Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-01-01

prostrated for about week. The first bu-
siness after his convalescence,- was to ar
range new parties for exploration. They
returned in safety, with ample experience
of the perils of Arctic discovery.
Passing over the remainder of the sum-
mer without any further extracts from the
interesting narrative, we find the little par
ty prepared to encounter the terrors of a
second winter in that dreary region. The
brig was fast in the ice and every effort to
liberate her proved unsuccessful. AT this
crisis Dr. Kane called all hands together,
and explained to them the reasons which
had decided him not to forsake the brig
He left it to the choice of each man, how
ever, to attempt to escape to open water or
to stand by the fortunes of the expedition.
Eight of the seventeen survivors of the
party resolved to remain with their com
mander; the others were fitted out with ev-
cry appliance that could be furnished, and
departed on their almost desperate enter
prise. They carried with them every as
.surance of brothers welcome, should
they be driven back; but it was not till af-
ter many weary months Of trial and hard
ship that they we're seen again.
The arrangement of the winter quarters
now occupied the whole attention of the it
tie band DR.. Kane determined to adhere
10 the routine of obseryances which had
made up the sum of their daily life, No
accustomed form was to be surrendered
The importance of systematic employmen,
was fully appreciated. The distribution
and details Of duty, the religious exercises,
the ceremonies of the table, the fires, the
lights, even the labors of the observatory,
and the notation Of the tides and the sky, il
was decided should go on as they had be-
fore. In the material arrangements, man,
useful hints were borrowed from the Es.
quimaux, The brig was thoroughly lined
and padded with turf and moss. A pile q
barrels ON the ice contained their supply O
water-soaked beef and pork. Flour, beens
and dried apples formed q quadlangulal
block-house. The boats and spare cord.
age were placed along an avenue opening
abeam of the brig. There was but small
store of vegetables. The picked cabbage
dried apples and peaches had lost much o
their anti-scorbu:ic virtue 81 constant use
The spices were all gone. Nothing re
mained but few small bottles of horse-ra
dish to season the standing fare of beef anc
pork A kind Of root-beer was brewed BY
the Doctor from the branches of the crawl
! ing willow, of which stock had been laiC
in some weeks before. The gun procured
them an occasional supply of fresh meat
Bears flesh was favori.e dish, but the II
yer ofthe animal proved poisonous. !,
i less noxious article of food was the rat. 4
!, perfect warren of this tribe was on boart
the brig. They had become impudent ant
Z fierce with their increase of numbers
Nothing could be saved from their voraci
Ity. Furs, woolens, shoes, specimens o
natural history were gnawed into and de
stroYed. They harbored among the men'
bedding in the forecastle, and at last be
came intolerable nuisances. Dr. Kane tool
his revenge by decimating them for hi
private table. His companions did no
share his taste, and he thus had the frc
4 quent advantage of fresh meat soup. L
inviting fare he ascribes his comparativ,
freedom from scurvy.
The want of fuel before the close of win
ter compelled them to rely upon their lamp
for heat Pork fat, boiled to lessen its sal
was the substitute for oil; and by the US
of metallic reverbetrators, a single wicl
was suficientto keep liquid ten ounces Q
lard with surrounding temperature of 81
degrees below zero. Raw meat was nov
voted the must agreeable diet. A slice o
bl1bber OF chunk of frozen 'walrus-be
was taken with infinite relish. The. live
J of walrus eaten with little slices Of fat wa
a dainty morsel. The flesh of that anima
: is stated to be "the very best fuel a mai
| can swallow" But of these savory Wand
the party were now destitute. The sicl
, began to suffer for the want ofpeat. The
t were reduced to three days allowance o
frozen flesh, at the. rate of four ounces
day for each man. In this emergency
DR.. Kane resolved on atrip over the ice t
| a settlement of Esquimaux huts at the dis
lance of about hundred miles. He wa
accompanied by Hans Ghrstern, nativ,
} Esquimaux, and five dogs During tn
journey, a frlghtful storm cameon. Befor
it had fairly commenced, the party succee
ded in reaching an old hut which had beer
J abandoned by the Esquimaux. Taking il
], the dogs; with the blubber-lamp, food ane
ll~aJJ;,,~ rI;ob c>rr,oJ x,o,.t <,f H. II