The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 17, 1853

delayed our progress to the north•eut, so that we only ar-
rived at Point Barrow by the 3rd of September, and Were
frozen in on the 24th of the same month.
" The approach of the anchorage sought was, contrary
to my expectations, shoal and intricate, but when gained it
was secure, though difficult of access or egress.
0 The commencement of our intercourse with the natives

was attended with many unpleasant circumstances. No
single boat's crew could be at any distance from the ship
without being pilfered from, and on the most trivial occa-
sions knives were frequently on our men, who, though
armed with muskets, had strict orders in no case to make
even a show of them, seem obliged by necessity. The
ship's decks were at times crowded, and, in one instance,
their manner was so suspicious as to induce me to have the
crew armed; those en deck going below one at a time for
pistols, and returniag with them secreted in their breasts.
There was, however, no occasion for their use. Soon after
wards, a house built on the Spit for the stowage of our stores
was broken into and robbed. The next morning, on the
ddef coming on hoard, I got possession of his gun, and
threatened to attack the village if the stolen articles were
not returned, which had the effect of bringing them in force
towards the ship, armed with bows and snows ; but some
shots fired over their heads caused them to retreat without
loss of life. The following morning the things were brought
back. From this time we appeared to get on better with
them, and at length so good an understanding appeared to
edit between us that I 'hoped we had succeeded in gaining
their confiderce. This desirable state of things was unfor-
tunately put an end to by a calamity which occurred on the
morning of the Bth of June, a gun having gone off by at-
cideot in the hands of the quartermaster of the watch, and
killed a native man alongside the ship; but I am happy in
the belief that the nature of the accident was subsequently
undentood by
them, and that any feelings of oa
their part towards us in consequence has subsided
"The 20th of September had arrived before the beit .
dear of the natives would allow me to turn my attention to
the object of the shin being hen, when, in order Mewed
unspicooes marks of our position, sad to exists, du
eaubilities of Deare's Inlet as a winter station, shed&
be desirable to move the Plover eastward. I made a beat
incursion, accompanied by Mr. 8. A. Hull, meimi
gad found the depth of water at that place invellikaL To
examine the comet still further, and to distribute soden of
a ship being at Point Barrow with a view of their falling
into the
.hands of parties retrials( in this direction from
teamiming ships, or these engaged in the search for them,
I made a journey on the ice, accompanied by Mr. T. D.
Weight, midshipman, as far as Point Drew, a distance of
SO miles to the eastward, and there deposited a small ache'
of preserved meats, in the month of November. This em
minion occupied only 13 days, but the temperature wee
very low, and some frostbites were the consequence, but eve
luable experience in ice travelling was gained as a sot of
againstthese evils. Occupying a position which on looking to
the chart, seems so available as • point of departure for age
ploring parties advancing towards the non east, I had
to attain some considerable distance in that direetiong
the existence of a water sky visible from the ship throitglie
out the winter, and the unexpected break up of the ice ea
within a few yards of us, at the solstice, showed that ha.
selling on the sea ice in this region is too hal trdous to be
contemplated at any season. I was therefore compelled.
nloctant.y, to limit myself to a journey along the most ee
the eastward. The vicinity of a populous native MO-
meat, together with a debilitated state of the crew and the
absence of travelling equipment, wen serious impedimenta
to distant travelling ; yet, it seems ansmary that the Ode
tulle River should be visited, not merely with the vague
hope that intelligence of our ships might be ohtalned, sad
to visit the shores of a bay the boats in 1849 could sea
examine ; but, also, in order rightly to nodentand the
information given us by the people of Point BeTtOte,
by being able to identify the rivers and points of land
mentioned by them with those delineated on our charts.
Aa attempt was tint made to construct a sledge on the I
plan reirammemdsd by Captain M'Clintock, which failed
only for went of proper wood for the runners ; but the
Alen was ultimately attained with native sledges and
dogs. This journey, a detail of which would be necessary
to give on this occasion, but may be described in the con-
cluding remarks of my j rand, was performed between the
4th and 29th of April ; and, although its result has been
unsatisfactory from the lowness of the land preventing the
boast line being traced, and the want of success in graining
information relative to either of the expeditions for whose
benefit the Plover is stationed at Point Barrow ; yet, it has
had the advantage of enabling us to interpret the native
assents of the coast, and to establish the fact of these
people being acquainted with the Mackenzie River under
themes of Ko-puk, which I hitherto supposed to apply to
the Colville. This, if necessary, would determine the
position alluded to in the report received by Capt. Moore
at this place in 1860 of boats' Clews having arrived at the
! teat and being murdered. (Vide Parliamentary Papers,
97, 7th March, 1861, page 33) It has also shown
no that the coast from Point Barrow to Sir John Franklin's
Batresu (Return Reef) contains no winter huts, and, by
nagasetiseable native report, there are none to some dis-
eases hoped Barker Island, so that parties travelling in
spring or autumn could receive neither assistance nor hin-
drance hem the natives for an extent of at least 250
miles fres Point Barrow. From the native accounts
hero it seems certain that both the Investigator and
Beterprim were boarded at the time of their peer
leg along this part of the coast at the distance if
50 and 100 miles east of this place, some 'of them sow
rately describing peculiarities about the ships by width
they coull be knowa, such as the large ice chocks mid
