Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-01-12
New Expedition to the North Pole UNI
der DIR. ane. ~ A

open Polar sea by a North American
MERIDIAN, during which he stated that
Mr.. Grinnell had placed at his disposal
the Advance, and the Secretary Of the
NaEy7hadzassigued him to special duty
fer the conduct of a new expedition, the
details and outlines of which he described.
His plan of search is based upon the pro-
bable extension of the land masses of
Greenland to the far north---a view vet
to, be verified by travel, but sustained by
the andlogtes of Physical Geography
fdmitting such an extension, they would,
he says, have the following inducements
for exploration and research:
4. Terra firma as the basis Of our ope-
rations, obyiating the accidents charaete-
ristic of ice travel.
2. A due northern line, which throw
ing aside the influence of terrestrial radi
alton, would lead soonest to the ogen sea.
should such exist
:, 5. The benefit of the fan-like abutment
of land, on the north face of Greenland,
70 check the ice in the course Of its SOU
thern or equatorial drift thus obviating
the drawback of Parry, in his attempt to
yeash the Pole by the Spitzbergen sea.
"a, Animal life to sustain travelling par
ties.
no5. The cooperation of the Esquimaux
settlement of Greenlanders, having been
found as high as Whale Sound, and pro-
badly extending still further along the
coast. The point would endeavor to
attain would be the highest attainable
point of Bafin's Bay, from, if possible,
pursuing the sound known as Smiths
Sound. advocated by Baron Wrangell, as
the most eligible site for reaching the
North Pole.
a As II point of departure, this is two
hundred and twenty miles to the north of
Beeohey Island, the starting point of Sir
Edward Belcher, and seventy miles north
of the utmost limits seen or recorded in
Wellington Channel.
The party will consist of some thirty
men, with a couple of launches, sledges,
dogs, and gutta percha boots. The pro-
visions will be Pemmican-a preparation
of dried meat, packed in cases, impregna-
bic to the appetite of the Polar bear. DR..
Kane, after stating that his expedition will
leave the United States in time to reach
the Bay at the earliest season of naviga-
ton, says:
After reaching the settlement of Up
pernavik, we take in supply of Esqui-
maux dogs, and a few picked men to take
charge of the sledge. We then enter the
ice of Melville Bay, and if successful in
its penetration. hasten to Smiths Sound,
forcing our vessel to the utmost navigable
point, and there securing her for the win.
ter. The operations of search, however,
are not to be suspended. Active exer-
-Oise is the best safeguard against the
scurvy; and, although the darkness of
winter will not be in our favor, am con-
WINGED that with the exception, perhaps,
of the solstical period of maximum OBJ
security. we can push forward our proyi
sion deposits by sledge and launch, and
thus prepare for the final efforts of our
search. ..
In this am strengthened by the valu-
able opinion of my friend. Mr.. Murdaugh,
late the sailing master of the Advance
He has advocated this very Sound as a
basis of land opertions. Aud the recent
journey of VIM. Kennedy, commanding
Lady Franklin's last expedition. shows
that the fall and winter Should no longer
be regarded as lost months.
The sledges, which constitute so impor-
tant a feature of our Expedition, and upon
which not only our success but our safe
ty will depend, are to be constructed with
extreme care. Each sledge will carry
the blanket, bags and of six men, togeth-
er with a measured allowance of Pemmi-
can. 4 light tent of India rubber cloth of
anew pattern will be added: but for our
nightly halt the main dependence will be
the snow houses of the Esquimaux. tits
almost Incredible, in the face of obstacles,
to what extent well organized sledge
party can advance. The relative impor-
tance of every ounce of weight can be
calculated, and the system of advanced
depots Of provisions organized admirably.
Alcohol or tallov is the only fuel, and
the entire cooking apparatus, which is
more for thawing the snow for tea-water
than for heating food--can be carried in
little bag. Lieutenant McClintock, of
Commander Austen's expedition, travel
ed thus 900 miles, the collective Journeys
of the expedition, equalled several thou
sand, and Baron Wrangell made, by dogs,
1 ,553 miles in "a days and this over a
frozen ocean.
But the greatest sledge journey on re-
cord is that of my friend, Mr.. Kennedy,
who accomplished nearly one thousand
four hundred miles, most of it in mid
winter, without returning upon his track
to avail himself of deposited provisions.
His only food, and we may here learn the
practical lesson of the traveller to avoid
unnecessary baggage, was Pemmican'
and his on y shelter the SnoU House.
1t is my intention to cover each sledge
with gutta percha boat-a continuance
which the experience of the English has
shown to be perfectly portable. Thus
equipped, we follow the tread of the
coast, seeking the open mater.