Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-24
he CaStaWayS.
STORY OF THE BUDDINGToN PARTY,

lqad-putt,ay 10 sea in The boats, the rescue
Dundee, Scotland, Sept. l9.-rhe whaling
steamer Arctic, Capt. Adams, has arrived
from DAVIS Straits, having on board the fol-
loving men of he PolarIs expedition, who
were picked up by the Whaler Ravenscraig
on the 20tn of July, viz Capt s o. Bud
tipgton, sailing master DR.. Emil BesseI,
chiet ot tie scientific corps Hubbard G.
Chester, first mate William Morton, Sec
ond mate Emrl Schumann, chiei engineer;
A. A. OIe1, assistant engineer w. F.
Campbell, fireman Nathan j. Coffiu, ca H.
renter Herman oiemons; Henry Hobby
Noah Hayes.
The men are all well and show no marks
Of emaciation such as might have been tx
pec.ei after their terrible experiences. The
i5Ii,GIng narrative of the Incl tents that
occurred alter the separation of the crew Is
gathered from conversation with several OF
the party.
TIE T0la.is had been leaking badly before
the I55h OF October, I872, ID md 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 Uctu-
her at which time they were IN lat. 70 >.
Sumo of the crew remained aboard, while
others landed on the ice, aud they began to
get out stores, with the intention of taking
everything they could need for long So
i0urn IN those frozen regions. Between 10
and II o'clock at night, while this work was
proceeding, & very severe gale sprang up,
and the snow began to fall heavily, with
strong but variable winds. Operations, how
ever, were continued and alter untlriDg
eff ,rts their boats were got upon the ice and
u w # taE npt Sud.
denly the hawsers by which the ship wao
made last to the ice gave way-one swapping,
the other tearing its anchor from its lodg-
ment in the ice. This was about midnight.
TIE anchor in starting tore off large piece
from the hDe with three men upon 1t. and as
the PularIs drove past them, they cried out
in an agony OF terror, " w hat are We to do? y
Capt. BuddingtOn shouted back that he
could no nothing tor them they bad boats
and provisions, and must shift for tbemselVts
as best they could. these three men, Ser
geant Myer and two others, Were saved with
the Tyson party.) A few minutes later those
on IT, e Polaris saw a boat launched and man
ned by the three men making for the place
where their comrades were stationed. In a
short time the storm and darkness shut out
every obi ct from their view. The feelings
OF tie men can be imagined rs, with halt the
crew LETT to perish as they supposed, IN the
desert ol ice and snow, the ship drtted away
helpless, until at last she brought up at Lille
Boat Cove.
/ he prospect was now gloomy enough.
There seemed to be little prospect OF their
remaining in the Polaris she still leaked
feariuly and in her damaged condition
budhns ston had no hope OF getting any
further south with her. 1t was therefore de-
how that could be done. The wind being IA
vorable an opening In the pack was finally
discovered and the ship was bUred througi,
under canvas. Everything apparently ia
yored the work, but though the ship Was
only few miles from shore it took twelve
hours to get her close in. The next consider
alton was bow to provide ior the shelter oi
the men on shore All the timbers from
between decks were torn out. Provisions
were deposited on the ice. The coal was re-
moved. Everything useful Was secured. The
walls OF house were then built OF heavy
planks, jolnted to exclude the wind, and tue
roof was made of sails. In such u home the
long winter was pissed. Some help Was re
ceived from three E quimaux, who discovered
the wrecked s-np ant agreed, Tor a lew pal
try presents, to convey provisions over the
ice rom vessel. they gave still more
valuable aid by supplying skins for clothing
OF which tue crew were greatly IN need, io
many OF their clothes were worn out, NJ
many more were lost when the vessel brokt
away op tie night OF the 15tn. Tpe E-qui
maux had plenty. and, though they were
filthy smelling garments. the castaway'
gladly adopted the lull E quimaux costume
OF ur trou,er coats. hats and boots.
Through the long, dreary Winter the mer
ba,,r rt,a,r re, kthl w IL
snow Iell heavily, but it served to protec
their fraIl ha bltetlon and make it more com
Portable, Their arrangements were SO com
plete that no Visit to the ship WIS necessary
before January q, when they went Tor
supply of wood Fresh water was obtained
in abundance by collecting pieces OF Ice
bergs and melting them. Toward the ent
OF Winter Chester suggested that som,
means should be agreed upon to extrIcate
the party from their peril0us position. ih,
provisions were gradually diminishing, anC
the fue, ot which only SIX tons had beeI
obta ned from the ship, was nearly exhaust
ed. The Poaris was still available for ma
terials, and it was now proposed to bull
two boats A survey by Chester shove
that the lining of the CABIN could be used
and this was accordingly stripped off.
new If; ;ulty then arose. The planking wa
all pierced with nails, and how should tn
boat be made water-tighI? The crew all sa
that Chester showed himself equal to IL
emergencies. With the carpenters help b
put the pianks together in 50 delt manner
that the difficulties which had seemed Insur
muuntable vanished During the SprIn
months, with the thermometer % degrees
below zero, and often in binding dri c, tn
building OF the boats went on. The situa
a., ii but Z
work was never relaxed aud the courage G
the men never failed. Advancing steadlI
the crew were ready to depart by the end {
June, determined 10 push southward. Jus
at the moment when everything Was in +, al
Iness they were alarmed by the appearance
OF scurvy. Happily, however, the attac
proved slight, anu d plentiful supply OF wa
rus liver, which they obtained from the h:
quImaux, enabled them TO avert the disease
When the boats were launched they leak
ed good deal, but the men determined t.
trust them, and, slowing aboard all their II
naming PROVISIONS aud ammunition, they sal
'arewell to Lille Boat Cove. 1t not periecti
tight, the boats proved thems- lives exceller
Sailors, and remarkably easy to row, and
the first day the voyAgers reached Sonta
Bay.
Alter remaining there q short time to II
gain their str, n th the party made TOR H'
kluyt Island, where the expedition wa
brought to a stand-stIll by tremendous ga
wh'ch blew for three full days, with Col
tnuous all OF snow for all that time. la
mense Fl f,cks of auks, bird OF the pengai
species, were encountered here, however, an
as the men could easily take up their gur
and kill ten OF them ut shot, there was
plentiful supply of fresh provisions, whit
were very thankfully received. Occasiona
ly their tiny crafts were sadly beset, ar
1t Was ieared they would come TO greet. B'
they were among the Ice, and there W
nothing to be done but to force passai
southwark al all hazards. After endurlr