Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-02-03
TIE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

| Letters have been received in New York
from DR.. KANE and from some Of his men.
AS they possess particular interest we must
be permitted TO copy one, in full. Its whole
tone is confident; and the brave men who
ATE now buried in the darkness of the Arctic
night, and the freezing air of the Arctic win
ter, certainly have the prayers for safety Of
every one OF their counIrymen. The letter is
by member of the expedition:
UPERSAvIK, Greenland, July 23, 1853.
l shall never forget my obligations to you
for letting me 60. l can ony say that il ever
| get back and live to get married and have
son, l will send him on an EXPEDITION like this,
if can find one. 1t makes a man of one TO
see what dangers men can meet aid ward
off, and at last learn to look with contempt
upon. Such inspiring sights, too! The sun
shining y and night on these naked prec.
lplces, and the great whales, and the great
icebergs! | wish | could think you would
not laugh at me if should attempt inc
fight of description of the icebergs. They
are what you would call the prevailing archi-
lecture of these regions, and declare to you
we have now met SO many that to see new
one creates no more feeling in my breast than
house additional any where uptown. AT
this moment we have more than Two hundred
in full view-two hundred and sixteen count.
ed
l will be obliged to you if you will inform
my father and the rest how little they need
fear for our safety. No one has apprehen.
sions on board for anything if DR.. Kane keeps
we'll He don't like to have question put
him about his health, you know; but be-
lieve his rheumatism is much better, though
he keeps thin. He has gone through good
deal too. since We got here. These wild
people (they are all fat and fur, like winter
possums) hate to part with their wicked dew
ills of dogs, and DR.. Kane had to travel through
the country to buy them up. He had TO tray-
erse the fords between Kangeit+ and Karsuk,
if you know where that is. and thence to Up.
ernavik, the party camping out and sleeping
under buffalo robes, and living upon birds
they cooked upon rocks. They were out
nearly all last week in their open boats, and
found it hard work l believe They made
Fifty miles once at single pull.
DR.. Kane, however. has obtained every.
thing we wanted--sledges. harnesses and
dogs, reindeer, seal and bear furs boot moe.
casins, walrus ashings. and great many ar
ticles with whose names am as yet unac-
quainted. And all this without losing a
moments time; for the calm had lasted till
now, and everything has been transacted with
out our coming TO an anchor.
As soon as the right wind blows. we are
off again. All those whose authority is valu-
able would declare we have had very for
tunate voyage. will now inform you Of our
future. l have what say from the tirsI au-
thorty; you may, therefore. rely upon it.
On reaching the highest navagible points
on the eastern side of Smiths Sound, that is,
wherever by the utmost effort our negro hard
headed brig can be butted, DR.. Kane seeks a
harbor in some indented cape, if possible pro-
jecting into the channel and opening TO the
south and west Such. both by theory and
experience, DR.. Kane deems best suited for
protection aud an early liberation from the
ice. The moment we are in harbor--the
very instant-starts the Provision Depot Foot
Party This rail Expedition he exp xperience
of the British has declared impracticable finn.
poitic) but we save days which are golden
ia their value, and perhaps may carry THE
BOAT to some valuable point for future EN-.
barkation and search. The boat is already
prepared; the pemcan bags slowed upon its
floor. and her name "The Forlorn Hope" is
painted upon the stern. She is rs feet long
and carefully strengthened, A breast bar
or transverse piece Of timber is SO adjusted
across her gunwale as to admit Of the pulling
dctiOn-the most effective application for the
purpose of the human force-of eight men,
DR.. Kane in advance to pick the way. She
carries an Ind a-rubber housing for the night
will be perpetual. and q sledgs upon which
we can temporarily place her cargo.
1t makes some Of oor boys feel queer when
VIC look at the boat With this craft. we, OF
.RanReit 10 about 20 miles south Of Proven.