New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-26
ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS.
LECTURE OF DR.. REA BEFORE TaE GEO
GRAPHICAL SOCIETY.


large and ntelisen. audience, assembled at Nibos
Saloon. The Rev. Dr.. Hawks occupied the chair.
On the plstsofm wers displayed VAR ,us skulls aud
sIs Of er finals If the extreme roth Of the Continent
and which were examined with much interest by tue
auder previous TO the commence ent of the lecture.
large m.pezhbi;ipg the Continent north and west Of
Hu5sor'- Bay, and suotbeT, smaller, Of Hudsons Bay
and vicinity, and a view on canvas OF a snow.hat,
were susperdri before the audeuce and We're us,S By
the lecturer in i,lu-,rsiion Of his remarks.
Dr. Rea was received With applause. lie remarked
TIE. be stould corfne lis dscou Sc TO hi- own sur
veys be could best spesk Of what he knew while
il speaking of Il explorations Of other, he could have
10 facilities which 10, possessed by bis audience.
On his frst expedition north from York Factory, IL
Hudsor's Bay, in 1915, circumstances compelled him
to take up his winter quarters on the bthmus Of
Melville Penirusla. His object was to make sur
vey Of the north Of tie Continent. Leaving York
Factory with twelve meu and two boats, he Travelled
over 800 miles rorth, with the purpose of crossing
Reluire Bay. Th;s he unable TO do,
owing to the condition OF the ice, and he
was compelled to return 10 the Isthmus,
and winter. Net knowing tnen the comforts
OF spow house, he lad made from stone,
which, however, WAS not rs comfortable ls they
he'd dtsrec-tho clay remaining wet during the VIM
ter ard acrting security against tho stones falling
ftm TIE wtls They had no fuel, except to
cock, and were compelled, in drying their
cIciles 10 put them their bodies and dry them
by their warmth. TIE Winter was passed as well
ar they could the Doctor as a pastime, teaching
biz men to read aud write. He ha1 constant
communication with the Esqaimaux, from whom he
learned thIorgh his Interpreter, facts connected With
The expeditions m Ross hud Parry many years before,
and Inch did tho HOrE5 Uf those NDE.
ayers. RuhsequeIt statement f these facts to hosS
expilrsrs ty the lecturer in England had recalled
them to their nlLds. The Esqwmaux from whom he
had heard these statements we're not persons who lad
persoIa'ly scen either R"ss or Parry, or their
irer, but VITO bad heard them tom Others
of their tribe. The accuracy OF their
state oenis, az proven by the recO'lccrons Of
RI ss aud Parry, had bad great influence With the ec
,rrer in deiermniig the value Of their evineoce on
subsequent occasiots. In the Spring, he took with
hn iour u'er aud proceeded northwarc, on the lsnd
krown Is BOibe Felix, and the result Of his sur
vey discovered that the land was not Island had
been supposed but peninsula. Returning, le made
a survey Of Melville Peniosuls to Fury ard li@cla
Straits ard the 18th OF Agust started their return
10 York Factory. The lecturer gave an interesting
account Of the religions peculiartles of the Esquimaux
and the manner Of the formation If ceborgs and the
reova OF heavy b"njers from the ground to the top
Of zee formations. He then referred to the voyages
o FraIkn north in 1917, by way Of Sptz zbergen, and
egsir in 1919 with Sir John Richardson, when
line cf their eighteen men were lost by starv-
alton, ara Inc rclfdiuneI only stStu DV
l simost a miracle. He referred also to Sir Johns
expedition in 1926, down the Mackenzie River
10 iis mouth where they attacked by the Esqu
msux, Their boats pill,ged and himself nearly ket
Ths hostility OF the Esquiraux wet OF the Mackcn-
zie River con,rasted strangely with the peaceful
charscts riscs of he tribe further east, and the lee
turer accounted for the difference in the fact that the
tribes west wGs pcipetually at wnr with Loo Choo
ILdians who were supplied with firearms by the
Rnssials or the Hudsons Bay Company. fro n
which fact the Esquiaaux there were lei to
regard all 1e nen he the allies oi the Loo Chocs aod
cor seOnepilY their enemies. But recovering posses
sion of hs boar through the influence Of bis Interpreter
SIR .John Franklin puroued his explorations westward
To PoiIt Barrow. while Sr Jocn Richardson went To
the eastward. The lecturer then alluded to the Is,t
expedition Of Sir John Fraukln, begun 10 1915
at which time he sxty.three years OF age
The instructions given To sur John were To pass
through Bafin's Bay Barrow Straits, aud Lancaster
Sound and when he had reached longitude % aud
latitude "a to direct his to Point Barrow. The
lecturer had 10 doubt Of Sir John efforts to carry out
these instructions. His belief IL Sir John became
Fixed in the ice and was borne down gradually from
WELLINGTON CberIel through Peels Sound, ana
that he was compelled to abandon bis vessel
IN the strait at some point weet OF Boothla fcha.
