Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-11-01
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, THURSDAY,
with the sun continually above the horizon-
az TenneYson saws.
" The midnight sun
Sets into sunrse,n

i "Ths midnight sun
| Sets into sunrse."
On August 22d the party lost the sun alto
gether. It went at dip below the horizon for
the first time, and the nights began gradually
to increase longcr-until October 22d /,
when-having the day previous just raised his
face above the horizon--the sun vanished again,
and did not honor them again with his smiles
for four months more. At twelve o'clock for
two or three weeks there was considerable twi-
light, but this was sooa lost, whep ior three
months the twilight was very incon,iderable.
The moonlight days and night were beautifully
bright. The winter was remarkable for being
one Of the sevsrest aud the longest il darkness
ever experienced by civilized man. when the
cold began to increase it was ten degsss below
zero early in September, and as The season ad-
vancsd, and although i. proved IL q much
milder .winiar thar, many -deaeysl2 hhs nos
tiyes. 40 and so, and even 60 deg NV sero
was recorded. Early in Novenber, il not on the
last of October, at temperature Of 40 degrees
below zero, old Monongahela whiskey, so famous
for its strength, was converted into ice.
The winter was passed in amusement and
rest. Az early as the middle of March, expedi
tons began to be fitted out to explore the ooun-
try about.
These were made by the aid of dogs and sledg-
es. One Of those parties examined large gla-
cisr about eighty miles distant. The extremity
Of this glacier was the most northerly limit Of
the field of search. Beyond this glacier the
land altered its trend it having trended from
the vicinity Of Stafferd's Head about east, near
er east than north Beyond this it trendsd again
to the north, and when the whole bay was frozen
up, from a short distance north of this glacier
was discovered channel Of open water run
ming north and south. In and along this stream
were innumsrable cetacia and birds. The prin-
cipal food of the travellers over the ice was pro-
cured by the rife; it consisted almost exclusive
ly Of the pemmican. :.
With reference to the channel above describ-
cd il is for those conversant with geographical
theories to determine whether or not it is an in
dication Of any highway of water beyond, or
whether it is merely one of those tide streams
which sometimes break the frozen surface of a
northern estuary, known to the Danes as a race.
Whatever this is, one thing is certain; if it be
the basis of line of coast presenting something
unchangeable-somethng fixed, whether it be
the water or ice on which to travel-that fsa-
ture alone makes this apparently the most elig-
ible road to the North pole.
EARLY in the spring tho Newfoundland dogs
were exceedingly useful in carrying burdens
they were indeed invaluable for short excursions
six of them would draw burden varying from
FIVE hundred to eight hundred pounds, at a dog
trot Of four miles an hour. They would .raw
thirty miles day for sever4i dxys IN saeeasuiOr
These dogs, however, were not adapted for this
climate, and the first winter only two Of them
survived. Most Of them died in oonvulsions
apparently suffering from lock;jsw
In the month of March the vessel WAS most
unexpectedly visited by party of Esquimaux
They came in slodges, drawn by fine large dogs
evidently Of very superior breed; these g
would make = journey of sixty miles day fol
several weeks, carrying single man, and ii
some instances two behind them The sledge
were curiously formed some of them were mad,
of hundreds of pieces of bone lashes together
with strings made Of osook, large seal. A
. few of them were made Of wood Tho Esqui
maux are represented as grossly filthy in thei
habits and loose in their morals, live as much OF
raw as on cooked meat, and eat most voraciously
But the race is fast passing away, and it is sup
posed that there are not more than 100 hundre
!, of them between Cape York and Littlston Il
. land distance Of five hundred miles.
% In July, as the prospect of getting out of tn
j. ice seemed to be very distant, DR.. Kane planne
II party, of which he took the command, I
d Beeehy Island, TO communicate with the Eng
II lish. He met the ice of Cape Parry-evidentl
Is the Upale and Walstenholm sound pack,
" Jones' sound. II was impossible TO penstra
v this, and consequently nothing remained but
D. make preparations for passing the second wint
IF as comfortably as possible. The outfit of Il
m expeditions had contemplated q stay Of only
re teen months, and the provisions remaining we
70 not of character suited to the climate. Sou
is voy prevailed considerably, but by the untirir
Of assiduiiy of DR.. Kane, this was so far check
,e that no lives were lost by it, although sever
le men were severely affected. By this ttims Il
r supply Of coal was entirely exhausted. Th'
ia were obliged to cut away the balwarks and d
s- the spare spars Of the ship indeed everyshil
which could be cut away, and Esill leave the
an in ssawor,hy condition, in order b kesp up tbs
email FIRE.
to When the crepusculum begin to shew d
on tints Of the sunlight in the spring, they beg
a to lock forward to all that remained TO them
he journey to the nearest station of ciyilizatio
ty Upernavik. The distance, including detoul
b. was at least thousand miles. This could on
nd be travelled BY conveying the boats on sfsde
or to the nearest water. and then placing t
m sledges on the boats and proceeding BY wal
1es until the ioe compelled them to reverse the
30. der again. The winter was an extremely &c
sre one. Sixty degrees below xero was frequent
sre recorded, and the monthly averages were shi'
IN. and forty degrees below zero. The ice show
mt 10 o,HrQspeet Of breaking up. Careful surv'
led were made as late as the lst Of May, when
on water was at least seventy or eighty miles fr
ors the ship. 1t being beyond question that
Ihe ship must remain there, the boats were got I
en- der weight, and the greatest spssd used in
Elm ting them up.
in As soon as the beats were ready, proyisi'
wo were placed in them, waterproof articles bel
0fI nc ,hnhhv rosf,u aIlovr