Connecticut western news., 1873-10-17
The Death of Captain Hall.
Statements of Bessels and sehumann,


 Dr. Bessels furnishes an account of the exploration voyage similar to that given by Captain Buddington, but re- garding the death of the commander, Captain Hall, he speaks with more au- thority than the rest of the crew, as he attended him on his death bed, and the last words ever spoken by the explorer were spoken to him. It may be re- membered that after the captains death a rumor got afoat that he had been poisoned, and as the opinion of Dr. Bessels on this matter is of the greatest value l made inquiry to ascertain his opinion regarding this rumor. Dr. Bessels informed me that he had heard of the rumor as to Captain Hall having been poisoned, and was very much surprised at it. "Captain Hail." says Dr. Bessels, "died natural death, and there was not the slightest appearance of anything that could possibly have gwen rise to such rumor."
 About the 10th of September Captain Hall started on an expedition for the north. His object in doing so was principally to see the country in order that he might be able to start afresh in in the spring. The exploring party consisted of Captain Hall, MT. Chester, chief mate; and Joe and Hans, two Esquimaux. They started in two sledges with fourteen dogs, and suc- ceeded, after much difficulty, in reach ing point about twenty miles further north than where the ship lay, and there Captain Hall found large bay, which he called Newman's Bay. He was away from the vessel fourteen days, during which time the weather was of & very stormy description, and the thermom- eter was on many occasions 16 to 20 degrees below zero. When Captain Hall returned, he went into his cabin, and shortly afterwards he said that as he felt sick he had better lie down. He commenced to vomit, and then asked for cup of tea, which the steward or some one else brought him. He drank 1t of, but did not retain it on his stom- aoh, and when night came he was in . high fever and quite delirious.
 He kept his bed for four or five dave, during which time he was sometimes dellrious and sometimes he spoke quite sensibly, just as the fever increased or decreased in intensity. After this he got somewhat better, and was able to leave his bed and walk about in his cabin. He was so much better that he was able to write and de other light work. About the 9th of November he, however, relapsed and became rapidly worse. Late on the 7th he said to the doctor, am very much oblige to you for your kindness" and these were the last words he ever uttered in this world. | The Captain immediately thereafter be- came dellrious, and about three o'clock | on the next morning of the 9th he ex- oired. We buried him on the 10th at | eleven o'clock in the morning, at place | on shore about one mile and half from | where the ship lay, and over his grave we reared 8 monument made of wood. lpon which we affixed plate with an inscription. This monument can easily oe seen by passing vessels. After Cap ain Halls death, MT. Buddington took command of the vessel, and Dr. Bes- els took charge of the sledges and connected with the scientific part of the voyage. The whole of the rev were at this time in an exceeding y healthy state, and we held Christmas n comfortable manner. In the spring Ve started on an expedition for the Pole n two boats, MT. Chester taking com nand of one, and Captain Tyson, assis- ant navigator, taking the command of he other. In the boat with MT. Ches- er was MT. Meyer, meteorologist,w while )r. Bessels accompanied Captain Ty- on.
 On the second day after the expedi- ion started, MT. Cheste1's boat was mashed up, but nothing daunted, he anne back, and having fitted up the anvas boat, made fresh start. They , cached 82 deg. 5 sec north, but after aiting about two months in expecta- on of the ice opening, they were com elled to return again southward. We ad plenty to eat, and our only concern ( as as to the fate of our comrades on le ice-foe. On the 3d June, 1873. we fit this place in the two boats, Captain being in command of one 2 2 nd MT. Chester of the other. In each i oat there were seven men. In the b oyage southward we only met ice once, t nd that was off Northumberland \ 'land. The rest of the time we were l open water, and had upon the whole A ery fair weather. When we came to i onical Rock, about twenty miles s orth of Cape York, we were delayed | lree days on account of the southwest i, ale. In two days afterwards, however, p e reached Cape York, when we were s lscovered by the Ravenscraig. MT. | chumann speaks in the highest terms ? the kind manner in which they were g eated on that vessel and on the Arctic, which they were subsequently, trans rred.