Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-11-01
Mtstellameons.


se THE ARCTIC ExrEDrrros.s-@sza,s.-- %
By the arrivaLo the Relief Arctic Expsdi-
tion, With DIR. Kane and his party on board, we
are in possession of the interesting "details of
both sxpaditionsz-Lieu Hsrtstein's and DR..
Kane's. e
Lieutenant Hartstein left New York June 4th,
1855, in command Of the propeller Relief, and
the bark Arctic, fitted out by order of Con-
gress, to 80 to the relief Of DR. Kane, who had
beon absent since May 3lst, 1858, and about
whom considerable anxiety was beginning TO be
felt. Lieut.. Hartstein's vessels began 10 on
counter cebergs and fold ioe as early as June
10th, twelve days out, and continued to en-
counter great deal of ice until the 23d, receiv-
ing considerable damage. On the 22d of Juno,
for the first time, had no occasion for light in
the cabin. the sun setting at IL IL at night,
and rising little after IL o'clock midnight,
Qat, SO deg. min, lon. so deg. 56 min.) this
was about the same latitude in which De Haven
observed the same phenomenoa June 23d, at
II o'clock at night it was about as dark as an
hour after sunset at home
At meridian on the Oath made Greenland ,one
hundred and fifty miles above Cape Farewell !;
the old Arctic cruisers said there WAS great
deal more snow there than they ever saw before;
several very beautiful icebergs hove in sight,
bearing every conceivable form or architectural
beauty-one Of them being an exact counterfeit
of Grace Church, Now York. FRI u the Oath
of June to the 4th of July saw an immense
number of whales and dovekies Capt. Hart
stein, Lieut.. Fyfe, and other officers went out
and shot, in six hours 200 pounds of dove
kies, "a kind of duck,) and did not got then
more than one-third of the number killed. July
I'd, the sun descended to within its disk above
the horison, and then rose again.
July 5th, anchored in Lsively harbor, q Dam
ish- -Exquimsux town of one hundred and fifty
inhahitan,s-DaDes, half-breeds and pure Ex-
quimaux. Every night, Sundays ineude&,whils
they remained there, had balls and parties, and
passed the time very pleasantly. Imagine q
ballroom full Of Greenland bellies, dressed in
soal-skins, moccasins and breeches, ornamented
with gay colored leather, and dancing to the
music of melodious fddles" July 10th, the
squadron left Leively, and stood in for Waigat.
Il Straits for coal At Haroe island got some coal
of good quality it burns rapidly. and i,
somewhat like petrifed wood, and may be cu'
with a knife, and leaves very large amount ol
f ashes. After taking in coal at Waigatt, advanc
cd to Upernayik, the most northern Danish vet
tlement. This place consists Of some half d
dozen rude frame houses, and some twenty o.
thirty white inhabitants, and about enc hundred
Exquimaux, who live in winter in stone hnss
and in summer in skin tents. They have as fev
faults us most aborigines. Good-natured, kind
hearted, humorous, living togeth in suol
bretherly love almost renders the property o
one the property of all hosritabls, disposed |.
share the gains of their hunt almost univer
sally chastc in the intercourse of the sexes
peacenble-there are all these, without bein
: utterly ignorant. Most of the adults can read
y They are obedient to the commands of thei
church. Their faults are laziness in matters
, routine and Of daily occupation. They wi
dance all night to the fiddle, but they wont {
= out for zeal unless they want it pretty bad
% About thirty miles north Of Upernavik, Il
y highest outpost of civilization on the America
10 continent, encountered leo, which they wei
D. four weeks in working through. About IL
= 18th of August they made open water north
!" Cape York. They had undergone several seye
nips, the steamer at one time being in gre
= jeopardy. Experienced the great advantage
:. steam In navigating the Arctic regions, the pr
peller being able to go ahead against the ho'
=. u winds which open Melville Bay, and break thr
~ the rotten ice. Pushing north the two vess'
~ reached Cape Alexander, stopping at Haksln
y Island. Leaving the bark at Cape AleIande
'sIf the steamer went on to Litteton Island in abo
'u seventy-cight days.
- The most northern point they reached "
about 7S deg. 32 min. Here, to the north
Cape Hatherton about ten miles, they discov'
ed cairn containing bottle in which 1
itb Kane's name was written. But in entering
ees channel between Littleton Island and the ma
nr land, which is abouta third Of mile wide ,th
100 were hailed by Exquimaux. A boat was sci
ile and the savages saluted the ears Of the pal
I'm with DR.. Kane's name. They signifed ys
earnestly that DR.. Kane's party had lost tn
it's vessel, and had gone south in two boats. tt
ing uttered the word "Upernavik." The sxpe
'ps; tion being again met by ice, further progr
,ct, north was out Of the question. They turn
lad back and crossed the So<shd and returned alc
the west coast.
oy- The coast was carefully scanned on the W
line side, in case Dr. Kane should have pushed
With the provision depots which are known to e,
I'm at Beachy Island, and the expedition naviga
Ponds Bay, the cruising ground of the whale
'erd and met Exquimaux, from whom they obtai
any some dogs as specimens, The vessels now
and out to return to Upernavik- the intent
uAl- in the event Of hearing nothing Of return