The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-05-20
The Career Of Cant. Hall.

The Career Of Capt. Hall,
Charles Francis Hall, whose life of ad.
venture and seltdevotion has closed un
der such melancholy circumstances, was,
like so many others who have attained
distinction, a.iative of New Hampshire
He received plain education, became
blacksmith, and after working several
years at his trade, he migrated to Cincin-
natl, where he opened store in station.
cry business. in Fourth street, near Main.
After while he issued a shall circular
called the Occasional, and next founded
the Penny Press. He parted with his in
terest in the latter to j. D. Caldwell and
A. W. Francisco, who afterward trans
ferred it to Henry and Samuel Reed, in
whose hands it attained greater circula
tion than any other paper. Mr.. Hall
eyiDced agreat taste for scientific study,
and was one time so enthusiastic about a
caloric engine that people, playing on his
initials, called him "Caloric Fool Hail."
Arctic discovery next absorbed his atten-
ton, and he began to habituate himself
for life in the Polar regions by sleeping
under a tent at Mt. Adams during the
winter months. He watched attentively
the various efforts made to discover ira
ces Of Sir John Franklin's expedition,
and on learning that Capt McClintock's
vessel, the Fox, had been caught in the
ice, he took his first practical step by
drawing up petition to the British au-
thorities, assing them to lend him the
Arctic ship ResJhse, which, having been
abandoned in the ice; had drifted out and
was picked up in 1885 by Capt. James
Buddington, OF New Lohdon, and return
ed completely reflted at the national ex-
.pense of England. The petition was
signed by Gov Chase, Mayor Blshopo Of
Cincinnati, and others but before 1t was
sent Col McClintock returned and the
project was abandoned Dissatisfied at
the scanty tidings learned of Frsnklin's
fate, he prepared (Feb 8, 1860, J a circu-
lar wherein he declared his opinion that
some of Franklin's men were still living
with the Esquimaux, and quoted a letter
from Thomas Hickey of the Grinnell ex-
pedition, who agreed with him, and vol
unteered to Join the expedition he pro-
posed to organize. He says he felt he
was scaled" to seek the lost explorer; !;
and after visiting New London, Conn, to
learn what he could from seamen engag-
ed in whale fishery he came on to New
York, where, after explaining his purpose,
Messrs Henry Grinnell, Miles Green
wood, and R. NJ Bishop became treasu-
rers of the expedition fund, and in due
time the George Henry was equipped and
ready TO sail. The leading promoter Of
this expedition. tits well known, was our
eminentfellow citizen, Henry Grinnell of
whom Hall saysi "The memory Of his
generous kindhess frequently sustained
and helped to invigorate me anew when
wearied and exhausted IN the wild re-
gions."
Capt. Hall proceeded 10 the Arctic re-
gions ana did not return until Septem.
ber, 1852 He reached Frobisher's Strait
in August, 1860. and encountered there
fearful gale, which nearly wrecked the
George Henry. In the spring of 1861
he procured a whalebeat, and with
crew Of six natives, started on his nor
thern journey to the Countess of War.
wick's Sohhd, and after much suffering
succeeded in discovering the place where
Frohisher, in 1874 or 1915, had attemp
ted to plant colony. He gathered inn.
portant information regarding the geog
raphy of the Arctic regions, and deter
mined, he believed, the fate of two O
the boats crews of Franklin. During
the winter of 1862 the ships company
were subsisted mostly by the generous
hospitality of the Esquimaux On hi
return Capt. Hall wrote valuable worl
of nearly 600 pages, abounding in valu
Liable information regarding the Esaui
Imaux and the dismal land which they in
habit.
He had hardly written the last page
of his book when (June 30, 1864, th
daring explorer sailed on board tn
Monticello for the polar regions, having
Iagain been indebted to Henry Grinnel
for peeuniary aid. He spent there fiv
years, returning September, 1859, afte
an exhaustive search for the remains o
Franklin's expedition In this researcl
be had been remarkably successful, hav
ling ascertained the different localities il
which the different parties of that expe
dition perished, learned where their YES
|sels were, and obtained about $50 relic
Of tue .ill-fated expedition. He ascer
tanned the important fact that the sarn
year that The Erebus and Terror wer
abandoned one of these. vessels made tn
great Northwest passage having five mel
on board, and that the vessel was in per
feet order when abandoned by the ere,
and found by the Esquimaux in tn
tspring of 1849 He made no attempt a
1 Polar discoveries. and indeed does no
seem to have gone above the parallel o
1 70 north latitude, but he explored prett,
fthorougly the Melville Peninsula,part o
King Williams Land, and other places
and connected these with the explora
ltions of his previous expedition. Am
lple details of this voyage are known, ,bu
it is matter Of regret that Hall wrot'
no book about It, having devoted nearl.
all the time between his return and tn
sailing of the Polaris in July, 1871, t,
urging Congress to give the means o
seeking that point-the North Pole
which he was never to behold. The re
mainder Of his career consists only o
the brief accounts which have reached u
l'of his journey northward, and the sal
"details elsewhere which accompany th
news Of his death.
The New Commissioner 10 tn,
Vienna Exposition.
H. Tho aonoiy-tyncnt of jackson Schnlt