Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-10-02
LIFE AMONG THE ICEBERGs.

Soiourn in the Frozen Re giOns-The
Journey South i'm Their FraiI Boats,
and Final Rescue.
dundee, Scotland (Sept. 20l Cor. New York
Tribune.1
The whaling steamer Arctic, Capt.
Adams, has arrived at this port from
Davis Straits, having on board the men
of the Polaris expedition, who We're
picked up by the whaler Ravenscraig,
on the Doth of July. The men r all
well, and show no marks of emaciation,
such as might have been expected after
their terrible experiences.
The following narrative of incidents
that occurred after the separation of the
crew, is gathered from q 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 determination to leave the ship was
arrived at on the 18th of October, at
which time they were in latitude 70.
Some of the crew remained aboard,
while others landed on the ice, and they
began to get out stores, with h inten-
ton of taking everything they could
need for a long %sojourn in those frozen
regions. Between 10 and II o'clock at
night, while this work was proceeding,
O severe gale sprang up, and snow be-
gan to fall heavily, with strong, but
variable winds. Operations, however,
were continued, and, after untiring
efforts, the boats were got upon the ice,
and a 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 on the ice.
TlS, rro. about roiIninhf Tho anchor
in starting, tore off a 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 I" What
are we to do z"
Capt. Buddington shouted back that
he could do nothing for them they had
boats and provisions, and must shift
for themselves as best they could.
A few minutes later those of the
Polaris saw boat launched and man
ned by these men, making for the place
where their comrades were stationed.
In a short time the storm and dark
ness shut out every object from their
view. The feelings of the men can be
imagined, as with half the crew left to
perish, as they supposed, in a desert of
ice and snow, the ship drifted away
helpless, until 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 Polaris. She
still leaked fearfully, and in her dam
aged condition Buddington had no hope
of getting any further south with her.
It was therefore determined to beach
her, but the question was how that
could be done. The wind being favora-
BILE, an opening in the pack was finally
L.: ~-l H. lsN r-oG hornl
through under canvas. Everything ap-
parently favored the work, but though
the ship was only a few miles from
shore it took twelve hours to get her
close in. The next consideration was
how to provide for the shelter of men
on shore. ALI the timbers from be-
tween decks were tern out, provisions
were deposited on the ice, the coal was
removed, and everything useful was Sc
cured. The walls of a house were then
built of heavy planks, jointed to ex-
clude the wind, and the roof was
made of sails. In such a home
the long winter was passed. Some
help was received from three Esqui-
maux, who discovered the wrecked
ship, and agreed for q few paltry
presents to convey provisions over the
ice from the vessel. They gave still
more valuable aid by supplying skins
for clothing, of which the crew were
generally in need, for many of their
clothed were worn out, and many more
were lost. When the vessel broke
away, on the night of the 18th, the
Esquimaux had plenty, and though
they were flthy-smelling garments, the
castaways gladly adopted the full Es-
quimaux costume, of fur trousers, coats,
hats, and boots.
Through the long dreary winter the
men kept up their spirits remarkably
we'll. The snow fell heavily, but it
served to protect their frail habitation
and make it more comfortable. Their
arrangements were SO complete that no
visit to the ship was necessary before
Jan. 81, when they went for q supply
of wood. Fresh water was obtained in
abundance by collecting pieces of ice
bergs and melting them. Toward the
end of winter Chester suggested that
some means should be agreed upon to
extricate the party from their perilous
position. The provisions were gradu-
ally diminishing, and the fuel, of which
only six tons had been obtained from
the ship, was nearly exhausted. The
Polaris was still available for materials,
and it was now proposed to build two
boats.
A survey by Chester showed that the
lining of the cabin could be used, and
this was accordingly stripped off. Dur
ing the spring months, with the Their
mometer % degrees below zero, and
often in a binding drift, the building
of the boats went on. The situation
grew daily more discouraging, but the
work was never relaxed, and the cour
age of the men never failed. Advancing
steadily, the crew were ready to depart
by the end of June, determined to push
southwark.
Just at this moment, when everything
was in readiness, they were alarmed by
the appearance of the scurvy. Happily,
however, the attack proved slight, and
a plentiful supply of walrus liver, which
they obtained from the Esquimaux, en-
abled them to avert the disease. When
ever beats were launched they leaked a
good deal, but the men determined to
trustthem, and, slowing aboardalltheirre-
manning provisions and ammunition, they
aidfarewelto Life oatC Cove. Ifnotper-
fectly tight, the boats proved themselves
excellent sailors and remarkably easy
to row, and on the first day the voyagers
reached Sontag Bay. After remaining
there a short timetoregaintheir strength
| H. ~o,4- -oolo Co., Ho1-l-ro1 Tc1onl