The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-09-26
THE POLARIs.
The Survivors of the Arctic Expedition
An Account of their Suferings.

The Survivors of the Arctic Expedition
An Account of their Suferings.
The Tribune's cable special from
Dundee, Scotland, says: The whaling
steamer, Arctic, Capt Adams, arrived
at this port from Davis strait, having
on board the men of the PoIaris expe-
ditiOn who were picked up by the
whaler Ravenscraig, on the Doth of Jan
uary. The.men are all well and show
no marks of emaciation, such as might
have been expected after their terrible
experience.
! The following narrative of incidents
that occurred after the separation of the
crew are gathered from conversation
with several of the party
The Polaris had been leaking badly
before the 18th of October, 1872, and
her situation ultimately became so
alarming that it was deemed advisable
to make preparations to abandon her.
The determination to leave the ship was
arrived at on the 18th of October, at
which time they were it latitude 70 de-
grees. Some of the crew remained
abroad while others landed on the ice,
and they began to get out stores with
the intention of taking everything they
could need for a long sojOurn in those
frozen regions. Between 10 and u
O'Clock at night, while this work was
proceeding, a very severe gale sprung
up and snow began to fall heavily, with
| strong, but variable winds. Operations,
however, continued, and after uniting
| efforts the boats were gotten upon the
ice and large supply of provisions
taken out. Suddenly the hawsers by
which the ship was made fast to the ice,
gave way, tearing its anchor from lodge
ment in the ice. This was about mid
night. The anchor, in starting, tore off
a large piece from a foe with three men
upon it, and as the Polaris drove past
them, they cried out in the agony of
| terror, What are we to dO?" Capt.
Buddington shouted back he could do
nothing for them. They had boats and
provisions and must shift for themselves
as best they could.
A few minutes later, those on the
PoIaris saw a boat launched and manned
by three men, making for the place
where their comrades were stationed.
| In short time the storm and darkness
put out every object from their view.
| The feelings of the men can be i'm
agined, as with half the crew left to
perish, as they supposed, in a desert of
ice and snow.
TIE ship drifted away helpless until
at last it brought up at Life-boat Cove.
| The prospect was now gloomy enough,
there seemed to be little prospect of
their remaining in the Polaris. She still
leaked fearfulIy and in her damaged
condition Ruddington had no hope of
getting any further south with her. It
was therefore determined to beach her,
but the question was, how that could be
done. The wind being favorable an
opening in the pack was finally dis
covered and the ship was bored through
under canvass. Everything apparently
favored the work, but though the ship
was only a few miles from shore, it took
II hours to get her close in. The next
consideration was how to provide shelter
for the men on shore. All timbers from
the decks were torn out, provisions were
deposited on the ice, the coal was re-
moved, everything useful secured.
Walls of a house were then built of
heavy planks jointed to exclude the
wind, and the roof was made of sails.
In such home the long winter passed.
Some help was received from three Es-
quimaux who discovered the wrecked
ship and agreed for few paltry pre-
sents to convey the provisions over the
ice from the vessel. They gave still
more valuable aid by supplying skins
for clothing, of which the crew were
greatly in need, for many of their clothes
were worn out and many more were lost
when the vessel broke away on the
night of the 18th. The Esquimaux had
plenty, and though they were filthy
smelling garments, the castaways gladly
adopted full Esquimaux costume of fur
trousers, coats, hats and boots. Through
the long, dreary winter the men kept
up their spirits remarkably well. The
snow fell heavily, but it served to pro,