Washington sentinel., 1853-11-08

to these explorations in the Arctic regions
from the very dangers by which they are sur
rounded. Captain Inglefeld, writing on the
the 10th Of August, o moment OF extreme peril
to himself, says; a
While thus employed, ! received by an official
letter from Captain Pullen, copy OF which en-
close, marked L /, report Of the melancholy in
telligence Of the death Of M Bellot, who had been
sent by Captain Pullen on his return during my
absence TO acquaint me OF the same, and 70 carry
on the original dispatches to Sir Edward Belcher.
This unfortunate occurrence took place on the
night of the gale, when M. Bellot with two men,
was drivenof from the shore on foe and shortly
after, while accommodating from the top Of hum
mock, he was blown of by violent gust Of wind
into a deep crack in the ice, and perished by
drowning. The two men were saved by COIN
paraiive miracle and after driving about for thirty
hours, without food, were enabled to land and re-
join their feow-travelers, who gave them provi-
sions and then returned to the ship, bringing back
in safety the dispatches but three Of them fit sub
jects only for INVADING s ass ~
The dispatch proceeds with the following il
lustration of what Arctic navigation is:
The ice closing again obliged us 10 quit Cape
Riley before midnight, and in sndeayoring to push
the ships into blight in the land foe, the Phoenix
touched the ground, but came off again immedi-
ately, without damage. The whole night was spent
in struggling to get the ships into place of secu-
rty, but the ice drove both vessels fast to the west
ward when at half past three, A. M. the 2lst of
August, the ice closing all around, both vessels
were secured TO foe edge but with steam ready
10 push through the instant the ice should loosen.
"a Shortly, however, rapid run OF the outer noe
10 the westward placed the Phoenix in the most
A. IL
up, not that aught could be done but TO be ready,
in case of the worst, TO provide for their safety
the ice, however, easing of, having severely nip
ped this vessel, passed astern 10 the Breadabane,
which ship either received the pressure less ia
vorably or was less equal to the emergency, for il
passed through her starboard bow, and in less than
fifteen minutes she sank in thirty fathoms of wa
ter, giving the people barely time to save them
selves, and leaving the wreck OF q boat only 10
mark the spot where the ice had closed over her.
Anticipating such a catastrophe, got over the
stern the Phoenix as soon as the transport was
struck, and was besides her when she filed, and
can unhestatingy state that no human power
could have saved her. Fortunately nearly the
whole of the government stores had been landed.
sff Having taken on board the shipwrecked crew,
every precaution was used with regard to the
safety of her majesty's steam vessel; but it was
not till the morning Of the 22d of August that we
succeeded in getting her to safe position in Ere
bus and Terror bay, where the ship was again Sc
cured to the land foe. 81
Another example Of the same kind occurs
further on, and is as follows:
We arrived at Lievely Disco on the 9th of Sep
tember, and immediately commenced coaling.
The barometer threatening southerly gale, in
duced me to pass through the Waigat 10 escape
IT, and in the darkness Of night running under full
sail and steam, we were nearly going stem on 70
an iceberg 100 feet in height, to avoid which we
L~lf. ~ls,ll ltnfs rnrrv II,
at the entrance of the Meligate, and which though
not laid down in the charts, we supposed the ship
was well clear Of "A strong set through the chan
mel to the northward must have caused the decep-
ton.
The following extract from the dispatch may
interest geologists:
AT Lievely obtained information Of a coal nsine
about ts0emty,fre miles from tho harbor o., the south
eyn shore Of the island and am told that the coa
10 BE obtained here Is IN sMch quantities thar sh
might take one thousand tons. For burning in
stoves it is preferred by the Danes to English coal
obtained sufficient quantity Of an inferior sort
TO make trial in our boilers. copy of the chief
engineers report enclose, marked L y" and
have retained on board four casks of this fuel for
their lordships' disposal
The latter part Of Captain Inglefeld's dis
patch is chiefly occupied by q summary of the
news from the searching squadrons, and espe-
cially Of the discoveries made by Captain
Mcclure in the Investigator. He says;
And now, sir, beg to narrate, in summary
manner, the intelligence cleaned from the search
ing squadron and, first, with reference to Sir
Edward Belcher. have little else TO say but that
he wintered in q spot he had named Northumber-
land Sound, in latitude 76o So, n, and longitude
97o W., near the position now marked in the
charts of Wellington Channel as Cape Sir John
Franklin. From Captain Pullen learned that not
the slightest traces Of the missing expedition had
been met with either by this or the western
branch ofthe searching squadron, and that u was
evidently the intention OF Sir Edward Belcher 10
return to Beechy Island as soon as possible Foi
the rest, Sir Edwards dispatches will convey all
further details. e'as i4 e
Captain Kellett wntered at Dealy Island, Mel
vile Island; he had narrow escape Of losing his
ship on the night of his departure from Beechy
Island; she grounded off Cape Colbourn, and was
only got of after the ice had set down upon her
casting her over on her broadside, and with the
loss of sixty feet of her false keel.
II was party from his vessel that discovered
the dispatch Of Captain Mcclure at Winter Har-
Dor, and was thus led 10 the Investigators posi-
ton a brief account of the voyage and discoveries
OF which vessel / will now relate.
Their lordships will remember that it was on
the 9th of August 1850, that the Investigator was
last seen running to the northeastward with stud
ding sails set They rounded Point Barrow with
much difficulty
"A
we're detained some days, and then thick weather,
fogs and contrary winds set in, the latter proving
rather an advantage, as it kept the ice open, and
the necessity of working to windward between
the polar pack and the gradually sloping shore gave
them the means Of avoiding dangers. On the 10th
of August they reached the mouth Of the Mack
ense the pack at this part being upwards OF ninety
miles Distant On the Both they were of Cape
Bathurst.
When at Cape Parry open water to the north-
ward induced Captain Mcclure to pushfor Banks
Land and when about sixty miles from this cape
they fell in with an unknown coast, which was
named Barring Island. Passing up straight be-
tween this island and coast that was called
Prince AIberts Land, they reached the latitude of
73o, where ice impeded their further progress.
The season suddenly changing, the ship was beset
and forced to winter in the pack Drifting TO the
southwark, they were ultimately frozen up in lati-
tude 72o 4V N, longitude fl7o 30' w.
The travelling parties in the spring found no
traces of the missing expedition, but discovered
and laid down much OF the adjacent coasts. 8