Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-06

miles from each other with a botomless abyss between
them. The population of the place, numbering about
three hundred and eighty souls, eneamped with
their little properly on mountain lying within this
district, and expect the next calamity a state OF
great depression. Beneath the torn up mountain, and
the very spot, water gushes up every side,
and the ground in the vicinity is so cracked that no
living creature can approach It,"
From the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser, Oct 1.
THE AMERICAN SEARCHING EXPEDI-
TON.
We were enabled to lay before our readersyeserday
the principal facts connected with the American eX-
petition in search of Sir John Franklin, learned from
the surgeon of the expedition arrived in the Advance
The Rescue, the consort OF the Advance parted COM
pany during the storm OF the 18th umo, and i hour
ly expected.
We have little TO add to the particulars given yes
terday On the 18th OF July the two vessels bearing
M 10 run between the Baffn Islands, the Advance
grounded on a rock shoal with only three feet OF water
under her bows Her stern remained afloat, however
even at the low water The Rescue hauled by The
wind just in time to escape similar disaster, and
made fast to iceberg, Toward midnight the Adj
vance was hauled off without damage.
During the nine months in which the expedition was
ice bound no human being approached them nor could
excursions TO any distance from the vessels be VEN
ured upon, the drifting OF the fields OF ice in VIII ch the
vessels were encased making their position for any
twenty -four hours altogether uncertain Short hunting
| expeditions undertaken, and polar bears,
| deer, foxes, and birds were taken
| The expedition found no secure harbor while cruz
sing in the Arctic regions. AS an illustration of the
ease with which life may be sustained in these attudes
Surgeon Kane mentioned that he met with Dane, up
ward OF seventy years OF age who had spent iity five
| years OF his life north of 70 deg, subsstng during
that period entirely birds. fish, bears, and other
animal food. He had not seen vege table the whole
time
GERS of the expedition as commencing with noise
semblng the whistle OF locomotive, followed by
singular and constant pusation OF the ice.
G. For 81 days oil their ice bound condition the
id moi a
m d. da or a few moments, when paper might be
read by holding it up to the faint light in the south.
/ 1t is somewha remarkable that the English and
American expeditions wintered within fifteen miles of
each other, without either knowing it, the American
officers only learning it on their arrival at this port
The return of the English squadron wac also entirely
unexpected by the officers OF the American expedi-
ton.
The following extracts from letter from Lady Frank
lin TO Mr.. Henry Grinnell have been supplied to the
81 BEDFORD PLACE, LONDON Sept. ~, 1851.
MY DEAR MIR. GRINNELL: write to you in much
agitation and confusion of mind, which you wili
not wonder at when you hear that Captain Penny.
with his ships, has returned and announces The
approaching Of Captain Austans SOU tdron, all
ter being for only half the period tor which they
were. equipped.
Csptajn Pennys letter is to day before the board of
admiralty, urging them IN the strongest Terms 70 oes
patch Instantly powerful steamer to Wellington Cham
mel in which quarter to the northwest, he has dscoV-
cred the passage which there can be scarcely doubt
the ships have aken since 1t Is the ony opening tney
have found anywhere, and hundreds OF miles OF coast
have been explored in the lower western direction, to
Cape Walker, Banks Land, and Melville Island,
| without trace of them. Drift wood IN considerable
quantities has come OF this northwest chsnnel and
| a email bit of rather fresh English elm, winch Penny
pronouuces must have belonged to our ships, anu was
| probably thrown overheard; - 49,,
the coarse of the missing ships IDENTICAL and can
only regret that squadron was not told they might
attempt the making the passage they could, Tor IN
CHI haVa had
search till many more struggles had been made to get
into Behrug Straits. The barrier OF ice in Yelling
ton Channel did net break last year, nor had done so
this when Penny lett; but his explorations which ex-
tended TO one hundred and eighty miles from the en-
| trance, made beyond it in boat sedges; sixty
miles beyond this he saw water, with land standing
to thenorthwes l can hardly conceive how ne could
resist flowing the water which he saw beyond
him, and which he convinced leads INTO the so much
talked OF Polar basin. He is also convinced with Dr.
Kane, that there better climate IN those more north
the attitudes, with natural resources OF food
| and fuel; some proofs OF winch he brings forward
We have reason then, TO hope that some OF our
lost friends and countrymen may yet be able TO support
life in this region, though uaabe TO return by tAe way
which they came; and the absence OF any traces OF
them norh.o Cape lines, on the East side OF Wei
ngton Channe proves nothing at all against Ii, since
| hey not likely to finger on their way to examine
hores and islands, but would push on as fast as pos
BILE while the opportunity favored them; and the next
sraceS TO be found would probably be tneN secouu
winter quarters
| In confirmation of this view Penn tells me that
| there are signs OF their first winter encampment a
Bachey Island &c OF their having lett 1t suddenly; ana
that the OF 1885, though extremely uaiavoraole
to The whalers, who account OF the prevailing WINDS
could not over the west side OF Baum ray
must have been quite the to our navigators on
may imagine in what a state OF anxiety anu ag'ta-
ton are till we learn the decision OF the adm raj
ty on the appeal now made to them l nave written
| p trong letter. also, and know that SIR + Beau
fort Captain Hamilton and Mr.. Barron, who are all
at their posts will alege The necessity OF pomptme
sures with all their powers. Should we tail we must
look to America alone resource. To you VIII
belong all the virtue and credit otconllnuing the search
when own countrymen fail, and to you VIII oelohg
the honor and glory of succorng the distressed anu Oh