The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-10-28 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN EXPEDITION.

At two o'clock yesterday, Ail nary orders were received I,
on booed the liecla and Fury north pole ships to dismantle, '
and return the remaining supplies of food, the spars, and
moveable ship-materials; to the dock yard at Deptford. At
the same time the very necessary and welcome order arrived
for permitting the atom and 'crews to laud the different
objects of curiosity which they haul acquired during their
sojourn in the arctic regions. It might have been as well •
at the same time, if the proper authorities hail perMitted
the remaining stores of food and liquor to be divided among
the crew, pauticularly that portion which arose from
savings. It was ridiculous, yesterday, to see the
Custom Haase officers selecting alai withholding tobacco '
and grog cases as contraband articles not included in the
'bore going permission. These paltry savings ought not
to be withheld from those whose economy anti temperance
bail acquired them during a severe and perilous voyage.
il'lse principal objects of cutimity were landed yesterday
evening at Dept ford. Several parcels addressed fur Captain
Party were directed to the rare of the Admiralty. The
long canoe, which was suspended between the decks of the
Meta, was not of Esquimaux manufacture. The natives
refit/led to part with their canoes, as they were about to
• reqnire their use at the time of the breaking up of the ice
when our ships were quitting the arctic regions. Captain
Lyon had this canoe made by the carpenter of the Heck
(Mr. Puller) from a native's model ; it is of whalebone
covered with seal-skin, prepared and supplied by the
Eequisnaux ; the skin is cut ill long slips, and the process
of tanning obtained by a sort of mastication which the
natives perform in a rapid manner. There are several
specimens of birds brought over, and some of the dock
species are varied and beautiful, with all the brilliancy of
South American plumage- Those bird* which have white
plumage, and the arctic fox, have a slate coloured hue at
the root of the hair, which at certain seasons predomi-
nates, and supplants the white. It was observed that in
j the stomach of the seals and other fish which were in the
winter season caught under the ice, there wasa considerable
portion of shell-sand, as if they had been compelled
to live altogether on the shell lisle, which adhered to
the sub-marine sell. It may possihly lead to some trace
of the whale-ships which were described by the. Estri-
n/311K as having been wrecked miles from the winter
station of the expedition, to state that on one of the stones
which was brought by the natives, were the letters BRA.
Some idea is entertained that a further experiment of .
northern navigation is contemplated, from the fact that in
the orders for dismantling which arrived yesterday, it was
directed that no part of the fixtures or heating apparatus of
the ships should he separated front their present position on
hoard. A number of visiters were yrsterd by on board.—
The dates of the voyagers are blief an •1 simple. On the
Sth of October, 1621, the ships anctioreil in Winter Island,
(as it was edited), in 1,, titudr I;6. 12. north, longitude :32.1
53. west. They were released from their icy barrier on the
Ist of July, 1522. Oa the 1401 of September, of that
year, the ships reached 69. H. north latitude, 83
west longitude, the farthest point north reached by t.,e
expedition. In Ow second wint..r the ships were frozen
lip on the 21th of Septenilr, 1522, in latitude 6.1. 21 ,
. longitude, Si. 45., and they strove with the ice 4 miles to'
• the southward during the winter. On the stli of Angust
they were enabled to extricate themselves, and return
hotneward, lindlug all (either pursuit of the object of the
expedition unattainable.