The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1851-10-11

learned from the surgeon of the expedi.
ton, who arrived in the Advance, at
New York. The Rescue, the consort of
the Advance, parted company during
the storm of the 18th inst.
During the nine months in which the
expedition was ice bound no human be-
ing approached them; nor could excur-
sions to any distance from the vessels be
ventured upon, the drifting of the fields
Of ice in which the vessels were encased
making their position for any twenty
four hours altogether uncertain. Short
hunting expeditions were undertaken,
and some polar bears, deer, foxes and
birds were taken.
The expedition found no secure har-
Dor while cruising in the Arctic regions.
AS an illustration of the ease with which
life may be sustained in these ATTITUDES
Surgeon Kane mentioned that he met
with Dane, upward of seventy years
of age, who had spent fifty years Of his
life North offs deg, subsisting during
that period entirely on birds. fish, bears
and other animal food. He had not
seen vegetable the whole time.
The breaking up of the ice is desert
bed by the officers Of the expedition as
commencing with noise resembling
the whistle of locomotive, followed by a
singular and constant pulsaton of the ice
For eighty-one days Of theirice bound
condition the sun did not rise, and there
was total darkness, except at mid day
for few moments, when paper might
be read by holding it up to the faint
light in the South.
1t is somewhat remarkable that the
English and American expeditions win
tered within so miles of each other
without etherknowing it, the American
officers only learning it on their arrival
at this port. The return of the English
squadron was also entirely unexpected
by the officers of the American expedition
The New York News gives the fol-
lowing account, from an officer of the
American Arctic Expedition, of the
boats used in that region:
. "Kyacs' kind of boat used bv this
people, and are, certainly, very curious
affairs, four of which were brought in
the Advance. They are made by stretch
ing seal skins over light framework of
wood, shaped very much like Aatten-
ed cigar, both ends being very sharp,
with hole in the top about II inches
in diameter. The whole length of a
boat is about u feet, by Ia inches in
width, and s inches deep in the centre.
The boatman slides his legs and hips
through the aperture in the top of the
boat, extending his legs lengthway,
while from his hips up are outside.
This part of the body is covered with a
seal-skin, made the same as a Jumper"
and dashed with drawing strings at the
bottom, to rim round the aperture in
the boat. The boatman propels his
craft with double-bladed paddle, about
seven feet in length, made of light
wood, and slightly made; the main part
but about II Or 2 inches in diameter,
and the blades 4 inches wide, and orna-
mented with ivory. With this he moves
his boat through the water at a very rap
id rate. By a dexterous movement with
his oar, an expert boatman will COM
pletely turn his boat over; and come up
on the opposite side, still retaining his
accustomed situation.
In this fragile vessel he pursues his av-
oeation OF spearing seals in the toughest
weather, for which purpose he has
barbed spear several inches long, made
of steel, and very sharp, which is attach
ed to an ivory point about eight inches
in length and two and a halt inches in
diameter; to the steel is attached line,
forty feet in length, made of the hide of
the walrus, and this is fastened to blad-
der niade of the skin ola sea and filled
with air, lying on the after part ofthe
boat. When the spear enters the seal
it is arranged so that it disengage, itself
from the ivory point, by the point slip
ping at the same instant from the staff,
but is attached by string and floats
with 1t, while at the same time the blad-
der to winch the line is alta ched, is
thrown overheard, preventing the seal
from sinking any farther than the length
of the line; the staff and seal are then
recovered at his leisure.-For killing
waterfowl, of which there are but few,
asharp, round spear is used, attached to
staff seven feet in length. These
spears are thrown with astonishing ac-
curacy, rarely If ever missing their mark
Another manner, and the easiest by far
of spearing the seal, is by doing it
through hole in the ice; where they
come up to breathe; they will frequent
ly scratch holes through the ice from the
under side, where it is several feet thick
to get fresh air; the natives are accus-
toned to the noise made by the scratch
ing, and will hear them a long distance