Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-11-13

ALERT, recently returned from Baflip's Bay,
has been communicated to the Journal Of
eom,ae,cd, by MIR. Henry Grinnell, to
whom 1t WIS addressed, for publication.
II contains much valuable information, aud
the latest Intelligence from the Northeast
tfn Exploring Expeditions
ABERDEEN, October 7, 1862.
n n 4 n 4
The "s1kbcyt'' acted out the following
piece Of real life last winter, behind the
curtain Of the Arctic circle. After sepa-
rating from our gallant land, we found n
passage through the "niddle Ice" of BAT.
fln's Islands, (the spot where we first
came up with your sqnhdron,) aud taking
four lays to cross 1870 miles Of IT, were
wnfted IA two mote by slnft winds to
Ponds Bay, where four natives ca he to
visit ts, They Informed t,s Of having seen
both your vessels passing South, IN the
course Of HE previous spring, among much
ice. Proceeding onward. entered Laiieas.
ter Sound and BarroW's Straits. which
latter being shut against us by Ice, induced
lis to seek shelter from It IN Leopold Har.
Dor, 1t too being barred, we entered lie.
gent Inlet, and after attaining Il position
somewhat similar TO Capt, Forsyth in the
previous autumn, and finding the inlet in
the satne condition III which he found it,
aud eorne to anchor for two days then
coming out, and again directing for Port
Leopold, found 1t still closed against liz,
Being determined to land there, notwith.
standing the obstacles that presented them
selves, ] unfortunately became separated
from the ship on The occasion. This was
on the 9th Of September , and 1t wns the
18th Of the following mouth, whilst bust.
ed IN preparing clothing, sleds and
shoes for Il work of search after The ship,
that a party from her arrived to inform me
that che had been carried into Batty Bay,
aud was there ltloorea for the winter, !
reached here OH The goth of the same
month, and after making everything as
snug and comfortable for the winter ne otf
circumstances permitted, made prepafas
ton for journeys. II was January before
n suIfioieney Of sleds. snow-ahoes aud win
ter clothing were got in readiness for d tifst
Journey, mud its 9th before six OF us could
set oot-tbat ii the darkness OF an Arctic
midwinter. Oar object was alike to visit
Fury Beech and make our frat deposit Of
provisions, in prospect Of making n long
Epriug Journey. provided we should not
ii,id traces there of those wo sought.
Though Our road was one of the toughest
title lee on Regent fnlet being still dc.
taohed from the shore. confined lis to n
narrow space along lofty oturnbling cliffs
we reached that scene Of solitude in four
stages. Finding nothing there. returned
in three more, thus making the journey
III one week, aud having made our first
deposit Of provisions within a short dis.
tance Of that point. Completing arrange.
ments ny the end Of the mouth, we were
now ready to make orr iinal departure.
but fottgl, weather coming Oh immediately
after, were prevented from setting ont. In
the beginning Of February, five Of us liav.
ing got severely frost bitten, whilst return.
ing from tliawing ont supplies on one Of
those dreadful mid February lights, when
the thermometer would rise aud Call 10
degrees IN rs many minutes. accustomed n
delay until Tie Goth of February, wien
six m're Of us set ont, and reached Fury
Beach Oh the 9th Of March, only having
been detained nearly u week IN one enow-
house. These were our only resorts ut
nights During all our journeys. we never
e1cnmbefed ourselves with tents A Sec
oud party from The sIIip arrived Oh the 7th
returning again to the ship OH the l2tl,
for further supplies brought these by The
Goth, aud having by The Goth Of that month
got a sufficient quantity Of provisions ~
was required for the final spring journey,
set out ut this latter date from this rem
devious. witt, eight men rs n fatigue par.
ty, ms far "a Btentfori Bay, and In wing five
with myself to perform the remainder OF
the Journey. Separating with the fatigue
party Mt this point, on the 7th Of April
passed through n passage, Of MI those yet
discovered the most likely to be the long
sought for N. w passage, though it here
runs $. w. by N Il. trnversed n sea-, or
rather bay, OF some 80 miles wide. The
land appeared continuous on our right on
crossing, and struck a western unknown
land. Travelling over one of the most uu-
interesting countries I ever saw, until we
reached 100 degrees W.. next directed
for Cape Walker, which was reached Oh
the 18th May, and proceeded homeward
via Port Leopold We reached The ship
Oil the 30th of May, after an absence of
81 days, aud having inclosed in one cir
emit Of Sir James Ross COO mile winter
Journey Of 40, the greater part of Capt.
Austin's South Western divisions work,
and intervening Inlet. OF course, as our
aim was to find a S. w. passage from Cape
Walker, that Sir John franklin could have
followed, and going over so much land, Tor
it was found continuous to. Cape Walker
we came Oh no traces OF him, or any OF
his party.
On return to Leopold, though we had
exercised enough to keep our limbs straight
three Of us had each a left one SO contract
ed by scurvy, that we had to use slaves,
and the other three. though not affected to
same degree, also otherwise suffering
from the same cause. At the ship, the
Of health was even still worse.
More than half the crew were unfit for
duty by it, and it had the effect Of putting
a stop to further search as by the time
they were recovered sufficiently, it was
first to rig the ship, then liber-
ate her by means of the ice saw. This
was done by the 9th Of August. when we
out, and directed north. Two days
after were driven on shore in Edwin Bay
BY ice, but after lying on shore w days
got off, and proceeded to Griffith's
[sland. Passing Beechey Island, found