Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-09
The Arctic Explorers.

Another expedition is on the eve of leaving
the United States, having for its object the dis
covery of the northwest passage and the open
Polar sea- Capt Halls agent in this city has
Oeen completely oVerrun With applications from
every conceivable source, from the modest APP
peal of a veteran tar to the urgent imp0rtuns
ties of an adventurous Broad street broker. He
has requested the writer, who has had several
years experience on similar adventure, to
state simply few of only the minor hardships,
&C., that will undoubtedly be encountered on
the expedition. AS is well known, Arctic nav
igation is beset with every imaginable difficulty
and danger. Besides the numberless perils to
be met with in forcing his way, against strong
tides and currents, through the heavy, thick.
ribbed ice of a centurys growth, the vOyager
will undergo almost Incredible suffering in his
first long winter, or prolonged night confined in
the narrow, dank atmosphere of ships fore
castle or cabin. Damp blankets, fetid woolens,
odoriferous furs, filthy Esquimaux, and myriads
Of unpleasant insects, who seem to have par.
ticular affinity for the Polar Indians, and who
will swarm the ship night and day, are among
the number of unpleasant experiences with
which his Arctic life will be marked.
Weeks before the long night has passed the
enRui will be almost unbearable. Inside he will
see in his companions a group of unhealthy
fattened faces, pale and detected, worn out with
long confinement, if not by the dread destroyer,
scurvy. Outside he will be met by the repusive
features of the Esquimaux, their still more
repulsive and disgusting modes of life, and the
neVer-ending line of ice and snow-vistas of
dazzling whiteness-whose monotOny alone be-
comes truly insupportable. In fact, there is
nothing so superatively solitary as the lonel-
ness of an Arctic scene. If the voyager wandeTs
from the vessel, lured perhaps by the keen
scented dogs who have probably uniced polar
bear, he is liable at any moment to encounter
q sudden northerly gale, or arctic Sirocco which
sweeps with the most impetuous fury across the
vast expanse of snow and ice, and, if not ac-
companied with a trustY guide, he inevitably
perishes with cold, or falls a victim to providing
bears and raveDous wolves. Most of these, in-
deed, are among the least of the perilS which
Capt Hall and his fellow voyagers will be
called upon TO undergo, and which will in
measure, prepare them before next summer for
their long, arduous and hazardous journey,
from the vessel nOrthward, over hummock after
hummock, from foe to foe, aiding, when they
are called upon, the half.famished dogs to drag
their heavy burdens.
In 1907 the Muscovy company of England sent
Capt. Hudson to endeavor to reach the North
Pole, but penetrating through an unusually
heavy barrier of 'pack ice" to Spitzbergen, he
went into winter quarters, and after repeated at
tempts to press northward over the ice, he at
last returned disguised From that time to the
present date-over two hundred and sixty years
almost countless have been the efforts in every
direction to reach what has been considered by
many the realms OF Utopia, and the voyage has
not yet been made. Parry left England in 1927,
in the HecLd and penetrated as high as eighty
onc degrees and forty minutes north. He twas
who first discovered the current from the Polar
Sea setting down through Baff1n's Bay to the
southwark. Kane, De Haven, Hartstein, Nc
Clure and Hays have since gone further and
have added much to the still scanty stock of the
knowledge of the icebOund land which we pos
sess. To Sir John Mcclure the world is I'M
doubtedly indebted for the discovery of the
northern passage through the Polar regions
from sea to sea. He entered Behring's straits on
the Pacific side, forced a passage through
Smiths sound, Baffin's bay, Davis straits, and
emerged, after twelve months Of almost inCred-
Bile adventure into the broad Atlantic. But,
DIR. j. j. Hayes, who succeeded to the mantle of
the lamented Kane, and who has won the right
to wear it by deeds even eXcelling those of his
predecessor, has so far Snatched more trophies
from the regions of eternal ice than any other
man living. He has, without a doubt pushed
nearest the pole, and has most enlarged
the worlds acquaintance with the Arctic lati-
itudes. Capt. Hall is an old Polar vOyager and
claims to have made some very successful ex-
plorationS in his travels in quest of the remains
of Sir John Franklin. He is perfect enthusiast
on his pet project, and it is said his long life
amid the incessant rigOrs of an Arctic climate
has rendered him, physically, eminently quail
he'd for the difficult task he is about to under
take.
The Polaris-the name of Capt Halls steam
10 INV ~ ing at lHc w navy yhTQs
The work upon her has been almost completed
and this week she will commence taking in her
stores and supplies, which are all ready for her.
She will sail from Washington about the 18th of
this month, and will touch at New York for
number of gentlemen who go out as attaches to
the scientific corps. The Polaris will be an
chored OFF Castle Garden until the 25th of May
the day appointed for her final departure from
the United States.
Whether one of the greatest triumphs of skill
and daring in modern ages is to be achieved by
Capt. Hall, it is impossible, now even to sur
mise; but that all who have pledged themselves
to follow his fortunes for the next five years are
true and tried men, there cannot be any doubt.
Perhaps the Polaris and Capt. Hall NAV have
the good luck to succeed. At any rate, he
leaves Americas shores under better auspices,
as far as material aid from the government is
concerned, than any American expedition has
yet been fortunate enough to carry with it,
Nelo York Times.