Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21

IIcu lldlI lIOIH NEW lAOHuOu OH nlk
first arctic voyage. Captain Bud.
ington is wonderful rifle c-shot, and
can with q bullet cut the string by
which a weight may be suspended
from the end of the mainyard. Mr..
II. G. Chester, the first mate, is a
native of the village Of Noank, near
New London, Connecticut. He is
of y splenid physique, and is, prob
ably, the strongest man on board.
lie has spent ten years whaling, in
arctic waters, and formed Captain
Halls acquaintance on the vessel
which carried the explorer a second
time toward the pole. Mr.. Chester
is the wit of the expedition, and
will act as theatrical manager on
board. He is musician, and per-
forms finely on the violin, the cabi-
net organ, the banjo, and several
other instruments. Mr.. William
Morton, the second mate, probably
enjoys with the public wider ac-
quaintancc than either of his SEN
iors in rank. He is a native of
Ireland, and has passed thirty
years in the naval service Of the
United States. While with Kane's
expedition he had the honor of dis
covering the open polar sea; and on
this journey he proved his capacity
by completing some valuable sur
veys Of his route, which afterward
Hays found to be perfectly correct.
He served in the navy during our
entire war, and was with Farragut
at New Orleans. DIR. Kane pro-
nounced Morton as gallant and
trustworthy man Gas ever shared
the fortunes or claimed the graft
tude of commander" Emil Schu-
mann and John Wilson, the cngin-
GERS, are men thoroughly competent
for their work, theoretically and
practically. The former has held a
responsible position with the Lloyd
Steamship Company, and the latter
has served twenty years on New
York tug-boat. Both accompany
the expedition from an ambition to
reach the pole. The crew is COM
posed OF nine men, and there are,
besides, carpenter, steward, cook,
and two tiremcn. Several of these
men served in the Union army dur
ing the late war; and Captain Bud
ington is delighted with their sea-
manlike appearance and knowledge
of "where to take hold of rope"
Captain Halls faithful Esquimaux
friends, Joe and Hannah, with their
little adopted daughter, Silvic, are
well known to the public. They
came from the Innuit aristocracv,
have once paid visit to England,
and been presented to the Queen,
and both are well acquainted with
the English language. Joe has been
q fam Gus hunter in Esquimaux land,
and is anxious to again visit his ice
bound hunting fields. Hannah, who
appears very modest, swect-tem-
pcred lady loves civilization best,
and hopes, this expedition over, to
pass quiet life in the United States.
Silvie will be the pet of all on board,
and is bright little miss Of per-
haps seven years.
The scientific work Of the cxpedi-
ton has been prescribed (as direct
ed by the Congressional act organi-
zing the expedition ''in accordance
with the advice of the National
Academy Of Sciences" DR.. Emil
Bessels, selected as the chief of the
scientific corps, and also to act as
medical officer, is 4 German by birth,
and student Of Heidelberg. He is
an accomplished zoologist, botanist,
and photographer. lie accompan-
led the German exploring steamer
-1ideyf on her tri j to the north OF
Spitsbergen, and but for the war
would have sailed in the new Ger
man expedition, whose preparation
was abandoned on account of the
war. Dir. Besscls served six months
rs surgeon in the Prussian army
during the late war. He comes
highly recommended to the commit
tee of the National Academy. In a
y letter from Germany to Captain
Hall DR.. Bessels says, SIT is no love
of adventure, promise of reward, or
desire to roam which prompts me
to make such voyage, but an ear
nest desire to be useful to science"
DR.. Bessels speaks several Ian
guagcs, and English quite well.
The scientific corps Of the expedi-
ton will be completed by the addi-
tion of an astronomer and mctcorol-
ogist. At the time Of writing the
former position is not filled; but ap-
plication has been received from a
gentleman in West Chester, Penn
sylvania, graduate of Lafayette
College, of Easton, who will accom-
pany the expedition should the com
mittcc Of the National Academy ap-
prove. Sergeant Fred Mycr, of the
Signal Corps, United States army,
will join the scientific corps as me-
tcorologist. lie has fine record
in his corps, and is classed as one
of It's experts. ..7
In addition to the scientific rec
ord, each member of the expedition
who is competent is directed to keep
a journal of the voyage and its in
cidents, to be delivered, on the re-
turn of the vessel, to the secretary
of the Smithsonian Institute, to be
used in the preparation Of the histo-
ry of the expedition and its work.
The orders Of the Navy Depart
mcnt direct the expedition, on leav
ing New York, to proceed ria st.
Johns, Newfoundland, and Holstcin-
borg, Greenland, to the port Of Dis
co, Greenland. Here naval trans
port will supply the Poloris with
coal, additional supplies &c. Thence
Captain Hall passes northward,
along the coast of Greenland, to
Upernavik, where supply of dogs
is to be purchased. From this port
Captain Hall will make the best of
his way across Melville Bay to Cape
Dudley Diggs.
Batlin Bay, whose waters on the
east wash the unbroken shore line
of Greenland, is entered upon the
west by three great entrances-llud-
son Strait, Lancaster Sound, and