Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-10-26
THE SEARCH IN THE ARCTIC Seas
INTERESTING LETTER FROM Dr.. KANE's ExrEpnioS-
SKETCHES nE I'll. Leg REnInS

TIE SEARCH IN THE ARCTIC SEAS
INTERESTING LETTER FROM DR. KASEs INHIBITION
SKETCHES OF ruE les REotoS.
From Pirate Letter from OSest to a friend.
SfcoSp GRiSSkLL EXPEDITION,
Brig Advance, Baiiins Bay, Friday, July IA, 1854.
MI DEAR-: We made the coast
near Godshaler tho Of the early Christian l.bors OF
Hans Esede and write from point nealy opposite tina.
ueatest and most aourshng ofiu settlements fgedismiu.
de, "the Nuuuery Of Egede."
On the 2sth being becalmed or Tiskemaes dispatch
ed boat the Ford look out for the town. returning
soon with pilot boat and crew from the Governor, we
stood in, aud were in short tme in sight of the frs,
Greenland towo had yet It was in keeping With
the scenery around In tho midst Of Equmaux huts
the only mansion the residence Of tho Governor
kind hearted old gentleman full ofScaudlav ian hospi.ai.
~, aud fond Of his wife, his children aud his pipe The
couresies Of his humble mansion cordially extended
to and after breaking bread with His Exeellency felt
quite much at home on board little brig from the
encrsmped quarters Of which BY no means sorr,
to be, for q short time, relieved.
The official letters brought by commander from the
Court OF Denmark were anticipated by tho cordial kind
feeling OF the authorities.
Every caro- extended to the expedition and We do
parted with good supply OF Goldfish and Esqumaux
hunter whose aud lance pected Dr. Kane
to keep his dogs in food.
Sukkertoppen was our next port, quiet little glen
smut IN by rocks barren solitude.
in single hour laid in reindeer furs dogs harness
and moccasins filed our water casks and stood out to
sea.
At both these places while my comrades uerc busilv
engaged in hasty preparation for departure from port
made the best use OF my time in collecting botanical spe.
clmens. With box aud gun made two saies ut rske-
macs aud one At Sukkeroppep into the deep mountain
gorges where tue caused by the suns genial rays
had melted the snow that trickled down the mountain
sides. aud at last found resting place, around which
grew highly interesting and quito usuriant fora Upon
lhe a..
TO force living out OF the world clnsing to
the solid rock aud though stunted in gos tn looking no
less fresh than members OF the family growing in
our own rich SOIL The cukins OF these plants were found
to be Of very deficient development Tue same was also
observed OF the Ansomda Tetrsous of tho charsc
eristc heahs OF this region These seem
10 our commander 10 indicate backward Summer whilst
the meteorological returns obtained at Fskemeas and
Sichteuels. show Winter of unusual milduess The
oerss too are not numerous and he expect We
will meet ho foe ice until We reach Melville Biy
Disco longed TO vista longing which the SIGHT nj
its high mountains only Increased but the breeze sun
pose, did not justify Us in losing inch Of ground for
stood on to the no Inward expectation reaching III.
middle ice But one thing more remNns increase o
dogs-for deficiency Of which are bumbly thankful
as but for that would the settle eut Of Pro
Proven, July 20, 1883
Proven Is not unlike the settlements previously visited
except th: in being farther the north its inhabitants
are proportionstey poor and wretched 1t is with
one exception, the northern of the Danish settle.
nens on the rc>hhold OF the great barrier Of Melville
Bay The around presents blrren mic
esquenesS characteristic OF the Greenland coast Here
resides the ROYAL Inspector, clever old Dane possess
Small fortune oo:aned S1roaga his ofsc Esquim aux
wife aud gooi beer LIS one-story maasion Looking al
most as old as the hills, presented grand appearance
beside Tho miserable huts OF natives Built a. they
are oi soucs covered with sod Tor Winter anu
seal 'kins Tor Summer, they ook like the houses of
ourto~nS ";inis than anything human. Poor ,ture
-tacr only pas ground the sea- affords them oc,s
'ionaly an inadequate supply OF food which time their
condition - truly dcplo.able.
