The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-28
The Arctic Expeditions.


the recent movements of the several ships en-
ployed by the English government and people
in search of Sir John Franklin
The North Star, Master re Commander ]. Saunders
arrived at Spithead Saturday last, (the 2Sth Ill
timo,) from the Arctic regions, without bringing
any satisfactory tidngs OF Captain Sir j. Franklin
or his people.
The North Star sailed from Greenhithe about the
middle of May, 1919, laden with stores and provi-
sions for the northwest searching ships, and the
last accounts that were received from her
brought TO England by Captain Lee, in a whaler,
dated the 9th of July, in that year. There has,
therefore, been much fear expressed for the safety
OF this ship which has happily been relieved by her
safe arrival
The North Star reports communications from the
various expeditions which have been despatched to
the Arctic sea in quest of the lost explorers.
On the 2lst Of August last, at the entrance of
Lancaster Sound, she fell in with, and communca-
ted with, the Lady Frankitn, Captain Penny, and
her tender, the Sophia, all Well, Captain Penny
reported that Captain Austn's ships had got
through the ice in Melville Bay, the 18th of Au-
gust, and she had left them the 18th off Cape
Dudley Dgges; that some OF the vessels would pro-
coed, II the ice would permit, through Barrow's
Straits, to examine and explore Bansess Land.
On the Goth OF August, the North star spoke the
Feiir Captain Sir John Ross, all well.
On the 3oth OF August she communicated with
the Prince Albert, Commander Forsy the, Who stated
thathe had been trying to get into Port Mel and
other places, but was prevented by the land ice;
that he had seen Captain Austin's ships in Wei
hngton Channel; that Captain Austnhad gone in
the intrepid steamer TO explore some parts of the
coast, and would visit Ponds Bay; that of the
small American searching vessels on shore
near Burrows Bay, but as the captain had declined
the assistance offered by the Prince dibat, il
supposed she would come fl without damage.
we are sorry to state that none Of the vessels
with which Commander Saunders had commune
Gated had gained the smallest reliable information
respecting Sir John Franklin, although this spring
has been most favorable for the exploration in BAT
Inns Bay, from the early breaking up Of the ice.
he NnrfL final rIn >, Re-, E.r
land on the 9th of September, and has had a good
passage home, coming to the westward and south
ward OF Ireland, and up the Channel to Spithead.
She has brought letters to the Admiralty on the
subject of the expedition from Sir John Ross of the
FetiI, August %; from Captain Penny, of the Lady
Franklin, August u; from Captain Ommanney, Of
the assistance, August 10; but the tenor of the
porte thus conveyed is so little of precise charac
ter, that it is difficult to elicit Ineligible
tive from their obscure statements.
II would appear from them that the 18th of
August last, Captain Ommanney in the assistance,
and Sir John Ross, in the Feiir, when of Cape
I York, in Batiin's Bay, having observed three male
I Esquinlaux on the ice close by, despatched Lieut..
Gator IN the Intrepid steamer, tender TO the Assist
0nce, and Commander Phillips in the whale boat of
the Felir, to communicate with them; and accord
/ Ingly long conversation or paayer was held be-
tween these Esqulmaux and one OF their nation who
in the boa. OF the EciiT n OF interpreter
! but who, understanding no European langu but
} Danish, could not communicate the nature of the
intelligence to those around him. In this difficulty
I the boats dropped board the Prince albert,
another Of the exploring vessels in the neighbor-
! hood, and there put the interpreter Adam Beck,
Gas he is called,) in communication with the cap
! tain's steward, John Smith, who understood lit
! tie OF the language Sir John Ross says, or
! "good deal,' rs Captain Phillips says, and who
! presently gave such an account of the intelligence
l as startled every body on board It's purport was
I az follows: That in the winter of 1876, when the
/ snow was falling, two ships were broken by the ice
good way oil IN the direction of the neighboring
/ cape, Dudley Digges, and afterwards burned by
fierce and numerous tribe of natives that the ships
in question were not whalcrs, and that epaulettes
! were worn by some of the white men; that part
J OF the crew were drowned ; that the remainder
were some time in huts or tents, apart from the
tives; that they had guns, but balls; and that,
I beng In weak and exhausted condition, they
\ subsequently killed by the natives with darts
or arrows. This was the form given to the Esqui-
inauY's story by John Smith, captains steward Of
the Prince AibeIt.