Kesuming the narration of his own expedition 10 CON-
rsuy xh Sir John Richardson, ~ search OF Sr John
Er.kip the lecturer gave account Vt their voyage
down the Mackenzie River in boats their survey ot
the coast, other incidents OF the expedition,
which afforded them no clue OF Sir John. Ia
1850, the lecturer started on his third expedi-
tiop, proceeding to Greal Beer Lake where he
constructed two boats, aud by April started on sur
veys Cf tbe coast Of wellington Land and Victoria
Land. Had ne not been detained by the destitdtion
of some of the Esqun.aux, he would have reached =
pcint North in time 20 have met COnson expedition.
at Victoria Land they found pieces OF wood Of Gov
ernmert vessel, ara ideu'hed 10 be such III England
but there wer, DO marks by which the Yessel could be
designated. lie returned thence TO York Factory.
DR.. Rao then produced case containing Portionoi
tie various relics If the Fralkn expedition, which hs
had become Possessed Of. They sisted Of spoons
~ F,rl of Sir Iphp ly,r
ard or gold watch caser two heedles with thread 10
thsn, bu,tors spd other smah articles. They were *.
aluined with much interest by the audience.
On Lis last trip tie journey on which he discoveret
the only remains WITCH nsd ever been folnd Of Sur
John Franklin, he took from York Factory thirteen
men al two boats; but before getting fa-, seat back
seven Of III. mel, ieayias him only o. OF these, Dat
oue was European, the restvere hal-oreeas Dis
purpose was 70 survsy and explore the western shore
Of the Peninsula Of Eoshis Felix. They srlived In
August at the Isthnrs of Melville Peninsula found
no Esqumsu1 there at iirst snd lac very much feared
that they night / ave come .he right way 10 hnd
Ileniy OF game; for although the game always come
north the Simmer. it did Dot ala e!s come by the
same route Bot really they were extIsmsiy Fortunate
in Dakitg thsr inter ele 10 tie month cf
September al, Le thy killed 20 deer ~ which he
killed 10 tuisef. Cri the two ocCas:Ops OF which his
party had been dsrcrdeIt on what game they could
kill for suppert, he bsd the good iortase to ALL t'-
iiiths ,f all their ,alle; he HenirAed u ner!y
~ show boz important i was upon srch e1leci'
TOPS 10 have wali-iraiuea lead,r. during .his
north of September is Indian hrSieE the bes. that
could DC pioeuTsd killed opy eghseon deet. tic
would de'ni! single day. hunting. First, s.. pa.
trtses with iye shots shooting shem in the he 81
With b.. ors sho.. Ia sQa.e asnuuntcn: Then, 10
The eeursa 81 il Jay Ill which he had top,e
soue in o-a.r TO protect them sYen the wolves 1otif
nec co-a .e ard carry ,bem - sher winter laE!ers.
OF his rt:s1 s-carn their querters, whssh he
had 'cgba ony kneedeep crossing i L. the morn
irg hsi hec,ie wais. csep. This owiag, singular
a. il gh SEEN 70 tr river bcgirnirg 70 freeze at
TIE bottom. When he gDt To lbe quarters he vas wes
80 .rn..n. IL no.. Lid i cut LIE Sra oil biz