The New York herald., 1873-10-11
ENGLISH ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
important Explorations OF the Steam.
ship Diana.

Important Explorations OF the Steam.
ship Diana.
from the London Standard September 29l
The steamship Diana having on board Mr. B. L.
Smiths exploring party, arrived in Dundee on
Saturday. 1t Will be recollected that MI. Smith
hired the Diana from Mr.. Lamond for q voyage OF
discovery In the Polar seas, and left Dundee in
May last. SubjOined are particulars OF the voy-
age The Drama left Dundee on the 10th OF May
last, having on board Mr.. B. L. Smith, the head Of
the expedition; the Rev. A. L. Eaton, naturalist
Mr.. H. @. Chermslde, r. E.; Mr.. R. E. Potter, son
OF MIR. Potter, M. r.. Captain Fairweather, and a
crew Of twenty-one hands. Nothing eventful oc-
red on the voyage out, and the ice was reached
to the eastward Of Jan Mayen Island. Along the
Ice edge
PASSAGE WAS FORCED
till latitude rs. There the snip got into an open
deg. 80 min. there Is usually large bay OF water,
but the ship was unable to penetrate in that
heavy gale, the the Diana was obliged to seek one Of
the harbors on the Spitzbergen coast. On the
7th OF June she got into Kings Bay 1t may be
stated that the Diana had, as O tender, Mr..
Smiths own sailing yacht the samson, which
carried GOALS provisions, &c, and the rendezvous
for the meeting OF the vessels was Kobbe Bay.
Accordingly, on reaching that opening, boat
was sent ashore to ascertain whether tue Samson
had arrived. 1t was found she had not, and SO
Mr.. Smith proceeded In the direction or Mosell
Bay. ON the way smack was spoken, and she
communicated the intelligence that the Swedish
Swedes were deserted, and, when they observed
the Diana bearing down upon them with all her
The Swedish vessels were lying close in shore, and
between them and the Diana there were about
three and q hall miles Of fast doe, in many places
seven feet thick. The unfortunate explorers were
soon on board the Diana, and the treatment they
experienced from Mr. Smith excited their deepest
thankluness. The expedition was headed by Pro-
lessor Nordenskiold, and was supported by the
government. Arrangements were made for the
Expedition leaving Sweden in the summer OF 1872
"a N
steamer OF 200 tons; the government sailing brig
Gladan, and GothenDurG steamer IN winch an
observatory was set up. The party were in
COMPLETE DARKNESS
in November, except what light was obtained from
the aurora. In the end OF April sleigh boating
party started north the intention being TO get as
near the Pole as possible. Four boats were taken
as lar as Hinlopen Straits, and as soon as the
north side They made their way TO Parry's Island,
crossing from the north cape on the ice. The ice
from the northward was so strong that the idea OF
an extensive journey In that direction was out OF
the question. Hearing about Phpps' island, they
went acress the land noe to the northeast land
On this land patches OF open water were seen.
REINDEER AND BEARS
were seen along the north coast; but the opera
tions oI the party were considerably hampered Oy
the TACT that they lost herd OF reindeer which
they had taken with them. From this most eastern
succeeded In walking their way over Hiniopen
Straits. Thence they travelled by Shoal Point,
where they mad lelt two boats, IN which they made
twelve miles to Mosel Bay. This may be consid-
cred
VERY MEMORABLE EXPEDITION.
The exact distance travelled IS not known, but
the party, which only numbered about dozen,
had to encounter very severe weather, and were
actually away from the ship for sixty days. Before
Mr.. Smith left the Swedish vessels, the provisions
which they possessed were calculated, and it
was found that in all probability they would
last till the ice would break up. On the 30th
Of June the ice broke, and the brlgantine at once
bore up for home, the Polheen going in search Of
the boat and other things she had lost. The voyage
OF the Diana may be briefly summed up as iol-
lows:-"A succession OF gales was experienced,
the weather on almost all occasions when the ship
was IN the open sea being such that, although she
was provided with complete apparatus Tor sound
ing deep-sea temperatures, &c, very little OF what
was intended has been accomplished. Owing to
the unfavorable nature Of the ice little in the way
Of exploration has been possible: The time had.
however, been very fully occupied in dredging,
trawing, photographing, surveying and making
as complete and perfect collections as circum-
stances permitted OF the nora OF Spltzbergen Mr..
ated on an island separated by sound rom the
mainland, and to this extent Q knotty point has
been determined.c