Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-10-20

- ~NIO ~ NhNA llD III
again made for the north as fast as they conId
by means of warping, frequently close in sboro
They were subjected to a heavy aip south of =
point which corresponds in description to Stat
ford Head, but fortunately escaped any dam
age. About the first of September. found t%o
expedition with bay ice forming about the
pretty thick, i'm lat IS 81. Here they fonnd
a deep bay running between two headiands
They found in this bay a good harbor. and
moored their ships there. This formed tbair
first Winter harbor in the Winter of '53 and
"a. On the southwest side of the bay wora
three islands about a quarter of o mile from
the shore. On the back ground was a terrace
of sand. OF the two headlands, one is east
of Stafford's Head, and the other corresnonds
to TheiuSson Point. Tine cliffs at these head,
lands are from seven to eight hundred feet IN
height, though the land back is lower. Tho
vessel was moored to some granite islands
The rocks in that region are composed Of GRAN
tie and limestone, with a small strata of another
formation between the two. The formations
called by the Danes the i%ce-font, which are
caused by the repeated contributions Of ice
Winter after Winter, occasioned by the risiDc
and falling of the tide-were very common
here. The %ice-font aecasionly forms to the
thickness of from twenty to thirty feet. After
the vessel was moored, DIR. Kane started with
a party to examine the ice north. They start.
ed with a boat, but left it about ten mile,
north eff the ship, and proceeded on foot
The party returned in about a week, having
made a good many forced marches, when they
commenced making active preparations to 20
into Winter quarters. \ warm and comfort
Ill Io,,-o ,ras huilt ovar tho dppL nytnrJn,-
from forward of the stern to the far end Of
the galley. Stoves were put up, and communi-
| cations were made between the steerage and
cabin, and the men were transferred from the
forecastle to the hold, where comfortable quar-.
ters were made for them. The galley wasp
below. A party was sent forward to estab-
lish a cache about a hundred miles distant.
which being done, they returned. Darkness
gradually came upon them and with the eXccr-
ton of a few short journeys within a scope Of
thirty miles, the operations for the season
closed, and soon entire darkness came upon
| them, preventing them from doing any work
whatever.
The first Winter which this expedition ex,
perienced is remarkable for being one Of the
| s~evercst and longest in darkness ever expert
enced by civilized man. When the cold began
to increase it was 10 degs. below zero early
in September, and as the season began to al-
vance, although it proved to be a much mIdcr
Winter than many described by the natives,
4S, so and even 60 dogs. below zero was re-
corded. Early in November, if not on the
last of October, at a temperature OF 40 de-.
below zero, old MonOngahela whisky-SO fam
GUS for its strength-was converted into ice.
4 portion of the first Winter passed very
smoothly. 1t was a period of restanl amus-
ment but as the light began to dawn and
the Spring to draw nigh, preparations were
made for sledging,
AS early as the middle Of March a party
was sent out for the purpose Of reaching the
west shore. The cold was intense, and the
great obstacle was the hammocks that obstruct
ed the progress of the travellers.
Later in the Spring, when the weather be
came warmer, another party started which Vas
led on by DR.. Kane. They set out with dos
and sledges crossed the sound and returned
safely.
Early in the spring the New-Founllaad
dogs were exceedingly useful in carrying bur-
dens they were indeed invaluable for short
excursions six of them would draw a burden
varying from five hundred to eight hundred
pounds, at a dog trot of four miles an hon.
They would travel thirty miles a day for @' |
eral days in succession. These dogs, however,
were not adapted for this climate, and the trt
Winter only two of them survived. Most q
them died in commissions, apparently suffering
from lockjaw.
During the first Winter a young man o.
great responsibility, who had volunteered lii
services in the expedition, Jefferson l. BlAa
of Philadelphia, and another named I.eF:
Schubert, died. This was in the fore part o.
March, 1854. They were buried in a DiE
island, and a cairn was erected over ther re
mains. Letters were also buried with them
to indicate their identity. n
In July, as the prospect of getting out "
the ice seemed to be very distant, DIR. han
planned a party, of which he took the con-
mand, to Beechy Island to communicate WITH
the English. He met the ice off Cape Fan!
evidently the Upale and Wal>tenholm s9~-
pack-at Jones sound. 1t was impossible "
penetrate this, and consequently nothing II
manned but to make preparations for plsaIl'
the second Winter as comfortably as pOsHn"
The outfit of the expedition had c%onteIIO'
ed a stay of only fifteen months, and the
visions remaining were not of a character s'
ed to the climate. Scuryy prevailed consul.
ably, but by the untiring assiduity Oh "
Kane, this was so far checked that 10 i've
were lost by it, although several men S'
severely affected. ~.
BY this time the supply of coal was eH,ss:
exhausted. They were obliged to cut ~:
the bulwarks, aud all the spare sPars o -
ship indeed, everything which could 0s W.
away and still leave them in seaworth! "'
dition, in order to keep up their small nT
The Winter was an extremely cold C@
Sixty degrees below zero was Frequently
corded, and the monthly averages were oyU;
and 40 deg. below zero. The ice sno"vr
prospect of breaking up. Careful Sm atSe
were made as late as the lst of May, WIZ
water was at least seventy or elght 49, y.