The months of February and March passed dismally enough, with varying fortune with the hunters. Toward the end of March, the condition of the party was growing rapidly worse. On March 3, Joe shot a monster oogjook—a large kind of seal.
It was, indeed, a great deliverance to those who had been reduced to one meal of a few ounces a day.
“Hannah had but two small pieces of blubber left,” continues Captain Tyson, “enough for the lamp for two days; the men had but little, and Hans had only enough for one day—and now, just on the verge of absolute destitution, comes along this monstrous oogjook, the only one of the seal species seen to-day; and the fellow, I have no doubt, weighs six or seven hundred pounds, and will furnish, I should think, thirty gallons of oil. Truly we are rich indeed!”
“April 1st. We have been the ‘fools of fortune’ now for five months and a half.”
On this day it was found necessary to abandon the floe, which had now become wasted to such an extent that it was no longer safe; at 8 A.M., therefore, the party took to their boat. This boat, intended to carry six or eight men, was crowded with twelve men, two women, and five children, with the tent and skins and some provisions. There was so little room that it was difficult to handle the oars and yoke-ropes. After making fifteen or twenty miles to the south and west in the pack, a landing was effected, the tent pitched with the intention of remaining all night. For the next twenty-eight days the party advanced to the south by boat, camping upon the ice at night, undergoing the most perilous hardships from the upheavals of the ice, through gales and storms.
THE RESCUE AND RETURN TO UNITED STATES
At 4:30 P.M. of April 28, a steamer hove in sight, right ahead, and at one time appeared to be bearing down upon the boat. The American colours were hoisted, and the boat pulled for her. She was recognized as a sealer returning southwest, and apparently working through the ice. For a few moments the hearts of the shipwrecked party were thrilled with joy, but the steamer failed to see them, and night coming on, she soon disappeared. That night the boat was again hauled upon the ice and fires lighted to attract the attention of passing vessels.
At daylight, a steamer was seen eight miles off. The boat was launched and headed for the ship,—but after two hours’ pulling, she was so beset by ice that she could make no headway. The party landed on a small piece of ice, hoisted their colours, mounted the highest point of the floe, collected all the rifles and pistols, and fired them together to attract attention. After three rounds, the steamer fired three shots, and, changing her course, headed toward the floe. The party gave a shout of delight, but soon after the steamer again changed her course, and steamed away.
“Again in the morning of the 30th, when the fog opened, a steamer was seen close to the floe; the guns were fired, the colors were set on the boat’s mast, and loud shouts were uttered. Hans shoved off in his kayak, of his own accord, to intercept her, if possible; the morning was foggy, but the steamer’s head soon turned towards them and in a few moments, she was alongside of the floe.”
The three cheers given by the shipwrecked people were returned by a hundred men on deck and aloft. The vessel proved to be the barkentine Tigress, sealer, Captain Bartlett, of Conception Bay, Newfoundland. Her small seal boats were very soon in the water; but the shipwrecked party did not wait for them. They threw everything out of their own boat, launched her, and in a few moments were on board the Tigress, where they became objects of extreme curiosity, as well as of the most devoted attention. When the time during which they had been on the ice was mentioned, they were regarded with astonishment, and warmly congratulated upon their miraculous escape. They were picked up in latitude 53° 35´ N., off Grady Harbor, Labrador.