New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-17
THE GRINNELL EXPLORING EXPEDL
TON.
INTERESTING PRIVATE LETTER FROM DR.
HAYES
SECOND GRTssELL EXPEDITION.
p.R,sa Raw Iulv IA tx

your request, made upon leaving NeT-fork. After
passage which only abounded with the usual incl
denis Of ocean life, we arrived upon the coas, Of
Greenland June 9th. The passage was somewhat
Irotracted one owing to the universal headwhds and
GAINS we encountered; but, by the wise foresight Of
the planners Of the expedition, We LETT Newly
with plenty of time our hands TO guard against
every contingency Of delays aud TO make the best OF
whatever accidental circumstances might arse ID
favor early and safe passage 10 the scene OF our
The barrenness of "Greenlsnd's fey mountains
has long held a place in my imagination, out was
uDpre pared for the absolute cesOlaon which greeted
ma pesk after peak rose abruptly from the very
waters edge and the interior seemed 10 be one con-
tnued waste of snow-capped submits. Not single
foot Of level hand soil II be seen, and the ~ ks
told q mournful tale Of steriy Although water
roured pleDtully FROM the hills the usual
lace vegetation which follows our streams at home
| seemed entirely wanting. Why il should have re-
! ceiyed the name Of Greenland Is puzzle to me.
Such as il is however with its yernal coguomen, il
wa, doubtless discovered and occupied by the early
icelanders and Norwt gans and when the suspended
Intercourse with the Old World gave rise to the fable
| Of "lost Greenland, Its discovery was due To
Frobshe, or Cabot those indomtabe Arctic pioneers
| To tie efforts of single man Hans Egede, g the
"Creenland Apost e. he il terned by the Lutheran
church the Greenland of the present century owes
whatever il possesses OF civilization and christianity.
We made the coast Godshalar, the scene OF
bis ea!ly labors, and write faom point nearly OPP
posite that neatest and most hourshng of it, settle
ments Egedisminds, the NunDery OF Egedi'
On the goth. being becamed of Fiskemacs, we dis
patched boat b! the Ford to look out for the towa
returpipc sOon with pilot boat and crew from the
Governor We stood in, and we're in short time in
sieLt of the first Greenland town had yet seen. 1t
WAS Id keeping with the scenery around In tue midst
Of Es0uimsux huts rose the only mansion the resi-
cerce of the Governor, most kind-hearted old gen.
temsp full of Scandinavian hospitality aud fond Of
his wife his children and his pipe The courteses of
Lis humble mansion were CORDIALLY extended TO u,
I II ILL
and after breaking bread with his E1ceiiency, We
felt quite a. much at home on board our little brig,
from the cramped quarters of which we were by
means sorry to be- for short time relieved.
Tie official letters brought by our commander from
the Court Of Denmark were anticipated by the cor
dial hind feeling OF the authorities.
Every care was extended to the expedition. AMI
we departed with goodly supply of Goldfish and an
Esduimaux hunter whose rayack and lance are ex
uected by Dr. Kane TO keep bis dogs IN food.
SukkertoppeD our next port quiet little gisp,
shut in by rocks and looking its barren solitude.
Here in single hour We laid in reindeer furs dogs
harness ard noceasins, filled our water casks and
stood out TO sea-
AT both these places, while my comrades We're
busy engaged in hasty preparatioc for departure
from port made the best OF my time in collect
ing botanical specimens. With botany box and gun
made two saes at Eishmakes and one at Sukker-
toppen into the deep mountain gorges, where the wa
ter caused BY the suns genial rays, had melted the
snow that trieked down the mountain sides, and at
last found resting ploce, aroutd when grew high-
" inteIe sting and quite luIuriant nora Upon the
southern. slopes found the Willows. as If determined
TO force living out Of the world clinging apparently
10 the solid rock and though stunned IN growth look
ing no less fresh than members OF the same family
growing in our rich soil. The cuttings OF these
plants were found to be Of very deficient develop
mept The same was also observed OF the Anaronl.
da Tetr1gona one Of the characteristic heahs Of this
region. These circumstances seem to our commander
10 in dicate backward summer, while the meterolo-
pical returns obtained at F.kemses aod Sichteufcs,
show winter Of unusual midnsss. The besgs tso
are not numerous. and he seems to expect We Will
meet no foe of ice until we reach Melville Bay.
Disco We longed to vist-a longing which the sight
of the high mountains only increased but the breeze
| suppose did not justify US IN losing an inch OF
ground for we stood the northward in expecta-
ton of reaching the middle ice. Bu one thing more
renains-an increase Of dogs-for deficiency OF which
we are bumby thankful, as but Tor that we would
not see the settlement OF Proven.
Proves, Jaly 90, 1854.
Proven is not unlike the settlements previously via
ited except that in being further to the NORTH its in
hsbaDts are proportionatey more poor aud wretched
II IL, with one exception, the most northern OF The
Dan.h settlements on the threshold of the great bar
rier OF Melville Bay The scenery around presents
the same barren picturesquehess Characteristic OF the
Greenland coast Here resides the royal inspector,
a clever old Dane, possessing q small fortune OBJ
tanned through his office, an EsquiInauI wife and
good beer His one story mansion looking almost
az old as the hills, presented grand appearance be-
side the miserable huts Of the natives Built as they
are of stones covered with cod or moss for winter
and seal skins for summer they LOOK more l.e me
houses of bnrrowipg animals than anything human.
Poor their only pasture ground, the sea-
affords them occasionally an inadequate supply o.
food at which time their condition rs truly dePior;
able.
Ii is the custom of the coast brought from the
fetherlakd to set before the stranger the welcoming
cup of coffee after partakiDg which, Ike the SAT- OF
the Arabs, he may consider himself AZ nome inls
custom extends from the Governors house 70 me
natives hut-snd good coffee do they make. AZ the
inspectors signal credit is due 10 our good Esqui-
maux hostess for her skill in codeemaking, and tne
natural ease with which she did the honors oil the
house
We have here procured some fifteen or twenty Es-
ovimauI dogs bat as the number 10 less than Dali
supply we will be obliged 10 stop at Appemsvik, 70
miles further 10 the northward. These dogs are q
necessary part Of Esxuimaux settlement ana seem
10 mingle with the natives in about equal numbers,
and terms Of the greatest famiarty-hving, 10 many
cases in the same hut. One striking peculiarly
observed was their budding together, and tuning
their mines 10 the notes Of chosen leader who occu
MES the center Of the pack, the whole settlement
young and old, set up chorus, loud and snr 'nS-
lasts about five minutes.
Leaving Proven and the civilized world At our
backs we viii in hour be pushing forward TO me
scene of our explorations. This is you are aware,
Smith Sound. How far We viii be able to peneussss
with our vessel into this unknown region vii depend
upon the point at which nature has thrown up nef IN.
| penetrable ice barrier. Its waters have only ye'
been sighted by previous navgators OF the region,
| and we have every reason to hope thai we nay "
able 10 conduct our exploration into tbs nnAnosI
and mysterious quarter Of our planet Once arnve1
a, the terminus Of our voyage, winter quarters VIII