Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-10-09
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American Searching Expeditions;
Arrival Of the Advance.

Early this forenoon the Advance, Capt.
Haven, one Of the vessels sent out by
cr. Henry Grinncll to search for Sir John
;o'anklini arrived at the navy yard, Brook
b. We have had an interview with E.
kenc, esq, surgeon 10 the expedition,
whose courtesy we arc indebted for the
lowing particulars:
dit will he remembered that the latest
avous intelligence from the American
ssels, the Rescne and the Advance, was
the 18th Of September, 1850, received
-ough the English papers. On that day
cAy parted company with the English
lruadron, as mentioned in the dispatches of
thipt. Penny.
On the same night they were frozen in
\ Wellington channel. From that point
IN mmenced their northern drift. and they
C ere carried up the channel to latitude rs
hi. the greatest northing ever attained in
at meridian.
'lFrom the latitude they commenced drif-
sI9g again to the SOUTH and in November,
pS50, entered Lancaster Sound. During
is time the violence of the eruptions Of
e ice was so great that they could keep
fires rcgular lit on account of the mo-
pn of the vessel. The mercury in the
, fermomcter fell below zero The bedding
r oze IN every apartment, and even the cof-
= ke and soup became congealed as soon as
tken off the fire.
1t was at this time that the scurvy broke
ut attacking all the crews and officers,
faptain De Haven and DR.. Kane incu-
fled. BY dint of assiduous attention and
c pnstant vigilance, however, DIR. Kane sue
eeded in keeping down the disease. and
fortunately brought them all through the
disease without loosing single man. Any
cnc who saw DR.. Kanc's eye when he mod
oftly mentioned this gratifying fact, would
BADLY believe that his attention to his
tlarge would be alike enthusiastic and un.
Emitting.
\ The principal eruptions in the ice, we
hay here mention, occurred the lIth of
I fovcmbcr and 3rd of December, 1850,
nd the 18th Of January. 1851, on which
tier day the expedition entered Baiiin's
hy. Duringthc continuance in the ice the
Sessels were lifted up by the stern as high
; 5 six feet seven or eight inches, with list
, starboard of two feet eight inches, the
iscomforts and Inconvenience Of which
pay well be imagined
!, During this whole time also the men had
, have their knapsacks constantly prepar-
ID, as well as sleighs. &c, rot knowing
! ut that at any moment the vessels, strong
; they were, might be crushed by the ice.
= hey were three weeks without taking of
heir clothes. Fortunately the ice lifted
up, rather than crushed, the vessels which
. .y often at "A considerable elevation on the
. rest ofthe uPheaving ice.
', From this ice the vessels emerged on the
9th ofJunc, 1851, after an Imprisonment
of nine months. During this time they
ad drifted one thousand and sixty miles
Ia polar drift of unprecedented extent
] he only one in any way analogous with
! /, we believe, was that of Capt. Back, in
Iudson's bay. which, however, did not
'pmpare with it in extent. During this
fhole Imprisonment in the ice. rhetwo yes
is suffered comparatively little damage.
! he Advance lost her bob stays and part
If her false keel; the Rescue had her cut
later and bowspirit literally chiselled of.
Il Having got both his vessels liberated,
captain De Haven determined again to try
p prosecute his search, and turned the Ad-
|ance's head to the northward He sue
2eeded in reaching the upper Melville bay
3eglon, but was there again hemmed in by
Fe.
>, From this he was not liberated until the
10Th of August, at which time the season
Jas so far advanced that it was impossible
pr him to proceed and accomplish his pur.
lose, even supposing every thing should be
favorable and no ice intervene.
1 He therefore reluctantly determined TO
,eturn home The Advance called at the
Greenland ports, where she obtained full
,upplies of fresh meats, vegetables, fruits,
kc.. and DIR. Kane soon had thehappincss
4 seeing the scurvy entirely disappear.
/ Captain De Haven's was the most Sc
;ere attack, and afforded singular illus
ration of one Of the peculiar features of
he disease. A small wound on his finger,
made when schoolboy by blow from a
sane. and many years ago completely heal
ID and forgotten, was reopeDed by the dis
sase. A similar result attended wound
which DR.. Kane received in the Mexican
war; and. indeed, every man exhibited
similar illustration Of this phase Of the dis
ease.
The expedition has returned without the
loss OF a man. which speaks volumes alike
for the officers and men, and is no mean
praise for the surgeon Of the expedition.
The American vessels last saw the Eng
lisll ship Prince Albert at eleven o'clock
a. m, on the 18th of August, standing
south-soulhcast. having given up. as Cap
tain De Haven concluded, all hope of get
ting round the bay ice, and making the
southern passage. Captain De Haven
thinks it probable that she would reach
Prince Regents inlet.
Not having bad time to visit the vessel
herself, we cannot speak other appearance
after her hazardous voyage. DR.. Kane, an
exceedingly intelligent and afable gentle.
man, locks well; although somewhat wea-
He thinks, after seeing the regions and
the resources on shore, that Sir John Frank
lin and his crews are probably yes alive
The advance have brought home the relics
Of Sir Johns visit to the place where three
Of his men were buried.
Alsotwo or three Esquinaux dogs, one