Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-15
The Hopeful and Final Words of
Captain Hall.

The Hopeful aud Final Words of
Captain Hall.
The last word that was received from
Captain Hall was year after the date
of the arrival of the Congress from Disco.
1t was Just as he babe adieu to civiliza-
ton that he sent to the Navy Depart
ment the following sadly interesting dis
patch, dated at Tossac, Greenland,
August "a, 1871 1t came by way of
Copenhagen and was just a year en-
route:
LATITUDE - p 10, LONGITUDE 500 10 w, .
UNITED STATES STEAMSHIP PoLARIS,
TOssAC ON TUS-sU IS-SAK, Greenland,
August q, 1871.
SIR-I have the honor to report my
proceedings since the dates august 20
and 21) of my last communication, writ
ten at Upper Upernavik. 1t was half
past eight D. m, of August 81, when we
left the harbor of Upernavik, having on
board Governor ElbUrg, of whom Imade
previous mention, and several of his
people, bound for this place on visit.
After steaming twelve miles to the
northwest and westward, we hauled up
III trout vi Il SLllC1I1 4oi1bN ottNANiti1A+p
called King-i-toke, where Governor
Elberg and myself, with boats crew,
went ashore to purchase dogs, furs and
other requisites for the expedition. 1
was able after considerable difficulty, to
get eleven dogs to add to the number al
ready possessed by the Polaris. Having
spent two hours at King-i-Toke we re-
turned aboard At one a. M, August %,
renewed our voyage for Tossac. On
the 22d we arrived at Tossac. At
once | called on Jensen, and to my as
constituent and disappointment found
that mistake had been made in any one
of us expecting that his consent could be
obtained to leave his home at the pres
ent time.
By the full consent and cooperation
of the government authorities of Den
mark resident in Greenland, have con
cluded a contract with Hans Christian,
nv which he enters the service of the
United States North Polar Expedition
as Dog driver hunter and servant. The
wife and three children are to accom-
pany Hans The prospects of the eX-
petition are fine-the weather beautiful,
clear and unexceptionally warm. Every
preparation has been made to bid fare
well to civilization for several years, II
need be, to accomplish our purpose.
Our coal bunkers are not emily full, but
we have fully ten tons on deck, besides
wood, planks, tar and rosin III consider
able quantities, that can be used tor
steaming purposes in any emergency.
Never was an Arctic expedition more
| completely fitted out than this.
| The progress of the Polaris 50 far has
heeu ouite favorable, making exceeding
| " good passages from port to port-tirst
! from Washington TO New York, thence
! to New London: then to st. Johns, N.
! F.. and thence to Greenland. First tC
| Fiscaneas. then to Holsteinberg, thence
to Godhavn, Upernavik, and this port
rTossac. the last link binding us to the
! land of civilization. The actual steam
ting or sailing time of the Polaris from
Washington to New York was sixty
hours. and from the latter place to this
the most northern civilized settlement
of the world, unless there be one for IL
to discover at or near the North Pole
has been twenty days, seven hours ant
thirty minutes. There is every reason
to rejoice that everything pertaining t
| the expedition, under the rulings of Higl
Heaven, is in far more prosperous ant
substantially successful condition THAI
even had hoped or prayed for w
are making every effort to leave here to
morrow. / will at the latest momen
resume my place in continuing this com
municatiOn.
August %, 1871, Evening.
We did not get under way to-day, a
expected, because heavy, dark fog ha
prevailed all day, and the same now con
tinues. The venture of steaming on
into sea of underlined reefs and sunke
rocks. under the present circumstances
could not be undertaken. The full nun
Der of dogs (sixty) required for the e>
pedition. is now made up. At the seN
eral ports of Greenland where we hay
stopped we have been successful IN OF
tanning proper food for the dogs.
August al 2. M.
, The fog still continues, and | decld
we cannot wait longer for its dispersion
/ for longer delay will make it doubtt'
t of the expedition securing the very hig
latitude desire to obtain before enterIr
into winter quarters. A good pilot hi
: agreed to do his very best in conductir
: the Polaris outside of the most INN
nent danger of the reefs and rock
< Now, half-past one p. M, the anchor
q the Polaris has just been weighed, al
not again will it go down till, as | tru
and pray, higher, far high
0 latitude has been attained than ever b
i fore by civilized man. Governor Elbe
4 is about accompanying us out OF Il
harbor, and seward. He leaves
! when the pilot does.
q Gov. Lowertz Elberg has rendered
n this expedition much service, and lol
= will remember him for his great kin
) ness l am sure you and my count
will fully appreciate the hospitality a
J cooperation of the Danish officials
l. Greenland as relating to our North Fol
3. expedition.
i Now, at a quarter past 3, the Pola
!; bids adieu to the civilized world. &c
! Elberg leaves us, promising to take the
4 dispatches back to UpernaVik, and
st send them to our Minister at Copenf
1t gen by the next ship, which oppor1
h. nifty may not be until next year q
: be with US.
r Yours ever. G.. F. HALL.
RI To GEO. M. robson, Secretary OF t
le Navy,
The aggregate circulation OF
h fifty newspapers in Vermont, as CIV
a. by the census report, is 1880, an ay
/. age of 1,4a3. We don't think the ia
a, -,arrant the statement, althOu