The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-01
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION
OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE RECENT
VOYAGE OF THE UNITED STATES BY
DR.. HAYES.
EXPLORING SCHOONER UNITED STATES,
Harbor of Halifax, Oct. l., 1861.


Harbor of Halifax, Oct. /, 1861.
My DEAR Sir Il have the pleasure to
send you the following account of the pro-
ceedings Of TIE expedition to the Arctic
seas, under my command, subsequent to the
14th of August, 1860. My letter from
Upernavik to the contributors to the expe.
dition bearing the above date, will have
instructed you of my movements up to that
time.
We sailed from Upernavik on the 10th
of August, 1860; but Gains detained US on
our way to Tessuissak, and we did not
reach the latter place until the 2lst. Hav.
ing there increased the number of our dogs
By the addition Of the interpreters team
making complement OF twenty-five ami
mails, and having further increased my crew
by the addition Of two Danes and one Els
quimauX hunter, we put to sea again on the
22d, and stood Northward with fair wind
On the morning OF the 23d we entered
Melville bay. On the following day at 8
o'clock P. NJ we passed the Sabine Islands
thence we made direct course for Cape
York, which was reached at o'clock p
NJ, of the 25th.
Our passage through Melville Bay was
remarkable. No field ice was seen until We
reached within few miles of Cape York
when we encountered a narrow stream
which under full press of sail was bored
without difficulty. We were only 50 hours
in effecting the passage of the bay.
Standing close p under Cape York,
kept careful watch from aloft for Esqui-
maux, and soon had the qualification to dis.
cover a group of them moving down to.
ward the beach. The schooner being hove
to went ashore, and was met By Hans
DR.. Kane's runaway boy, and other natives
Hans quickly recognized Mr.. Sontag and
myself, and having expressed wish to 60
with US, took him, together with his wife
and child, his hunting equipment and two
dogs, on board and again stood Northward
At O'Clock of the morning of the Goth
we were brought up by a heavy ice pack,
twenty miles South of Smiths Strait
There beiagfss high sea setting directly
upon the ice and the air being thick with
falling snow, we lost no time in playing to
windward, and having obtained a gooG
offing, hove to to await better weather.
The wind soon fell to calm the clouds
broke during the night, and on the morning
of the 9th we rounded the ice, in shore
and, under light n K. wind stood out
toward the centre of the strait, which We
entered at 9 o'clock, P. NJ. Here we met 8
heavy pack through which no practicable
Lead could be distinguished. Our examina
ton of its margin with the view of finding
an opening was cut short by heavy gale
which broke suddenly upon US from N. E
The bergs being very thick about US We
could not heave to; and we ran great risk
of losing every exposed sail. The gale
lasted with very little abatement in its vol,
ume during the 28th and 29th. On thu
morning of the Both, having carried away
the foresail we were glad to reach small
cove twelve miles South of Cape Alexan'
der, and there dropped anchor in four faith
oms water. Here | obtained an excellent
view from an elevation of 1900 feet. The
pack appeared to be impenetrable, and very
little water was to be seen along the W
shore. | determined however to attempt
the passage.
had scarcely returned from ny Journey
! to the mountain wnen the gale again set il
from the same quarter, and with a violence
which | have scarcely seen eoualled. Or
the morning OF the 3lst we were driven from
our moorit gs, ana in the effort to save ou
anchors we were forced upon group O
cebergs which had drifted in with the cur
rent, and carried away our jib boom. Th,
wind moderated soon atterward, and WI
once more entered the strait, but the gal,
setting 10 again, the fore gsT was broken il
wearing, and being now obliged to heave t.
we were a third time driven out of be strait
10 seek shelter behind Cape Alexander.
| Damages having been repaired we again
entered the strait on the evening of Sep
TENDER 1st. Discovering no lead through
the ice to the Westward, we bore up fo
Littleton island with the hope o. fndin!
near the more solid ice higher up the strai
a practicable opening. The gale still con
timing to blow with great force, and beins
under reduced canvas, we made but lit!
Roadway.
Litteton island was reached Septembo
"a. Being unable to penetrate the ice t.
the Westward, [ determined TO work up th
coast to Cape HathertOn, with the hope q
there finding the ice more open The under
taking was necessarily attended with con
siderable risk to the vessel, on account Q
the heavy fields OF ice lying off Littleto
island. The schooner frequently came il
collision with ice fields from fifteen t
twenty feet in thickness. The quarter inc
iron plate on the cutwater was torn of, an
the false stern was carried away. 500
afterward we encountered severe nip,
and before the rudder could be shipped, til
two lower min ola wora hroxep Off