Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-22


every body watching one another. Me no
understand what they mean. All afraid
somebody put down poison in water, bread
or something. 1t looked like it he was
poisoned to me all the same. Buddington
didn'E like to go TO cabin. he was quarrel
ing all the time.
Hans Christians statement upon this,
though much briefer, is to the same effect.
what Might have Been.
The correspondence says the Expedition
had passed wnat Kane supposed 10 be the
Polar sea which now proved to be sound.
Beyond this they penetrated into Robin
sons channel and ttIere on the last day OF
August, 1871, many important circumstan
ces Enthusiastically indicated the existence of
an unffozen ocean beyond the channel.
Mild W aather, with fogs and mists brought
down by northerly winds, could come from
no other source. Land was visible to the
north and west of this body of water grea5
distance. Now was the moment 10 en-
brace the preset favorable opportunity
which was liable to be defeated by the
slightest sudden change, and by prompt
continuation of their hitherto successful ad-
venture achieve the glorious goal for which
they had hazarded so much. But here on
The eve of an easy victory arose thai fatal
difference of opinion which blasted
all the heroic explorers prospects and rem
dered fruitless that mighty energy and Ia
Dor which had already led him such dis
tance over barren and inhospitable regions
of the North. Sailing master Buddington
had several times expressed anxiety to go
DO faIther and strongly urged the necessity
of retreat:Dg TO winter at Port Hope, nearly
240 miles south of their present highly ad-
vantageous position. Hall determined to
proceed if possible and would not consent
to this latter proposition. Buddington how
ever persisted. Before concluding to re-
treat Hall called council consisting of
himself, Capt. Tyson, Chester the mate, and
Buddin ton, to con ider which course was
most advisable. At this council capt. Ty-
son strongly advocated Capt. Halls views
and urged the impro opriety OF desisting. The
brave and the right cause was overruled, 10
which circumstance it is possible
Capt. Hall owed his death. If the vessel
had continued on its course, as Capt. han
desired and urged, the expedition would III
all probability have been crowned with sue
cess and the dreams of geogrsphers and ex-
plorers been realized. But an unaccounta'
bic timidity, the offspring OF craven
cowardice or, other improper motives, an
initiated the hopes of Capt. Holl. Bud
dington, from the position which he occu-
pied, was master ofthe situation. lie said,
thus far you have gone, you shall go no
farther, and he was obeyed, reluctantly, OF
course, as matter of necessity.
1t is impossible to anslyze the motives
which prompted him. From his knowledge
of the Arctic regions, he must have known
it was as dangerous to turn back as to pro-
ceed, and that il the vessel was to be frozen
in, she might as well be frozen at one place
as another. The fact that Capt. Tyson
supported the Views of Capt. Hall furnishes
additional confirmation that the latter was
right and Buddington wrong. The blame,
if there is blame attending the failure OF
the expedition, will cleave to Buddington,
unless he can, if still living, satisfactorily
explain what now seems TO be his unac-
countable conduct.
Capt. Hall appears to have been the only
one of the scientific department who ven-
lured on the sled expedition.
The Victim OfEnvy.
WASHINGTON, May 24.-The EUening
Star SAYS, with reference to the account Of
Arctic adventure as it appears in the
telegraphic columns to-dsy: The suspect
ed poisoning of Capt. Hall recalls predlc-
ton made before the sailing Of the expedl
ton by person in this city welt acquainted
with it's personal, that Capt. Hall would
never return alive but would fall victim
to the envy of some party. 8