m
C H A P .
X IX .
Sept.
IS27.
approach the place again ; the chief excepted, who returned almost immediately,
and pitched one tent for himself, and another for the prisoner.
Lieutenant Belcher, in concluding his account of this disastrous affair,
speaks in high terms of commendation ofthe conduct of Mr. (now Lieutenant)
Kendall, It illiam Aldridge, and George Shields, seamen, and of
Thomas Hazlehurst, marine; and it is with much pleasure I embrace
the opportunity of giving publicity to their meritorious behaviour.
1 must exonerate Lieutenant Belcher from any blame that may
attach to him as commander of the vessel; for though her loss was
evidently occasioned by her being too close in shore, and by too few
a number of persons being left on board, yet it is to be observed, that
she was only a boat; that the crew were upon the beach in readiness to
assist her; and that had it been a case of ordinary nature, they would no
doubt have succeeded in their object. In place of this, however, the
wind changed suddenly, and the sea rose so fast that there was no
possibihty of effecting what, under general circumstances, would have
been perfectly practicable: the water, besides, was tivo feet lower
than usual. The strenuous exertions of Lieutenant Belcher to save
the crew, and his resolute conduct toward the natives, after he was
thrown amongst them unprovided with arms, a brace of pistols excepted,
show him to be an officer both of humanity and courage.
After the loss of our favourite boat, parties were repeatedly sent
to the wreck, in the hope of being able to raise her, or to procure what
they could from her cabin and holds; but she ivas completely wrecked
and filled with sand, and a few days afterwards went to pieces. Mr.
Belcher was a great loser by this unfortunate accident, as he was well
provided with instruments, books, papers, &c., and had some expensive
fowling-pieces and pistols, all of which were lost or spoiled; and this
was the more provoking, as some of them had been purchased to supply
the place of those he had the misfortune to lose when upset in the
cutter at Oeno Island. I am happy to say the government, on the
representation of his peculiar ease, made him a compensation.
On the 12th the body of one of the seamen, Thomas Urcn, was
found near the place where the boat was w'recked; and on the .Sundiiy
following it was attended to the grave by all the officers and ship’s
company. The place of interment was on the low point of Chamisso C H A P .
Island, by the side of our shipmate who had been buried there the
preceding year.
Sept.
1827-
On the ISth we were visited by tw'o baidars, and among their
crews discovered the party who had visited the ship so early in the
morning, when she was at the anchorage in -August, one of whom
drew his knife upon the first lieutenant; they were also of the party
which made an attack upon our cutter in Escholtz Bay the preceding
year. They had with them a few skins and some fish for sale,
but they were very scrupulous about what they took for them ; and
on being ordered away late in the evening, they twanged their bows
in an insolent manner, and only pushed off about a couple of yards.
The officer of the watch desired them to go away, and at length
presented a musket at them, on which they fired an arrow into the sea
in the direction of the ship, and paddled to the island, wliere we observed
them take up their quarters.
When the boats landed the next day to fill the casks, Mr. Smyth,
W'ho had charge of the party, was desired to arm his people, and to order
the Esquimaux off the island if they were offensive to him, or interfered
with the duty. On landing, the natives met him on the beach, and
were very anxious to learn whether the muskets were loaded, and to
be allowed to feel the edges of the cutlasses, and were not at all pleased
at having their request refused. The arms were rolled up in the sail
for the purpose of being kept dry, but one of the natives insisted on
having the canvas unrolled, to see what it contained, and on being refused
he drew his knife, and threatened the seaman who had charge of
it. Coupling this act with the conduct of the party on the before-
mentioned occasions, Mr. Smyth ordered the arms to be loaded; on
W'hich the natives fled to their baidar, and placed every thing in her in
readiness to depart on a minute’s warning, and then, armed with their
bows and arrow's and knives, they drew up on a small eminence and
twanged their bow-strings, as before, in defiance. A few rainutes before
this occurred, five of the party, who had separated from their companions,
attacked two of our seamen, w'ho were at some distance from
Mr. Smyth, digging a grave for their unfortunate shipmate, and coming
4 B 2