The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-10-23

abutting into the sea. 1t undoubtedly is the
only barrier between Greenland and the Atlantic
it is All efectual barrier against all future ex.
plorations
/. This glacier in spite Of the difficulty of
falling bergs, was followed out to sea by means
Of sledges, the party rafting themselves across
open water space on masses OF ice. In this way
they succeeded in travelling eighty miles along
its base, and traced it into a new Northern land.
This glacier is, we believe, the largest ever dis
covered by any previous navigator.
g. This new land thus cemented to Greenland
BY protruding ice was NAMED "Wasbington." !"
The large bay which intervenes between it and
Greenland bears we believe, the name of Mr..
Peabody Of Baltimore, one Of the projectors Of
the expedition. The icy connection OF the old
and the new worlds seems to US a feature Of
peculiar interest.
8. The range Of the slcdge journeys may be
understood from the fact that the entire circuit
Of Smiths Sound has been effected and its shores
completely charted.
4. But the real discovery Of the expedition is
the open Polar Sea- The channel leading to these
waters was entirely free from ice and this mys-
terious feature was rendered more remarkable BY
the existence Of belt of solid ice extending one
hundred aad twenty five miles to the southwark
This sea verifes the view Of DR. Kane, as ex.
pressed to the Geographical Society before his
departure The lashng Of the surf against this
frozen beach Of ice was impressive beyond des
cripton. Several gentlemen with whom We have
conversed sreak Of this as one Of the most re-
markable sights which they observed during the
expedition. An area "f three thousand square
miles has been seen entirely free from ice, and
was named after the Hon. ]. r. Kennedy, late
Secretary Of the Navy. under whose auspices the
expedition was undertaken.
The land to the north and west Of this chan.
mel has been chared As high as $3.50. This is
the nearest land to the pole vet known. 1t bears
the uanle Of Mr.. Henry Grinnel the founder Of
the enterprise.
The WINTER OF ls54-55.-The extreme
severity Of The previous season made it evident
that the brig could not be liberated before the
winter set in. She was fast impounded i'll the
centre Of large field If ice. The provisions,
although abundant, were not calculated t, resist
scurvy: and the fuel, owing to the emergency Of
Of the previous winter was deficient in quantity.
Under these circumstances, DR.. Kane, with a
party "f voluntcerS-un an attempt TO reach
the mouth of Lancaster Sound, in hopes Of
meeting the English expedition, and thus giving
relief to his :ss"iateS-passcd IN an open boat
over the track of Bafins travel, riding out a
heavy gale. They found an uninterrupted har
ricr Of ice. extending in one great horse shoe
from Jone>'s to Murchson's Sound and were
forced, after various escapes, TO return to the
brig.
During the winter which ensued, they adopted
the habits Of the Esquimaux, living upon raw
warus meal, and surrounding themselves BY
walls of moss. In spite Of these precautions,
the scurvy advanced with steady progress; but
by the aid Of single team Of dogs, DR.. Kane
succeeded in cf;'cting communication with
settlement OF Esqumaux. seventy miles to the
southwark anI by organizing hunt relieved
the party. At one time every man of the ex
pedit ION, except DR.. Kane and Mr.. BonsaI, were
confined to their bunks with scurvv; but BY
prpvidrn,iaI iuterIo<i'ion the PARTY aped with
out death,
ESCAPE 70 THE Souru. The great belt Of
ice made it clear that no relief expeditions
from the South could reach the party in time
to prevent the imprisonment Of q ird winter,
which, with their deficiency of fuel, would have
proved most disastrous, If not fatal Under
these circumstances DR.. Kane wisely determin
ed to abandon his brig, and attempt to escape
to the South BY combination of boats and
sledges. In accordance Nth this view they
left the brig .n the 18th May, the temperature
at that time being five degrees below zero.
They crossed belt of ice eighty.one miles in
diameter, dragging the boats after them. and
carry ing tour IF their sick comrades BY means
of dog sledge After an actual travel Of 36l
miles, they reached Cape Alexander and elm.
barked in open water. Their guns supplied
them with animal food, no food being CARR.
ed in the boats, excepting breadstuffs and tai
low
From Cape Alexander they travelled to the
Southwark, sometimes over ice, sometimes
through water, shooting duck and seal, and
collecting enough eggs to keep the party in
good condition. At Cape York they burned
mp their spare boats and sledges for fuel. and
lett the coast, striking out into the open sea
Of Melville BAY, steering for the North Danish
settlements Of Greenland. Here they we're
providen,ially landed on the 9Th August, in
vigorous health, after their travel of one thous.
and three hundred miles and eigh'y-one days
of constant exposure. From Upernivk, the
largest of these settlements, they took passage
in a Danish trading vessel for England.
By great good fortune they touched at Disco
where they were met by Captain Hartstein's
expedition. This searching expedition. have
found the ice of Smith Sound still unbroken,
but having communicated with the Esquimaux
had heard of the departure DR.. Kaue, and
retraced their steps.
The expedition has to mourn the loss Of
three of its comrades, two Of whom perished
by lock. jaw, and one from sbscess following
frozen extremity. They may be said to have