Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1856-09-06
Che })olpuesian.
From the Boston Daily Advertiser
The Last Voyage of the Resolute.
Concluded from our !ast)

Here must stop moment, TO tell what one Of these
sedge parties is by whose efforts much has been add
ed to knowledge of Arctic geog Apply, in journeys
which could have been achieved ships or boats
In the work Of the " Resolutes' parties in this spring
| of 1853, Commander MeCclintock travelled 1925 miles
with his slPdye,--and Lieut.. Mecham 1853 miles with
his, through regions before wholly unexplored The
sledge, we have said, is in general contour,
like Yankee wood -sled-about eleven feet long The
runners are curved at each end. The slelge is fitted
with light canvass trough adjusted, that in case of
necessity, all the stores &C., be ferried over any
narrow lane of water in the ice. There packed
this sled tent for eight ten five six pixies,
Of which is fitted as an ice chsel two large
buffalo skins, Water-tight floor cloth, which cen
trives-
- double debt to pay,
A floor hy night, the sedge's sail by day
(and it must te remembered that +" day - and
" night" N those regions very equivocal terms)
There are, besides, cooking apparatus, of which
the tire Is made lii spirit tallow lamps, two
guns PICK and shovel, instruments Tor observation
pannikins, spoons, and little eptome OF such nee
essaries, with the extra clothing OF the party Then
the PrOvision-thc supply Of which measures the
length of the expedition consists of about u pound
of bread and pound of psmmiean pez man per day,
six ounces of pork. and little preserved potato
rum, lime juice, tea, chocolate, sugar, tobacco,
otker such creature comforts The sled is fitted with
two drag ropes, at which the men haul. The officer
goes ahead TO find the best way among hummocks
OF Ice or muses. OF SNOW sometimes III smooth
foe, before the Wind the floor cloth Is set tor sail
and she runs off merriy, perhaps with several OF
the board, and the rest running to keep up.
But sometimes over broken ice, it is task
to get her at all. You hear, one, two, three,
haul, all day long, as she worked out OF one ice
! ' cradle-hOle over It hummOek into another. DIFF
terent parties select different hours for travelling.
Capt Keett finally considered that the best division
of time, when, usual, they had constant daylight
to start at four in the afternoon travel till ten
P NJ, break then. tent and rest four hours rnv
el four more, tent, dine and sleep nine hours. This
secured sleep, when the sun was the highest and
most trying TO the eyes The distances accomplished
with this equipment are truly surprising.
Each man, of course, is dressed warmly as Ham
nel woollen cloth, leather and sealskin will dress
nm. For such long journeyng, the study OF boots
becomes science and our authorities are iul OF dis
cussjons woolien. carpet or leath-
er boots, of strings and of buckles. When the
time - to tent" comes the pixies fitted for tent
poles and the tent set up It's door to ecward the
ice or snow. The floor cloth is laid for the carpet
At an hour fixed, all talking must stop. There is
Just enough for the party to lie side by side
on the floor cloth Each man gets into long felt
Rag made of heavy felting literally nearly half
inch thick. He brings this up wholly over his head
and buttons himself in. He has a little hole in it
TO breath through. Over the felt ) sometimes a
brown holland bag, meant to keep out moisture.
The officer lies farthest in the tent,-as being next
/ the wind, the point of hardship and OF honor.
The cook for the day lies next the doorway as being
first to be called. Side Ly side the others lie be-
tween. Over them all, Macintosh blankets with
bafalo robes are drawn by what power this deponent
saycth not,-not knowing. No watch is kept,-for
there is little danger Of intrusion. Once whole
party was startled by white bear smelling them
who walked one of their dogs, and drol time they
had Of it. springng TO their arms while enveloped
in their sacks. But remember other instance
where q sentinel was needed. And occasionally
in the journals the officer notes that he oversight
in the morning, and did not " call the cook early
enough What passion is sleep to be sure, that
one should oversleep with such comforts round him.
Some thirty forty parties, thus equipped, set out
from the ''Resoute while she under Capt kelct's
charge, Oh various expeditions. As the journey Of
Lieut.. PIN to the "Inyestg tor nj Banks Land
that which turned the great victory of her voyage
we will let that stand rs n specimen Of all. None of
the others, however, undertaken at early Pc
riod of the gear, and, the other hand several 9TH
ers much longer-sJme Of them has been sIil,
occupying three months and more.
Litut. PIN had been appointed in the autumn to the
" Banks Land search and had carried out his depots
of provisions when the other oeers took theirs Capt
McClures chart and dispatch made 1t longer neces
sary have that coast surveyed, but made 1t AL the
necessary to have go and see If he was
still there. The chances against this, whole
sunmer had interviewed since he heard from.
Lieut. PIN proposed, however, to travel all round
Banks Land, which is an island about the size and
shape Of Ireland in search of him, ConsOn, Frank
lin or anybody. Capt Kellett however, told him not
to attempt this with his force but the ship
by the route he went. First he to go the Bay Of
Mercy; if the 60 Investigator gone, he o
low any traces of her,-and, if possible, communicate
with her, or her cOnsort, the - Enterprise
Lieut.. PIN started with slelge and men, and
dog sledge with under DIR. DOmvIe, the surgeon,
who bring back the earliest news from the Bay
of Mercy to the captain There relief sledge u
90 part way and return For the intense cold of this
early season, they had careful arrangements
than those we have described. Their tent doubled
hey had extra macntoshes and whatever else could
be devised. They had bal luck at starting,-broke
down one sledge and had to send back for another
had bad weather and must encamp, once for three days
" Fortunately says the lieutenant OF this encampment,
' the temperature from hftyone below zero to
thirty below, and there remained while the Drift
accumulated to such degree around the tents, that
within them the thermometer was only twenty below,
and when they cooked, rose to \ pleasant time
of it they have had there the ice, for those
three days, in their bags smoking and sleeping! No
wonder that on the fourth day they found they moved
SLOWLY, so cramped and benumbed were they. This
morning a sedge came to them from the ship, they
got of their bags packed and got under way again
They still running along shore, but soon sent back
the relief party which had brought the new sled, and
in few DAYS more set out to the Strait, some
twenty-five to thirty miles wide, which when it is open,
as no man has ever seen it, is of the North West
Passages discovered by these expeditions II
Horrible work it was Foggy and dark 50 they couii
not choose the road and, it happened, lit on the
very worse mass of broken ice in the channel Just
they entered on it one black must nee1s appear
g Bad luck, - said the men. And when Mr.. PIN shot
musk OK their first, and the wounded creature got
away so much for the raven, they crOaked again.
Only three miles the first day, four miles the second
day, two and half the third, and q half mile the
fourth Chis was all they gained by most aborious haul
ing over the broken ice, dragging edge at time,
and sometimes carrying forward the stores separately
and going back for the sledges. Two days more
gave them eight miles more, but on the seventh
day on this narrow strait, the dragging beirg little
better the great slelge slipped off smooth hammock,