have been lost, either by being driven on shore by the 

 ice or crushed between masses of heavy pack-ice. 



Since 1871 more than fifty whaling vessels have been lost in the Arctic, north of Bering's 

 Straits. In 187 1 thirty -four out of a fleet of thirty-nine vessels were crushed in the pack-ice. In 

 187C twelve out of a fleet of twenty sail were lost under similar circumstances. The story of the 

 great disaster of 1871 is told by Starbuck, in his History of the Whale Fishery. He says: "In the 

 fall of 1871 came news of a terrible disaster to the Arctic fleet, rivaling in its extent the depreda- 

 tions of the rebel cruisers. Off Point Belcher thirty-four vessels lay crushed and mangled in the 

 ice; in Honolulu were over twelve hundred seamen who, by this catastrophe, were shipwrecked. 

 * * * On the 2d of September the brig Comet was caught by the heavy ice and completely 

 crushed, her crew barely escaping to the other vessels. * * * Nothing but ice was visible off- 

 shore, the only clear water being where the fleet lay, and that narrowed to a strip from 200 yards 

 to half a mile in width, and extending from Point Belcher to 2 or 3 miles south of Wainwright 

 Inlet. « ♦ * On the 7th of September the bark Eoman, while cutting-in a whale, Avas 

 caught between two immense floes of ice off Sea Horse Islands, whence she had helplessly drifted, 

 and crushed to atoms, the officers and crew escaping over the ice, saving scarcely anything but 

 their lives. The next day the bark Awashonks met a similar fate, and a third fugitive crew was 

 distributed among the remaining ships." There appeared no chance of relief to the ice-bound 

 vessels, and after consultation among the captains it was agreed to abandon their ships, and a day 

 set when they would take to boats in hopes of reaching other vessels which were outside the barrier. 

 " The morning of the 14th of September came, and a sad day it was to the crews of the ice-bound 

 crafts. At noon the signals, flags at the mastheads, union down, were set, which told them the 

 time had come when they must sever themselves from their vessels. As a stricken family feels 

 when the devouring flames destroy the home which was their shelter, and with it the little souve- 

 nirs and priceless memorials which had been so carefully collected and so earnestly treasured, so 

 feels the mariner when compelled to tear himself from the ship which seems to him at once parent, 

 friend, and shelter." After two days' struggling with the ice and waves, the boats, heavily loaded 

 with their freight of 1,200 whalemen, reached the more fortunate vessels and were kindly cared 

 for by their fellows. Fortunately no lives were lost by this disaster, though the money loss was 

 upwards of a million and a half of dollars. The loss by the disaster of 1876 was fifty men, and 

 vessels and cargoes valued at $800,000. Further details of these and other disasters to the Arctic 

 fleet are given in another section of this report, which discusses the history and methods of the 

 whale fishery. 



DANGEKS FEOM FIEE AND LIGHTNINa. 



Fishing vessels are sometimes exposed to dangers from fire and lightning, which cause many 

 mishaps, if not serious disasters. In June, 1864, a fire broke out in the forecastle of the schooner 

 Sea Witch, at anchor on Caslie's Ledge. It was discovered by the men who were on deck dress- 

 ing fish. They immediately rushed forward with buckets, and by the most strenuous eftbrts, expos- 

 ing themselves the while to the flames, succeeded in extinguishing the fire before any very serious 

 damage had been done. Another instance of this kind occurred to the schooner Princess, of 



