The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-11-21
Intelligence from the American Arctic
Expedition. .4-.f
U. s. BRIG ADVANCE, August 1898, 1850
Lat. rs deg. min. Mon. II deg. w. !

u. s. BRIG ADVANCE, August le-23 1850. a
Lat. rs deg. min. Mon. II deg. w. ) r
We think we have at last got round the pack
ice; if so, we shall be in Lancaster Sound in a
few days. | intend, therefore, to have one
scrawl, at least, ready in case we fall in with a
wi;aler bound home or to England. shall conf
mence back at Uppermarick, the place we sent
letters from last, TO relate what we have been
doing since. About two days after leaving the
latter place, we saw an open passage in the pack,
extending as far as we could see to the westward,
the direction we wished TO 60, SO the captain
stecred for it, thinking we might be able TO get 10
Lancaster Sound, through the pack, instead Of
going round it, which we could do in one third
the time, if we found clear passage. We sailed
on slowly for day or two, until the 7th of July,
when the hard work commenced. Every hour or
so, We would bring up hard and fast in the ice,
when call hands and the ships cook would have
to het out and break it up, to enable us to pass
through, which assure you was by no means
eaay work. Sometimes the ice was from three
to four feet thick. will give you little abstract
Of one days work :-''At IL p. NJ, both brigs
got hard and fast; got out axes, crows, and saws,
bu: us fast as we cut the ice away, it would 6ll
up again. At twelve, finding we were not able
to get through, made both brigs fast to the ice''
We were trying this day to cut through into
open water ahead, but were not able to do ii; SO
we. tied up and laid there days and IA hours
without moving an inch; while we were fast,
was saving piece Of ice from under the coun-
ter. when It gave way, and in went, boots and
ALL tell you it was cold bath; the water was
29 deg, while the thermometer in the sun stood
at SO deg. The 18th Of July, the ice opened a
little; we got uader way and made about mile,
when we had to tie up again. This day for the
first time, we saw a white bear within half mile
Of the vessel We manned boat and started
after him, but were not able to get within gun
shot, 50 we were forced to let the gentleman 20
his way. From the 18th Of July to the 29ih, we
made about nine miles, and that by hard work,
| can tell you; most all of it by warPing., Some
days we would not make an inch; others we
would work from morning till night and make
abcat half mile. Some days we made mile
or two, but the 18th Of July was hard one
We worked from 8 O'Clock in the morning until
l2 at night, l6 hours) cutting through the ice
feet thick, and made only two ships lengths
ahead. If that was not high time, there never
was one. The Goth, we we're IL hours making
,llas Of a mile. tell you what it is, it makes
my old bones laugh TO turn In after working a
crow bar and saw all day, and sometimes half
the night. On the evening Of the 2lst we pnr-
sued another bear, but he escaped us by jumping
in night all the officers of the vessel turned out,
ami started after one Of the largest have ever
seen. He went off about half mile from the
ships, and lay down to take nap. SO we
thsught we could crawl up and hil him under the
lug before he saw rs; but he was too smart for
us. Cor when we got within about two gun shots Of
him. be jumped mp, and after taking good look
at us, bade US goodbye. suppose he was
about 8 feet long, We continued cutting and
warping until the 2sih, whsn we warped into
clear. and had fine run Of 60 miles, after which
1 L. III
able, however, in little while, to 60 on for 80
miles more We were then working ont Of the
pack, towards the land. TO try and 60 round il,
for we found it impossible to get through; there
has been but one passage made through, and
that, / think, was by Sir John Ross-it has been
tried many times. While fast in the ice one
day, several Of US visited an iceberg; n was
about 800 feet above water--the estimate, be-
flieyc, is about l-7th 10 18th abe,c which aculJ