The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-10-02


ARRIVAL or THE ApvAHcg.
The Advance, Cspt De Hwen, one of the
vesssls saot out by Sir, Henry GrnnsIl to search
for Sir John FrAnkiin, arrive at the navy yard
Brook Ign. on Tue .day morning
Il will be remembered that the latest previous
intelligence from the American vessels. the
Rescue aud the Advances, To the 18th oi
September, 1850 received through the English
papers. Ga that day they parted company with
the English squadron AS mentioned In the des-
patches of Capt. Penny.
On the same night they were frozen in at
Wellington channel. From that point COM
menced their Northern drift, and they were car
ried up the channel TO lXtitude 1928, the great
est Northing ever attained ia that meridian.
From that latitude they commenced drifting
again to the South. "A ID in Novemb .r. 1850, en-
tered Lancaster Sound During this time, the
violence of the eruptons Of the Ice was so great
that they could keep no fires regua -ly lii on ac-
count Of the motion Of the vessel. The mercury
in the thermometer fell below zero. The bed.
din froze in every apartment. and even the cof-
fee and soup became CONCEALED soon ~
taken off the fire. f.re
II was at this time that the scurvy broke out,
attacking all the crews and officers, Captain De
Haven and DR.. Kane included BY dint of as
siduous attention and constant vigilance, how
ever, Dr. Kane succeeded in keeping down the
disease, and fort instey brought them all through
the disease without losing single man. Any
one who saw DR. Kane's eye when he modestly
mentioned this gratifying fact, would read Iy be-
leve that his attention to his charge would be
alike enthu siastic and unreDitting.
The principal eruptions in the ice, we may
here mention, occurred on the 18th Of Noyeu-
L - cat r ~. N - Al -
Of January, 1851. on which latter day the expe-
dition entered Bafin's Bay. During their con-
tinuance in this ice, the vessels were lifted up by
the stern MS high six feet eight inches,
with list to starboard of two feet eight inches,
the discomforts and Inconvenience of which may
well be imagined.
During this whole time also the mon had to
have their knspsacks constantly prepared, as well
as sleighs, &c. not knowing but that at any
moment the vessels, strong as they were, might
be crushed by the ice. They were three weeks
without taking off their clothes. Fortunately
the ice lifted up, rather than crushed the vessels,
which lay often at a considerable elevation on the
crest of the upheaving ice
From this ice the vessels m ,rged on the 10th
of June, 1851, after an imprisonment of nine
months. During this time they had drifted one
thousand and sixty miles,--a polar drift of I'M
precedent extent. The only one in any way
analogous with it, we believe was that of Capt
Back, in Hudson's Bay, which. however, did not
compare with it in extent During this whole
imprisonment in the ice, the two vessels suffer
ed comparatively little damage. The Advance
lost her bob-stays and part of her false keel;
the Rescue had her cutwater and bowsprit liter
ally cbiseed Off
Having got both his vessels liberated, Capt.
De Haven determined again to try to prosecute
his search, and turn the Advances head to the
Northward He succeeded in reaching the
upper Melville Bay region, but was there again
hemmed In by ice.
From this he was not liberated until the 18th
of August, at which time the season was 40 far
advanced that 1t was impossible for him to pro-
coed and accomplish his purpose, even suppos-
ing everything should be favorable and no ice
intervene.
He therefore reluctantly determined to return
home. The Advance called at the Greenland
ports, where she obtained full supplies of fresh
meats vegetables, fruit &C.. and Dr. Kane
soon had the happiness of seeing the scurvy en-
trey disappear.
Capt De Ravens was the most severe attack,
and afforded singular illustration of ono of
the peculiar features of the disease A small
wound on his finger, made when a school boy,
by blow from cane, and many years ago
completely healed and forgotten, was re-opened
by the disease. A similar result attended
wound which DIR. Kane received in the Mexc an
war, and indeed every man exhibited similar
illustration of this phase Of the disease.
The expedition has returned without the loss
Of man, which speaks volumes alike for the Of
hcers and men; and is no mean praise for the
surgeon of the expedition.
The American vessels last saw the English
ship Prince Albert at eleven O'clock a. m. on the
18th of August, standing south southeast hav-
ing given up, as Capt De Haven concluded, all
hope of getting round the bay ice, and making
the Southern passage. Capt DE Haven thinks
it probable that she would reach Prince Regents
inlet
Not having had time to visit the vessel her.
self, we cannot speak Of her appearance after
her hazardous voyage. DR.. Kane, an exceedingly
intelligent and aflable gentleman, looks WELL al
though somewhat weather-beat
He thinks, after seeing the regions and the
resources on shore, that Sir John franklin and
his crew are yet alive. The Advance has brought
home the relics of Sir Johns visit to the place
where three Of his men were buried
Also two or three Esquimaux dogs, one of
them not many weeks old, apparently very fine
and intelligent animals.
DR.. Kane speaks in the highest terms Of Capt
De Haven, and we are sure that Mr.. GrinnelI
must feel proud satisfaction in having set on
foot the expedition.
We learn from Mr.. Grinnell that Lady Frank
lin entertains the same opinion as DIR. Kane
with respect TO her noble husband