The New York herald., 1873-10-01
The Last Chapter of tho Poiaris Ex-
pedition.

pedlti0ns
The detailed accounts Of the rescue of Cap
tain Buddingtons party, published elsewhere,
will convey fully to our readers the perilous
episodes marking the close of the unfortunate
expedition which left our shores in 1871 to
path out way to the North Pole. Accom-
panying these narratives from the lips and
records Of the voyagers themselves, we present
our readers with . .aia sr.saia map, displaying
the story geographically The map, we may
explain, is carefully drawn on the Mercator
projection, so as to avoid the necessity Of con-
verging degrees of longitude, which map on
the sphere plan Of locality so near one
of the poles would require, and the
consequent narrowing of the waterways from
east to west. The tracks of the Polaris,
Tigress and Little Juniata have been obtained
from the official reports and charts to the Navy
Department; the drift Of the party on the ice
foe from the rescued themselves, and the track
of Buddington's party from the statements we
publish to-day. In connection with this
latter track we may point out the fact that it
was anticipated by the HERALD, the rescue
having taken place on the exact line we indi-
Gated long since. 1T supports fully the theory
advanced by DR.. Hayes the arctic explorer,
who insisted that Cape York was
the first point which should be
searched for tidings of the unfortunate
castaways. The additions to Polar geography
made by the cruise of the Polaris will also be
found clearly exhibited. The movements Of
the Tgress subsequent to her visit to the de-
serted camp at Lifeboat Cove we have not
marked on our map, as it is unnecessary to the
story Of the expedition. Thus illustrated the
story which has already been published in
outline cannot fail to awaken lively interest
in the great geographical problems involved,
as it will convey clearly to our readers the
force of the text.
Captain Buddington's statement goes back
of the separation from Tyson as far as
the departure in August, 1871, from
Tessuisak, the most northerly Danish set
tlement whence Or tain Hall despatched
his last letter to the 81 retary of the Navy. 1t
thus covers the who ventful period of the
voyage. He rapidly sletches the events up to
the death of the conrnsnder and, although
no mention is rasaS b. m of any disagree
ments on boar prioF ie. hat untoward event,
he indicates tnet there were many afterwards.
1t is painful Q think how many discordant
elements IL hips company contained, and
it is thou I'd pities tn these unfortunate
incompatibilities were L discovered in time
to be remedied. From ,ao violence of the
late Captain Davenport, p ao United States
steamship Congress, an y lnsD ,ctor Smith,
of Greenland, it is clea 'aat Or Bessel was
much opposed to his conn . sisr, end it is in
sinuated made others. Baddingon among
them, the tools Of his -. We have now
the statement of Captain Buddingtoa hat DR..
Bessel and he had disagreeable differences on
the question Of authority after the n of
Captain Hall. We do not wish to 6. ,eeply
into the merits of this question at present, but
we sincerely hope that the difficulties of dis
puted precedence which arose on the Polaris
will be guide to the prevention Of any such
in the expeditions Of the future
The circumstances attending the demise of
Captain Hall are yet in deeper shadow than
only professional physician on board chooses
to be very reticent concerning the fatal
illness. He dismisses all question on the
matter with the statement that death resulted
from apoplexy, although the symptoms, as de-
tailed, do not point strongly to the correct
ness Of that diagnosis. Before a proper
board of investigation, and under the exami-
nation of physicians with whom his necessity
of using medical technology will not pre-
vent full inquiry, we presume that DR..
Bessel will defend his statement and
his professional treatment of the heroic
sufferer. The value to science of his labors
will, of course, depend in a great measure on
the preservation of the records OF his observa-
tions. Many of these, in the accidents of the
voyage, have been lost or destroyed; but it is
to be hoped that he has retained enough in his
memory and his notes to make the physical
mysteries of the polar region more accessible
to future scientific investigators. In his inter-
view he gives formidable list of the various
branches of geographical, meteorological, 20
illogical, botanical and chronological investi-
cation which were followed under his direction
The statement of Engineer Schumann,
although going over the same ground as Cap
tain Buddington's, conveys many features of
novel interest, particularly in connection with
the wintering Of the party at Lifeboat Cove
The hospitable Scotch whaler, Captain Allan,
Of the Ravenscraig, gives his story of the
rescue in bold and graphic manner which
makes us feel the genuine warmth of his
reception Of the waits. 1t is bright spot in
the long narrative Of suffering and peril, and
throws a genial glow for a moment over the
dreary scene among the hummocks of pack
ice in Melville Bay. 1t was, indeed, as he
assures US, providential rescue. Be-