Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-11-22
THE GRINNELL ARCTIC EXPEDITION,

The following narrative, from the pen Of DR..
VREELAND, of the medical staff attached 10 the
American expedition in search of Sir John Frank
lin, although modestly styled Medical Gleanings,"
is replete with interest. We copy it from the New
York Medical Times:
We sailed from New York the 23j Of May, 1850, with
crew that had been promscuousy obtained and whose
physical strength well adapted Withstand the hard
ships to be expected the cruise Several Of the
suffering from chronic affections and but few Of them
possessed that robustness which the service demanded The
majority of the officers and crews however, much
twenty than thirty years Of ege, and had all the endurance
and enthusiasm natur. young The toai number Of
souls board both vessels thirty fve. Of which eight
were officers The vessels SMALL Of $50 and 90
tons burden respectively and actually loaded down
with prov sons that decks constantly washed
by water ankle Deep which often poured down the matches Of
the cabin and foecase The quarters Of the officers and
necessarily conned, and fire was placed be-
low until late in the fall their dampness and bad ventilation
caused great inconvenience and discomfort During the voy
age to Ban's Bay, almost all suffered from bronchial
and rheumatic affections; in relapse of intermittent
fever was undoubtedly brought on by these unavorabe cir
cumsances and the of the climate produced crops
chblains covering the hands and feet that exceedingly
painful and annoying.
We arrived first rendezvous the Whale Islands, in
500 north latitude the 9th of June and after delay Of
two days. sailed and made the packed ice the 7h Of July
From this date August 6h when reached the north
water in Bains Bay, in latitude 76o NORTH
sany exposed to the numerous Of disease necessarily
dangerous
the vessels through the ice. The ships companies were
worked In watches without ntemission, and it not unfre
queny happened that all hands employed for twenty
four hours In succession in heavng warpng, breaking, and
saving through the ice from to eight feet in thickness
the weather during the time being generally fosgy and un
pleasant and the thermometer ranging from 25o Ago
Fahrenheit While thus engaged the feet continually
wet and the clothing damp from being obliged to wade
through pools Of melting it accident for
individuals to fall overheard, and be entirely immersed in
water the temperature Of which ranged higher than
32 and frequently low $50 when acciden. Of
this kind occurred assistance Immediately required TO get
the person out for in short time he became benumbed
to be unable to help himself Fortunately had much
sickness while exposed this cold wet and faguing labor
The change and drying Of wet clothes required Of the
men as fast as pracicabe but the scan ond
opportunities few that many were obliged to wear their
clothing mpeecty ded in consequence, colds and rheu
matte pains frequent and that the early appear
Con the 25h july of Of scurvy wds particularly
attributed the young who attacked being discover
ed be negligent and careless that respect On the
18th September, the temperature falling to SO the vessels
were frozen in at the entrance to Wellington Channel in
TAI north latitude and 93o west longitude, and position
was so uncertain and perou owing the rapid drift and
crushing Of the Ice that preparations for the winter could
be made, and stoves not erected until the 10Th of DC
tober In the time the thermometer had fallen III
and the discomfort experienced at that period surpassed any
that felt during the remaining portion Of the winter. II
was impossible to keep without exercise the
vapors arising from bodies condensed the timbers
bukheads, and in our sleeping places fret water render
~
decreased in the form Of ice and
The only fire since leaving New York had been kept in
The galley deck, where the necessary cooking operations
performed. No clothing bedding could be carried on
1eck for the purpose Of venaon for being returned be-
the surrounding vapor would Immediately condense upon
hem and render them much than before. Metal
ic bodies brought below from the external atmosphere would
instantly covered with sheetng Of ice Scurvy began
appear in earnest the 2sh Of September, and continued
mong until our disruption from the ice in the beginning
" june 1851 Disease TO be expected under such cir
and that suffered little serious sickness as
did, perhaps be attributed to the
Obliged to take in order to maintain necessary amount
# animal heat.
It not until the lst of November that the Advance
vas ready TO receive the officers and Of the Rescue
be winter Every thing done that could render the
esse comfortable she possibly could be. The stores
taken from the hold and placed the decks Of
and the whole interior open and unconned By
iton or bulkhead The galley placed on the keIson
midships forward Of which the mems quarters. In
which stove, and aft the officers where smother stove
vas situated These three fires quite sufficient 10 rive
comfortable heat during the intenee cold of winter
he thermometer placed the the vessel
Two we're sent home from first rendezvous. leaving
50 all told. f,'