The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-10-02
American Arctic Expediticn.


The New York Herald publishes an interest
ing letter from one ofthc officers Of the expedi-
ton sent out to search for John Franklin. We
make the following extracts from it
U. S. Brig ADVANCE, June "a, 1850, }
Whalefsh Island, western coast of Greenland,
Lat. 65 so n, lon. 50 13 w.
We arrived here this morning at nine o'clock
after passage otthirtytwo days from New Yorl
which was rather long, owing to unfavorable
winds We had.
On our arrival we found an English bark at
anchor; she is store ship having brought
stores and coal out for the squadron, which. by
the way, sailed from here yesterday, consisting
of two barks of about 300 tons each carrying 81
men, and steamers of about 100 tons each, with
from 40 to so mon; they are all bound in search
Of Sir John Franklin. The bark sails in about
Il week for England, which will give US all a fine
opportunity to write, the only one, am afraid,
we shall have for some time to come.
After leaving New York we kept in compa-
ny with the Rescue, by keeping under short
sail, until the 18th ult when, finding ii impossi-
bic for her to keep up, We made sail and lost
sight Of her in few hours. The days, after
leaving New York, gradually grew longer,
til the 10th of this month, (in go deg. 50 min.
n. lat) when we could readily say we had con-
staht day, much so that we were able to steer
without lighting the binacle lamp, thing we
never saw before, but we have sunshine
the whole twenty -four hours; we have not got
used to it yet, and hardly know when turning in
time comes. Y on have no idea how strange it
appears to come on deck at midnight (or rather
what ought to be midnight,) and find it broad
day light with the up. We still dscrimn-
ate one twelve hou7s ira,n another bv calling
them night and day, and appropriate the part we
call night for sleeping, rather portion of it.
After leaving the coast Of Newfoundland, we
fell in with no ice until we were about to make
the coast of Greenland, when we found the ice
bergs in great numbers. We made Greenland
OH the 2lst. 1t certainly is the most dismal
rocky, barren country ever saw or ever expect
to sec This mornig we met many and such
large bergs that we had tn keep strict watch tc
steer clear of them; however, we managed sue
cesstully, and came into the haIbor of Whale.
fish Island, with fine breeze and anchored at
9 o clock. | expected to find something Of a
| town, and when we came in | asked where it
was, and was shown two shanties and half do
zen Esqlilnaux mud huts. In one of the shan
ties the Governor lived; he is Dane, sent out
here by government, as a kind of missionary,
&c; he came on board ship this afternoon.
The Esqulmaux are ugly and greasy. Men,
women and children, all dress alike, in seal
skins. Their dress is short Jumper, with Il
hood to it for a cap, pantaoons coming down to
the calves of their legs, with boots to meet; all
made of seal-skin with hair on; we are each 90
ing to have suit before we leave. I bought a
pair of seal-skin stockings, which are very nice
and warm; the only objection to them is that
they are not properly cured. Tomorrow, the
doctor and are going to Luiely, small town
on the island of Disco, about 25 miles distant, to
see what Information we can pick up.
9th. | arrived few hours since from Lue.
ly, after passage of six hours. On our arrival
found the Rescue had arrived, and that we
sail tomorrow morning. At Lurily, we found
more of a town than at these islands. About A
Danes live there, and 100 Esoumaux
The principal thing we went after was seal
skin clothing for the officers and men. We sue
ceed in getting about fifty dollars worth, Or a
bout dozen suits.
We expect to go to place called Uppcrma-
rik, about 200 miles from here; from there we
60 to Melville Bay, thence across to Lancaster
Sound, to Cape Walker; from Cape Walker we
shall try to get to Melville Island, and as much
farther as we can. We expect to winter at Mel
vile Isle; but that of. course will depend very
much upon circumstances. This is the last op-
portunity shall have Of writing for long
time, unless we have the good luck to fall il,
with whaler bound either home or to Ehg gland
Your ever afectionate brother,
w. S. LOWELL.