The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-11-15 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION.

From the lin 77liire Telegraph.]
On Wednesday morning his Majesty's discovery ship the Griper.
Csptain George F. Lyon, mint unexpectedly arrived at this pon,
and ran into the harbour, direct from flris*s Strata, with the
signal of distress flying. having lust all her anchors and cables in
fruitless endeavours to get iota Repulse Bay, whither sloe was
under orders to poems!, for the purpose of co-operating with Cap-
tain Parry in search of a north-west passage.
The circumstances which have led to the failure of this branch
of the north-west expedition are attributable to stormy and severe
weather, whirl) prevailed in a more intense degree than the oldest
northern navigator remembers, and to the extraordinary bad quali-
ties of the ship for the purposes required.
It appears that the Griper left Stroennesa on the let July, and
male Cape Chudieigh (on the Isebrador coast) on the 2d of August,
having fallen in with icebergs three days previously, and from
which time she was beset with drift ice. In this passage she, was
found to make so little progress, that the Snap (her provision 'ten-
der? was frequently obliged to take her in tow.
From Cape Chudleigh the Griper wan obliged to stretch to the
northward, to Resolution Island, as the fide iceprevented progreo•
up Hudson's Strait: they were, however, enabled to make slow
advances to the westward, close to the Savage Islands, until they
made Salisbury or Nottingham Island, but which place could not
be ascertained, from the impossibility of making observations of
the Upper Savage 'elands. Some canoes of natives tame off to
them, who appeared to be of the some description of Esquiroaux
with which out navigators were before acquainted. They were dis-
missed with liberal presents, and Appeared Much gratified.
From Salisbury Island, the Griper proceeded to the south
point of Southampton Island. in which they *ere essieted by
a *tong current setting down Foes Channel • but on their
rounding Southampton Island, this current, wlfich then came
down Sir Thanes Itowe's Welcome (up which they wished
to proceed) was directly against them, and nearly caused their
shipwreck. Southampton Island was found to be laid down
with tolerable accuracy. Off the south-west end of the island
the Griper was obliged to anchor, in consequence of suddenly shoal-
ing her water in • gale of wind she parted onellilltilOY, but braight
up again with three anchors a-head, in quarter less four
fathom water : when the tide fell, the sea was so heavy that
the ruddee continually struck the ground. and was lifted almost out
of the gudgeons : this was on the Ist of September. (hi the wea-
ther moderating, the Griper proceeded up the Welcome, but a
northerly gale of wind springing up, the ship was driven into
Hudeon's Bay. However, by perseverance, and taking advantage I
of every favourable breete of wind, she reached Cape Fullerton.
the larboard entrence of Wager River. and within about sixty miles
of the spot (Repulse Bay) rbere she pea intended to winter. The
coast on the American main land was found so rocky and extremely',
dangerous, Cat she was obliged to stretch oft for Southampton
Island, whence she endeavoured to make for Repulse Bay, but I
was driven by the tide directly to the southward and westward, I
against what was supposed to be Wager River. Here strong
breezes and a heavy snow storm set in, which made it nece,sary that
the ship should be brought tot id) three anchors a.head and made
snug. The sea rose rapidly and hmkeover the ship with tremendous
force, forming thick coats of ice in an instant, as as to connect
the shrouds together half way up the rigging. The snow also tell
so fiat that the men hail much difficulty in keeping the docks clear.
The ship all this time pitch so dreadfully, that the cables mine
over the bumpkins, one of which was thereby broken. Ihring the
night a large stream of ice wax perceived coining down upon the
ship, but, most happily, it parted before It reached her, and some'
small portions of it only struck against the bows, which did no
damage. The wind continued to increase, as well as the snow;
at five o'clock in the miming the starboard cable parted, and, on
the ship swinging to the other three anchors. she was struck by
a sea and parted tint them nil ! Her situation at this time was
the most perilous that can be imaginal, every individual monies.
