The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-10-16 00:00:00

discussing their misfortunes and those of their friends.
The Jumna is rising with the greatest rapidity; one
can almost see it swell. Far out in the flood trees are
visible braving the force of the current; and on the
opposite shore villages, already washed by its waters
this year, are again threatened. The grassy moat of
the city is a roaring torrent. The green compounds of
the civil stations are lakes, out of which the bungalows
rise as gloomy islands, their white walls befouled with
wet. Every stable and kitchen in the station is
wrecked. While I write, upwards of forty people,
servants and their families, are squatting in my
verandah. Three horses are beating the hard chunam
with impatient hoof ; and—it still rains. Hundreds
are houseless ; how they must pray for the light of the
morning.
Friday morning. —The rain gradually died away in the
„night ; and a fair breezy morning has broken. The river is
rising, but no longer creates anxiety. A great number
of trees have fallen; and our recently repaired roads,
upon which a steaai-roller has been frolicing for weeks,
are now covered with interesting deposits of sand and
mud, that illustrate certain facts in physical geography,
but are unfavourable to locomotion unless upon a
steam-roller.

THE POLAR EXPEDITION.
The Pandora, which was fitted out principally at
the expense of the late Lady Franklin, and sailed
from Portsmouth on the 25th of June last, with the
double object of keeping up communication with the
Alert and Discovery, and of making another search for
the remains or traces of the Franklin Expedition,
arrived at Disco, in Greenland, on the 7th of August.
The first despatches from her were received on
Monday, giving an account of the outward voyage.
There were on board 31 hands all told, Mr.
M`Gaban and Mr. Wilde, an artist, being the only
landsmen. Heavy gales were experienced from
the 9th to the 11th of July, the jtbboom
and wheel ropes being carried away. On the 18th the
first seal was sighted, and on the 27th the whaler
Trawler, of Peterhead, was boarded and communi-
cated with. Ice was first seen on the following day,
and on the 29th the Pandora was surrounded. The ice
continued very thick for some time, and they struck some
floating pieces. In the afternoon a brisk fire was
opened from breechlos.ders on a poor unfortunate
seal, which was despatched and brought on board,
and Esquimaux Joe was engaged in skinning him.
On the 7th August the yacht reached Disco, and found
that the expedition had left three weeks previously.
All on board the Pandora were well and in good
spirits. The writer states that the grand organ on
board was a source of great enjoyment to all. Of
Esquimaux Joe he says :—" He is a great enthusiast
in the work of exploration, and clings as tenaciously
as ever did Lady Franklin herself to the belief that
Sir John and other members of the expedition of 1845
may still survive. Joe asserts that they were never
properly searched for, and invariably adds. "Too
much hurry; too much hurry; no stop long enough;
by-and.by find 'em.' He is a great favourite, Joe,
with all on board, and, Esquimaux as he is, does not a
little to keep up our spirits and make us hopeful of
succeeding in our adventure."