Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-03

pLOreTS-Lne De0M ~ ST oU'" a '"1'"
lin and his Party ascertained-1he Re
port of DIR. Rea Confirmed.
We enjoyed the pleasure yesterday, the
18th Dec. of heightened conversation
with Mr.. James Green Stuart, a Chief Ira
der of the Hudson's Bay Company, and
learned from him interesting facts concern
ius an exploration of the Arctic region
lately made by a party under the joint
command of himself and Mr.. James An
derson, another employee of that company
On the return of DR.. Rea, the celebra-
ted overland explorer of the Arctic region
in the summer of 854, bringing with him
the report that the Esquimaux OF the e1-
frame Northern ATTITUDES had in their pos
session relics of the Franklin expedition,
tho British Government determined to
make one further effort to penetrate the
mystery itch had so long enveloped the
fate of that expedition, and which had
been partially solved by the Information
thus gained by DR.. Rae. In furtherance
of this desire of the British Government to
follow up the clue thus unexpectedly OBJ
tanned By the adventurous explorer, to res
cue if possible, tie survivors of any OF
the party of whites who were reported by
the Esquimaux to have been seen near the
outlet of Backs River, in latitude about 6o
degrees North, or at least to procure any
records they might have deposited the
Hudson's Bay Company was directed to
fit out a party of tried men, accustomed TO
the hardships of polar life. to explore the
region indicated by DR.. Rea.
Acting under the command OF home
Government, the Governor of the Hudson's
BAY Company, on the 18th day of Novem-
Der. 1855, issued instructions to Messrs.
Stewart and Anderson, to man and
equip party for the purpose stated. Dr.
Stewart, with party of eighteen men,
therefore, started from his pest, the Court
House, in 81 deg. north latitude, on the
9TH day of February, 1855, and proceed
ed to Fort Chipewyan, at the head OF Lake
A,babaska; in latitude SO degrees north,
at which point they arrived on the 9Th day
Of March. 1t had been determined to
make the trip to the Arctic sea by water,
so far as was practicable, and the party,
therefore. remained at this point until the
Goth of Nav, buisily engaged in construct
ing boats, and other preparations Tor their
drearv journey. At that date the party
left Fort Chipewyan. and journeyed by Ca
noe on the Peace River, which connects
Lake Athabaska with Slave Lake, some
three hundred and fly MI. in north I
westerly lirec ion, till, on he seth Kay Of
,,tv, hey arrived 1T Fort Resolution, Nhich :
. si.u.sed OF All island in slave Lax, q
bout latitude 81 deg nor.h.
y Fort Resolution ihe party VAS joined
by Mr.. Anderson, WHO with Mr.. Stewart,
had been appointed to the command OF the
expedition. Here another delay was made,
for the purpose of reorganization, and ma
king the last preparations before attempting
to penetrate the interminable frozen North.
These arrangements completed, the party
started out on the ed day of June for the
head of Great Fish River, or as 1t IS
known on the map, Back River, IN latitude
about Ga degrees north. Thence they fol-
lowed tie cours. of the stream to the Arc
tic Ocean Mr.. Stewart represents the nav
;gation of this river as exceedingly danger
ous-being obstructed byover one humid
red difficult rapids. Over all these, how
ever, with nothing more substantial than
birch bark canoes they passed IN safety,
and arrived at its mouth on the 30th July.
Here they met with Esquimaux, who cor
roborated the reports of DR.. Rca, and d.
rected them 10 Montreal Island, short
distance from the mouth of Back River, as
the spot where according to their instruc-
tions. they were TO commence minute ex-
plora;ion. From this time until the 9th OF
August, the party were industriously en-
ragged in searches on the island, and on the
mainland, between 90 and 70 deg north
latitude. We cannot recapitulate the per-
lis, escapes and privatiOns endured by the
brave band, while seeking to find traces OF
their coun;rynen who had persisted on
these desolate shores Three times they
providentially escaped being 'nipped, as
Mr.. Stewart expressed 1t, or crushed be-
tween moving mountains of ice At last
on Montreal Island, where their expiora-
tons commenced, they found snow-shoes,
known to be Of English make, with the
name of DR.. Stanley, who was surgeon OF
Sir John Franklin's ship, the Erebus, cut
in them by a knife.
Afterwards they found on the Same Is
land a boat belonging to the Franklin e1-
petition, with the name Terror" still dis
oc The boat onp.