The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Eventful Voyage of 11.31.5. Resolute to the
Arctic Regions. By G. F. McDougall, Master.
Longman.
The records of the exploits and adventures of
Arctic navigators always possess an especial interest.
The loneliness and danger of the undertaking, the
toil and hardship they have to undergo, the priva-
tions they have too often to encounter, invest the
narrative of their proceedings with an excitement
and novelty that even the tales of perils by sea,
enthralling as they proverbially are, do not often
equal. The actors in these scenes, too, must be
men of high character and intrepid resolution. The
officers must be experienced and courageous, the
men must necessarily be of an adventurous and un-
daunted character to volunteer for such a service.
For though it is scarcely possible to appreciate its
difficulties and hardships at a distance, its perils are
not of the exciting kind that attract the unstable,
and the catalogue of missing ones, as well as the
recitals of some of the voyagers, are sufficient to
scare the unthinking, Several such narratives have
recently been put in circulation. It will be recol-
lected that a short time ago. Dr. Armstrong of the
" Investigator" published an account of the im-
portant voyage of that vessel, the discovery of the
redoubtable North West Passage, and the final
abandonment of the ship in the Bay of Mercy. The
crew of the Investigator, as is well known, were
rescued from their perilous and depressing position
by Lieut. Pim, who conveyed to them the joyful
intelligence that the " Resolute" and " Intrepid"
were then at Melville Island. The present volume
forms a companion picture to that interesting nar-
rative, and though it does not record such a remark-
able event as the discovery of the North West Pas-
sage, nor has it, happily, to chronicle such priva-
tions and sufferings, it is in no ways deficient in
interest of its own. Indeed it is in some
respects a more agreeable work, as the brave
and cheerful spirit of the writer seems to
have defied the whole tribe of ice-spirits to
disconcert or depress. Tho most cordial feeling
appears to have existed between all the mem-
bers of the little band, and Mr. M‘Dougall
dedicates his work to Captain Kellett, in terms ex-
pressing the warmest encomiums of his public
services. This work, he tells us, is simply what it
professes to be, a journal kept on board up to the
time of the abandonment of the ship, and was in-
tended to be private, but, fortunately, his friends
perceived how useful and interesting such a narra-
tive would be to the public, and the writer agreed
the more readily as Sir Edward Belcher's expedi-
tion having divided, the Resolute and Intrepid
formed a distinct party. He has no right, how-
ever, to claim the indulgence of the public fcr the
style of the work, as it is throughout clear and
simple, and leaves nothing to be desired. The ex-
pedition left Greenhithe on the 21st of April, 1852,
and in about a month had their first sight of ice.
The squadron, which consisted of five yessels,
under the command of Sir Edward Belcher, C. 8.,
proceeded to Beechey Island, where they separated,
and the Resolute and Intrepid were despatched to
Melville Island. The Assistance and Pioneer pro-
ceeded up 'Wellington Channel, while the North
Star remained at Beechey Island as a depot in
case of either of the other ships being deserted.
The narrative of their proceedings, their hair-
breadth escapes, and various adventures, and the
manner in which they contrived to pass the long
and dreary winter months, is full of interest, and
reflects the highest credit on all concerned. Hero
is one of their earliest adventures soon after leav-
ing Beechey Island. The ship had grounded in
Assistance Bay, and they perceived an extensive
floe of ice approaching them :
" To give the reader a bettor idea of our situation, it
will be necessary to describe the relative positions of the
ship and approaching ice. The vessel, as I have before
stated, was grounded on hor port bilge, with about seven
feet of water under her stern and six under her bow, whilst
the floe on her port (or lee) beam was advancing at the
rate of one mile and a half an hour directly towards her.
Its length was about two miles and a half, by one mile and
a half broad, and was afterwards proved to be about three
feet six inches thick.
" About seven, the edge of the ice took the ship under
the lee gangway, shaking her throughout. A moment
had scarcely elapsed ere we became sensible of the ship's
lifting, and instinctively each man grasped a rope as he be-
came aware she would be inevitably thrown over.
Yielding inch by inch before such a powerful lever, the
ship at length rested on her keel, but it was but mo-
mentary, for in a second she was thrown over on her star-
board side, with a shock sufficient
.to bring every mast by
the board.
"As it was, the very topmasts bent like whalebone,
bringing a fearful strain on the weather shrouds ; but not
a rope was stranded, nor a single spar injured by this un-
precedented and appalling occurrence.
" Would the ship be borne before the ice? or remain im-
moveable
on the ground ? were questions that naturally
suggested themselves. Supposing the first to be the case •
she would be forced nearer the shore, into small water,
which would lessen the chances of getting off, and if the
latter, she would in all probability be overrun and buried
beneath the ice, as many a gallant ship had been, under
somewhat similar circumstances, in Melville Bay.
"A careful eye was kept on the lead, but the ship re-
