Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-10-23

which being done, .hoy returned. Dark.
ness grsiually came upon them, and with
The exception Of "a lew>short journeys
within scope Of thirty miles, tho opera.
lions for the senson closed, and soon en-.
tire darkness came upon them, prevent.
ing them from doing any work what.
ever.
On the 23l of August, in latitude 70 deg
81 min north. Ii will be readily per.
ceiyed that the yeur in this latitude is
divided into four portions, two Of which
arc alternate day and night, each Of two
months duration one Of four months
with the sun below the horizon during
the entire twenty. four hours and one
of four months with the sun continually
above the horizon, revolving in one
circle above tho horizon-as Tennyson
says,
"Tbe midng light sun
Sets into snnrlse.'
On August %, the party lost the sun
altogether. 1t went at dip below the
horizon for the first time, and the nights
began gradually 10 increase-g'ow long
er-unlil October %, when--having the
day previous just raised his lace above
tho horizon-the sun vanished again,
and did not honor them with his smiles
for four months more. At IL o'clock lof
two or three weeks there was considera.
Bile twilight, but was soon lost, when for
three months the twilight was very in.
considerable. The moonlight days and
nights were beautifully bright. The vast
eypanse Of snow and ice with its mil
lions of mirrors rejecting the silvery
rays Of the moon produce! bf'lliancy,
beauty, and grandeur wholly inconceIva'
BILE to those who never have made an
excursion to these regions. The illumin.
ed scenes were generally edged by black,
scraggy, and barren rocks, which added
TO tho myster rious sublimily Of the whole.
The first Winter which this expedition
experienced is remarkable for being one
of the severest and the longest in dark
ness ever experienced by civilized man.
When the cold began to increase it was
10 deg below zero early in September,
and as the season advanced, although it
proved to be much mildcr Winter than
many described by the natives, 4S deg.
so deg, and even 60 deg below zero was
recorded. Early in November, if not
on the last of October, at temperature
Of 40 deg below zero, old Monongshela
whisky-so famous for its strenSth-was
converted into ice.
A portion Of the first Winter passed
very smoothly. 1t was period of rest
and amusement; but as the light began
10 dawn and the Spring to draw nigh,
preparations were made for sledging.
As early as the middle Of March q
party was sent out for the purpose OF
reaching the west shore. The cold was
intense, and the great obstacle was the
hammocks that obstructed the progress
Of the travellers.
Later in the Spring, when the weather
became warmer, another party started,
which was led Oh by Dr.. Kane. They
started with dogs and sledges. They
crossed the sound and returned safely.
Another party was sent out to large
glacier or eighty miles in extent. The
extremity of this glacier was the most
norlherly limit of the field of search
Beyond this glacier the land altered its
trend, having ttsnded from tho vicinity
of Stalford's head about east, nearer east
than north. Beyond this it tended again
to The north, and when the whole bay
was frozen up, from short distance
north of this glacier was discovered a
channel of open water running north
and south. In and along this stream
were innumerable cetacia and birds.
The principal food Of the travellers
over the ice was procured by the rife;
it consisted almost exclusively Of the
pemmican.
With reference 10 the channel above
described it is for those conveTsant with
geographical theories and principles to
determine whether or not it is an indica'
ton of any highway or water beyond. or
whether it is merely one Of those tide
| streams which sometimes break the fro.
zen surface Of northern estuary, known
to the Danes as race. Whatever this
is, one thing is certain; If it be the ba.
sis Of line Of coast presenting some
thing unchange able-some,hing fixed
whether it be the water or ice on which
to travel-that feature alone makes this
apparently the most eligible road to the
North pole, and it is an aspiration cl
American navigators that the American
flag will not only be borne thriumphant
ly along this road, but that it may some
dav be planted on the point known te
tradition as the pole; that in fact the
North pole shall one day become the
flagstaff of their country's banner.
Early in the Spring the New.Found
land dogs were exceedingly useful in
carrying burdens; they we're indeed in
valuable for short excursions; six o
them would draw burden varying from
five hundred to eight hundred pounds. al
a dog trot of four miles an hour. They
would travel thirty miles day for sew
eraI days in succession. These dogs,
however, were not adapted for this eli.
mate, and the first Winter only Two ol
them survived. Most Of them died in
convulsions, apparently suffering from
lock jaw.
During tho fist Winter young man ol
great respectability, who had volunteer.
cd his services in the expedition, Jeffer.
son r. Boxes of PHILADELPHIA, and an.