Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-05-16
TsxE .sHCrrC ExPRDETION
DEATH OF CAPT. IIALL-THE PoLARIs LEFT
WITH HALF HER GREW.

The steamer Walrus arrived at the port
of 81. Johns, N. f., from the seal fishery
on Friday, May 9th bringing nows that
the steamer Tieress had come into Bay
Roberts, IS miles from st. Johns, having
on board 10 survivors of Capt. Halls Ar
tic expedition, who were taken off from
an iceberg on the 30th of April, in latitude
SO degrees 30 seconds, after having spent
1876 days on the foe.
This party, which had been landed from
the Polaris, were driven from her by a
gale which burst her moorings on the 18th
of October, 1872, in latitude ~ degrees 35
seconds. When they last saw the Polaris
she was under steam and canvas, making
for a halbor on the east side of Northum-
berand island. She had no boats left of
he six which she took with her from New
York. Two were lost in northern expe-
diton, two were landed on the ice with
Capt. Tyson's party, ono was burnt as fire.
wood TO make water for the crew, and the
other is on board the Tigress. The Polaris
was in command Of Capt Buddington, who
had thirteen of the crew along with him.
and a plentiful stock of provisions. She
was making good deal OF water but was
not moro lcaky than all tho previous fall
and winter. Her bow was somewhat dam
aged, and it is the opinion of the survivors
that they will be unable to get clear until
July, and even then, if the ship is unsea-
worthy, they would have TO make new
boats to effect an escape.
The Polaris started from New York har-
Dor, June %, 1871, and arrived on the 18th
of July at st. Johns, n. f., where a short
stop was made. The expedition reached
IIolsteinburg, Greenland, July 81, and the
latest intelligence received from it before
the news of this misfortune was letter
from Capt Hall written at Tassac, Green
land, August 2i, 1871.
CAPT. TYsoN's STORY OF THE DISASTER.
The following statement is furnished by
Capt. Tyson, one of the rescued party:
On the oath of August, 1871, we left Tes-
sinsack and went through Smiths sound.
We succeeded in getting as far north as
latitude 50 degrees, 16 seconds, when we re-
turned and wintered at Polaris bay, lati-
tudc 81 degrees, 30 seconds, longitude 81
degrees, If seconds. We were frozen up
until the 5th Of September. On the 10th
of September, Capt. Hall started on sledge
journey north, and returned on the 9th,
when he was taken sick and died on the
Sth of November. He was buried on the
nth. The attack that carried him off was
said to be apoplexy. We passed the win
ter at Polaris bay. On the Sth of June, 1872,
we attempted to reach the north with two
boats. We hauled our other boat on shore
and returned overland on the sth of July.
We started for home on the 10Th of August,
and on the 18th were beset with ice in lati-
tude so degrees, seconds. We drilted
from there down TO latitude II degrees,
80 seconds, when we encountered a heavy
southwest gale, the ship being under heavy
pressure. On the night of the 18th we COM
menccd landing provisions, etc, on the ice,
the vessel being reported leaking very bad
ly at times. We continued landing pro-
visions for two or three hours when the
pressure ceased. | went on board the YES
sci and asked the sailing master if tho YES
sci was making any more water than usual.
lie reportc that she was not. l then went
to the pumps and ascertained that she was
not making any more than she was doing
all summer.
| went on the ice again and shortly after
ii began 10 crack, and in n few minutes af
terward broke in many places. The vessel
broke from her lastenngs, and was soon
lost to sight in the darkness and storm.
On the broken ice were most of our pro-
visions to sustain the party through the
winter, and, seeing nothing of the vessel,
we attempted TO reach the shore, in hopes
of finding natives to assist us in living
through the winter. Getting about half
way TO the shore with our heavily laden
boats, our progress became hard by the
drifting ice, and | was compelled to haul
on the ice again. At this time, l succeed
cd in saving fourteen cans of pemmican,
eleven and half bags Of bread, ten dozen
one and two-pound cans of meat and soup,
fourteen hams, one small bag of chocolate,
weighing twenty pounds; some musk-ox
skins, a few blankets, a number of rifles
and abundant ammunition. In the morn
ing, knowing that l la / not provisions e.
nougn and other articles of food, clothing,
compasses, ETC., on the abatement of the
gale l endeavored to shoot as many seals
as possible, both for food, light and fuel,
but could only get three, owing to bad
weather having set in. l supposed the
wind TO be about southwest.
On its clearing up found myself within
about eight miles of what supposed to be
the east coast, and about 80 or 40 miles be-
low the ship. The ice being weak, l could
not transport boats and provisions to land
until it grew stronger. While here / dis
covered my other boat, bread, etc, and
. saved all. The ice grew ii rm. l made
another attempt TO reach the shore, carry
ing everything in the boats and dragging
them on their kcels. The ice being exceed
ingly rough we stove both boats. We sue
ceeded on the lst of November in getting
about half way to the shore. Night came
on US and very stormy weather. In Tho
morning the ice was broken, and we were
drifting southwark very fast.
We saw no more land for many days,
bad weIther continuing all through tn,
month of November. We built snow house,
and made ourselves rs comfortable as W,
could. We were ten white men, two Es
quimaux, two women and five children il
all. We succeeded in killing few seals
which furnished MS with light and fuel to
warm our scanty allowance OF food through
the darkness of the Arctic winter In tn,
latter part of February we lived principal
~ upon birds, and in March commenced
to catch seals. Through that month W,
supported ourselves on bears aud seals
flesh, wasting neither skin nor entrails
We collected enough food in this way Il
last us until the middle Of May, had W.
not been driven 10 sea by a strong weSlerl,
gale in the latter part Of March, our flo
piece being then reduced from five mile
In rirrnln In re nnn In ahnui DO Nnrla in iii