Daily national Democrat., 1860-09-01

ARCTIC REGloN.-Thc San Francisco Call n,
Thursday has the following:
we vest terday briefly mentioned the arrival
OF the schooner Ortolan. This schooner ,,ns
fitted out here last spring for cold pros
PecuhS expedition to point in Behring's
straits, on the Asiatic Continent. known n.
the East Cape. The expedition was formed
on information contained in a letter from an
0Iu whaling captain, who asserted that he
had discovered gold in large quantities at
mat point. This Information was also cor
roOorated 10y Captain Nelson of the water
steamboat Saucelito.
On the 26th OF June, the schooner Ortolan,
l. H. Harris, captain; jas. Miles, first mate
and John kohler, second mate, set sail will,
the following passengers, or cXpcditiouists
Dr. Hamilton Gray, Rufus Rowe, and John
Nicholson. In four weeks from the time they
left this port. they made the Fox or Illusion
Islands, and went through the Oromac
Straits by narrow passage between the Is
lands. From these Straits they proceeded ia
the Behring'S Sea, passed the Diomedrs. a
group of three or four Islands on the A,intir
side, and went up into the Arctic Ocean to q
point called Cape Swaka, where the foo was
so tEck that they were compelled to lrou
anchor. On leaving this place, they en-
countered an immense island of ice. on1 wore
compelled to come TO anchor again to avoid
running into it. The fog was so thick here
that-us second mate Kohler. our informant.
expresses lit could have been cut with a
knife Soundings here showed only eighteen
tathoms OF water; not very deep for sea.
When the ice passed. the captain stood for
the Asiatic coast passing the schooners
Olivia and Agate, both Of this port, which
had been trading among the Russian settle
ments. The Orolan made the coast at tho
place they Started for-the EIst Cape. The
distance at this point from continent to con-
tinent is only forty miles 1t is here that
many suppose the first rude settlers Of Amer.
lea crossed from Asia. After coming to an
chor in "A perfectly land locked cove. into
which river Of fresh water came booming
down from the snow mountains, the eXpedi-
uonists went ashore and commenced to pros-
pect. The neck of land which forms the East
Cape is not extensive and can he thoroughly
explored in half day. The party descended
into the gulches, and delved to the bed rock
(Which was easily enough reaehcd) without
hnding particle Of the precious metal for
which they had come in search. At about
one foot from the surface they struck large
quantities OF mica, which very much resem-
bled gold hut when lifted was found to bea
light as isingas. THIS mica was found to
exist in large deposits of big chunks. and is
probably what caused the false report in re-
gard to gold. The eXpeditiouists examined
every corner OF the Cape during four days.
and finally give up the search The rock
here Is species of granite, very soft and
black The country presents the most in
dubitable evidences Of terrible volcanic con-
vulsions. At one point, a rocky promonlory
ascends several thousand feet in almost a
straight line from the water The Cape it.
self has evidently at some time been an island
but 1t is now connected with the mainland
by causeway of immense boulders which
have been thrown up from tie ocean. These
rocks are used as a bridge to reach the main
land, and at some places the traveller has to
jump some eight feet from one to the other.
There are several small towns in the vicinity.
They are-to us-unnamed, and even have
no designation on the charts. One of these
is about two miles from the Cape and is com
posed of about thirty houses. The inhabi,
tants are Russian Indians, who live altogether
on whale bluJber, walrus fat and wild fowl.
The latter they exhibit much dexteritv in
catching. They string small pieces of ivory
together, and when flock Of ducks pass
they hurl one Of these weapons with such
precision rs to wind it around the neck Of the
bird. The weight Of the ivory beads brings
the fowl to the ground, and it is then captur-
ed and killad. The eXpeditionists expert
enced but very little night during their
absence the days in the Arctic regions dur
ing this season Of the year being some twenty
hours long. They only remained four days
at the Cape, and then started out on their
n ~ " ~ Will l.a
natives, the Agate and the Olivia having
furnished all the supplies required, and re
ceived in exchange all the whalebone and
other articles Of trade which the natives had
accumulated.