Iii the custom OF the coast brought from the father
and to set before the stranger the welcoming cup of
lee atcr parakrg Shch the salt of m. Arabs he
may con,iier hlnlSe home This custom extends ton,
the Governos house to the natives hut and good col
Zee do they make. At the Inspectors signal credit Is due
our good Esqnnsu1 hostess FOR her skill coffee max
in, and The uatui With which che did the hol Ola O,
tie house.
We have here procured some fifteen or twenty E.ou;
miu1 dogs but a. the number is lees than half the surpy
We VAL oe Obliged TO stop at Appemavik twenty mn,
Hr'her 70 the northSari. These dogs nece.ssr,
part at Al EGuinauI settlement, seem TO m,l win
Tue natives ia abot equal numbers aud the
est 'd'niiFity-hv!ng ia many in the same hut
oIe striking peculiarly observed was Their budtlng
together, ani tuning their pipes the notes OF chosen
leader, VINO occupies the of the pack the who'll
settlement young aud oil up chorus loud and sht
that lasts about nve minutes.
Leaving Proven and The civilized world at our back,
We WI" ~ an hour be pushing forward the o, our
| explorations.
This isas you aware Smith Sound How far we in be
aoe 10 penetrate with our vessel into this unknown region
4
her ineneraoie ice barrier Its waters have only vel
been sighted by previous vgators Of this region and
We have every reason To hope that may be abe 70
conduct our exploration into this unknown and nysteri-
Gus quarter OF our planet Once arrived at the
oil our voyage. Winter quarters will be selected at po,
protected to the nobwar aud westward BY some
neh headand against the floating ice in the early Spring
In inns selection great experience and judgment are re-
CURED, but in our commanders sagacy W, have every
confidence. Here will be frozen in during the lop,
nine Winter months during which period the search Tor
Franklin will be made.
For this search the most active preparations are going
| on Once at anchor, but few hours will expire be.
| iofe boat and sleigh party will out to continue
that which could not be accomplished with the vessel
Tins party will consist OF nine, all OF which have be-
iere been selected all hands have yoluneered hui
the doctor ia not very as TO his
and we are 10 ignorance to who will be it's fortup,
members They take with them one Of the light Ind,
rubber boats constructed by Mr. Bennett aud does
Tie great object OF this expedition will to pave the
way Tor luuro operations in the Spring For this purpose
they carry with them stock Of provisions consisting OF
pcnican, preserved meats biscuit &c with a lew
uHnres, to be left at different points the way The
boat The Fororn Hope, for she is called Is 50 CON
ttucted as TO prope either ice water-on ice by
eight men operating against wooden bars dashed athwar
The boat while the doctor will lead oil in advance TO
the tract The stern Is covered with an India Rubber
cloth tent, TO protection BY night and cooking
apartment by day.
Having arrived at the termination OF their iournev
leaving tho Foforn Hope and provisions TO the mercy nj
the wolverines and bears, they will return to the brig ON
FOOT in tie darkness OF the polar night guided by their
compass and the stare.
The plan of operation' hitherto considered impractca
BILE by the English, is entirely new and originated with
this expedition by there many advantages gained
The men arc more fresh and vigorous than in the Spring
nd the party that follows them this time have no. only
the advantage Of travelling ground previously ex
plored but carry during their march but comparatively
small quantity Of Provisons besides there is great ga
wing Of time The boat is extremely light compared with
shoss used by Parry and others who have undertaken
similar journeys The most rigid economy with regard to
space preserved, and calculations made ma,he.
NAUTICAL eIctness as to the stowsgo of the different art
cles. Nothing will be taken that possibly be dis
pensed WITH and the cooking apparatus will be of the
mos. simple kind The whole is modification of the
North American Indian and Russian while the compca.
ted machinery for cooking with the little odds and ends
used by the English is dispensed WITH or greatly .np-
fed Quantity aud not quality with regard to food
venience, aud not comfort, with regard to space are
the points considered Every two men carry haver.
sack between them, containing simple change Of cloth
ing Tor each, to weigh not more than twenty pounds
Thus the Arctic travellers wardrobe pounds iucIu
ding pair Of canvas, boots to beused 10 tho home
journey. Pemcsn Is almost the only food TO he usei
preserved meats aud mks, &c. being looked upon simply
antscorbuiics aud luIuries occasionally to be
in Fats, such as may be procured from bears birds &C.