mained fixed, and her side was thus opposed to the ice, on
whose progress, however, it had no effect. As the pres-
sure increased, huge pieces scaled the side, and would have
fallen in board, had not men been stationed on the gun-
wale with poles, to repel these formidable boarders.
"Our sterupost bore the greatest strain; to ease the
pressure, charges were sunk in the ice, breaking it all
around ; but this was found to give the ice fresh motion,
and ultimately increase the danger. For two hours we re-
mained in this trying position ; at the end of that time the
floe was obser eel to be moving more out of the bay, when
the pressure decreased considerably."
After a certain distance the compasses ceased to
bo of service, and would only have misled them.
The months of darkness Mr. M'Dougall repeatedly
refers to as the most depressing incident, and the
return of the sun atter his long absence was hailed
with delight. In the early spring the travelling
parties were despatched, Lieutenant Pim starting
for Bankes' Land. on the 19th of March, making
the earliest extended spring journey on record.'
On the Gth of April he descried the Investigator,
and running on in advance he came upon Captain
M'Clure and Lieutenant Haswell walking on the
ice discussing their prospects. At first they
thought he was one of the seamen. :
"On a closer inspection they thought he must be an
Esquimaux ; but although labouring under this impression,
Captain M'Clure naturally called out (in English), ' In the
name of God, who are you ?' The effect of the answer I
am Lieut. Pim of the Resolute (Captain Kellet), now at
Melville Island,' may or rather must be conceived ; for as
I am aware I could riot describe it, I do not intend
attemptine it.
" Whilst this scene was being enacted, a man from the
deck saw Lieut. Pim, and indistinctly caught his answer.
Rushing below he roused all hands, by calling out, ' Hero's
a stranger alongside from some ship.' The effect was
astounding ; the sick vied with the healthy in activity to
got on deck. All was haste and confusion ; in a moment
the lower deck is as cleared, the carpenters had dropped
their tools (they were making the first coffin), and even the
men on shore, digging a grave, seeing that somthing
unusual had occurred, hurried off to share in the astonish-
ment and delight of their excited shipmates."
The astonishment of the crew of the " Resolute"
was great when the returning party accosted them
with, "The Investigator is found, and M'Clure
is
close behind." They were not dis:overed any too
soon, for out of the party of six men who accom-
panied Captain M'Clure on his journey to the
"Resolute," four were obliged to be put on the
sick list immediately after their arrival, although
they had been picked out as the strongest. Though,
fortunately, not reduced to such extremities, the
crews of the " Resolute" and " Intrepid" had
much to endure, and several sunk under it. Four,
out of the " Intrepid's" crew of thirty men, were
buried in the ice. After passing two winters in
the ice, and having no prospect of release, the ships
were abandoned, and the same fate befell the
"Assistance" and the " Pioneer," thus making in
all five vessels abandoned. Not all, however, lost,
for the stout old " Resolute," on being released by
the weather, commenced her homeward journey
unaided ; and the writer gives us a full account of
her recovery by Capt. Buddington, U.S., and her
restoration to her Majesty by te enerosity and
good feeling of the Governmenh g t of the United
States :
"The vessel herself, however, had, strange to say,
escaped any material injury, after a self-directed voyage of
no less than nearly 1,000 miles, along a track abounding
in perils, not only from rocks, shoals, and other dangers
which a ship is heir to, but those ever moving icY.Plain
and mighty crystal mountains, that sail in pnchsputea
sway, and form the terror of the Arctic Ocean.;lo
officers
It may bo imagined with what badfeelist
and crews looked at the vessel they
n of seeing again,
away, with so little expeetatio
1. .left so far
With regard to Sir John Frank....... and Ins c
panions the writer has little hope .
y, that the Erebus'
" Setting aside the belief of
nsio:mineward route,—a very
gating Baffin's Bay on
and Terror' were lost on
vessel
possible fate to befall y
dark nights amidst annumveerable icebergs,—l have reluc-
tantly come to the innumerable
that no body of men
could withstand the rigour and privations attending so
protracted a stay amidst the daik and dreary solitudes of
the frigid zone, under the same circumstances in which
nd the officers and crews of the missing ships
Sir Jelin a
have in all probability been placed."
The third winter is said to be more than the boldest
can face unflinching, or the strongest uninjured.
All on board the " Resolute" united in endeavour-
ing to pass their two winters in the best manner,
and theatrical performances, lectures. &c., were
arranged by the captain and officers to lighten the
time. The weather they experienced was very
severe ; thus, on the 12th of April, 1854,
Mr.
McDougall enters in his journal the following
note :—" At 5 p.m. this day the temperature rose
to zero, being the first time it had attained that
height since October 28th, 1853, being a period of
no less than 166 days." In the first week of Octo-
ber, 1854, the adventurers returned, having been
absent more than two years. As we before stated,
Mr. McDougall appends a full account of the re-
covery and restoration of the " Resolute," which
is very curious. A map at the commeiiceateut

