The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-09 00:00:00

TILE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

We have been favoured with the following nar-

native of the proceedings of Captain Maguire, the
officer in command of the Plover in the Arctic
Seas. The extraordinary forbearance and ad-
mirable conduct of Commander Maguire in his
treatment of the natives whom he encountered on

the coast will be appreciated by the public, and, we
hope, appropriately rewarded by the Admiralty

In accordance with my last communication I proceeded
to sea from Port Clarence on the morning of the 21st of
August, and, with a favourable breeze, passed through
Behring's Straits by the eastern passage on the following
day at noon. A succession of contrary winds delayed our
progress to the N.B. to a much greater extent than was
considered favourable, to insure our complete success of
rounding Point Barrow at that advanced period of the
season.

In our passage to the northward we passed, several whale
ships cruising in squadrons, a caution they seem to have

prudently adopted for the benefit of affording mutual as-
sistance in the event of disaster. Their success up to that
time seemed to be indifferent, and we have been since in-
formed by natives from Point Hope, that whales have be-

come very scarce on the coast since the ships have come in
pursuit of them. The last whaleship (French) seen by us
was on the morning of the 25th of August, in latitude 69°
30' N., longitude 167° 43' W., carrying all sail to the south-
ward. We soon afterwards made the ice in heavy floes,

and tacked in shore to ascertain its distance from the land,

when Ire found the contrary winds had done us good ser-
vice by opening a free passage of from 10 to 15 miles, in
which we beat to the N.E., making but slow progress until
the night of the 2d of September, when a slant " from
the southward, with a fast falling barometer, warned us
that a change of weather was at hand. Our distance from
Point Ban ow, now reduced to 50 miles, I thought we
could accomplish before the ice set in shore, and therefore
pushed forward under all sail, and rounded it at the dis-
tance of one mile on the following day at noon, Septem-
ber 3.

The approach to the channel leading between the sandy
islets that form the proteetion we were about to seek for
the winter in Elson's Bay was found, contrary to our
expectations, shoal and intricate, making it necessary to
anchor the ship and sound out the passage, if it was found
not to afford sufficient water, of which there was a doubt.

Our position was not one to lose time in, shut out, and
close down on an exposed shore, with a gale coming on
that would soon have loaded it with ice. Having ascer-

tabled, as expeditiously as possible, that there was about
nine inches to spare across a shoal before we got to deep
water, the anchor was weighed, and, after making a few
tacks, the narrowness of the channel and the ship taking
the ground twice made it advisable to anchor cal kedge
under shelter of the spit. A fortunate turn in the cur-
rent enabled us to effect this, as by the time the warps had
been run out the gale had increased so much as to render

it unsafe to trip the anchor. However, finding a strong
weather current setting, it was weighed, and the ship
warped into a wild-looking anchorage for protection in a
gale of wind—no 'land being visible except the low sand
spit of Point Barrow and the islet adjoining, not more than
five feet above the level of the sea, which broke over them
with great violence during the height of the gale. These
aro again guarded by the shoals lying off, on which the
drift ice grounds, making the anchorage when gained
secure, but difficult of access or egress. Daylight next
morning showed us how fortunate we had been in getting
shelter ; the gale now veered to west was unabated—the
sea broke heavily over the shoals passed yesterday, and
against the sand spits to within a short distance of the
ship, while the offing twas encumbered with heavy ice,
becoming gradually closer with the gale. As we found a
strong current setting to windward, I had no doubt of
the ship holding on, although the confined space of the
anchorage did not admit veering more than 30 fathoms of
cable. In the afternoon the gale began to moderate, and
on the following day the ship was moved to a more secure
berth, near the position selected for winter quarters, where
we remained until the ice set fast, on the 24th of
September.
A succession of strong gales and thick weather for the
following week retarded our preparations, consisting chiefly
in collecting driftwood, not f2und here in a abundance.
From this material the plank for housing in was sawed,
and the remains stacked for the winter filing. Advantage
was also taken of every opportunity to send a boat to
sound the channel, knowing the difficulty of the task after
the ice had formed, and on its breaking up we should be
too anxious to move with it, to have time for that purpose.

