The New York herald., 1873-06-20

return In the Autumn. lt rs possible that the
Polaris may be able to return without assistance.
bur she remains within the Arctic circle and is
not sound in her hull, with little fuel and with
many precious lives on board, and with the
records and collections Of her cruise in their pos
session. we are unanimously OF opinion that this
possibility Aould not be assumed, and that
SUITABLE VESSEL
should as soon as possible be procured and sent in
search OF her to render her return as certain
and speedy as may be. while suitable vessel
constructed and fitted for voyage amongst the
ice, Is getting ready. We believe 1t would be well
to despatch such naval vessel may be available
TO carry forward proper supplies OF coal and pro-
visions for the relief expe iition to inform the au
thoritiss OF Greenland OF the condition Of afairs;
TO gather all possible information nom them and
the Esquimaux OF the coast. and, II possible, by
means OF the latter to send some intimation Of
speedy relief to the officers and crew OF the Ice
bound ship.
From the testimony 1t appears that every pos
sible opportunity was embraced by the members
OF the Scientific Corps OF the expedition TO carry
out the instructions given, the only direction in
which there seems to have been partial failure
being in reference to the use OF the Photographic
apparatus and the dredge. This, however, was
due to the absence Of suitable apparatus or to
some insurmountable impediment at the time,
while the records Of the Astronomical, meterolo-
gical, magnetical. tidal and other departments OF
the exploration appear to have been extremely
full and the observations In each appear to have
been conducted according to approved methods.
THE COLLECTIONS NATURAL HISTORY
shown to have been not less extensive. the
storerooms Of the Polaris being filled with skins
and skeletons OF musk, oxen, bears and other
animals; different species OF birds and their eggs
narin I'M rfahr yNta hath
recent and fossil; minerals, &c. Not the least In
terestng Of these collections are specimens OF
drift wood, picked up on near the shores ofNew-
mans Bay and Polars Bay, among which
Mr.. Meyer thought he recognized dis
tinctly the walnut, the ash and the
pine. Among the numerous facts that
appear to be shown by the testimony elected on
the examination we may mention as one OF much
interest," that the dip OF the needle amounted to 45
degrees and It's deviation to 90 degrees being less
than at Port Foulke and Rensselaer, Harbor. as
given by DR.. Kane and DR.. Hayes. Auroras were
frequent, but by no means brilliant generally
quite light and consisting sometimes Of one
arch and sometimes OF several. streamers were
quite rare. Only IN one instance, in Feb
ruary, 1872, did the Aurora appear OF distinct
rosy red. This was forebOded in the morning from
eight to ten O'Clock by very decided disturbance
OF the magnetic needle. Shooting stars were so
constantly seen that although no special shower
was observed, 1t was scarcely possible look
at the starlit sky without noticing them In d.
rection another, The rise and fall OF the tides
were carefully observed, the average being abou
five and onehalf feet. The greatest depth OF water
noted was about one hundred fathoms. The cx-
istence Of constant current southwark was no.
ticed by the expedition, Its rapidty varying with
the season and locality.
THE WINTER TEMPERATURE
was found to be much milder than was expected,
the minimum being lfty-eight degrees below zero
In January, although March proved to be the cold
est month. The prevailing winds were from the
northeast although there were occasionally tenn
pest from the southwest. High winds were
noticed, however, from all points Of the compass.
Rain was occasionally observed-only on the land,
however, the precipitation presenting itself over
the Ice in the form of snow. During the Summer
the extent OF both low lands and elevations were
bare Of snow and ice excepting patches here
and there in the shade or the rocks. The
soil during this period was covered with more or
less dense vegetation Of moss with which several
Arctic plants were interspersed, some OF them Of
considerable beauty, but entirely without scent,
and many small willows scarcely reaching the dig
nifty OF shrubs. The rocks noticed were OF schis-
tOus or slate nature, and In some instances con-
tanned fossil plants. specimens OF which were col
lected. Distinct evidences OF former glaciers were
in localities bare of ice. these indications
consisting in the occurrence OF terminal and lat
eral moraines
ANIMAL LIFE
was found to abound, musk and oxen being shot
at intervals throughout the Winter, their food
sisting OF the moss and other vegetation obtained
during the season by scraping or the snow with
their hoofs. Wolves. also bears and foxes and
re-
ducks and other water fowls, including plover and
other wadng birds, abounded during the sum-
mer, although the species OF land birds were COM
paratlvely few, including, however, as might have
been expected, q large number OF penn
mcan, or snow partridge. No mention
is made by the rescued party OF the
existence OF hawks and owls. No fish were seem
although the net and lines were frequently called
into play in attempting to obtain them. The
waters, however were found filled to an extra
ordinary degree with marine invcrtebrata, includ-
ing Jelly fish and shrlmps. 1t was believed by the
party that the seals depend upsn the latter for
their principal subsistence. the seals themselves
being very abundant. Numerous insects were OBJ
served also, especially several species OF butter
flies, specimens OF which were collected; also flies,
bees ana insects or like character.
THE GEOGRAPHICAL RESULTS
OF the Polaris expedition, SO far as they can now
be ascertaned from the testimony OF Messrs.
Tyson, Meyer and their comrades, may be summed
up briefly as foows:-The open Polar Sea, laid
down by Kane and Hayes, is found to be in reality
q sound Of considerable lenghth, formed by the
somewhat abrupt expansion OF Kennedy channel
to the northward and broken by Lady Franklin's
Bay on the west and on the east by large inlet
twenty miles wide at the opening and certainly
extending far inland. Its length was not
ascertained and Mr.. Meyer thinks 1t may
be, In fact, strait extending till 1t
communicates with the Francis Joseph Sound
OF the Germania and Hansa expedition, and with 1t
dednn the northern limits OF Greenland. This
inlet was called the Southern Flord North Of IL
on the same side Is the indentation OF the shore
called POlaris Bay by CAPTAIN Hall where the