dicates the course of the vessels, and the supposed
course of the "Resolute" on her self-guided voyage.
The illustrations are numerous, and give a vivid
idea of the wildness and desolation of the Arctic
regions. In addition to seven large coloured
plates, there are a number of wood-cuts, which are
of great assistance to the reader. The nautical and
meteorological observations are given in full, for
the benefit of all future Arctic travellers. To all
who feel an interest in the fortunes of these in-
trepid adventurer=, as well as those scientific
amateurs who wish to familiarise themselves with
the peculiarities of these frozen regionN, we heartily
commend this interestitg narrative, which we fee
sure will receive a cordial welcome from the
public.

Lectures and Miscellanies. By H. W. Freeland,
M.A. Longman.
This volume consists of selections from the writ-
ings of a clever and thoughtful writer, who will
probably at some future day give to the public a
more complete and independent work. It consists
of lectures given by him at the Chichester Literary
Society, since revised and added to, and some mis-
cellaneous criticisms contributed to the press. The
most considerable papers are those on " Literary
Impostures," and " The Life and Writings of La-
maitine," both of which display a knowledge of
the subject, and some skill in the use of it. The
style is clear and occasionally impressive ; and
however much the reader may differ from the
opinions set forward, be will probably find some
gratification in the perusal of the volume.

Life in China. By the Rev. W. Milne, M.A.
Routledge.
The author of this work has been for many years
a missionary among the Chinese, having left Eng-
land for China in 1839, and, with only an absence
of two years, having remained there until 1854.
He visited, in the prosecution of his object, many
places in the interior of China ; and, his knowledge
of the people and the country being extensive, he
thought on his return home he would endeavour to
clear the European mind from many unfounded
prejudices and mistaken notions. He divides his
work into four parts, conveying a varied amount
of information, and accompanied by four maps. At
the present time, when the public attention is
turned towards those distant countries of the East
with a general interest and desire of information
rarely evinced in car;ier days, a volume of this
kind is likely to be really useful, by disseminating
true ideas instead of false, and disabusing the
reader's mind of many popular errors.

Lands of the Slave and the Free. By Captain the
Hon. H. A. Murray, R.A. Routledge.
This is the second cheap edition of this lively and
entertaining work, which gives a series of animated
sketches of life in Cuba, the United States, and
Canada. It is issued in a commodious and elegant
form, and embellished with numerous engravings,
the frontispiece representing a very alarming
Mississippi steamer, with four funnels, and the ap-
propriate name of gcreecher. The work has plenty
of information respecting Transatlantic life ; and
in its present form is likely to enjoy an extended
popularity.

Our Indian Army. By Captain Rafter, Author
of " The Guards," kc. David Bryce.
At the present epoch of excitement and painful
interest respecting our Indian Empire, we may ex-
pect a large number of histories and narratives re-
lating iu some way to the scene of action. The
preseut volume is a very useful specimen of this
class of works, as it gives, in a full and authentic
manner, a military history of the British Empire in
the East. The author justly remarks in the pre-
face, that the general ignorance on this subject is
astonishing ; and, feeling that at the present time
a more general knowledge was highly adviseable,
he has endeavoured to give in a popular form au
account of the progress of our arms during the last
century. This attempt is likely to be successful,
and to be a useful volume of reference to those
already acqUainted with the subject, as well as for
enlightening the ignorant on this important topic.