Impressed with the importance Of these tdings,
Captain Ommanney and Captain Phillips immedi-
ately made their report TO Captain Austin in the
Resoiute which was then in company with the Fe-
4 la near Cape Dudley Digges: Captain Austin at
once decided upon investigating the truth OF the
story, and with this view despatched message TO
the Lady Franklin, another of the exploring ships,
which lay few miles off, and which had on board
regular Danish interpreter This interpreter duly
arrived, but proceeded forthwith TO translate the
story by statement "otally at variance" with tho
Interpretation Of "the other" whom, as we are
told, he called liar, and intimidated into silence;
though sooner the latter left TO himself than
he again repeated his version Of the tale, and stout
ly maintained its accuracy. Meantime, addi-
tonal piece of Information became known, name
ly that a certain ship had passed the winter safely
housed in Wostcnholme Sound--a statement soon
ascertained by actual investigation to be perfectly
true, and since fully elucidatcd by the return TO
this country of the vessel in question, the North
Star.
Such is the substance ef those communication
from the commanders of the expedition. With
respect to the value of the intelligence, ii may be
observed that Captain Penny states, in his official
letter of the 2lst Of August, that, "having offered
his services, together with those Of biz interpreter
(thc Dane above mentioned } he was happy TO find
the sole foundation for the tidings to be that the
North Star had wintered in the place referred to-"
Captain Penny, It may be added, also mentions
that "the EsquimauX from whom the report was
obtained" had been on board his ship for several
hours without making any such communication,
though he had been subjected 70 questions in album
dance. The account altogether, is one of little
crcdibilty, and, az contemporary observes, with
respect TO the Esqumaux's story, even If under
stood and translated Alright, IL lie "by means inn
probable that the anxious and incessant prosecu-
ton oi our inquiries IN these waters may have sug
gested motives TO the native tribes for inventng
magmiying tales likely 20 arrest the attention Of
their eager visitors"
in corroboraton Of the above II should be stated
that the Prince Albert. Commander Forsyth, ar
rived at Aberdeen between eight and nine O'Clock
on Monday night, (the crew all well j and il is
stated fgood authority" that the division Of the
exploring ships under the command Of Captain
Austin has carefully examined that part OF The
coast in Bafn's Bay where the scene OF the caias-
rophc - reported 10 nave taken place, and has not
been able TO discover a single trace or relic Of any
thing belonging TO them, which could not have
been the case had they persisted in the manner re-
ported.
With respect to Captain Forsyth's voyage, we
find and annex some interesting geanings in and
from London papers
The following letter from Captain Forsyth, re.
porting the return Of this little expedition consist
ing Of his solitary vessel, tho Prince 6ibcIi, will be
read with the deepest interest, not only for the in
tclhgence it conveys, but for the extraordinary
and unoxampcd exploit pcriormcd-ior it IS no.
thing less-durng one short in the Arctic
seas.
IL viii be fresh in the recollection Of our readers
that this branch expedition, equipped by the untir-
ing energies OF Lady Franklin, aided by few pri.
vac personal trcnds and public sympathizers in the
cause-equppcd, too, in the space of three short
wceks-eft the portof Aberdeen after all the other
vessels had long proceeded their voyage; but
unlike ell Those expeditions, che boldly stcmmcd
the waves of the Atlantic, and threaded the ice
bergs OF Baihn's Bay alonc-and would have win
tered alone in those droary regions, whittier she