diagonal decks, &c. ; but the onlynctual trace of either ef
them we may be said to have discovered is a portion of a
paper from the Investigator, dated, " Off Point Drew,
Bth Almost, 18.t0," together with the canvas bag that had
enclosed it. With reference to the progress these ships
may have made to the eastward, it might be expected that
the movements in the ice at Point Barrow would give some
idea of the set of the current in that part of the polar sea ;
but our observations can go no further than confirm the
belief in the existence of a current to the north-east to a
distance of only a few miles off the land ; beyond that a
line of hummocky in, from 10 to 20 feet in height, has ex-
isted all -he winter, apparently aground in six fathoms.
Beyond this line scarcely a day passed through the winter
without a water sky being visible between west-south-west
and north-east (true).
" When easterly winds prevailed a large space of open
water was indicated by the extent of water sky, and, when
Tilted, the vapour rising from its surface obscured the
view beyond a few hundred yards ; but within that distance
heavy ice was seen drifting in the direction of the wind.
The natives informed us that the ice was set off the coast by
the easterly, and packed upon it by westerly winds, and
that the greatest cleanses is effected by the south and
south-west (true) gales. They point to the north (true) as
the direction in which the ice goes; but we have not been
able to understand whether they consider this the effect of
a prevailing current. While treating on this subject, it
seems worthy of being remarked, that the natives state the
whales to make their appearaus off Point Hope in April
and May, when the ice breaks up into fidds, sad that
most of them have disappeared by the time the ships arrive.
These animals appear about the same time at Point Barrow,
and are pursued by the laden is their ' o-inbaks,' which
they carry to the open water for that poepose. In June
few ere seen, and in July none, and the people believe they
retire northward, to return again in August and September.
The masters of whaling vessels have informed me that whales
are less abundant in the open water in July and August
than in June. The tides have been registered hourly for
nine months, and the result is that the flood makes from
the west, and the mean rise and fall in Bleoa's Bay is seven
inches. The time of high water at full and change is 1 p.m.,
but great irregularities occur from the wind, the rise being
scarcely perceptible with fresh east and north-east breezes,
when, with south-west gales, it amounts to 31 feet. Of the
latter case a remarkable instances occurred on the 18th of
December, when the water rose from the usual depth of
141 feet to 17 feet 10 inches with a gale at south-west (true),
the force of which was registered for 14 hours at 8, and
10. The Hummocks which bad been grounded along the
horizon and in shore by northerly and north-westerly winds
in September were floated by this rise and blown off the
Lind, taking with them all the in that had formed outside
the spit and islands, together with a large portion of the
floe within the anchorage, which brought the open water
within 40 yards of the ship. On the following day, Decem-
ber 19th, at noon, instead of the usual unbroken field of ice
to the northward, we had none in right from the masthead,
and the view of an own sea was as little agreeable as it was
unreasonable. In a few days it was again frozen, and after
a time the line of hummocks was again formed, and re-
mained fast when we maid in the ship, on the evening of
the 7th of Aorta. The lateness of the present season,
compared with every one since 1848, seems to me to be ac-
counted for by the winter gales having been heavier than
usual this last year, and by raising higher tides, the heavy
masses have grounded more firmly along shore, where they
impede the current in clearing the shore of the last winter's
formation. The months of June and Jaly were remarkable
for the absence of strong winds, which Moe* midst in driv-
ing the ice off shore. The mean temps/stare for the 11
months at Point Barrow was about six degrees higher than
that riven as the result of Sir E. Parry's 12 months at Mel-
ville Island; but the highest and lowest temperatures have
had a more limited range, being 50, and 43, or 18
degrees above the fretting point, on the warmest day
of July, and 75 deg. below it on :he coldest day in January.
The prevailing winds have been east-nortb-east, north-east,
and northerly (true) during the winter and spring, inter-
ropted occasionally by those from the opposite points, and
after May they were moderate, and more variable.
" The fall of snow was not reat, and did not exceed elle I
foot in depth, but the air throughout was leaded a geed
dee' withtclouds and vapours, and daring the summer the
dew point was high. The climate may, therefore, be con-
sidered humid, as might be anticipated from its maritime
situation.
" During the wiatsr the officers took much interest in
making astronomical observations, and by a mean of 390
lunar distances the longitude of Point Barrow was found to
agree with that given to it by Mr. Elton, the discoverer.
A series of magnetical observations were also made under
the superintendence of Mr. Hull, the second muter, who
also registered the tides, and whose zeal in these occupa-
ttons was highly praiseworthy. The departure of a large
pinion of inhabitants of ?oust Barrow and Cape Smyth to
the eastward in the early part of July, relieved mo of all
anxiety about receiving any hindrance to the transport of
I the boats to the open water, and on the 9th I accompanied
Lieutenant Vernon and Mr. Gordon, mate, with an auxi-
liary party, to assist in dragging the boats on sledges over
the ice, 12 or 13 miles to the southward of Cape Smyth,
where I left him with a favourable breeze, confidently
trusting in his success. I enclose Lieutenant Vernon's
account of the loss of the boats in his charge, and merely
remark that I am perfectly satisfied with the manner in
which that officer acquitted himself, and to express my
feeling of pleasure that he was able to save the lives of all
his party, whose conduct on this occasion was most praise-
worthy.
" From the Ist of August I had kept up a dsily comma-