On the 25th pancake ice began to form in the fay and
drift out rapidly with the current. A party was sent to
haul the launch up on the adjacent islet, to be out of reach
of the natives. This service was performed by Mr. G. T.
Gordon, mate, who, when returning in the gig, with a
fresh and favourable wind, was unable to push his way
through the young ice, and was carried in it through the
passage into the offing. In this distressing dilemma a
second boat was lowered, in which Lieutenant Vernon
promptly volunteered his services, and by running out 700
fathoms of whale line the gig was reached, now carried
some distance off the land. By this means they were en-
abled to reach the spit, although they had another narrow
escape from being carried out by the line parting when they
were close to it; fortunately, one of the men sufficiently-
quick to leave the end among a crowd of Esqui-
maux, drawn to the spot by witnessing the state of our
boats, and they hauled them up, where they had to remain
for the night, the ice being now to strong to allow us to
haul the boats through it, and not sufficiently firm for the
people to walk on board. During the night the ice moved
but once, a short distance, then set fast, and in the morn-
ing we had the satisfaction of receiving our boat's crews on
board, after experiencing a degree of anxiety for their
safety that is not easily described.
The following days were occupied in sawing a canal to-
wards our winter position, which was much delayed by un-
expected movements in the ice undoing our work when
nearly completed; and on the 30th, at 10 p.m., we were
trachea up it by about 70 natives, men, women and
children, whose shouts and exclamations of surprise gave
'animation to the whole scene and made it one of deep
interest.
Our time was now busily occupied in making the usual
preparations for passing a winter in this rigorous climate,
which we had thus early observed symptoms of. A tem-
porary house was erected close to the ship to receive our
deck-load of provisions, to enable us to have them clear,
for the crew to take exercise when the state of the weather
would not admit of their leaving the ship and an observa-
tory for the reception of the magnetical instruments was
constructed from ice alone, which answered the purpose
perfectly for 8 months.
These arrangements were completed by the 20th of
October, when the necessary winter routine was esta-
blished for an economical expenditure of fuel and provi-
sions, with due attention to order, cleanliness, occupation,
and amusement, to lighten as much as possible a time con-
fessed by all as being depressing and monotonous. Many
valuable hints on the subject were gained from the works
of Captain Parry, in following whose example I considered
we could not err. Taking advantage of his experience,
the masts and yards were kept in their proper places,
affording a better mark for seeking the ship from a dis-
tance, bearing in mind our being here in expectation of
parties falling back upon us for safety, and as the land is
very low, and in winter it may be said not visible, the
ship made a fine object, being discernible, in clear wea-
ther, at the distance of nine miles from every direction.
Deeming it a matter of importance that the Plover's
position at Point Barrow should be known as far as to
the eastward as possible, and also wishing to ascertain
whether Dease's Inlet would afford shelter for any vessel
that might at any future, time be desirous of wintering
there, I took the earliest opportunity of making a boat
excursion to perform this service, and left the ship
on the morning of the 21st of September, in the gig,
accompanied Mr. T. A. Hull, second master. Steering
off the land into five fathoms, we passed a good deal
of sailing ice, and proceeded East-North-East, over an
oven bottom of from five to six fathoms, with the wind fr( n
the S.E. Changing our course to the southward, we got
entangled among a series of sand spits, when taking to (m-
-ous we steered along the outside of the largest island of the
group; which we then supposed to be connected with the
mainland about Point Christie but was afterwards found to
be one of the very low chain of sandy islets running along
this coast. As I suspected this was takiraev us to the east-
ward of the inlet, I landed to ascend the highest part to see
how much further it extended, and found a second island
running in the male direction. The water being too shoal
for hauing the boat up hero, we stood out into deeper
water, and at length succeeded in hauling the boat up for
the night on the second island. Daring the night a strong
breeze sprang up from the N.W., with a temperature of
30 deg.
Knowing we had run our distance for Dease's Inlet, I
was not a little puzzled to know where we were, as I could
scarcely fancy it was possible to lay down this coast with-
out noticing these islands.
On the following morning, our observations being com-
plete and the boat loaded, and, now concluding that Deaso's
Inlet must be looked for to the southward, and first erecting
a conspicuous mark, on this place, of the Plover's winter
position, we steered for a point just visible S.W. (true).
This proved to be Point Christie, where we landed in time
to get the latitude at noon. Its highest part does not
exceed 10 feet above the level of the sea, and hero we
erected another large mark. The season now seemed
to be so far advanced that I was in doubt between
crossing the inlet and returning to the ship, but, as
I considered my object would not be carried out
without placing notices on Point Tangent, I deter-
mined to cross it,• and started with a fine leading
wind from the northward. In two hours wo reached
the eastern shore, which is even more shoal than thei west-
ern,lla t
the water about Point Tangent being so 8
lo
our boat could not be got within a cable's length of the
beach.
Having now found that the greatest depth of water to be
obtidned by sounding directly across
hD laeas_e's Innlet was 11
feet only, with its shores extremely s o considered the
question settled that no vessel could fid winter quarters
there, and, after leaving the proper notices, started on our
return to the ship. Sludge ice was observed,t on our return,
to be forming in all the small baysth the temperature having
fallen to 19 deg" waning
the night athe open season was
nearly at an end. Passingin the same place as
the previous one for the sake of the driftwood, we left the
next morning with all haste for the ship, which, with a
fine breeze from the northward, we reached by noon.
Twelve hours after our return, it was reported to me that
the ice was drifting past the ship.
A further examination of Dease's Inlet was afterwards
made by Mr. T. A. Hull, second master, in the month of
May, in continuation of a survey of this coast from Point
Barrow eastward.
The southern shores of this inlet, which had hitherto
been left blank on the charts were now traced. It was
found to extend in a S.W. direction for a distance of 20
miles, its breadth at the mouth being eight miles, and ter-
minating in a shoal bay. The S.E. shore is much higher
than the rest, one cliff there being as high 24 feet. Four
inconsiderable rivers empty themselves here, two on the
eastern and two on the western shore. .
The chain of islands which, commencing at the Plover's
winter quarters closely abut on Point Tangent - the west-
ern part of which was discovered by Captain Moore' and
denominated by him Plover's Group has been found to be
10 in number (on but two or three of the largest of which
is there the slightest sign of vegetation), running in a line
almost parallel with that of the coast, or E.S.E., and
W.N.W. (true), from Point Barrow to Point Targent,
where they terminate, the only channel between them of
sufficient depth for a ship being the one by which the
Plover entered.
From the time of our arrival at winter quarters, situated
two miles E.S.E. (true) from the Esquimaux settlement on
Point Barrow, celled by them Noo-wook, we found this
people, contrary to our preconceived opinion, very trouble-
some and unfriendly. To such an extent did this feeling
exhibit itself, that it would have been prudent to remove
from their vicinity, particularly as we had received more
than once unmistakeable hintalo that effect, had circum-
stances admitted it ; but, as we occupied the only spot of
deep water to be found on this part of the coast, it became
necessary to put up with the evil, hoping that time and a
'better knowledge of our character would improve their

