Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-11-07

Trials and dtsi-EArsvelirss $40
~ - EsSs<z41 - -
DE Hayes, Exploring Expe.
HA sdftiOn.
Dr.. HAYES, has written letter to Moses
NJ. GsinnsF ginug1an official account Of bis
Arctic voyage.
Theexpedition reached Caps. York on
thS 25elk ofiAugust, 1850. Near Cape
York Esquimaux was discovered by the look
out, running down to the. beach, and on go
ipe ashore -Doct. h. was greeted by Hans
d. KanesS runaway boy, and expressing a
wish 10 60 along hesw was taken on board
withsshise wife and child. The passage
6ehteto eIittleton Island was attended
With the usual perils of Arctic navigation
and was reached September I'd, but suffer
ing such damage as, compelled the vessel
to run into Harstein bay and anchor.
.; Everything about US now began to wear
awintry aspect. The temperture had fall
en- to- eighteen degrees below freezing
Thick snow had been falling at intervals
since August 25th. Our decks were cov-
cred xithice, The sails and rigging were 50
stiff with it that they could barely be
worked, the schooner's sides we're lined
With thick ernst, and large masses Of ice
had accumulated on the cut waters and for
ward rigging. The nayigable season was
clearly drawing to a close. e.s - i
Northeast gales detained US during the
7th aud 8tb, ,and the temperature eo1tinu-
ng to fall deemed it imprudent again to
enter the ice, and accordingly we went into
winter Quarters, on the 9th in a blight, at
the bead of, Hartstein Bay. The. schooner
was moofed by four hawsers, forty rods
from shore, in seven fathoms water. The
sails were unbent and the topmasts housed
and after giving the crew holiday, our
winter Preparations were commenced. The
stores weie deposited in house built for
t. purpose on shore. The hold was con-
vertedinto a comfortable room for themen
and Al upper, deck was housed over with
bosG3s / Il 4 Il + l., -.
~ Nss 10 latitude 7s, II. Al, N. Ion
M "a, 30, 81, W., twenty miles further
Sol shan DR. Kane's winter quarters.
and ni1sty miles ftom the coast. The
wi1le ms spent in making short sledge
expd1i1i6 6ns, meteorological and otherobser-
vatid and The crew we're comfortable
and 9lthful. During the winter 200
reindeer were captured, supplying the party
and their dogs with fresh meat; stiIl dis
ess broke out among the dogs. and of
twenty five which were shipped at Dam
isRiSeltlahent. t. in August, ,aoniy eleven were
alive by January. ,,g,, co ), ,7ss-g
You are well aware that my. plans of
exploration were wholly, based upon dogs
Is means Of transport across the ice, and
situated as I was-on the east side Of the
sArait and ninety miles further. south than
I had anticipated, became seriously ap-
prehensive for the success of the approach
ing effort. s1
N party being necessarily small, could
not send into the field more than than
. boats crew. Of able bodied men, and
tbess.I had always considered as merely
Suxiiary 10 The dogs, and without the dogs
altogether unavailable for the services to be
rsrformed ers s-sT> s'i-; .a'as''',s = sa9 =
Ny anxiety was fully shared BY Mr..
Soufag, the astronomer Of the expedition,
and, my able second in command. He early
volunteered to go South to endeavor to
open communication with the Exquimaux
Of Northumberland Island, with the hopes
sfobfaining dogs. His offer was accepted
and he leftth vessel on the 22d Of Decem ;
Der with ssledge and nine dogs accompa-
MED by The Esquimeanx Hans, Intending
TO make 5he journey andaeturn during the
moonlight period then setting in. It is
NY adaduty to inform you that he died
while absent. 1t appears that from Hans
report, that the immediate cause of Mr..
Sontag's death was cold. Hans upon his
return stated that they travelled the first
day to Sutherland Island, where they en-
&nped in a snow hut, and were there de-
timed two days. Their next camp was at
Sosialik, . deserted Esquimaux station on
thscoast, fifteen miles below Cape Alex
audss, where they built another snow hut.
They. sst off next day directly for North
umberlsnd Island. The ice, although COW
essd With light snow, appeared TO be suffi-
GENTLY strong. Mr.. Sontag walked in ad,
vance Of the sledge, and when about five
miles from the land be came.ppouthip ice
and broke through. ss-.as5r
Hans sssistcd him out Of the water, and
Ag immediately put back for Sorfalik.
Bsfore that place was reached Mr.. ,Sontsg