nication with Cape Smyth by sending an officer across
Elson's Bay to report any opening or movement in the ice,
and on the 7th, seeing open water round Point Barrow, and
a favourable easterly wind blowing, I went in a boat to ex-
amine the state of the ice. I found the lane of water along
shore to terminate a mile north of Cape Smyth ; but since
the day previous another had been formed by the easterly
wind outside the land floe and first line of hummocks to
the S.W., as far as could be seen on a clear day. Return-
ing on board at 8 p.m., and finding the wind steady at
E.B E., with no change indicated by the barometer, I pro-
ceeded to sea, hoping to keep the breeze well clear of the
lee, and to make my way to Cape Lisburne, to receive
orders, or make arrangement/ for returning to Point Bar-
row in the event of being ordered, The wind shifted to
S.W. in the night, with heavy rain and dense fogs. To-
wards the morning of the 9th a N. E. wind gave us every
prospect of soon reaching open water ; but the land floe in
the depth of Pearl Bay was found to extend nine miles off
shore, which, as the weather was still thick, seemed to effer
en impediment to the ship's further progress, but by 10 a.m.
the open water was gained through close ice, in which some
shocka4were sustained, but not more severe than the ship
was wl able to sustain without injury. On the following
day, at 11 a.m., I communicated with her Majesty's ship
Amphitrite, and repaired in company with her to Port Cla•
mom to prepare for another winter at Point Barrow.
Having been completed to 18 months' provisions and fuel
by that ship, and there being a probability of the arrival of
her Majesty's ship Rattlesnake, being now ready for sea, I
purpose sailing hence at 4 a.m. to. morrow, the 22nd inst., to
take up aa7 winter quarters again at Point Barrow, where I
shall remain until released from ice in 1854. I shall then
return to this place to meet her Majesty's ship Rattlesnake,
in pursuance of their lorthhips' instructions.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Your most obedient servant,
ROCII PORT MAGUIRE, Commander."
" Her Maj. sty's Oho:leery Ship Plover, Port
Clarence, Aug. 23, 1863.
" Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint you, for the infor-
mation of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that I
sailed from the upper anchorage at Port Clarence at 4 a.m.
of the 22d of August, and previous to clearing the heads I
had the good fortune to meet her Majesty's ship Rattle-
snake, whose number I was enabled to repeat to her Ma-
jesty's ship*Ansphitrite.
" With Captain Frederick's permission I bare returned
to the Rattlesnake the provisions and stores he had pro-
vided as with, much to him own convenience, and taken in
an adequate proportion of the liberal supplies sent from
Eng!and.
" Having received every assistance from Commander
Henry Trollops that could be given, I am now on the point
of again taking my departure for Point Barrow, where
' I bops to reach early in September, if not stopped by
the lee.

