George Howland  Source  Whalesite

To H. M. Whitney:

      Sir: The ship Corinthian, of New Bedford, Valentine Lewis, master, was lost on Blossom Shoals, northward of Icy Cape, Arctic Ocean, August 31, 1868, at 9.30 A. M. She had taken eleven whales the season, and had at the time she was lost two whales in the blubber-room, and about 150 bbls. of oil, in casks on deck. She went on shore in a thick snow-storm. At 6 o'clock, A. M., the Captain was called by the officer in charge of the deck, and told that the ship was in shoal water. We had at the time seven fathoms. The Captain came on deck and immediately gave orders to wear ship and make sail; on account of everything being frozen solid, had to carry hot water aloft to thaw out the brace blocks before we could wear round; wore ship in five fathoms, heading off shore; again sounded and found eight fathoms; stood off till we came to the ice; sounded and found eight fathoms; in fifteen minutes sounded again and found six fathoms; and in about two minutes after struck the shoals; struck three times, with a space between of about ten seconds.

      It was quite evident, some time before we struck, that we must go on shore, for nothing but a miracle could save us, with ice on one tack and the land on the other, with strong gales from the northwest, a strong northwest current, thick snow storm, and freezing so that it was almost impossible to work the ship. We tried to loose the mizzen topsail, but could not do so. Several of the men had their fingers frozen as it was; and after doing all that it was possible for men to do, the ship struck, as I have said before, at 9:30 A. M., and immediately fell over on her beam ends. We cleared away the larboard boats to save them. The Captain then gave orders to cut away the masts, which was done, and after starting some of the oil we had on deck, the ship righted up, and the boats came back to the ship, all but the third mate, and he went on shore with two boats and eight men, where they remained till the next morning. He said the current was running so strong that it was impossible to get back to the ship at that time.

      And here let me remark that Mrs. Lewis, the Captain's wife, acted through it all with the utmost courage – not a sign of fear was to he seen on either cheek or eye. God bless her, and may she arrive at home in safety.

      Captain Lewis and his officers remained by the ship and did all they could to save her, but the ice was fast packing down on us, and at 5:30 P. M. the Captain and his wife, the mate, second and fourth mates, left the ship in three boats, to try and find a ship, leaving on board myself and nine other men. And let me here say that we remained by the ship at our own request, the Captain wishing us to, go with him in the boats; but we preferred to remain by the wreck. Through the night the ice packed all around us, but the wreck lay quite easy. On the morning of September lst, the the third mate and the men with him returned to the wreck; came on board about 9 o'clock, and after getting breakfast, we commenced to lighten the ship by throwing overboard the remainder of the oil we had on deck, and by throwing the blubber overboard out of the blubber-room. The natives came on board, and helped us all they could. They were very quiet and perfectly honest – would not take anything unless given to them. About midday the wind changed round to the southeast, and the ice commenced moving from along side the ship, it having been packed around us all night and all the forenoon; cleared away the spars from alongside, and lightened the ship, so that at 4 P. M. the wreck began to move. We commenced to heave up the anchors.

      The cry of sail ho! is heard through the slip, and on looking off to sea, we could all see the welcome sight; – a ship standing in right for us; and soon another, and then another, until six of them were in sight, and then might be seen a tear stealing down from eyes that probably had not shed a tear for years. The first ship in was the George Howland, Capt. Knowles; he got to us with his boat about 6 o'clock. We were then all afloat, and off the shoals. Capt. Knowles advised us to let go the anchors, which we did in seven fathoms of water. Shortly after other ships arrived, and the Captains came on board. The ships were – the George Howland, Capt. Knowles; Josephine, Capt. Cogan; Vineyard, Capt. Smith; Cornelius Howland, Capt. Homan; Concordia, Capt. Jones, and Florida, Capt. Frazer. The Captains of these ships all kindly offered us homes on board their ships, and a free passage into whatever port they might be going to at the end of the season. The Corinthian's crew, now on board of the ship George Howland, have requested me to return to these Captains thanks for their kindness, especially as some if not all of them left whales to come to our assistance.

"Account of the Loss of Ship Corinthian."
      The Friend. (Honolulu)
New Series, Vol. 18, No. 11.
    p.93.

George Howland  Source  Whalesite