The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-04 00:00:00

.

Griffith Island, where the expedition was fixed from
the previous lath of September; notwithstanding the
distance we have travelled, not a trace hes been found
of the missing expedition beyond their first winter
quarters in 1845-46, where, unfortunately, not a re-
cord beyond the graves of three men was to be dis-
covered. The distance we have accomplished by
means of travelling parties is unprecedented ; a divi-
sion of sleighs was dispatched to the S.W. of Cape
Walker; we set out on the 15th of April, and were
absent from the ship 60 days, carrying all our re-
sources with us, with nothing but a thin tenato protect
us from the intense cold, and we were exposed to the se-
verest trial of temperature ever experienced, being 60
deg. below the freezing point ; at cue time the mercury
congealed in the thermometer. We accomplished a
distance of 500 miles, draggirg over rough ice the
whole time ; the fatigue from Cape Weiler was ex-
cessive ; we traversed 200 miles of newly-discover, d
line, never before trodden by any European, on which
Captain Ommanney had the honour of planting the
British flag. It is a wretched dreary coast covered
with snow, the shores bound with old fixed ice ; this
coast lay precisely in the course which Sir John
Franklin's instructions directed him to pursue. Not
a vestige could be seen, and with feelings of deep
gratitude we regained our ship in perfect health,
having obtained our retreat just precious to the dis-
ruption of the ice in the Straits. We were equally
successful in accomplishing extended searches in other
directions. The Fist Lieutenant (M'Clietock)
reached beyond Melville Island, after an absence of
eight days, during which be traversed 760 miles ; fur-
ther search to the westward became unnecessary. Since
leaving our whiter position, we have been searching
the head of Baffin's Bay. Captain Austin took the
steamers and searched Jones' Sound, the shores of
which, as well as on the eastern side of the Bay, were
found totally different from those laid down in the
chart ; he got forty miles up the Sound when a bar-
rier of fixed ice arrested his progress, nor could be
reach Smith's Sound for the same reason. Captain
Ommanney had charge of the sailing ships to reach a
rendezvous near Wolstenholme Island, and became
involved in ice, from which they were released after
some exertion. They reached the Cary Islands,
which were searched, and attained the parallel of 77
deg. north. The steamers also became beset ; one was
placed in a most perilous position, being thrown up on
an iceberg 40 feet above the sea. Oaptain Austin did
not join the sailing ships again for some time, and con-
siderable doubts were entertained about him. Having
completed all that was possible to be done, we bore up
England on the 6th of Sept., in 76 degs., north,
afteriihaving experinced a most prosperous voyage, not
having touched a bowlilue since we rounded the
Orkneys. In the operations of last year, whilst de-
tubed, Captain Ommanney succeeded in finding the
winter position of the North Star, and had the satis-
faction of being the discoverer of the first traces of Sir
John Franklin. We have returned after a faithful
discharge of our duty, such as we hope will afford
satisfaction to the country, or to those who are
capable of forming a proper estimation of our re-
searches, which we trust will reflect credit on the
service. The most perfect unanimity has prevailed
throughout the expedition—the conduct of the officera
and men having been most exemplary. We have en-
dured the terrors of an Arctic winter, mid escaped
without a single case of scurvy with one exception.
Captain Ommanney has brought home a native from
Wolstenholm Sound, belonging to a tribe separated
from the rest of the world, and the most northern of
human beings ever known to exist on the globe."