Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-02-15
The Open Polar Sea,

DR- HAYES, Ia a recent work de-
seribing his explorations IN the polar
regions, gives the following 'asooUnt Of
his discovery Of the wonderful aeslsss
ocean ID the vicinity Of the north pole
Standing against the dark sky at the
north, there was seen IN dim outline
the white slOpiDg summit OF a noble
headland, the most northern known
land on the globe. [ judged it to be
in latitude g deg. 30 min, OF $50 miles
from the North Pole.
Nearer, another bold cape stood
forth and neafef, still The headlaud
for which had been steering my
course the day. before. rose- majestic
ally from the sea, as if pushing up into
the very skies lofty mountain peak,
upon which the winter had dropped
its diadem of SHOWS There was no
land visible except the coast upon
which / stood.
The sea beneath me was 3 aFottled
sheet of white aud dark patches, these
latter being either soft deeaying ice or
places where the ice bad wholly dIsap-
Deared. These spots were heightened
in intensity of shade and multiplied in
size as they reeeded until the belt of
the wster-skV blended them all togetb
er into. one uniform color Of dark blue,
The old and solid hOes (sume q quar-
ter Of a mile, and Others miles, aCfOss)
and the massive ridges and wastes of
hammOcked ice which lay piled be-
tween them and around their margins,
were the only parts of the sea which
retained the whiteness and solidity of
winter.
All the evidences Showed that I
stood upon The shores of the Polar
Basin, and that the broad ocean lay at
my feet that the land upon which l
stood, eliminating in the distsnt cape
before me- was but APPOINT of land pro-
iecting far into it, ike the OeverrO
VostoohBei- Moss Of the opposite coast
Of Siberia and that the little margin
Of Ice which lined tue snore was being
steadily WDFn1 GTaEEsI and within q
mon th the whole sea would be as free
from ice as I had seen the north water
Of Bafin uninterrupted only BY a
moving pack- drifting to and fro at the
will of the winds and eur 6nts.
It now only remained for US to plant
our flag in token of our discovery, and
to deposit record IN proof of our
preseuces The flags were tied to the
Whip-lash, and suspended between two
tall rocks, and while We were building
caiFn, they were allowed TO hutter in
the breeze then tearing leaf from
my notebook, / wrote on It as follows:
This point, the most northern land
that has ever been reached, was visited
by the undersigned, May 1Sth-19th,
1851, accompanied by George Il. Knorr,
travelling with a dOg-sled. We arrived
here after t0ilsOme march of forty
six days from my winter haTbor, near
Cape Alexander, at the mouth of
Smith Sound My observations place
us In latitude 81 deg. 80 min, longitude
20 deg. 80 min, W. Our further pro-
gress was stopped by rotten ice aud
cracks. Kennedy Channel appears to
extend into the Polar Basin and sat
isfied that it is navigable in the months
of july, August and September, | go
hence to my winter harboT, to make
another trial to get through Smith
Sound with my vessel. after the ice
breaks up this summer
May 19r1ssl I I. HAYES.
This fecefd being carefully secured
in a small glass vial, which I
brought for the purpose, It was de-
posted beneath the CaIKu then cur
faces were turned h0meWards But I
QuIEbGQ Aaae pace WITH re- StuCGaUGe. AC
possessed afascin nation for me, and 1T was
with no ordinary sensations that con
templated my situation, with one soli-
tary companion, in that hitherto un-
trodden desert while my neaTness to
the earth's axis, the consciousness Of
standing upon land far beyond the
limits Of previous observation, the re-
hections which crossed my mind re-
specting the vast ocean which lay
spread out before me, the thought that
these iee-girdled waters might lash the
shores of distant islands where dwell
human beings Of an unknown race,
were circumstances calculated to in
vest the very air with mystery, to deep
en- the curiosity, and to strengthen the
resolution to persevere in my deter
mination to sail npon this sea and tc
explore its furthest limits and as
recalled the struggles which had been
made to reach this sea--thr0ugh the
ice and across the ice=bY generations
of brave men, IL seemed as If the spirits
III these Old Worthless came to encour-
age me, as their experience had already
guided me and I felt that I had with
IN my grasp the great and notable
thing" which had inspired the zeal Of
sturdy Frobisher, and that had
achieved the hope Of matchleBs Parry.