The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-26

wonderful northern regions, but to enlist their SYM
Tor six years been hidden there from the rest Of
mankind. The lecturer then gave geographical
description Of the Arctic Ocean, whicn was ne sad,
previous to 1916, great blank In the cnsrt OF the
world, but which has since been surveyed and dc.
lneated. He also discussed the practical utility OF
the explorations which had been made, and their
results in determining the exact shape Of our planet
Sir John Ross had navigated Baffa's Bay Captain
Parry made other discoveries in the subsequent
year and others alss followed. In 1915 Great
Britain determined to renew these expeditions.
The ships Erebus and Terror fitted out for that
purpose, and Sir John Franklin was selected to
nana them. The sympathy felt for his fate is not
confined to his own country, but extends to the
whole universe. He advorted to tho sutferings and
labors Of himself and his gallant band in their pre-
vious expedition but they had overcome all diff.
culties, and returned triumphans To the great
powers of endurance which Sir John Franklin had
displayed. he united noble and benevolent traits Of
character. He is known this day, to the Iadians
of Nerth America, as "the great chief who would
not kill mosquito In May, 1915, this new
expedition had departed to that place, from whence
seen in Bafin's Bay. The ice Of that region
is known as tho pack ice. Sometimes this
is one mass Of consolidation, at others the
ice 10 broken up into fragments of all Sizes
Thu ice was the seat of Frankns FIRST imprison-
ment, and the American expedition remained in il
for two seasons. When the year 1850 arrived this
gallant band had been away five years. The whole
their fate. An appeal to our own country was
made by the noble Lady Franklin, and you all
know how this appeal was responded to by one Of
our fellow. citizens The expedition fitted out BY
him left New York on the 23d of May, 1850; onthe
18th Of July, they were fairly within the waters of
Lancaster Sound. After three months Of arduous
duties, they found themselves opposite Wellington
Channel, when they made the great discovery OF the
expedition-namely, the graves Of some Of Sir John
Franklin's party on Beachy Island, marked by their
simple headstones. Here, where everything spoke
Of DEATH the life that had gone before them. Near
Vie grave of one-a lad named Dorington-was
pat of the skeleton of fox quite near wore the
tinders of the blacksmith's shop, and great mum
tor miles round they found the traces Of hu-
nanity and it was evident that in tho bay
before them, new called Frankiin's Bay, had
ventured that gallant commander and his
bst cruise; but thero was NJ indication Of
low they had lett, or whittier they had gene. There
Oud DO little doubt, however, that Franklin had
Hoceeded to the North, as the English searehers
roye he had not gone to the West Mysterious as
ad been his departure, Providence had ordained
hat they should follow in his footsteps Their yes.
els were soon surrounded by the ice, which fastsn-
close around them, ard they were rapidly drift
,g to the North. The thermometer fell far below
eIo; ice formed on their beddng soup froze on the
able They dritsed to latitude Is 65, when
hey saw q high mountain land, which was named
ienry GrinIell They were carried along as
pecks, without being able to leave any mark BE-
Ind them; and they thought how probable it was
hat the treacherous ice had, in like manner closed
on Sir John Franklin, and that the wind had
rought him on still further. 1t is now the sixth
inter since he asei beyond the recorded frontier
{ the world What has been his fats Can he
ave survived! This is the only question which it
ecame him to discuss before community that
lay contribute to his probable ressue. The casual
es attending Arctic Investigations, though fire..
uently disastrous, are not generally attended With
Hs of life. The ice masses almost Away, give no.
ice Of their approach and not unfrequently afford
ridge, Cor escape. In tho gale Of 1882 in mich
lany vessels were wrecked, out Of thousand mon,
rho were cast upon the ice, only seven lost their
ives; and he considered that it was hardly probable
hat both the Erebus and Terror were stimuli
aneousy destroyed. Lancaster and Wellington
ounds were crowded with life, which form tho food
the Esquimaux, SO that a cast off party might
rocure and lay up materials for sustenance, If they
lad only saved harpoon or a knife; but with pow.
Ter and shot they could have an unceasiDg supply
# food from the animal migrations Hs would
ather take his chan,e Of life in the polar zone
han in the centre of civilized Europe; but it will
said hey be asked, can Europeans resist the effects
! n the climate! In reply, he would only say that
Europeans have so lived In the island Of Spitz Dor
gen, parties Of Russian fur hunters live. He had
himself seen Dane there wac hai lived sixty ont
Of eighty without losing sight ofsno "; but
he might also refer to Sir John Ross, who was i'm
prscned in the ice for four years. and yet had lost
but one man. He, the lecturer, was of opiaion
that the search for Sir John Franklin was not
among the projects which could be exposed as use
less by any sound argument; but he felt the proba-
nlS SHIPS naVinS Oeeu lemWeu IN tle ice
% theirs were and drifting on down 60 the north in
Wellington Channel They had beer. approaching
region unknown to vcyagers, from which no mis-
sive could be sent to tell Of them, and oat of which
the N, it was otherwise ordered. Winds from the
north Sc. in, and they dyfed to the south, and soon
again they came within sight of the sthuus of the
graves To a question from one o! the audience,
the lecturer stated that the width Of this 18TH
mus was thirty miles. 1t then became evident TO
them that they we're leaving behind them tho re-
eons where only it was probable that their search
could be OF any avail. On the first OF Dece noer
they had passed Lancaster sound It was then
that, in expectation Of immediate destruction, an
organization was entered into by the com snder
and officers. Sledges were constructed, and all
pre- parstions made to meet the worst that might be-
fall them. Tbs Rescue was abandoned, AMI the
other vessel, the Advance, received all hands. Dr..
Kane gave an interesting description of their con-
dition az this critical period. Take, said he, an
III broken area Office, aud imagine two LITTLE vessels
enclosed IN it, From one OF these vessels hangs out,
q. noon and midnight. lantern, and men are har-
messed into sleghs, and preparing themselves to en-
counter the dangers and faugues 10 which they may
soon be exposed. The ic, IN whi,h they were en-.
closed was f7e feet in thickness. sometimes ten,
and nearly resembling glass Winter had creps
upon them, and with winter, night. Their KNAPP.
sacks never deserted them and their India rubber
boat had often been launched, in expectation OF the
catastrophe. 1t panied him to recall this period.
They rapidly, all this time, approaching Blt-
Ems Bay Of which region they kaow very little; but
with ice bergs and oat OF which it almost i'm pos
tle for vessel to escape At length the ice broke,
and large black rivers oated through it; the ther
mome ter was forty degrees below zero. One night
thy we're all suddenly called up; they came on
beck and ga v a white colossal mass which was
moving right down on their brig, accompanied oy
the solemn orchestra Of the ice voices ga came
Tho crest from which they could the solid blocks
pf ice masonry tambling. Now to the chip cane
Eibratory trembling-;he colossal mass bears
down upon them-is yithin twelve yards o. thon-
how within six yards, and noH within six feet
BIZ them Suddenly its motion ceases, and 10 re-
nsus towering over them. They exps,ted it TO
bear on them daring the night, but it moved
monument Of Gods mercy aud mans aelplessness
DR.. Kane then stated his conviction that Sir joan
Franklin aud his party had been carried by tie 100
INTO tie Polar sea, where they remained helnmed
Ia, and asked how they were TO be rescued ! 30.
wsen the northern point which tho Amer,aa exp..-