National Republican., 1873-12-02

bon and examined BY myself and the sam
associates as on the former occasion. Await
ing the return Of the three remaining persons
this investigation has not been completed a
yeti and tho report is withheld until an oppor
tunlty offers 70 do 90, when Il will be sub
mtted and printed.
expedition which will bc prepared 10 due tim
for publication, to the scientific history o
the results obtained In that department, an,
70 tho map In course Of construction, mus
leave the full development Of all matters con
nected with this most Interesting yoyag
nag Of tho United States.
may, however. state 10 general terms tha
the cruise OF the Polnris has been decidedly
the most successful Of Arctic expeditions
The geographical knowledge Of the Arcti,
regions has becn largely advanced. Tho shiT
from New York, attained the latitude OF 8:
deg. 10 min. uorth--a position far beyond th,
limits OF ell previous navigation toward the
pole, and tho exploration Of Captain Hal
and OF the officers, and Of the scientific gen,
tlemen upon the land, have all that singular
Interest which accompanies the examination
man.
Tho only death which occurred during the
expedition, from first 70 last, was that Of liz
Sc.nm"uuoit Ouptutn Onhfles n HAL.
A very particular questioning Of every one
% ne onicers and crew Of the Polaris and Of
tne scientific corps (oxcept the three persons
Us yct uneramined) has completely satisfied
ny associates and myself that his death oc-
ourree from purely natural causes; that his
niedicM treatment was judIciously adapted
70 his case, And that he was tendorly nursed
and cared Tor to the Last.
lhe evidence has also made Il manifest
hhat captain Hall was always faithful TO the
arsst ycposed In him In assigning him TO tho
Sopnand Of the expedition that he was
MD, nrm and humane In, the exercise Of his
authority; that ho wns earnest In his desire
and In his attempts to reach a high northern
latitude, and, II practicable, tho pole itself,
and that bis untlmely death was aD irrepara-
bic loss 70 the expedition.
II Is also apparent that Captain Budding
tho death Of Captain Hall, proved himself to
he good seaman, and that In all the dan
gerous positions In which tho Polarls was
placed, hls. conduct as her commander was
skillful and judiclous, the natural result Of o
good Judgment and OF long experience at sea
and In command In northern latitudeJ.
The domestic history OF the expedition, a.
deyeloped by Investigations, was, on the
wholc, rs harmonious as might have been
expected. Obedience was maintained, and
good order was generally preserved on board.
Tho ship horself proved to be exceedingly
pressure OF Ice. Had she been Of less strength
bhe would have bceu crushed and wrecked on
occasions prior TO October 10, 1879. The tes-
tlmouy Is clear and unanimous on this sub.
jsctp and Is also conclusive on another vital
point poll , that she was well found In provisions
machinery was in good order when she was
run aground on tho 10th OF October, 1874 the
day alter she broke adrft from the ice-noe.
Iheinjuries shc received on the night Of the
18th OF October, In addition to former hurts.
proved fatal and she was with great difficulty
kept anoat until sho could be beached on the
next afternoon. During that day. notwiih-
standing that q lookout was kept for the
missing people upon the Ice, nothing was seen
of them from the ship; and II they had been
seen she could not have gone 10 their rescue.
The Polarls was beachcd In u sinking con-
ditlon at Life-boat cove, near Littloton Island,
~ latitude Is deg. 20 min., a place visited by
Kane and Hayes In former years.
Friendly Esqulmaux soon made their ap-
pcarancc with dogs and sleds and aided
greatly In Transporting stores from the ship
to the shorc, and kindly relations were kept
up with these people TO the last.
Constructing house out OF material sup
piled by the Polarls, the winter aud spring
were passed In comparative comfort. When
the sun appeared in February the building Of
boats from the planks Of the Polaris was be
gun, and tney were completed In time for the
records aud specimens they could carry, Us
soon as the state Of tho Ice would permit
On tho 3D. OF juno last they abandoned
their house, leaving nothing la 1t Of any value
whatever, and after IN adventurous, but not
very dangerous voyage of twonty days, were
picked up BY the R,yenscrag, AS before stated.
SEARCH ron THE roLARIs.
The rescue OF portion Of the officers and
crew OF the Polaris and their return to St.
Johns N. f., by the Tigress, whalcr Of the
Arevc seas, and through whom intelligence
o5 the disaster to tho Polar expedition and OF
the death Of its commander was received,
gave hope that, although perilously situated,
the remainder of tho officers and crew, and
the vessel Itself, might, by prompt measures,
10 restored TO their friends aud country. As
soon, therefore, as all necessary facts and
Information could be obtained. steps were
taken to send out Immediately an expedition
70 search for the vessel and party. The
Tigross, which was well suited for such q
purpose, far more so than any vessel we
Possessed, was procured for this service,
brought to New York, and equipped, OIL
cered, and manned as soon rs possible. At
the same time the Juniata was made ready
20 proceed to the coast Of Greenland and
facilitate the movements of the Tigress, BY |
carrying coal and other supplies, for which |
tho latter had not sufficient capacity, and
prosecute the search herself as far as was
for Arctic navigation. Commander ID. l.. |
Braine was In command Of the Junlata, and
Commander James A. Greer was assigned to |
the command OF the Tlgress.
The orders TO the Tlgress wcro 10 make her |
way, II necessary, by every means possible,
aud In the face Of every danger, to the spot
where the Polaris was last seen, those TO the
Junlata, which vessel was not so well fitted
TO encounter tho Ice, were 10 advance no
further In that direction than she could do
without incurring more than ordinary risk
asps object = STs Tss orsfs
In each case were promptly and ably exc |
cuted, and on this hazardous and laborious
service the officers and men exhibited COM |
mendable zeal and energy. The movements
and proceedings OF the vessels and comman-
ders were as follows
Tho Juniata, Commander ID. l.. Braine |
commanding, which sailed from New York
June "a for the Arctic regions In search OF
the Posaris, returned to that port October "a.
Some necessary changes were made In her
condition, such Us the reduction Of her arma-
ment and complement Of men, the sheathing
capacity and strengthen her to- contend
against the Ice. She was coaled TO the utmost
10 supply the Tigress and meet her own con-
sumption, and after q rather hazardous pas-
cage, amidst fogs and icebergs, reached Fisk
On tho way at St. Johns, N. +. She con-
unued her voyage along the coast to the
northward, stopping at Sukkertoppen and
Holsteinborg, at which latter place the ne
eessary dogs skins, Sc, for the use Of tho
Ofiicers and men of the Tlgress, were pro-
cured, aud reached Godbaven, Island Of
Disco, July 81. Leaving there July 30, she
pushed on through innumerable iceIergs and
rocks, and arrived at Upernavlk July 81, at
which port the governor stated that within
hisN recollection of over thlrty-hyo yoars no
vessel Of half the size Of the Junlata had
ever been.
From this place the steam launch Little
Jnniata, under command OF Lieutenant Com
manding George w. De Long, with other
officers and men, all volunteers for the occa-
sion, equipped with sixty days provisions
and fifteen days coal, sailed August
for Cape York, In search Of the Polarls
and her crew, performing ono Of the most
extraordinary voyages on record, and return
lug August u. 0f'Tesslusak she communi-
Gated with the Tigress. August 10 the Juni-
alta left Uppernayik and proceeded south to
Godhavn TO meet the Tigress, which had been
previously supplied and coaled. The time
hero waiting tho arrival OF tho Tigrcss, or
news from her, was probably spent In
searching for coal. The whale-6oat and the
launch were employed In this service, under
romDetant 0fficnrs and several yeins of coal