The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1860-11-30
Hayes Polar Expedition.

Hayes Polar Expedition.
Professor Sontsg, who is the As
tronomer accompanying the Hayes
polar expedition, has written from
Uppernavie, August 10th, to frient
in Albany, and we make extracts
from that letter. Professor Sontas
gives the outline of the plan 70,
reaching Winter quarters, and event
ually the open Polar Sea-if there
be one. Professor Sontsg Gays:
1--WE found Il, however, impossible
to obtain here the necessary number
Of dogs, as most OF them have died
off during the last Winter by an
epidemic disease, which broke oui
among them and reduced their mum
". IN much that the natives them
selves suffer o..:..eiy bv their jos.
as dogs and sleighs are ndispensaU,s
to the Northern Esqui,naux. In
managing these animals and con-
structing the sleighs. these Arctic
barbarians show great skill and art.
The sleigh consists OF two runners,
each composed Of many pieces OF
wood and bone, lashed firmly to-
getber with strips OF seal skin and
connected by cross bars, with two
uprights behind, with which the
driver takes hold to guide or retard
it over rough ice, and dangerous
places. 1t ia drawn by six or more
dogs, each attached, by a separate
trace made of seal skin. to the sleigh,
which draws load together of five
hundred to seven hundred pounds at
the rate OF twelve or more miles an
hour, over favorable ice, and six
miles over land and rough ice. The
most use for the sleighs are in the
seal and bear hunting, but in the
Northern Danish settlements it is
also used IN the transportation oftho
Es1uimanx canoes to open water,
which in the Spring is generally
many miles distant from the settle
ments, and although they mostly
travel over sea ice, they frequently
travel over the land to make short
cuts and to avoid unsafe ice. They
then display great skill in driving
their dogs as they descend steep
mountains, or go from the ice to the
land, which is often very dangerous,
as the ice near the shore is always
broken up, in consequence of the
rising and falling of the tide. In
descending steep slopes they wrap
skin around the runners OF the sleigh,
and tie the dogs behind it, or prevent
them from ruuaiag 10y tying up one
OF their iorelegs, while the driver
runs behind, and holds on to the up.
rights.
One would he surprised to see tie
roada over which the Esquinaux
manage to transfer sleighs and load.
by applying these precautions. At
many places they are dangerous for
a white man to attempt TO climb
When the FsqHimaux has got over
the most difficult part OF the mount
ain in descending, and finds the
lower part uniformly covered with
snow, he lets the dogs rush down
the hill as fast "a they can, some
times they (the dogs) in front, some.
times behind the sleigh, unable to
stop it, until finally dogs, sleigh and
driver, are brought up by being bu-
ried in the snow at the foot OF the
mountain. They show even more
skill in guiding their sleighs across
open spaces in the ice; at first the
dogs leap over with slack traces
while the Eaquimaux holds back the
sleigh, then he urges them to another
leap, and now the sleigh and driver
follow, the latter hanging on to the
uprights. II the crack ia too vide
they break off piece and ferry
themselves across"
Professor Sontag says their course
will be up the West side of Smith,
Straits, (Kane's was on the East
side,) They expect to get into Win
ter quarters by September 10th, in
latitude about 70 degrees. He says:
III circumstances favor such a
course, an effort will be made to car
ry the boat, to be used next Summer,
hundred or hundred and fifty
miles up the coast, where she will be
placed in security with some pro.
visions, the party returning to the
vessel after the Winter sets in
Preparations for this journey are al
ready being made; and here let me
say that think our camp equipments
perfect of their kind. Our tents fol
Summer travel are constructed upor
a compact and improved plan. Tn,
full travelling kitchen, including
camp kettles, cups, plates, spoons
knives, forks, &C., for a party o
eight persons, weighs ten pounds.--
The tents will be used only in Sum
mer and Fall. During the cole
weather, we shall construct snov
tuts for sleeping, after the plans Q
the Esquimsux. The boat part
will have for protection, while sleep
ling, a tight awning of light canva
over the boat, which, during th
day, can be compactly slowed
Our bedding will be OF buffalo an
; dog skins.
i. Our food is more compact tha
any before nsed bY Arctic travellers