Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-06-07
News from the Arctic Expedition.

AFTER an absence of nearly two years,
the steamer Polaris, engaged in solving
the Arctic problem, has been heard from.
A portion of the crew commanded by
Capt. Tyson has arrived at st. Johns,
New Feundland. That officer furnishes
the following interesting statement:
son the oath of August, 1871, we left
Lessinask, and went through Smiths
Sound. We succeeded in getting as far
north as latitude S2.16, when we returned
and wintered at Polaris Bay, in latitude
S2.0S, longitude 61.4l. We were frozen
up until the 9Th of September. On the
10th of October, Capt. Hall started on
sledge journey north, and returned on the
oath, when he was taken sick and died on
he Sth Of November. He was buried on
the 18th. The attack that carried him of
was said to be apoplexy.
We passed the winter at Polaris Bay.
On the 9Th of June, 1872, we attempted to
60 north with two boats. We hauled our
other boats on shore, and returned over
land on the 9Th of July.
We started for home on the 18th of
August, and on the 18th were beset with
ice In latitude 5000. We drifted from
there down to latitude " .35, where we en-
countered heavy southwest gale, the ship
being under heavy pressure.
On the night Of the 18th we commenced
landing provisions &C., on the ice, the
vessel being reported leaking very badly
at the time. We continued landing pro-
visions for two or three hours, when the
pressure ceased. went on board the
vessel and asked the sailing-master if the
vessel was making any more water than
usual. BE reported that she was not.
then went to the pumps and ascertained
that she was not making any more than
she was doing In the summer.
went on the ice again and shortly af-
ter 1t began to crack, and in few minutes
afterward spread in many places. The
vessel broke her fastenings 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 shore in hopes OF
finding natives to assist us in living
through the winter. Getting about hall
way to the shore with our heavily laden
boats, our progress became hard by reason
of drifting ice, and was compelled to
haul on the ice again. At this time sue
ceeded In saving fourteen cans of pemmi-
can, eleven and one-half bags Of bread,
ten dozen of one and two pound cans OF
meat and soup, fourteen hams, one small
bag of chocolate, weighing twenty pounds,
some musk OK skins, and few blankets,
number Of rifles, and abundant ammu.
milton. In the morning, knowing that
had not provisions enough, and other ar
ticles Of food, clothing, compasses, &C.,
on the abatement of the gale, endeav.
ored to shoot as many seals as possible,
both for food, light and fuel, but could
only get three. owing to bad weather hav.
ing set In.
supposed the wind to be about south.
west. On its clearing up, found myself
within about eight miles of what sup.
a posed to be the east coast and about thirty
or forty miles below the ship. The ict
being weak, Icould not transport boat'
and provisions to land until it grew
stronger. While here I discovered my
other boat, bread, &C., and saved all. The
ice grew hrmer, and made another at
tempt to reach the shore, carrying in the
boats and dragging them on their keels
The Ice being exceedingly rough, we
stove both boats. We succeeded, on the
LIST Of November, in getting about hal
way to the shore. Night came on us and
very stormy weather. In the morning
the ice was broken, and we were drifting
southwark very fast. We saw no mort
ing all through the month of November
We built snow house and made our
selves as comfortable as we could. W.
were ten white men, two Esquimaux, two
women, and five children in all. We sue
ceeded In killing few seals, which fur
nished us with light and fuel with which
to warm our scanty allowance Of food
through the darkness of the Arctic win
ter.
During large part of February, W.
lived principally upon birds, and in March
commenced to catch seals. Through tina
month we supported ourselves on beal
and seal flesh, wasting neither skin mol
entrails.
We collected enough food in this way
to have lasted us until the middle of May
had we not been driven to sea by strons
westerly gale In the latter part of March
our foe or piece of ice being then re
duced from five miles In circumference tC
about twenty yards in diameter.
We left the piece On the LIST of April
and abandoned all our meat, large
amount of ammunition, clothing, skim
and other articles, taking portion o
meat In boat, which we were obliged Il
throw overheard on account of the boa
being SO deeply laden. regained tn
OuNI CoSc VI tiic poSA Va AOO Vn eaiO ~ "
April, and succeeded in getting littl'
farther in on the pack. On the 4th
heavy northeast gale set in; heavy SCI
running, under the ice broke it in small
pieces, so we had to live on the small
packs, as we could not put the boat out
neither could we find seals for food, ant
we were reduced almost to starvation.
Or the 2lst of April we sighted {
polar bear. Every person was orderet
to lidilown and initiate the seal, while two
EsquNnaux secreted themselves behint
pieces of ice, enticing the bear near enough
to us to kill him. A few days after thi
we got our boat in the water and worries
our way west and southwest, and con
tinued to work every opportunity west
ward, In hopes of reaching the Labrado
coast and getting temporary relief.
We were picked up by the steamship
Tigress, Captain Bartlett, on the 3Oth 9
April, in latitude 50, 80 north, longitud
IS west, or near Wolf Island, and abou
forty miles from land, having been ID
days on the fee. No loss of life.
The poloria ia now without boats. hav