conduct, and I had no doubt our 'wintering amen: them
would eventually be attended with beneficial results. The
commencement of our intercourse wls attended with many

unpleasant circumstances No single boat's crew could be
at any distance from the ship without being pilfered from
in the most daring and barefaced way, and upon every
trivial, and often without any occasion, their knives were
drawn upon our men, who, although armed with muskets,
had strict orders in no case to make even a show of them,
unless obliged by necessity, as I thought recourse to that
force was to be avoided, when a good feeling in favour of
any of our missing countrymen who may at any future
period be in their power was the object sought. Carrying
out these views to the extent of not showing our arms was
nanod,
t
apaptrectihaeterdequest of two officers going with a watering
as they mistook forbearance for timidity,
party to the village, to carry their guns nominally for the
purpose of shooting small birds, the show of them was
found to have so good an effect that it was adopted on all
future occasions, although we were obliged to cease send-
ing for water after a few turns, there being always some
unpleasant display on their part that was best avoided
whbn possible.
While occurrences such as I have mentioned were taking
place daily with our parties away from the ship, the diffi-
culty of dealing with those collected about her was suffi-
cient to employ all the people left on board, exclusive of
the pressing duties of the ship, with a small crew at this

season.
About the 15th of September they appeared'to be re-
turning to their winter huts, from their usual summer's
excursion along the coast to the eastward, and, as the ship
lay in their direct traok, we had a visit from all of them,
including also the Cape Smyth tribe, being the two most
numerous in any part of the coast, numbering together
about 500. As many as seven or eight large "U-mi-aks"
arrived daily for eight or nine days, containing their sum-
mer tents, families, dogs and sledges, &c. They appeared
perfect strangers, and looked in amazement at us and the
ship. They brought with them a small quantity of fish
and venison ; with the latter they parted reluctantly, and
seemed to prefer begging and stealing (iu which they were
most unscrupulous) to any kind of exchange.
On the morning of the 17th I was informed that a large
1:1-mi-ak had come alongside, and the crew had forced
their way on board. As this was not an uncommon case
I thought nothing of it, when I found that Lieutenant
Vernon was attending on deck. He soon came down to
inform me that the chief of the party had a musket, and
was very anxious to get gunpowder in exchange for vend,"
son. This piece of information I considered the worst t
had received among many unpleasant circumstances that
I had experienced, feeling that we could not remain among
them if they had firearms.
It will be proper to state here that we have, at a very
late period of our stay, identified this chief as the same who
followed and annoyed Commander Pullen at Point Berens
in 1849, full particulars of which are given in his journal
As he expressed a wish to see me, I went up and found
a large, powerful, elderly man, with a peculiarly bad ex-
pression of the countenance. Ho had a Hudson's Bay
musket, with the name of Barnett on the lock ; it was a
good deal worn, but fit for service. He had a powder horn
hanging hunter-fashion under his left arm, but pretended
to have neither ball nor shot, for which he was most press-
. _

