New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-20

Henry Hobby,
Noah Hayes
The men are all well and show no marks of ema-
citation such as might have been expected after their
terrible experiences The following narrative of
the incidents that occurred after the separation of
the crew is gathered from conversation with several
of the party.
The Polaris had been leaking badly before the
18th Of October, 1872, and her situation ultimately
became so alarming that it was deemed advisable
to make preparations to abandon her, The deter
minaton to leave the ship arrived at on the 18th
of October, at which time they were in lat. '9'
Some of the crew remained aboard, while Others
landed on the ice and they began 10 get ont stores,
with the intention of taking everything they could
need for long sojourn in those frozen regions. Be
tween 10 and 70 o'clock at night, while this work
was proceeding, very severe gale sprang up, and
the snow began to fall heavily, with strong but va
rable winds. Operations, however were con-
tnued and after untiring efforts the boats were
got upon the ice and large supply of provisions
taken out. Suddenly the hawsers by which the
ship was made fast to the ice gave way,-one
swapping, the other tearing its anchor from Its
Judgment in the ice This was about midnight.
The anchor IN starting tore off large piece from
the foe with three men upon it, and
as the Polaris ~ drove past them, they
cried out in an agony Of terror,
what are we to do~
Capt. Buddington shouted back that he conld do
nothing for them; they had boats and provisions
and must shift for themselves as best they could.
| (Note-These three men, Sergeant Myer and two
Others were saved with the Tyson party.-Ed.l
few minutes later those on the Polaris saw a boat
launched and manned by the three men making for
the place where their comrades stationed.
In a short time the storm and darkness shut ont
every object from their view The feelings Of tho
men can be imagined as with half the crow left to
perish as they supposed. in the desert Of ice and
snow, the ship drifted away helpless, unt at last
she brought up at Life Boat Cove.
The prospect was now gloomy enough. There
seemed to be little prospect Of their remaining IN
the Poaris she still leaked fearfully; aud IN her
damaged condition Buddington had. no hope Of get
ting any further south with her. 1t WAS
| therefore determined to beach her, but
the question how that could be
done. The wind being favorable open
ing in the pack was finally discovered and the ship
was bored through under canvas. Everything aP-
parently favored the work, but though the ship
only few miles from shore it took twelve hours
to get her close in. The next consideration
was how to provide for the shelter
of the men on shore. All the timbers from between
decks were torn out. Provisions deposited an
| the ice. The coal was removed. Everything nseful
was secured The walls of house then built
of heavy panks, jointed to exclude the wind and
! the roof was made of sails. In such home
| the long Winter passed. Some help was
received from three Esquimaux, who discovered the
wrecked ship and agreed, for few paltry presents,
to convey provisions the ice from the vessel.
They gave still more valuable aid by supply
ing skins for clothing, of which the
were greatly in need, for many of THEN
clothes worn out, aud many more were lost
when the vessel broke away the night of the
18th The Esquimaux had plenty. and, though they
were filthy -smeng garments, the castaways gladly
adopted the full ESquimauN costume OF lnr trousers,
coats, hats and boots.
Through the long. dreary Winter the men kept up
| their spirits remarkably well The snow fell
heavily but it served to protect their frail habita
ton and make it more comfortable. Their arrange
ments so complete that visit to the ship was
necessary before January q. when they went for
supply of wood. Fresh water was obtained in
abundance by collecting pieces of icebergs and melt
ing them. Toward the end Of Winter Chester
suggested that some means should be agreed
upon to extricate the party from their perlOas posi-
ton, The provisions were gradually diminishing,
and the fuel Of which only six tons had been OBJ
tanned from the ship, nearly exhausted. The
Polaris still available for materials and il was
now proposed to buid two boats. A survey by
Chester showed that the lining of the cabin could
be used, and this was accordingly stripped of.
A new difficulty then arose. The planking
was all pierced with nails and how should
the boat be made watertightf The crew all
say that Chester showed himself equal TO all
emergencies. With the carpenters help he put the
planks together in 50 deft manner that the Diff
eultes which had seemed insurmountable vanished.
During the Spring months with the thermometer
% degrees below zero, and often in . blind
ing drift the building of the boats went
on, The situation grew daily more dis
couraging, but the work was never relaxed.
and the courage Of themen never failed. Advancing