tardy expecting that she would drive on shore. Means of penet-
ration, however, were tot neglected ; the trysails wet— rot on her,
though it was so dark that no object could be discerned, an,' they
did not know an much as which way the ships head lay, from the
compasses having ceased to act, the ship being. as it is supposed,
directly over, or near the Nagnetic Pole. Whilst presuming, in
this distressing dilemma, that the wind had shifted off the land, as
the water deepened, a sight of the sun, and subsequently of the
tither celestial bodies was obtained (of which they had had no slew
for some days), and the ship was fnund to have been drifted out
of the Welcome, alter haring attained lat. 65. ME There was at
this moment no anchor left in the ship. Notenhstinding it was
determined, if possib!e, to winter nbmit Chesterfield Inlet, or even
to the so ithward of that spot. The perm. • -eing effort% of all on
on board were accordingly directed to gain the American shore,
but finding that the ship got into the shallows of Hudson's
Bay, they were nluctentiy compelled to edge away fur Salisbury
Island, still hoping that a few fine and favourable days would re-
store them their lost round. The bail weather, however, still con-
tinued, and there was much difficulty in wr.tering the ship at these
places, from a strcani of ice. A number of natives came olr
to thene in canoes, and tr.dli;kol their clothes for iron and
spears. At length, the hopeless continuance of bad weather,
I the weft:ltei: re:,dition of the ship Croat her incroacities), the
others oral 172 W havi.ig suffered more than on
any previous voyage, the advanced stage of the season, with nu-
racrool other enneonlitant miseries, contpellza ('entail Lyon to ran-
seri that the ship should he got out or ludson's `'traits (an extent
of eight hundred miles of dangerous navigation) ; which place they.
had scarcely cleared, when It g:de drove them rip Davis'
Straits, IM) milts to the sotiffiward of Resolution Island. Provi-
dentially, a clemge of what enabled them soon after to petered on
a southern passage homeward, and the Griper arrived it in six
weeks, in the shoe we have described.

Though little has been effected towards solving the geographical
problem of a north-west passage, by this voyage, yet some meet
interesting elucidations of the deviation of the compass have been
brought to light. The compasses began to waver and contradict
each other when abreast of the Savage Islands ; and, as the ship
Wt to the westward, the compasses got unsteady and useless.
hilst
the ship was in Sir Thomas Rowe'. Wtlerame, they fre-
quently would not traverse at all, bet stood in 'bitterer position the
card was placed. Should a passage be discovered by I apt. Parry,
through the Prince Regent's Inlet, it is considered more than pro..
liable, from the irregular movements of the ice, that it may never
be entered again.
The Griper spoke several whalers, all of which had been unsne-
cessful in the fishery ; no ship had more than two fish, and fumy
none whatever. From the Captain of the Phenix whaler, Captain
Lyon heard that Capt. Parry's exrdition had been seen in the
middle of August, in Ist. 71, beset with ice. On the whole the
season has been more boisterous, end, consequently, the sea less
clear, than it has been known for thirty years. It was very ques-
tionable if Capt. Parry would be able to reach Lancaster's Sound.
Had the Griper erected a wintering either in Repnlse Ray or IVa.
ger River, or Chesterfield Inlet, Capt. Lyon, with a strung parte,
would have made a !and journey to Pram Turn-again, near the
( topper-Mine River, a dittenee of nearly 71* miles, fur which ex-
pedition they wise full•srquipped.. Capt. Parry, if he succeed in
luessing Lances:es Sound, asel getting to the southward, down
Prince Regent's Inlet (by whiea t. 1400 was next 'via to com-
municate with him), he will spot a limit expedition il"possihle, in
the same direction, as f.. Repulse Bay, in the hope of tom.
rounicatinF with the liriper.
The Helper communicated with ths Esquimau% natives of the
Upper Savage Islands, and of Salisbury and Nottingham Islands,
allot' whom hoe, frequently seen Europeans. They were lea an.
rage in their habits and manners than their more northern brethren,
but they &hewed a strong thievish eisposition : they endeavoured
to steal the oars and iron work front the boats. The Griper also
communicated with the natives of various pans of Southampton
larnta, who had never even a ship before. They, however, ex-
resit'', very little surprise; they evinced more gentleness in their
manners than our other of the Esquimau% tribes, and were much
better looking and cleaner in their persons; the women were rather
tartly. All these people reside in the Walrus-hide huts, which
are desailied in ('apt. Lyon's last voyar.
The (riper ordered to be paid eft, and sold teat of the Nary.
A vessel Letter aiapteil to the peculiariti.si of the service, will ito
doubt be prorii'ed ha Carlisle Lyon lied his meritorious officers
and crew, on the opening of the m,r‘oi, lir a fertile! investigation.
Captain Franklin, we tuoisistand, is to leave Englaad, on hie land
expedition, in February next.