ing, and would not dispose of anything except for ammu-
nition. This, as a matter of course, he was not supplied
with. I saluted him with much friendship, made his wife
a present, and took him down to my cabin, where I made
him a present of tobacco and satisfied his curiosity about
the ship below. Then I took him on deck with the idea
that he would go away ; but nothing seemed further from
his thoughts, as he remained about the decks and slipped
down the hatchways on to the lower deck several times—
a part of the ship they have not had access to during any
of our stay. During the forenoon several "U-mi-
aks" arrived alongside the ship, discharging their crews in
swarms on our deck, so as literally to crowd it for the day.
They were allowed every freedom consistent with their
known propensity for stealing ; but some bolder than others
were difficult to deal with. One man attempted to force
back the after-ladder doors, and my stopping him brought
about a slight scuffle between us. That did not seem to
have satisfied him, as ho soon afterwards came in contact

with the quartermaster of the watch, a quiet but rather
short-tempered powerful young man, who, before any-
body could interfere, gave him a lesson he will not soon
forget ; he dealt him fair English blows about the head,
each of them sufficient to stun any one except an Esqni-
maux ; but he received them until they had the effect of
quite taming him, when he was put over the side in the
presence of at least 60 of his countrymen, few of whom
offered to interfere, and the remainder looked on with in-
difference. About noon, when, at my particular desire
three parts of the crowd went away, the remainder were
evidently detained by the old chief, whom there was no
moving out of the ship without having recourse to force,
and this I had no intention of, preferring to wait until he
got tired of his visit, and this seemed unlikely for the pre-
sent, as he hailed three U-mi-aks, full of people, to come
alongside. I heard the word " tewax" (tobacco) used very
often, I supposed as the inducement, and the children, I
observed, had been sent'sway. It occurred to me they
might have thoughts of pillaging the ship, their numbers
to ours seeming so overpowering. In order to be prepared
for anything of the kind the men stationed on deck were
sent down, one at a time, to arm themselves with pis-
tols, to be kept out of sight in their breasts, in the event
of a simultaneous attack being made with their knives, all
being provided with good ones, and adepts in their use.
When the men were all armed I was satisfied to wait the
result. A silence seemed to prevail, as if they had not de-
cided what to do, and, whether they had or not meditated
any mischief beyond stealing as much as they could, they
attempted nothing, and went away as night came on, leav-
ing the old chief with his own boat only. He had conti-
nued to range about the ship in the most insolent way, and
I think it reasonable to suppose it was only the fear of
of our firearms that kept him from mischief. When left
by himself, I was cautious not to urge his going away, as
I had clone when there were 70 people with him, but, letting
him choose his own time, he remained until 7 p.m.—a visit
of 12 hours. When he was gone I was so thoroughly tired
and provoked, and knowing that every person in the ship
must be suffering in the same way, it became necessary to
adopt a different system, the number of small articles
stolen during the day, notwithstanding all our vigilance,
affording sufficient pretext for the change. All work was
stopped the next day, and an efficient arrangement made
to allow only one boat's crew on board at a time, and,
whatever dissatisfaction it might give it was necessary to
adopt it.
It seems necessary to mention here the difficulty of
keeping a numerous tribe of natives out of a vessel like the
Plover, as the ice chocks make a convenient landing place
on the outside not more than four feet from the water,
running the whole length on both sides, where they mount
in all directions, and in some cases, when
prevented, they
cut at our men's legs with their knives, and in one or two
instances cut through bore-cloth trousers. While the
knives of some were engaged in this way, those of others
were busily employed cutting the lead scupper pipes out
of the side. The nails of the copper were proof against
them, but no part, of the side escaped their attempts.
From this cause it became necessary to cover all the parts
assailable outside with a sheathing of wood, and after the
ship was frozen in which she enclosed round with a chain,
riven through posts fixed in the ice, al the distance of
seven yards from the side. This arrangement, although
very unpopular, was found most beneficial.
The day succeeding the ono last described the chief was
observed sitting on the spot close to the ship, and I was
told had hailed the ship, as if he wished to be sent
for. This I thought too good a joke. He was soon after-
wards picked up by his own boat, and came alongside, but,
to his surprise, was not allowed on board, as so many
things had been stolen the previous day.. During the time
.he was standing on the gangway, the crew happened to be
cleaning, discharging, and reloading their arms and ex-
