Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-05-28

W shO sup uuu lduDCQeQ tue canvas DOaG.
Both boats got as far north as Newmans 8
Bay. twenty miles north of their winter
quarters, where they remained, watching for
chance to push into the Polar Sea. Mean
time Captain Buddington, who was now COM
mander of the expedition. sent Hans Chris
tain to the boats with the message tina. the
Polsris was leaking, and ordering their re-
turn TO the ship. Captain Tyson returned
Mr.. Chester remained another fortnight at
Newman Bay, vainly waiting for chance
to get northward. At the end of that time
he returned to the ship.
HoNEwARD BoUND-TRoUBLE BEGINS.
On the 18th of August, 1872, the ice hav-
ing slackened, the Polaris was got into clear
water and started for the south. In latitude
go 2 she was caught in the ice, and drifted
with it till October 18th. On that day
strong gale from the southeast came OF /; the
Polaris was hove up on her beam ends on the
end of the foe. She was creaking fearfully,
and it seemed as if she would be smashed
into atoms. Orders were given to land the
provisions on the ice. At 6 o'clock in the
evening, when part of them had been plac-
ed On the ice, suddenly that part of the foe
oo which the ship rested broke off, and she
took the water, fortunately on her keel, and,
with fourteen of the crew on board, was
rapidly driven off northward before the wind.
In the gathering gloom of night che soon
disappeared.
LONG VOYAGE BEGUN
Now it was that the part of the crew left
on the foe began to realize the dangers of
their position. There were eighteen Of them,
iucluding Hans Christian, his wife and four
children, the youngest but two months old ,
and Joe and Hannah, with their child
Wrapping themselves in skins, they slept on
the foe, hoping to see the Poaris in the
morning, and that they would be taken off.
When morning dawned no ship was visible !;
and they decided on trying to reach the
shore. To their great JOY, as they were
hauling the boat on the ice the Polaris hove
in sight, steering south, under steam and
canvas, and apparently nearing them, but
probably owing to the pressure of the ice,
the Polaris passed in between a small island
called Northumberland Island - and the
mainland the foe on which they were be-
gan to move rapidly, the ship disappeared, :,
and their terrible voyage had begun. They
tried hard to make their way to the slore,
but in vain. Next day the wind blew strong
from the northeast and the foe broke, leav-
ing them on a small piece with the provis-
ions and boats and a canvas tent. Then they
drifted away westward forty miles from the
ship. The weather being fine they caught
three seals. After this they drove for eight
days to the eastward, and found themselves
not far from the Greenland shore, but could
not land. Now it was that they fell in with
the foe from which they had parted, and on
which were a canvas house and six bags of
bread. The whole of their stock of provis-
ions consisted of eleven bags of bread, four
teen cans of pemmican, containing forty-fve
pounds each, ten dozen cans of preserved
meat and few hams. They had nine musk
OK hides, one bear-skin and plenty of ordina-
ry clothing, but no furs, only few seal
skins. Fortunately they had six or eight
rifles and plenty of ammunition.
THE FLoE DRIFTING SOUTH.
All hope of getting ashore was now at an
end, the foe drifting south. With the aid
of the Esquimaux they built three snow
huts and one storehouse. Their provisions
were equal to the support of all for one
month by going on short allowance for the
nine men, who were in one hut, for each
meal was one and half pounds of bread,
three quarters of a pound of pemmican; this,
mixed with plenty of water, was served out
twice day. The Esquimaux got the same
proportion. When they caught seal they
had " blow out" ana ate every scrap OF
it except the gall. During November, De-
| cember and January, they caught few seals
One boat was cut up for iuel to melt ice and
cook. For Christmas Day they reserved
their Iast piece of ham, and feasted luxu-
riousiy on few thin slices Of it, and even
went to the extravaganza of serving out two
70 no 10
could afford no extras
BRIGHTER DAYS.
On January 10 th their hearts were glad
dened by the first sight of the sun. The frs
land they saw was believed to be Cape Wal
singham, but they were many miles from it
In the latter part of February they caugh
enough of dovekies to give two to each maj
| and woman twice day. The ID of March wa
bright day in their calendar; they caugh
a large square-hipper seal, which kept then
in provisions for twelve days. Later they
killed an ice bear. During March they die
not suffer at all from hunger. On the 18th
of March heavy gale and snow drift set in
the ice was cracking and roaring all around
During the whole night they stood ready tc
take to the boat. With fearful crash the
foe split, happily without touching theil
snow houses, but leaving barely enough ice
to walk around them. A few days after, the
waves began to wash over their snow houses
and they had to take TO the boat with thei
provisions and get on another foe. Thei
suferings from cold and hun ger were nov
great. as they had only little tent to shell
t.r them.
Another heavy gale on the 4th and 5th o
April; the foe split, and all day they were
scrambling from piece to piece drenchet
with spray, cold and hungry. They wer'
now among slot ice-no seals and no game
of any kind. On April 10Th another fearful
gale set in. The sea washed over the foe OF
which they were, driving huge fragments o
ice upon it which threatened to crush them
Ali night they were compelled to hold th'
boat on the ice with the lines, and with dit
fculty kept it from being washed away
Next moIning they got on piece of dry ice
and felt as if rescued from the jaws of death
On April 2lst all their provisions but tel
biscuits were gone. They concluded tina
after all their providential escapes they wer
going to perish by famine at last. Hope hat
almost deserted them. Suddenly one of tn
Esquimaux made signal for all to lie fat ol
the ice. A bear was seen approaching look
ing out for seals. Hans and Joe got thei
rifles. How eagerly all watched the bear
hoping he would come within range. Sud
denly the crack of the two rifles was hear
and the bear fell dead What cry of 10,
from the poor starving voyagers How
eagerly they drag him on the ice and Pre-
ceed to get ready such supper as they ha
not enjoyed for weeks !. They were now rev
elling in abundance.
RESCUE.
On the 2sth of April there were leads @
open water around them, and they took t
their boat, working westward towards tn
nearest land. In the afternoon they saw il
the distance the smoke of steamer, but tn
weather became thick and they lost sight O
!, her. Next morning they saw her again, bu
) at considerable distance they set thei
colors, hoisted black blanket on two oars