I cannot sufficiently express my satisfaction at thus
opportunely meeting the Rattlesnake, nor too much ad-
mire the judgment and expedition with which the passage
out has been effected.
_

•' I have the honour to be, lir,
" Your most obedient servant,
•' ROCKPORT MAOUIRR, Commander.
'• The Secretary of the Admiralty, London."
(Ne. 5.)

4. arroaTiia

" Her Majesty's ship Rattlesnake, Port Clarence,
Sept. 1853, received Dec. 16.
" flir,-1 I beg to acquaint you, for the information
of my Lords, that her Majesty's sloop Rattlesnake,
twenty-seven days from Honolulu, has arrived. We
last the trade no August 3rd, in lat. 33 deg. 30 min.
north, and 163 deg. 24 min. west, entered the Fogs
on the 11th in 40 deg. 30 min. and 169 dog., but were, not-
withstanding, fortunate in getting observations the day
before we passed the Aleutians, which we did between
Segonam and Amoutka (18th August), without seeing the
land. Although the ship's course was not particularly in-
fluenced by it, and there is said to be no race in this
channel, I never saw such a confused tumbling sea, with
'vodkas, tic. It washed one of the gangways away, and
broke on board us several times. The fogs still con-
tinued, with strong westerly breezes. We found we could
not weather the Prihyloff Isles, and, therefore, paged
between St. George and St. Paul's. The channel is broad
and free from danger, but reefs extend off the south-east
end of St. Paul's, and a boiling surf breaks on the long
low.level island called Morjovi, or Morse Isle. From the
appearance of the water, I should say no ship ought to ap-
proach unnecessarily within five miles. We sighted Cape
Rodney at sunset on the 21st. and on the following morning
had the satisfaction of seeing her Majesty's ships Plover
coming from Grantley. She had just parted company with
her Majesty's ship Amphitrite, and was on her way to Point
Barrow. Captain Maguire pulled out to us, and arranged
that we should both anchor under Poiat Spencer, and
transfer the provisions and stores (of which I inclose the
lists). We had two bullocks and 16 pigs for him. The
former were killed, and would give fresh meat for ter crew
for 11 or 12 dr.., ; but of the pigs they would only take four,
in addition to four ethers received from the Amphitrite.
She was, in fact, terribly crowded. Five of our men vo-
lunteered for her, and five from her were transferred to the
Amphitrite, so that she has left with her crew in good
health ; and I believe our arrival, besides the good things
we brought them, cheered them up in a manner and to a
dege that is better felt than described.
"2. The Plover sailed at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, 24th
August, with a nice breeze from S.E., which continued for
full 36 hours afterwards, so that I have no doubt she got
through the straits. and as she is only three days later in
starting than she was last year, I anticipate that her arrival
at Point Barrow will be equally favourable.
"3. After staying another day at Point Spencer to col-
lect drift wood fur building the house, we went up to
Grantley harbour and commenced lightening to enable her
to enter the narrow and somewhat intricate channel, in
doing which we have
Amphitrite fur the most cheerful and valuable

assistance.
"4. I propose to leave Brantley Harbour about the mid-
dle of Yely, and then to skirt the ice between Asia end
America as far as we can go with safety ; and to lie off Icy
Cape, Wainwright Inlet, or Point Franklin, as the case
may be and the ice determine, about the tint week in
August, there to look out for the Plover, and return with
her to Port Clarence. This course has been agreed upon
with Captain Maguire, and will, I trust, meet their lord-
ship.' approval, as the most likely to be of service to the
cause. No benefit would be derived from our being off the
coast of America until August, it not being possible that
the Plover could leave Point Barrow before that time, and
the sooner we have some change after being released from
winter quarters the better it will be for the health and
spirits of the men ; and we may, perhaps, do some good, or
obtain seme information by skirting the pack. Besides, the
Plover's condition not being particularly good, if anythjng
happened to her we should be able wand oar way to Point
Barrow and receive her crew, . .

