The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-10-31
NHNSCEHIEIAN EOUS.
From the Dublin Freeman's Journal.
RETURN OF CAPTAIN BACK FROM The
ARCTIC REGIONS.

We ore enabled, through the kindness of one
Of the officers of the above ship to inform the
readers of the FreemGn'S Journal OF the safe ar
rival of its intrepid crew, to whom were assign
ed the pcrous duty of trying the long sought
AFTER but still undiscovered northwestern pas
sage. ..,. .,
The courage and duuntcss intrcpidlty with
(which the slIip's company cndcavorc0 10 sur
mount the obstacles opposed to their efforts by the
climate and the fearful and dangerous conse-
guences resulting from these eXcrtlons, were al
most ncrcdiblc; and, indeed, their return, alter
the absence of12 months, the greater part OF the
time hemmed in by one wide impossible sheet
of ice, appears all but miraculous. The hard
ships endured the dangers encountered and tr-
lmphed over, are of such Il character rs must
render their history at once affecting and inter
estlng.
On Sunday night last the ship put in at Tough
Swilly, in an almost sinking condition, the men
necessarily laborng at the pumps, and the hull
of the vessel secured by chains and cables 10
keep her together. 1t appears she was encom-
passed by the ice at the latter end Of August
1885, at which time her crew consisted Of 60
souls, including officers, who were at various
times exposed to the most imminent pcrils from
the constant conclusion Of huge masses of ice,
which were dashed against The vessel with tro-
mendous violence, threatening either violent
and sudden DEATH and, in the event of escape
from this danger, to await slow but certain de-
structjon by the appalling means of famine and
cold. Deprived OF fresh provisions or vegeta-
bes of any kind, disease spread amongst them
with a rapdty only equalled by lis Vrulence;
twenty five were together afflicted with that
well known scourge Of that latitude, the scurvy,
TO which three of them fell Reconsideration,
the gunner, Il seaman named james Walker, and
Alexander Young, a marine. NO efforts on the
part of the medical gentlemen who attended
them could avert TIVE consequences, and, oppress-
ed by IN accumulation of sufferings which they
were unable to endure, they died under the dis
case. The vessel lay in that perilous position
tor RgGr months, drifting to and fro near Cape
Comfort; then driven by the current of ice a
long Southampton Island, us far as Sea Horse
Point, off Baffin then at the mercy of the wind
and tide, through Iludson's Straits, Ivy Charles
Island, along the Labrador coast. On the 9th of
August they passed Resolution Island
From the goth of September they lay sur
rounded, exposed to all the horrors of the arctic
climate, with the thermometer 40 degrees below
zero, until the ice commenced breaking in Feb
ruary 1887 On the 18th of March they eXpe-
rienced the greatest shock they had yet eucoIm-
tered,a mountain Office striking the ship with the
utmost violence, and rending away every inter
mediate barrier, without the slightest perceptbe
effort. The decks obliged to he dashed to
each other to prevent them separating, and the
panks rising from their tustenings; the stern
posts, dead wood, and after part OF the keel were
knocked away. In consequence or the repeated
collisions the water gained on the ship, and she
was shaken from stem to sern,a chain cable was
passed round her to keep her together the men
constantly at the pumps TO keep out the water,
which at one time seven feet in the hold.
Every exerlion was being made at this time to
prevent her falling to pieces-men and officers
all emulous,& working laborously as they could,
knowing their safety depended on the result Of
their eXertions. SO unremtng and intiguing
were the tolls they endured, that all were exec
rated more or less.
The ship was built purposey for the expedi-
lion, heng eight feet in depth through the bow
and STERN two feet seven inches in the sides, with
five additional bukheads athwar ships of four
inch oak planks; and two extra fore -and- aft ones
Of the thickness, two feet from the side
each side filled up with twenty five tons Of coal
for further strength and security
BY the impetus of the ice the bow was lifted
clean out of the water as far as the mainmas;
her stern, as far as the seven foot mark was
placed in the same preticamcnt. In this con-
dton she continued for 100 days. AT the expir
alton of that time they gotta thirty five foot ice
saw, worked by shears, and commenced the ia
tiguing operation of cutting through the bulk OF
ice under her, measuring in thickness more than
thirty feet. On the 18th of July they Rad com
peted so much of their task as but two or three
feet at the stern remained, when she righted.
Immediately on this they made sail OH the vessel,
but a tremendous wedge stuck to her starboard
lde,between her fore and main chains, and they
We're compelled to have recourse TO the n
gain, not being able to free themselves by any
other method. BY means Of purchase applied
to the vast lump, it rose from under the bottom
as it was freed, and, according to the laws of
gravlta'ion, foa,ed above the water, being the
lighter body, throwing the vessel on her beam
ends, keeling her over FULLY 81 degrees the wa
ter pouring in in alarming quantities. and with
frightful rapidly. All hands, without clistinc.
ton, were Immediately called in requisition;
some proceeded to saw through the piece of ice,
the cause OF this fresh misfortune, and some ran
to the pumps. With unremitting labor thew
continued these fatigung but Indispensable ope.
raions until O'Clock on the morning OF the 18th,
when the men were totally exhausted and
dsprited by their incessant eXertion, that they
could work no longer, having to this period cut
through to within ten feet They then
called in for rest and refreshment. They had
not been more than quarter of an hour remov-
cd from the work. VIXEN sudden disruption of