The Portland daily press., 1868-01-08
miscellany.



Henry Gginnell, Esq, has received pri-
vate letter from Captain Richard Wells, OF
the steamship Arctic, Dundee, giving some
interesting facts relating to the open Polar
Sea first seen by Morton on the second Kane
expedition, and subsequently, by DR.. Hayes
in his voyage to the Arctic Regions. The fol-
lowing is portion of the letter:
Passed Conical Island June 10Th, 1867.
there being SO much ice, and made fast for a
short time to the land Ice off Petowack glac.
ier, where we rode out of gale wind from S.
S. W., by compass; then we steamed close
along the land. there being no land foe.
Passing Cape Atholl within two ships lengths
two natives came on board. Then got into
the open water, passing between rocks Dali
rymple and Arrabella, then steamed to the
westward, but found the ice impenetrable
Carey Island in sight, Took the edge ice,
which leo us once more back to the main
land. Went ashore at Cape Perry and saw
open water to the north OIL Halkeyt Island.
Made fast to land ice on Whale Sound, and
had seven natives on board from NetiiK
Next day steamed past Hakleyt Island with
in quarter oil a mile of it got into open wa
ter and steered west (true.) No ice to be seen
from the masthead 10 the north. off Smith
Sound and Talbot and Cadogan inets found
very heavy ice, the pack damned tight upon
it and impenetrable. To the soutward made
fast to this westand foe, and saw numerous
white whales, bears, seals unicorus and wal
rus, then sailed north in search of fish, the
land in sight high and bold on both sides.
Continued north until we opened out Smith
Sound. Humboldt glacier being In sight from
the mast head. hen we tackled to come to
the southwark, there was no indication of ice
to the northward. Sky blue and watery, and
only Jew small streams ot light ice to be seen
( We were then, to the best Of my belief (no
observation having been taken) about seven
~ nine degrees north. Stood to the south
ward to attempt a passage TO Ponds Bay
and was for several days lodging about in
this north water, A heavy breeze from the
north, which raised a considerable sea, so
heavy that we were compelled to twist our
boats close up, and / believe that, had we
not been upon whaling voyage, we should
have met with no difficulty in attaining to al
most any extreme northern latitude This
report has been declared by me, and to it
append my signature this 10Th day OF Novem-
Der, 1867.
At the time we were moored off Petowack
glacier the crew went ON shore to rookery
OF reaches and saw several deer, white hareS
and foxes; were within twenty yards of some
deer, they were SO tame. In passing Cape
Atholl with the ship L saw eight reindeer
from the masthead, and cluster OF white
IdiCo dllu lOAcS were seen daily un-
on the ice. There was a land foe north of
Petowack glacier, it having decayed away.
North Star. Bay was clear OF ice between Cape
Athol and Wolstenholm Island rotten and
very much decayed, the ship steaming easily
through rotten foes. The ice upon the east
side, excepting in Whale Sound, appeared to
have decayed away and parted from the land
as far as the glass would carry land would offer
no impeachment 10 the progress of any steam
whaer