The Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1861-1862, 1861-11-23
Dr. Hayes, ArctIc ExpeSition,

nell Of New York, gives pretty full history
Of the Arctic expedition which he has Just
Although he did not accompI'lhl
all he desired and expected, he reached mose
northerly point than any previous expedii diii9nl
and obtained. much valuable scientific inlbfs
nation, which will be embodied in q full his
tory of his explorations. He is cohfdenk that /
with strong steamer she could eaail rene.
trate into the open polar sea, Of the txistehce
Of which he has no doubt and dssesniIAe facts
of me bigAsss scIentifc importance, The ice
prevented his pcnetrating with his vessel asl
fan north is he iptcnded, apd he wa obliged
to make his winter quarters q stight # thel
head Of Hartstein Bay, which he hamed Port
Foulke. His explorations during the wintcrl
were delayed by the loss Of his dogs by dis
ease, and Mr.. Sonntag, the astronomer, was
frozen to death while going southwark with
Hans the Esquimaux Of the Kane expedition,
in search Of Esquimaux from whom to pur-
chase dogs. Later in the winter some Esqui-I
maux came; to his camp from whom he obtain-
ed dogs for his northern trip, of which he
gives the following eaccount+:'' ~ l1',tst
at was not till late in March that the ice
formed around Cape Ohlsen, and the land be-
ing too mountainous for slcdge travelling,
was not, until that time, able to set out north
ward. AT that period made a preliminary
journey to Fog Harbor, and there established
a provision depot. l ayailed myself of thisl
opportunity to visit Rensselaer, Harbor, DR..
Kane's winter quarters. No vestige of the
Advance was discovered. She has probably
drifted out to sea with the ICES During his
journey the coldest temperatures OF the cruise
were recorded. On one day the thermometer
sank to 66L@ degrees, and on another to %
degrees below zero. We camped at night on
this, as well as on all subsequent Journeys, in
the snow hut of the Esquimaux. Active
preparations had been making since January,
| for the spring campaign, and wewere ready for
the final start on the 4th of April The CHIEF
equipment consisted of metallic life boat,
twenty feet in length, mounted upon runners,
provisions for boats crew of six persons Tor
| five months, provisions for seven persons and
| fourteen dogs for six weeks, together with a
careful allowance of fuel for the above,
named period. We started from the vessel on
the above mentioned date, with our entire
equipment, the, boat and its cargo being drawn
I by the whole available ships company and
4 fourteen dogs. Mr.. Radclif with two men
i was left in charge of the vessel. '''. r.
"Upon reaching Fog Harbor we made near near
ly. due northseotrse, intending 10 reach the
west. coast and thence upon the land ice.-
j We soon encountered hummocked ice OF ex-
traorlinary thickness, through which itwas
! often necessary to break passage with axes
y and shovels. 1t finally became evident from
the slowness of our progress that the entire
summer would be consumed in reaching the
west land, even if the boat could be transported
/ to it at all. Being we'll assured thatnothint
> could be accomplished with the boat expedi
! ton, l sent the main party back on the 20tl
, of April, and continued northwaM with thrc
5 companions and two sledgcs. The ice grey
ST wersc as we advanced, and we were fourteei
days in reaching the west coast,7a distance u
l direct line of only fprty miles. From TIL
/ fact YOU can form some estimate OF the char
t acter of the ice over which we travelled Tit
6 severity of the labor broke down the dogs, am
: was compelled to feed to them double IA
1 ton, thus consuming rapidly the provisions
t and proportionally shortening my Journe.
$ northward. Reaching the west coast at Cap
e Hayes we travelled along the land throug
s Kennedy channel until the 18th Of May, whe
= our provisions being exhausted, we were com
n pelled to turn our facessouthward. The lat
o tude attained upon that day was 81 deg. Bonn
If a degree of Northing which I believe not
d have been exceeded or equalled by any 81
is plorer except Sir Edward Parry. The Ian
,e was taken possession of in, ths name OF u
IN United States, with the usual forms, and Il
t, fac which was used upon the occasion h
MI covered the most northern known land up
It's the globe. r9 ,sg g,t4ua {.
at !" Although thus early in the season, the
It. in Kennedy channel was everywhere mu
- decayed, and unsafe, and in some places y
ce entirely gone. ), In one extensive, pool no.
he of water fowl was discovered. \ entertain
,s da,bt that the ice of Kennedy channel "
|ly broken up and dissolved at very early PERI
Of of the summer. 1t was in this channel tn
Ter DIR. Kane discovered an open sea at peri
he six weeks later, in the summer OF 1854. ID
ch fore reaching the vessel i lost all but seven
W the. remaining dogs and the ice having brok
up around Cape Ohlsen, turther exploration
h. the northward was, impossible during the p
he sent; season.. The six weeks subsequent
err nv return to Port Foulke were occupied.
,ur preparing the vessel for sea, in completl
lie some unfinished surveys in making magne
he and oth@ observations, in collecting specim'
ore Of natural history, photographing the scene
b. and objects of interest in the vicinity. ]
ra- schooner hadsbee4lsn1ach damaged by the
~, encounters Of the previous summer, ant
the was found impossible to restore her orig
vas strength. Being without a carpenter Il
in share Of the labor of repairs fell upon
The Mccormick, the sailing master Of the exp
5 of ton, of whose ready ingenuity and prac'
lifi- skill cannot too warmly express my ackr
tied edetnents. The ice broke up about the
in sci on the 10th. Of July. and we ppts TO Sc
nee the 14th." .g4s n
j .ta I ara habit exists among the Esqiinar
&c nlacing on the graves of the dead the nun
III imnleraents used by them while living WI
NJ. ~. are held sacred and never molested.
IL A1,ar;can officer states that on recent 70.
'no to the Arctic regions they wore anxious g
4 ~ g tain As specimens some implements lynn
80 y the crave Of an Es1aimaux who had be-
celebrated hunter. They would mot
n"s9 themI of course, without consent Of the m
ot's of the deceased. and failed in their endeyC
W.. n,,rcLase them. In this dilempes how.
WI thev were informed that the Great =
SU Uonlds he psopitiated sby the Lspbstitutis
aIta some knives on the grave. Knives am
!, 49, Sn5, amtily 10 q duid spfO quo were aeeors
Il. nx.fIsk n