Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-11
THE POLAR REGIONS.
Halls Exploring Expedition.
Arrival of Nineteen of the Survive,
Death Of Capt. Hall.
suseripss Of the Expiorir

st. 5ohns. n. p Or May g says: Tht
8 Gamer WsIrusa arrived from the seal fish
| cry at the Port of st. Johns this morning
bringing news that the steamer Tigress had
come into Roberts Bay; Is miles from
there, having on Board nineteen survivors
of Halls Arctic expedition who had been
landed from the Polaris, being driven from
her by a gale which burst her moorines or
the 18th of October, 1872, In latitude Y deg
So min. When they last sst tte polaris
she was hinder Steam and canvass, making
for the harbor on the east side of NOrthum.
berland island. She had no more boats left
of the six which she brought with her from
the port of New York. Two were lost in
the Northern expedition, two we're landed
on the lee with Capt. Tyson's party, one
was burnt as firewood to make water for
the crew, and the other is on board
the Tigress. The Polaris was in command
of Capt. Buddington, whe bad thirteen OF
the crew sl0rg Win him, and plentiful
ssoeS OF provisions. Her bow was some
what damaged and it is the opinion OF the
survivors they will be unable to get clear
until July and even then, If the ship is I'M
seaworthy, they should have 10 make new
boats to effect an escape. On the Sth OF
October, 1871, in latitude 81 deg. SS min,
longitude II deg. "A min; Capt. Hall
Died OF Appoplexy,
and was buried on shore, where they erect
ed a wooden cross to mark his grave. He
had recently returned from northern
siedge expedition in which he had obtained
latitude 80 deg. 16 min. BE seemed in his
usual health and had called the crew into
the cabin to encourage them with hopes OF
future rewards and stimulate them TO re-
newed exertions when. he was suddenly
struck down and expired to the great grief
of those around, to whom he had endeared
himself by bis kindness and devotion.
In Sept. 1871, the Polaris entered win
ter quarters, and left Aug. II, 1872. The
ice was very heavy and set in southern
| direction. She was forced south, and so
continued drifting till Capt. Tyson and par
ty were driven frofn her. The sledge party
crossed Kane's Polar sea, which they pro-
nounced to be straight about fifteen miles
wide. There was an appearance of open
water to the north. The rescued party suf-
fered very much during their dreary drift
from hunger and cold. For the last two
months they ate raw seal and Polar bear,
as they could get it. When met by The
Tigress they showed evident sigus of theil
great suffering, but during the nine days
that they have been on board they have
improved vastly and are now in fair health
The party is in charge of the United
States Consul, and will arrive in st. Johns
on Monday next. The following statement
is furnished by Capt. Tyson: On the 24sh
of August, 1871, we left Tessinask and
went THROUGH Smiths Sound. We succet d.
ed in getting as far north as latitude 81 de-
grees and 10 minutes, when we returned
and wintered at Polaris Bay, latitude 81
degrees and 80 minutes, longitude 81 de-
grees and A minutes. We were
Frozen Up
until the 9Th of September. On the 10th
of October Capt. Hall started on a sledge
Journey north, and returned on the 24sb
when he was taken sick and died on the
9Th of November. He was buried on the
18th. The attack that carried him
off was said to be apoplexy. We
passed the winter at Polaris
Bay. On the 9Th of June, 1872, we al
tempted to 60 North with two boats. We
hauled om other boat on shore and returned
overland. On the Sthof July we started fol
home. On the 18th OF August, and on the
18th we're beset with ice in latitude so deg.
2 min. We drifted from there down to
latitude n deg. 81 miB., when we encoun
! tered a heavy southwest gale, the ship being
under heavy pressure. On the night of the
18th we commenced landing provisions
ETC., our ice vessel being reported leaking
| very badly at times. We continued land
! ing provisions for two or three hours wheI
the pressure ceased. went on board the
vessel and asked the sailing master if The
vessel was making any more water thar
usual. He reported she was not. theI
went to the pumps and ascertsined she wa
net making any more than she was doin;
all summer. l went on the ice again, ant
shortly after it began to crack, and few
minutes afterwards broke in many pieces
| The vessel
Broke From Her FastenIngs,
and was soon lost to sight in the dsr knes
| and storm. On the broken ice were mos
| of our provisions 10 sustain the party
through the winter, and seeing nothing O
| of the vessel we attempted to reach shore
| in hope of finding natives to assist US il
| living through the winter. Getting abou
half way to shore with our heavily ladeI
boats, our progress became hard by drift
| ing ice, and was compelled to haul on tht
ice again. At this time l succeeded in say
ing fourteen cases of pemmicsn
eleven and half bags o
bread, ten dozen one and two pound cans
of meat and soup, fourteen hams, ONT
small bag of chocolate, weighing twenty
pounds, some musk OK skins ant
| few blankets, a number of rifles and abUn
| IF In mo mo-
| knowing that had not provisions enough
and other articles of food, clothing, com
passes, etc. on the abatement Of the gale,
endeavored to shoot as many seals aspossi
BILE both for food, light and fuel, but coulc
only get three owing to tad weather hav
ing SET in. l supposed the wind to be
| about southwest. On its clearing up
found myself within about8 miles of wha
l supposed to be the East coast, and about
thirty or forty miles below the ship. The
ice being weak, could not transport boats
and provisions to land until j
grew stronger. While here / discovered
my other boat, bread, &C., and saved all
The ice grew tirmer, and made another
attempt to reach the shore, carrying every
thing in boats and dragging them on their
keel. The ice being exceedingly rough, VT
stove both boats. We succeeded on the Isl
of November in getting about half way to
the shore. Night came on us and very
| stormy weather. Ia the morning the ice
was broken and was drifting southwark
very fast. We saw no more land Tor many
day. Bad weather continuing all through
the montb of November, We built snow
house and made ourselves as comfortable
as we could. We were ten white men,
two esquimaux, two women and five cbil
dren in all. We succeeded in killing a few
seals, which furnished US with light and fuel
with which to warm our scantY allowance O
food. In the larger part of February we liveC
principally upon birds, and in March com
meuced to catch seals; through that month
we supported ourselves on bears and seals
| wasting neither skin or entrails. We col
lected enough food in this way to last u:
until the middle of May. On the first OF
April we
Abandoned all Our Meat,
large amount of ammunition, clothing
skins and other articles, taking portion c
meat in the boat, which we were obliged 4
throw overheard, on account of the boat
being so deeply laden. | remained ON th
outer edge of the ice; on the third of Apri
we succeeded in getting little farther in
| On the 4th heavy northeast gale set in,
heavy sea. running under The ice, whic
broke it in small pieces; we could find q
seals for food, and were reduced
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