Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-10-15
NO. XLVIIF
SIR JOHN FRANKLIS..

written on the 9th and 18th of July, 1S43,
in Bafin's Bay, ofthe West coast OF Green
land. In one of them, addressed to Col:
Sabine. he says, 81 hope my dear vile and
daughter will not be over anxious, II we
should not return by the time they have ilx-
ed upon and must beg of you to give
them the benefit of your advice and exPe-
rience when that arrives, for you know well,
that even after the second winter, without
success in our object, we should wish to try
some other channel, if the state of our pro-
visions and the health of our crew justify
it." He must then have crossed that WIDE
Bav (Bafin's) and entered Barrow's Strait
on the North coast of this Continent ana
proceeded through ito Beechy Island on
the North side Of the Strait: for here the
traces recently met with, Of the missing ex-
pedition. were found. None ofthe expedI-
tions have proceeded far beyond this local
ity. Capt Parry navigated few miles TO
the west of it; the Grinnell expedition
few miles to the north.
Captain Ross, during one whole season;
was able to advance only two or three miles
from the spot near it, at which ne had WIN
tered. SIR John Franklin must have pro-
ceeded either in direction towards the
Pole, up Wellington Straits, (our expedii-
tion took this route or westward in the d.
rection taken by Captain Parry. The most
remarkable season for its openness ever
know in theaPolar seas, was the one IN
which Captain Parry proceeded short d,s-
tance west of Beechy Island. 1t may be
that Sir John Franklin found one still more
favorable for progress, and PROCEEDED pc
yond any of these localities. 1t VIII be re-
collected that the Advance and Rescue were
frozen IN on the 18th September, and were
not liberated until the 10th of August, dates
which show the length of the winter. The
summer is consequently but little over
month in duration, and it constitutes Tue
limit within which vessels propelled py
wind can be used for discoveries. 1T sup
posed however, that little north OF TINS
lce-bound region, and in the sea that sur !
rounds the Pole, called the Polinar Sea, the
winter is more open. Captain Penny ire
ferred to in Lady Franklin's letter, publish
ed yesterday states that he proceeded WIN
sleds in another meridian over the inter-
yening ice to that sea- which he found open.
Many navigators believe that such all
open sea exists, and the officers oi the ex-
pedition lust returned, concur in stating that
with North wind the thermometer aiways
rises. and falls when it is from the SCUM
ward. Whether the missing expedition
reached those open waters. or was caught IN
the intermediate ice, is matter tor conec-
ture. 1t is improbable that it ever returned
to Barrow Straits or Baffin's Bay, as no ira 2
ces of it were ever found. The course OF
the pack ice is Eastward and Southwark,
through those channels towards the Allan
tic. The Advance and Rescue, soon alter
reaching the seat of Arctic discovery re,
NAMED locked in it for ten months, ana
were carried 1,07O miles toward the Ocean.
They were unable 10 recover their position
in time for the second summer. 1t is very
evident that steam vessel, or propeller Is
the only one capable of effective service IN
those regions. The English talk OF send
ing one accompanied by two sailing ves-
sells to supply her with coal, and it is the
opinion of some of those connected with the
Advance and Rescue, that the plan is fea-
sible and desirable. The propeller would
need to be absent but sixty days from this
port, to accomplish all that one season would
permit. The hardships of the Polar seas are
somewhat mtigated by the active sports IN
which navigalors indulge.
The seal appear in all directions, and the
hunt for themi is attended with no little pleas
ure. They need to reach the surface ofthe
water three or four times in an hour, In or
del to get supply of air, when they are
shot or speared. They remain under the
ice, and have power to scratch with their
claws a hole through it, even when FIVE feet
thick, to reach the surface. These holes
are watched, and the animal secured as he
rises to the surface. Their value is scarce
ly to be estimated to the Esquimaux, who
inhabit country of vast extent, (some
$500 miles long, south of the region of
these discoveries. They however pene-
trate with their slight canoes this polar re-
gion, in search of seal. These constitute
their food and fuel and they are the ma
teraI of which their huts, boats, clothes and
bedding are made. A single animal sup
plies all their wants. In addition to the
SEAL deer are found at the island furthest
west reached by Capt. Parry, and game and
polar bear abound. DR.. Kane, of the Adj
vance has brought home specimen of the
largest white bear on record, an animal
which he shot in one of his hunting excur-
sions. He has also the only specimen in
our country of the sea unicorn, which has
an ivory tusk of eight feet in length pro-
jectlng from the head, and hide like the
walrus.
The presence Of these animals in and
near to the Polar seas, gives occupation to
hunters, and supplies food to those who may
be locked up in their fields of ice, or those
who may be unable, from the loss of their
vessels, to reach more hospitable region.
We visited the Advance yesterday, and
were surprised TO find her in such excellent
condition, after cncountering the seventies
of such passage. She has brought home
many memorials ofthe voyage. There are
several of the singular canoes of the Esqul-
maux, fins of all kinds, clothing, such as the
inhabitants wear, specimens of water melt
ed from reddish snow a large dog, such as
are used for sleds, and various relics of the
missing expedition.-.N.. Y. Jour. Com.
GRAcE.-A Mayor Of certain corpora.
ton, presiding at great dinner, when the
cloth was removed, looked all down the ia.
bic for clergyman to say grace but obser-