The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-26
American Geographical ana Statistical
Society

Society
I'M ERHsTiNG hDZRE-S or DR. JOHN RAE the cEi ~
DharsD ARCTIC TRAVELLER
sg.acai meeting Of the above Society vas held last
eve NJ al Nioo's, 10 hear an address from the well.
known Arctic traveller DR. Jonu Rae "Arctic Late aud
Gu tome q the Eslumaux." The spacous and beautiful
room OF Nibo', crowded By select and fashionable
andence long previous 70 the hour announced for the
commencement OF ths meeting, aud largo numbr OF
hot- were pr sent cas raised al the end II the
rc1 on which ,as,efuly Displayed the deer sxns
snow Shoes Eqnmanx clothing and the recs which
recovered Ivy pr nae Of SIR John tranSlns party which
carefully inspected b. the ass@mbiage Among those
present we're Rev nr Hawks, Rev. Dr. Robinson Henry
Grinne Esq, together silh leading members Of
the Society. Al eight O'Clock precisely the President Of
the Society Rev. Francis L. Hawks took tle chair when
the minutes o. the .ast meeting wero read by Or.
Robinson, and adopted. After the nomination Of
members. Hcv. Or. Hawks said that he
hal much pleasure in presenting TO the audience genile
man whose name az familiar to this country
10 his ownIJr John Rae, who had been particularly
connected with Arctic explorations APPLAUSE
ir. RAE then came forward and was most warmly re.
ceved. lie commenced by observing that ia addressing
them the subject of Arctic explorations, he feared he
ton 70 cwei more fully pon his own experience Of Arch"
wander ngs than on the performance Of others who stood
much HIGHER N taal particular than himself He had
reasons for doing The first that could
speak with more confidence and truth OF wha. ne hsel
bad seen and had taken pat in performing than he could
OF the performance Of others which he nigh, learn
from residing the published books upon the subject The
second that numerous narratives had been written
upon Arctic explorations, among which he need hardly
mention that OF their distinguished nanthe noble
and iamented pr NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. memory
will always be remembered with respect here and in Eng
hand also. h wculd not aade 10 Perry, Richardson,
Frsnkn and others. All Their writings and narratives
they could read and he or. Kae) trusted they would
pardon hir,f ne adhered 70 his little experience
the Arctic regions IN speak ng to The during the evening
(Appause) Arctic expeditions might be divided into
great c!assesthcse proceeding from expeditions made
N ships well provided with provisions and well fitted up
in every way for tue comfort, health and safety OF the
crews and officers and those that proceed overland by
the great rivers OF the continent the Mackenzie,
&c, and winter IN the Wild country, where they
are snppcd with PROVISIONS by their own exertions
in Gshng, &c, or BY the Indians who are en-
gagged in hunting for them. The third class OF OK
pedtions he might mention peculiar TO himself one
which compelled him to wsner on those portions OF the
coast ana depend entirely upon their for
fuel 70 cook their daily meal In the year 1915 he
appointed by the Hud-on Bay Company whose service
OF North America He along tho Of Hudson
in open boats, With four months provisions tie spring
OF 1916. They encountered and unable pro.
coed and were obliged TO return TO Repulse Bay where
he decided remaining with his men They commenced
their arrangements IN August and butt stone house and
employed their time IN procuring food BY the month Of
September they had completed their house, bat found
that II vac not at ali comfortable. The mud employed
damp that the stones would drop out and
ocssson stone dropped down and broke the only
chronoraccr they had They also found the place damp
and moist. and they lived in that condition until the walls
became perfectly Frozen but be found that the few books
he had with him also frozen together and per.
fectiy useless. He had rot fuel enorgh to thaw
them and obliged 10 take them 10 bed
with him in order TO 90 so. They frequently washed
their clothing whilst in the stone house and
the wet linen dried \. the heat of their bed.
