Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-10-19
Navy nenarfmenf.

Our little party have returned in health and safety.
1--WE reached the Danish settlement of Uppernivk
m the 9th of August, after an exposing travel OF
thirteen hundred miles. During this journey, which
.mbraced alternate of ice and water we trans
norted our boats by sledges and sustained ourselves
n animal food exclusively by our guns. We entered
mort after eghty-four days exposure in the open air
II have the honor to subjon hurried outline OF
MIR operations and results In advance OF more ue-
tai ed communications
INV previous dispatches make the department &C
uainted with our arrival at the northern settlements
II Greenland. Thence crossed Melville bay with
out accident and reached Smiths Sound on the 5th
~ August 1854. Finding Cape Hatherton, the seat
u intended beacon shut out from the sound by the
more prominent headand of Littleton island, | Sc
iected this latter spot for my CGarn erecting flag
staff and depositing dispatches.
ITO the north the ice presented drifting pack of
the heaviest description, the actions of hummuckng
having in some instances reared barrcades of sixty
feet in height In my efforts to penetrate this drift
bejng driven back and nearly beset in the pack, de-
tqrmined Gas the only means of continuing the
search) to attempt passage along the land where
the rapid tides (here of twelve to sixteen feet rise
and fall) had worn precarious opening. Previous
to this responsible step, depot OF provisions with
metallic life boat (Francs) was carefully concealed
in large inlet in latitude 70 deg rs min
"The extreme strength of the Advance enabled
her 10 sustain this trying navigation Although
aground at the fall of tide and twice upon her beam
ends from the pressure of external ce she escaped
any serious disaster. After a month of incessant
labor, Cheered, however, by small daily progress,
the new ice so closed around to make further
penetration impossible With difficulty found a
winter asylum at the bottom of q bay which opened
from the coast in latitude 70 deg. "A min. Into it
we thankfully hauled our battered little brig the
10Th of September 1853. From this point, as cen
trp issued the explorations of my party.
The winter was of heretofore unrecorded severity
Vhskev froZe as early November, and mercury
remained solid for nearly four months. The range
of eleven spirit thermometers, selected as Standards
gave temperature not yet reduced) OF sixty to sew
eDtv.fye degrees below Zero and the annual
temDerature was deg. 2 min. Fahrenheit! the lowest
ever registered.
This extreme cold combined with one hundred
and twenty days OF sum- gave rise to obscure but
fatal form of tetanus Qockjaw) The exertions of
Dr. Hayes, the surgeon of the expedition had readi
" subdued the scurvy, but these fearful tendencies
tonic spasm defed united efforts. This disorder
extended to our dogs, fftyseven of which persisted,
thus completely breaking up our sledge organiza-
ton.
circumstances of peculiar hardship. We worked at
our sedges as late the oath of November, and
newed our labor in March, Much of this travel was
in darkness, and some at temperatures low fifty
deg The earlier winter travel was undertaken by
myself in person, but by the aid of single team of
dogs, and the jealous cooperation OF my officers,
were enabled TO replace the parties as they became
exhausted, and thus continue the search until the
the 18th day of July II is believed that pre-
7ous parties have been so long in the field
Messrs Brooks McGeary, Bonsall, Hayes and Nor
ton contributed TO the general result The men
worked with fidelity and endurance.
q briefly detail the explorations of our party.
Smiths Sound has been followed and surveyed
throughout its entire extent. 1t terminates TO the
northeast in gulf 10 miles in its long diameter.
Greenland has been traced to lis northern face
the coast tending nearly due east and west, IF. II
degrees ny It's further penetration towards the At
antic was arrested by glacier, which offers an i'm
passabe barrier to future exploration. This stupen-
dous mass of ice issues in 60 degrees west longitude
Iii concdent with the axis OF the peninsula, and is
probably the only obstacle to the nsularlty of Green
land 1t rises 300 feet in perpendicular face and has
been followed along its base for 80 miles in one un'
broken escarpment. This glacier nearly due
north, and cements together by an icy union the
continental masses of Greenland and America.
ct explains the broken and permanently frozen
character of Upper Smiths Sound; it's abundant ice
bergS, and, to certain extent It's rigorous climate
As a spectacle, it was of the highest sublimity
The northern land into which this glacier merges
has been named Washington, and the bay which in
!erposes between it and Greenland | have named al
Ter Mr.. Peabody
Peabody bay gives exit at its western curve Oat
rtude so deg. II min.) to large channel, which
forms the most interesting geographical feature OIL
OUT travel. This channel expands TO the northwarc
into an open and iceless area, Astounding IN ANNA
life, and presenting every character of an open PoG1
elevations free from ice, with northern hori
zon equally free. A north wind, ffty-two hours II
duration, failed to bring any drift into this area
"It is with pain mention to the department my
inability TO navigate these waters. One hunore'
and twenty five miles of solid ice, so rough as to b.
impossible to boats, separated them from the neares
southern lead. My personal efforts IN April ant
MAY tailed to convey one of the smallest Indrubbe
boats to within 80 miles of the channel.
My party, including myself, were completely
broken four of them had undergone amputatlon o.
toes for FROST bite nearly all were suffering from
scurvy and the had far advanced as to rem
der another journey impossible To the north OF lat
ltude 81 deg II min. the shores of the channel be-
precptous and destitute eUen Of passage to thu
sledgs William Morton, who with one Esquimaux
and a small team of dogs, had reached this spot
pushed forward on foot until mural cape, dashed BY
heavy surf, absolutely checked his progress.
" Ii was on the western coasts of this sea that
lad hoped to find traces of the gallant martyrs whose
search instigaed this expedition. The splendid eff
toEts Of Dr. Ray-now first known to me-would
have given such a travel merely geographical val
ue. Reviewing conscientiously the condition of my
party, il is perhaps providental that we failed in the
emharsation.
The land washed by this sea 10 the northwart
and westward has been charted high as latitude 81
aeg 30 min, and longitude 76 deg. This forms the
nearest land to the pole yet discovered it bears the
nonore! name of Mr.. Grinnell.
&C. s the season advanced it became evident tina
our brig would not be liberated Our Immediate
IaFboT gave few signs of breaking up, and one un
broken ice surface extended to the sound. 1t wa!
now 100 ate to attempt escape by boats our fue
was oencent and our provisions, although abundant
we're IN no wise calculated to resist scurVy. At this
!uncEure started with hive volunteers an attempt
10 reach the mouth of Lancaster Sound, where
uJ }S 20 meet the English expeditions, and aforc