The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-27
The Arctic Exploring Expe dltIon.

We find in the London Times of the 10th inst
letter from Capt. Parker, of the True Love
whale ship, giving an account of Capt Au stin's
expedition up to the 18th September, 1850
The statements contained in this letter fully
confirm the reports received by the Prince AL
bert, Of Sir John Franklin's expedition having
passed the winter of 1856, in the neighbor.
hood of Cape Riley. They place beyond a
doubt the safety of Sir John Franklin's ships
up to this point, which was their first winter
quarters, and during heir sojourn at which
there is not the slightest ground for supposing
that any disaster Of any description had oc-
Cured, beyond the ordinary casualties of life
among such a number, three men having died
out of the two ships companies up to April
1916, about which period they would be pre-
pairing to push forward on the main object of
the expedition.
The following letter from DR.. Kane, of Phila-
delphia surgeon to the United States expedi-
ton, will be read with great interest The
persons whose graves are here reported formed
part of the expedition =
On the 9th, Capt. Penny's parties reported
graves. These were at once visited by Capt
De Haven, Mr.. Penny, and DR. Kane. They
bore respectively the names of w. Braine, r.
NJ, and John Hartnell. of the Erebus, and John
Torrngton, of the Terror the date of the
latest death being the 81 of April. 1916
Added to these sad but unmstakeable ev-
dences, were the remains OF the observatory,
carpenters shop and armorers' forge. Upon the
hillside and beach were fragments of wood,
metal and clothing, with stacks of empty meat
tins. Everything indicated permanency and or
ganizaton. There can be no doubt that the
cave between Cape Riley and Beechy Island,
facing Lancaster Sound, was the first winter
station Of the missing vessels. On the 3Ist OF
September, the inpervious ice of Wellington
channel underwent complete disruption, and
by the 9th, several vessels penetrated to the
CORVALLIS side. Such, however, was the i'm
penetrable character of the pack in Lancaster
Sound, that by the 10th of September the
entire searching squadron were again concen-
trated about eight miles south CT Griffith's
Island
This was the fnrthest westing attained by the
American expedition. The latest dates from
Commodore Austin are of the 18th of Septenl-
Der. They were then in momentary expecta-
ton Of making winter quarters, and it is
probable that small harbor discovered by Capt
Ommanney. about three miles east of Cape
Martyrs, will be the haven selected.
Thence the American vessels, whilst proceed
ing homeward, were frozen in opposite Yelling
ton channel, drifting during the ensuing winter
from latitude Of 1925 throughout the chan
mel and sound into Baffn's Bay Their liberia
ton, after much exposure and trial, took place
on the 10th Of June. 1851, at point south of
Cape Wasingbam IS 30-a linear drift exceed
ing 1860 miles.
The commotion of the ice. with its attendant
uncertainty, was their chief source Of trial
Every officer and man had mark ed scorbutc
disease, but no deaths have occurred The
crews are now refreshed, and the expedition il
endeavoring to regain the seat of search I
have, &c, f. X. KANE,
Surgeon to the Expedition.