" 6. On our falling in with the Plover, or receiving her
crew I proposed returning to Port Clarence, to meet the
vessel their lordships' orders give me to understand
will be despatched from Admiral Moresby's squadron ; or,
in the event of our not receiving farther orders, to
deposit our spare provisions in the house, and proceed to
Honolulu. - . .

"6. Sineewritiog the above, I have twice, without sac-
ems, attempted to take the ship into Orantley Harbour.
After sounding and buoying the channel, and finding, as we
thought, 17 feet and 16 feet 6 inches throughout, we
weighed with the wind at E.N.E., but took the ground in
the narrowest part. The tide ebbing an hour afterwards
left us with only 14 feet, although we had 17 and 19 feet
within a ship's length. We laid two anchors out astern,
but could not start her an inch, therefore commenced
lightening har. After taking about 80 tons out, being
favoured with remarkably fine and calm weather on the
following, after having been 20 hours on shore we hove her
off without difficulty ; in fact, from the tacit strain there
was upon the hawsers, she went off elmost of her own
accord. The bottom is soft clay, therefore she sustained no
damage ; but I do not think it advisable to take a ship of
this class into Grantley Harbour. We might, indeed,
lighten her much more, but with great risk of damaging
the stores and dry provisions, which must necessarily be
much exposed; in fact, aided as we were by the Amplii-
trite's boats, and during unusually fine weather, I was most
anxious about it. The channel is extremely narrow and
intricate, and the bottom evidently goes in ridges, so that
it might be possible to carry a line of soundings of 17
feet in, and then go over the same ground and have IS,
and even 13 feet ; and if a ship gets on shore in the passage,
and a south-westerly wind comes en, the sea gets up so
rapidly that the consequence might be serious. There:is a
certain risk of having the ship in Port Clarence when the
ice breaks up, but, u far as I can judge, not so great
but that it may be encountered. On Thursday, the Ist
September, we made a fresh attempt, using greater au-
Lion than before, warping in with hawsers both a-head
and astern, but, although under peculiarly favourable cir-
cumstances, from a southerly wind having raised the
water considerably, we again stack lest, and were obliged
to haul her off. I have now determined not te attempt it
again, and I can only hope that the result will prove that
I have not judged improperly.
" 7. In the event of their lordships requiring the Rattle-
snake to return to the northward from Honolulu, or to re-
main here during the winter of 1854 and 1855, I beg leave
to inclose demands for provisions and stores for another 12
months, dating from November, 1854.
" 8. I inclose a state and condition of this ship.
" I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient ser-
vant, " Hzaitx Titonnorn, Commander."

APOTHECARIES' HALL.—Names of gentlemen who
pealed their gemination in the nieces and practice of
medicine, and received certifiaates to practise, on Thursday,
Di. ember 15, 1863 :—Juseph Fenn Allnutt, Portsea ; John
Hume, North Shields; Robert Ferrer Thompson, Dar-
lington, Durham; Henry Hunter Raymond, Cirencester;
Prank Powell, Chichester; Edward Rawson Denton, Lei-
cester; George Lawson, 10(0.w-hill; James Collinge,
Whalley, near Clitheroe ; and Emilius Rowley Nicholson,
Lichfield, Staffordshire.
DIRTY CAUSEWAYS.—Yeaterday the Commissioners I
of Police ordered notices to be served on all housekeepers,
warning them (under the 2nd and 3rd of Vic., e. 47) that
they will be required to keep the footways and water-
' courses in front of their premises thoroughly cleansed, under a
penalty of 40s. for every day they omit. In all caw I s of
i empty tenements the owner of the premises is to be consi-
dered the occupier; and the constables of the force have
received strict orders to lay the neceseary informations
against all offenders.
RE-OPENING OF ST. PAUL'S CUURCIIYARD.—Thia
thoroughfare, after having been closed for several days, has
been re-opened for traffic, to the great convenience of the
vast mass of vehic:es of all kinds on this line of road, to and
from the Cite and West end of the town.