Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-10-14
Captain Hall, and What he Did anu saw
in the Arctic Regions.

Capt. Hall IS Soou speciuieh VI "u
ly hardy, and unpretentious sailor, VINO
talks in simple, straightforward. manner
about his experience, and makes light OF
having spent above five years within the
frozen circle of the Arctic zone. .He looks
stout and hearty, and apparently none the
worse for his rough experience. IL may
seem strange, after such long absence,
that he is eager to return to the scene OF
his adventures; yet he expresses strong
hopes to start next year on an expedition
in search of the North Pole.
He is accompanied by three EsqulmauXI,
husband with his wife and adopted child,
who bear the English names OF Joe, Han
nah, and Silvia. They understand our
language, having visited this country at
the time Capt Hall was last here, and are
pleasant and intelligent looking persons.
They are w-browed small eyed, th;ck-set,
with straight hair, and chubby, ungraaeiul
forms, characteristic of their race, and
quite different from our idea Of beauty.
They resemble somewhat the lower class
of German and Irish emigrants, and are
also a little like the Chinese in appearance.
They enjoy civilized life very much, and
are quite pleased to make second visit to
the United States. The climate is
rather unsuited to their constitutions and
usual mode of life, but they soon get ac-
customed to it,
The Captain gave vivid description of
his experience within the Attic circle, and
his life among the Esquimaux. The
largest body of the latter he ever saw col
lected together was only 1876 This was at
a little village near Repulse Bay, and was
a rather unusual circumstance. The soil
tary nature of the life led by the explorers
may therefore be imagined. All alone
in the frozen waste, with hardly a
living thing to be met with; living like
moles, in underground houses, with dogs
and Esquimaux, so huddled together that
the human could scarcely be distinguished
from the brute shut out from all inter-
course with the outer world, excepting the
scraps of news brought at long intervals
by passing whale ships; such an existence
only varied by occasional expeditions into
,he interior on sedges drawn by dogs, can
hardly be called endurable, let alone pleas
ant. Yet Capt. Hall did not complain of
the life.
After his arrival there he found, as did
lso his Esquimaux companions who had
visited this country with him, that it was
rather hard at first to return to their old
habits, but in time he got accustomed to it,.
odd you eat raw meat, Captain ?"
ooh, yes, most of the time. We some
times had it cooked, but usually liked it
better raw You've no idea how good it is
that way In fact, for that country raw
meat is almost indispensable, though, |
don't think it would hardly do in this
climate"
Is it true that the Esquimaux like it
best when it is tainted2"
Yes, and the more so the better. When
meat has just been killed, and is fresh, it
isn't good, but when it has got to smell
quite bad and especially after it has been
frozen, then it tastes a great deal better.
Are not the Esquimaux very dirty
people ?"
"Well, yes, it must be admitted they
are-but then their mode of life has much
to do with this They have great trouble
to get water enough to drink except on
the sea-shore, and the means of preserving
cleanliness are limited"
How do you find the change to this
country affects you?"
"Oh! very much Pm all upset and
can't do anything steadily. The food is
so different, and there is so much noise
everywhere, and feel the change in the
air greatly, 1t is very close and hot here.
Why, when | first got on ship-board to
come home, after being so much in the
open air, could hardly sleep at night,
and find it hard to do so now"
what do you think caused the loss of
Sir John Franklin's company"
Treachery, sir; they were deserted by
the natives, and left without fresh pro.
visions or means Of getting them. But
for this some of them might have been
saved"
"What is the result of your researches
in relation to franklin"
Briefly this: We have settled beyond
doubt that Franklin actually discovered
the Northwest Passage. On his previous
voyages he had sailed eastward as far as
Cape Herschell, and now we have shown
that he reached the same point going
westward and thus completed the chain
of communication. To him, therefore,
belongs the honor Of having made the dis
coyery, though Capt Mcclure has re-
ceived the reward offered by the British
Government to the person who should
succeed in the effort
Are you satisfied with this RESULT"
Well yes; considering how much we
| did, it is useless to think of how much
more might have been accomplished. II
the EsquimauX who went with me
had not been so timid, or if | had had Il
body of resoute white men to back me,
think might have gone on. We were
lucky enough to meet with and capture a
herd Of seyenty.nine musk oxen and sew.
I enteen reindeer, which would have been
sufficient provision for amonth, and would
have allowed us to explore much further
but the EsquimauX were afraid OF some
hostile tribes of natives in the vicinity
and absolutely refused to go on
Did you have any great obstacle to
contend with? 2"
Yes; during the first three years We
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