daughter The tempe in the winter otea
ten degrees below the house and yet under all these
try ing the remained perfectly healthy
During the seascn he had taught several OF the TO read
the Bible, and the Indians and half breeds
tive could be TO his instructions The whole Of
the time they kept up friendly intercourse with the ma
tyes and learned from them many circumstances regard
ing Ross ard Perry, which showed him how much rei
could be placed information derived from the Is
quInaux They described the of these officer
and stated facts which did not appear the Published
narratives and which both gentlemen acterwad perfectly
remembered when he {Dr Rae) mentioned them They
bad not sc@a either Ross Perry, but they had had
information from thier people that had seen them
information from one TO another, having written
language. and il passes down tradition. Much like
the Indians the Fsaumaux believed In good and a bad
spirit but they feared the bad they belle we'd that
the good spirit so benecen would do them harm
very tecuar They Believed that long time AGO one
II their became very clever aud expert that
became the that he lived With his sister in great
hal mony aud happiness for some time but after awhile
Le became cruel 20 her and used TO beat her. and
occasion he went - far 10 throw the tire in he
face in spite OF her beauty and that she thea away
from him and hecsme the moon. When the burnt sid
turned towards them they believed WAS full moon
and wnaa the other without the holes hills, they
honeht the uni,jurcd side 81 her face appeared. tn
artc regions and explained the formation OF ice bergs
He then proceeded mnut-y 10 describe, with the AID Of
chart Of The arctic regions his explorations and travels in
the northern sttuies, cfspersing his narrative with
humorous and interesting anecdotes Of the saga.
city Of the arctic fox and other animals. Abiding
10 the Of dogs OF oconoton, he instanccd
his travelling thirteen hundred miles 10 the Red aud
Crow Wing rivers al rate Of forty five miles day
After cnchencd dissertation onhc rigor Of the climate
the pecu:arcs Of the country the difficulty OF obtaining
fuel and food the Doctor proceeded TO speak Of the last
sbs norma,on and psss he had obtained e Sir John
Franklin and his party tDr Rae here exhibited few q
the relies hc had kept for himself. which were handed 10
TIE audience They consisted OF watch case spoon With
Franklins crest, fork. works Of watch, needle with the
thread, &c, &c, al ncay arranged In small lie
also called the attention OF the ladies' TO peculiarly soft
shawl. made from the wool Of the musk OK which he
would become q favor'te article Of in
the bce they could Gully procure WOOL enough
The Doctor then proceeded to give interesting
rativc Of his last expedition. He took with him thr.
teen men, among whom we're an E4quinanx inter
disns md half breeds. On arriving out their irst
care was to build a snow house. Here the Doctor
gave interesting description ef the mode &C building
snow nous. ard ,f cutting the into blocks All the
IRE they had little grease OF alcohol but the alcohol
In cold climate spirits and he believed that when
they heard Of men falling asleep aud being frozen DEATH
\ arose nom their having taken glass too frequent
~ surprising the appetite the cold Of the Arctic
regions will give to stranger, and the quantity OF fat
meat that they can eat there Tic usual allowance by the
Hndson's Ray Company 20 each eight pounds of
meat q day There bread given, but where pnia
crew they could have they desired IN adj
daou They could cat tho fat Of the seal and IN fact be
believed also a aIlow candle. Doctor Rae then
ed the honesty a the tsquusux, and reiaeda fact
which bc conceived 80 prove that sr John franklin
was no, murdered. lie had lcft but three
~ Repulse Hay IN ~ oil their pro
pcrty, but when h. returned after several months
he found thai they surrounded hy Fanimsux. N"nc
n the three left charge could speak werd Of their
language, and ali the property open, lying under an
ocoth on the rocks. yet they saw was not nolcscf
Tho speaker next proceeded 10 give detailed account of
his interviews with the Esquipaux, and their description
Of SIR John Franklin. lie did not believe that Sir John
Franklin himself got Ear the others where tho
relics were found, the Esgunaux bad told him there
old man among the party. After detailing AZ
length the route which lac supposed Cir iohu Franklin
must have taken, and narraiing the particulars Of his
several expeditions the lecturer concluded that branch
o his address by stating his opinion that the party
forced down by the ice and starved that number died
o scuryy As 90 the bodies not having been found
counted for from tho fact that the rocks subject 10
be covered With water In gale Of wind, and that they
washed away.