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
DIR. HAYES.
EXPLORING SCHOONER UNITED STATES,
Harbor of Halifax, Oct. l, 1861.


Harbor of Halifax, Oct. l, 1861.
My DEAR Sir Il have the pleasure to
send you the following account of the pro-
ceedings Of the expedition to the Arctic
seas, under my command, subsequent to the
18th 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 calms 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 3
o'clock P. NJ we passed the Sabine Islands;
thence we made direct course for Cape
York, which was reached at 5 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 ip under Cape York,
kept careful watch from aloft for Esqui.
on1 boI tho fiE 80
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 90
with US, l took him, together with his wife
and child, his hunting equipment and two
dogs, on board and again stood N orthward.
At Z O'Clock of the morning of the 26th
we were brought up by 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 good
ofing, 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 o'clock, P. NJ. Here we met a
heavy pack through which no practicable
lead could be distinguished. Our examina-
tion of its margin with the view of finding
an opening was cut short by a 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 the
morning of the 30th, 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 West
shore. | determined however to attempt
the passage.
had scarcely returned from NY journey
to the mountain wnen the gale again set in
from the same quarter, and with violence
which have scarcely seen equalled. On
the morning of the 3lst we were driven from
our moorirgs, and in the effort to save our
anchors we were forced upon group of
icebergs which had drifted in with the cur.
rent, and carried away our jib boom. The
wind moderated soon afterward, and we
once more entered the strait, but the gale
settiog 10 again, the fore gaf was broken in
wearing, and being now obliged to heave to
we were third time driven out of be strait.
to seek shelter behind Cape Alexander.
Damages having been repaired we again
entered the strait on the evening of Seps
TENDER 1st. Discovering no lead through
the ice to the Westward, we bore up for
Littleton island with the hope OF finding
near the more solid ice higher up the strait
practicable opening. The gale still con-
tinuing to blow with great force, and being
under reduced canvas, we made but little
Roadway.
LittIetOn island was reached September
"a. Being unable to penetrate the ice to
the Westward, determined to work up the
coast to Cape Hatherton, with the hope of
there finding the ice more open The under.
taking was necessarily attended with con-
siderable risk to the vessel, on account of
the heavy fields OF ice lying of Littleton
island. The schooner frequently came in
collision with ice fields from fifteen to
twenty feet in thickness. The quarter inch
iron plate on the cutwater was torn of, and
the false stern was carried away. Soon
afterward we encountered severe nip, "
and before the rudder could be shipped, the