The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-03-08
ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS.


A Lecture by DR.. Hayes In BrSolxlyn.
last evening at the Packer Institute very large aud
ence assembled to hear lecture BY Dr.. Hayes, the
Arctic explorer on The various enterprises which have
had in view the discovery the open Polar sea- and
the numerous objects OF scientific interest which osy
been elected by such voyages The lecture Vas 10 have
been read At Of the Long Iiand Historicaj
Society," but owing to the large nupers who attended
adjourned to the more cohmodous chapel OF the
Packer Institute The following is a summary Of the
leoture:-
The Arctic regions OF the earth have from the re-
hottest time been regarded with that vague
and wonder which are ever associated with the
cessible and unknown. From the period when the
Grecan poets first dreamed OF land beyond the
tans whose inhabitants dwet in everlasting bliss and
spring time, to day, when vast seas covered
with Ice and rugged lands clothed with frost and snow
leave TO the imagination nothing unsupped that ~
necessary complete picture OF boundess seriity-
the shadow Of mystery has hung the hyberborean
Arctic Now / need hardly say that the great
obstacle to the successful navigation of the Arctic
and the accomplishment of passage across it TO the
Indies is the ice which everywhere abounds presenting
q barrier thus far as impossible 10 ships the
Chinese wall to Tartar horsemen. The formation
and movement and change which is constantly
taking place in this great ice barrier is an
interesting subject OF physical inquiry; but the time
will not admit OF very elaborate discussion Of IT, The
ice OF which is composed embraces kinds-that
which is formed upon the land and discharged into
the in those giant masses known cebergs, AMI
that which is formed upon surface the sea- and
which is usually known as foe or field ice II is this
latter which presents the chief obstacle navigation
The cebergs for the most part readily avoided but
the field ice, moving and changing with the winds
and currents and seasons is everywhere met and is
everywhere an embarrassing and dangerous obstacle.
or course the outline of this ice barrier cannot be de-
And here first observe the influence Of the
and direction Of The Gulf stream-as It passes
northward through the Atantic-pourius the
curren. is not expended in the basin Of the Atlantic II
enters tho Arctic Ocean eastward OF spitzbergen, be-
tween sptzbergen and Norway. and then merges with
the system OF circump0lar currents OF which have
yet to confess much ignorance Still are sufficiently
acquainted with the flow of establish posi-
Of the whole. Our knowledge has steadily. ad-
vanced, and these convergng lines of exploration
you win observe that the UNEMPLOYED area about
the pole had become comparatively small, and
there seemed now to be reasonable chance
that the very pole itself might be stormed ana
captured with the next adventure. And now ii was
that my own little enterprise into the field and
this will briefly invite your attention The expe-
diton was very small one and was then, when
we set out in $780, thought to he, perhaps, only pre-
limnary to more ENLARGED schemes The vessel in which
we sailed small schooner of hundred and
thirty tons burdenlittle than half the size OF
those little yachts which recently made such good
vded by enterprsng and public spirited citizens or
Boston, its stores and other equipments including scen-
tfc apparatus by various scientific societies. conspicu
among which the American Geographical and
Statistical Society of New York while my own share
oce and crew. which crew consisted " foup
teen persons, six Of whom served without pay
We trpped our anchor In boston harhor the
7th day Of july 1880 and made tho most direct course
for the Greenland coast will not lay heavy tag
upon your patience as 70 ask you to follow me in detail
through the varying fortunes of the cruise Suffice IT,
therefore, to observe that within nine weeks from
time Of leaving Boston found ourselves the north.
coast Of Greenland little less than twelve degrees
Of latitude from the North pole that latitude IS
degrees II mnutesl thvosand miles beyond the
est outpost of Christian settlement firmly locked up in
the thick POLAR ice while the sinking out sight
beneath the Southern the long gloomy polar
winter settling over us as dark and heavy cloud
v0rv
Encounters with cebergs and drifting ice fields and
gales had made sad work with little vessel. She
had been terribly cut up and had endured more than
tine usual share OF danger for those danger
navigation and that the winter in closing about
would have gone down almost as badly rddIcd BY the
ice fields the Alabama by the broadsides Of tho
Kearsarge. The chief harm had come to her while
were endeavoring to Smiths Sound, through .
huge ice park, which, tearing along with the current
vice. lifting us bodily from the sea ana pushing us up in
the midst OF crumbng mass OF Ice. threatening all
wn sHe oe vessel s S
We we're glad enough away from the Of the
conflict and like the wounded soldier dragging himself
from the battle field, to find place Of safety and har.
Dor for the winter Our preparations for the winter
schooners deck covered over with house made Of
boards which We had taken fer that purpose and
against her sides the ice and piled up as
thor protection against the cold; and with abundant
food and sufficient fire we lived through the winter in
sight behind The southern ss s ON ne
sn ssa ou! months Prior seen 'ss 81.
steady growth or darkness The sun does mot set in the
Arctic regions as It does here From day to day sinks
lows upon its lenethening shadow This journey con-
WINGED me that there reasonable proba-
bily Of my being able 70 penetrate the south bound
pack late in the summer with the schooner but unhap-
PLY when We came 70 repair her. IL was found that
could ourselves TO the Ice without the alb
solute certainty Of being sunk BY il Accordingly
resolved TO return home, rcft the vessel add steam
power and renew the attempt in the following year.
With this view deposited considerable portion Of my
and set anoat stood southwark. Hating
by the way We made . complete exploration Of Whale
OF the Danish stations in Greenland engaged several
hunters 70 accompany north tho following spring,
% %
entertained and plans laid in ignorance the
happy events which had taken place ct homo and
great civil war; and when length reached the port
from which had sailed found neither inclination nor
impulse al hs or the uoa
and remained in the service until time after the
close Of the war tAppause) And nov that moro
something cold But stin t is improbable that TIE
scheme will be resumed during the coming year. and
cesful issue Ny views are IN no respect changed and
although IL s not probable that the field presents any
p.,., % ys oc M inc y
until the whole surface OF the earth s brought within
our knowledge; until these twin SISTERS Of progress
completely and shall have penetrated lie rsnotsst
quartera And under their guidance hope yet 70 SEQ
). %: %
shall hope to BE- its bearer. (Appausc)
On the part Of the society Judge Lucisn Birdssye
turs At s concuson and proposed vote Of thanks 70
The lecturer, which was passed
MIsCEhLANEOUs.