amining the two carronades, at which he seemed to stare a
good deal and wont away. Several U-mi-aks arrived
alongside, as usual, during the day, but none of the crews
were allowed on board. Soon bartering was carried on
and a few presents made to them, but they seemed to prefer
adding to their stock by stealing to any exchange.
The following morning we had another early visit from
the chief, accompanie .by some other leadifig men. They
brought as a peace offering all:the articles stolen from the
ship for several days. This I considered very satisfactory,
and permitted them to come on board. They remained
the whole day, but their conduct was altered very much
for the better, particularly the old chief, who was now
content to remain.on the quarter deck, to which they were
restricted. I think the display of our cleaning arms
before the chief on the day previous led him to imagine
we were intent on doing them mischief, and seemed to
account for this sudden change in their manner.
The system of keeping them out of the ship, except with
permission, and then to a very limited number only, being
once commenced, it was continued throughout cur stay,
and, although it was very difficult to make them under-
stand the necessity for it, which made it disliked, and was
the cause of some ill feeling towards us, it was impossible,
through their numbers and want of honesty, to adopt any
other course. At first we endeavoured to explain to them
that we wished all to come on board in turn, but, so far
from entering into this view, those who were admitted
and reuiainedthe whole day would invariably be the first
alongside on the following morning, and ba the most cla-
morous and least satisfied of those not admitted. These
disappointments, at not being allowed on board, were
retaliated in one or two instances by parties landing and
carrying away our driftwood, collected in a stack on the
spit near the ship. This was found too laborious a revenge
for them, and fire was tried, but a boat being sent, they
and did not repeat it.
mp
One
nt
ne
bntedhi ene dgo itoo occasion
aNnecessitys vasio nano f aoc
uc
mri ad e,
enht ,
cuttingspr spreadinto
a
winterbout oo quarters, tieores:
and
frequently surrounded by three times their number of
natives, much caution was necessary to prevent the tools
from being stolen, and many slight squabbles took place
between our men and theirs in consequence of their playing
them
tricks and trying to trip them up. On these occasions
they always selected those of our people who, from their
appearance, were least likely to resent their jokes, and in
some instances they found they had mistaken their men.
Points of this sort were the most difficult for a command-
ing officer to deal with, as it was not possible for him to
prevent the provocation, and when not resented the mo-
tives were misunderstood.
A more serious affair took place on board the ship. The
officer in charge, Mr. Hull, second master, in keeping back
a large powerful man who attempted to force his way over
the side, had a knife drawn on him by a friend of the
others on board the ship, who immediately called out for
the women and children to retire. Mr. Simpson, the sur-
geon, was standing near, and very soon produced before
the man with the knife one of Colt's revolving pistols, and
explained to him the use of its six charges, which had the
effect of keeping them very quiet for the remainder of the
day. I met the women and children retreating over the
ice ahead of the ship, and thought something must have
happened, although they told me they were going home to
dinner. A chief, arriving at the same time, reassured the
retreating party, when we explained to them that if they
used knives we must use guns, but otherwise we wished
to be good friends. Similar squabbles took place fre-
quently. While our men were employed building the
storehouse, knives were drawn as usual, and in two in-
stances the women and children were sent away. This
was a cause of a good deal of anxiety with me, as our men,
being unarmed, were very much at their mercy under such
circumstances, and, in the event of arming them, more
forbearance was necessary than some of them would have
been found to possess, from the frequent provocations they
had received in return for the usual kindness and good-
nature that characterise seamen. On giving the subject
every consideration, and seeing that it must excite an
unpleasant feeling for our men k
to have knives pointed
at them without a means of defence being at hand,
the quartermaster of the watch, and two petty officers of
the party working_ on shore, were armed with pistols, but
properly cautioned not to produce
t them unless under cir-
cumstances of necessity, as I hoped he mere knowledge of
their having them would be sufficient. Of this we soon
had an instance. One of them played off one of their usual
practical jokes on one of, our men, by kicking him in the
carry
back of the knees whencarrying a spar, for which he was
rewarded with a blow on the face. He then drew his knife,
when the corporal of marines coming up, and being known
to have a pistol the offender ran away. These sort of an-
noyances continued as long as our men had work to do
outside of the ship, and when the natives were collected in