Washington sentinel., 1854-01-27
From the Boston Post.
DIR. kane,s Arctic Expedition.


DIR. kane's Arctic Expedition.
A letter from DR.. Kane has been received
and published in the Tribune, giving an ac-
count of his progress and prospects up to July
20. 1t is the first letter received from him
since the expedition sailed, and is written in a
hopeful and encouraging spirit. The gallant
commander describes a calm of twelve days
duration which came over them, and they lay
almost still, ancient mariner-like, like painted
ship upon painted ocean. This calm began
on the 30th Of June. Then stiff breeze set
in from the south, hauling shorewards, and
sending them on at the rate Of eight knots an
hour. During the calm, Commander Kane had
sent into Sukkertoppen and laid in a good sup.
ply of reindeer skins, filing at the same time
his water-casks. At the rate he was going, he
expected to make Liefy the night he was writ
ing, and Proven in two days more The north
westers, he thought, must have cleared the ice
from Melville bay, and if the wind hauled a
little more to the eastward the ice would not
drive back again. The commander then pro-
ceeds to describe his procedures for undertak-
ing sedge journey and his plans generally.
1t was his intention to remain in the brig as
long as possible, seeking harbor on the east
ern side Of Smiths sound. The moment the
vessel comes to anchor he will leave Olsen, a
trustworthy man, in charge, to prepare for win
ter quarters, drop his whale-boat with himself
the Esquimaux, and seven men,. and take ad
vantage of inshore tide-leads to continue his
journey to the north The commander de-
scribes particularly the amphibious qualities
OF the boat for water or ice, together with her
provisions for ninety days. exclusive Of forty
days for her crew. The object of this is TO
establish depot in the autumn months, before
the full setting ia of winter, matter which the
commander thinks perfectly practicable, though
not vet undertaken by the English explorers.
He anticipates that his return to the brig
will probably be during the solemn darkness Of
the winter night; but, apart from the novelty
and excitement of such a journey, the moon in
her high northern declination will come in at
the very nick of time, becoming circumpoar
on the 18th October and November, and giving
twelve days Of unbroken light. With the aid
of lumars, and constantly-recurring meridian
observations Of the stars, no danger of losing
his way was apprehended. The commander
had been laboriously occupied in fitting out for
this journey. Upon establishing the depot, to
serve as a provisioning centre for after opera
tions, he hoped to return to the brig afoot leav-
ing the boat in case Of finding the open water,
by which he trusted to be able to follow the
next journey would not take place until the
return Of light, as few weeks rest would be
essential
DR.. Kane had obtained, during the calm,
several observations as to the position of the
coast line of Greenland between Fishernaer
and Sukkertoppen, a distance of l40 miles.
These determinations show that the coast line
upon the Danish charts of Graah, as well as
those of the English and the late expedition,
is nearly an entire degree Of longitude too much
to the westward. He removes it some 26 miles
to the eastward-an important change in the
axis of Bafin's Bay
The following extract from letter by an
other member OF the expedition has also been
put into our hands for publication:
UPERNAvIcK, GREENLAND, July %, 1853.
shall never forget my obligations to you for
letting me go. lean only say that if ever get
back and live to get married and have son, l
will send him on On Arctic expedition like this,
if can find one 1t makes a man Of one to see
what dangers men can meet and ward of, and at
last learn to look with contempt upon. Such in
spring sights, too The sun shining day and
night upon these naked precipices, and the
great whales, and the greater ice-bergsl
wish could think you would not laugh at me
if should attempta fine fight Of description Of
the icebergs. They are what you would call the
preUailinq architecture 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 anywhere up
town. At this moment we have more than two
hundred in full vew-two hundred and sixteen
counted. n
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 apprehensions on board
for anything, if Dr.. Kane keeps well. He don't
like to have questions put him about his
health, you know; but believe 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 devils of dogs, and DR.. Kane had to
travel through the country to buy them up.
He had to traverse the fords between Kangeit*
and Karsuk, if you know where that is, and
thence to Upernavick, the party camping out
and sleeping under buffalo-robes, and living
upon birds they cooked upon the rocks. They
were out nearly all last week in their open boat,
and found it hard work, l believe. They made
fifty miles once at single pull.
DR.. Kane, however, has obtained everything
we wanted, sledges, harnesses and dogs, rein.
deer, seal, and bear-furs, boot-moccassins, wal
and a great many articles with
whose names am as yet unacquainted and
all this without losing moments time, for
the calm had lasted till now; and everything has
been transacted without our coming to an an.
chor.
As soon as the right wind blows we are off
again. All those whose authority is valuable
declare that we have had very fortunate voy-
age will now inform you Of our future. ]
have what say from the first authority; YOU
may therefore rely upon it.
On reaching the highest navigable points on
the eastern side of Smiths sound, that is,
wherever by the utmost effort our negro-hard-
headed brig can be bntted, Dr. Kane seeks
harbor in some indented cape, if possible pro.
jecting into the channel, and opening to the |
south and west. Such, both by theory and ex-
perience, DR.. Kane deems best suited for pro- |
lection and an early liberation from the ice.
The moment we are in harbor, the very in
stant starts the provision-depot foot party |
This fall expedition the heexperience of the Brit |
sh has declared impracticable, [impolitic, but |