Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-10-01
The Polaris Crew.
A Thrilling story ana asitucuiou,
ESCAPE.

puHc . CaOie spcCtat iIVW buHiSC,
Scotland. 18th, says tho whaling
steamer Arctic, Captain Adams, ar
rived at this port from Davis Straits,
having on board the men of the
Polarls expedition who were picked
up by the whalcr Ravenscraig on the
2Oth of July. Tho men are all well
and show no marks OF cmaciatinm,
such as might have been expected
alter their terrible experience. The
following narration Of incidents that
occurred after tho separation of the
crew, is gathered from conversation
with several of the parties:
INCIDENTS OF THEIR ESCAPE.
The PularIs had been leaking badly
before the fifteenth of October, 1872,
and her situation ultimately became
SO alarming that il was deemed ad-
vsablc 10 make preparations TO
ubaidon her. The determination TO
leave the ship was arrived nj OH the
fifteenth OF October, ut which time
they were in latitude 10. Some OF
the crew remained aboard, while
others landed Oh the zee. and they be-
gan to get out stores with the intcm-
ton of taking cvcrSthing they
should need for u lomg sojuuru in
those frozen regions. Between 10
and IL O'Clock ut night while this
work was proceeding, q very severe
gale sprang up, and snow began to
tall heavily with strong but variable
winds. Operations, however, COLI
linued and after unIirimg ffoi IS
boats were got upon the ice and II
large supply of provisions taken out.
Suddenly the hawscrs by which the
ship was made fast gave way, one
rapping the other tearing its anchor
from the lodging on the ice. Ihis
starting tore oil Il large piece of the
Hoe with three men on it, and aS he
Polaris drove past them they cried
out in agony ami terror, "N hat are
we TO do?" Captain Buddlngtou
shouted back that lie could do noth-
ing for them. They had the boat,
and provisions and must SHIFT for
themselves as best thev could. Mote
These three men, Thomas Mycr and
two others, were saved with the
Tyson party.] A few minutes later
those on the Polaris saw Il boat
launched and manned by three men.
making for the place where the:r
comrades were stationed. In Il short
time the
STORM AND DARKNESS
shut out every object from their
view. The feelings of the men can
be imagined. as with half the crew
left to perish, rs they supposed, on
the ice and snow, the ship driitcd
helpless, till at last she brought up al
Lifc-Boat cove. The prospect wa
Row gloomy enough. There seemed
10 be little prospect of their remain
ing in the Poiaris. She still leaked
fcarfullv, and in her damaged condi
ton Bud,lington had no hope of get
ting any further south with her. Ii
was, therefore. determined to beach
her. but the question was how that
could he done. The wind being ia
vor=ble, an opening in the pack wa>
finally discovered and The sip was
forced through under canvass
Everything apparently favored til,
work, but though the ship was Only 8
few miles from shore, it took twelve
hours TO do it. The next considcra
tion waa howto provide shelter fa,
the men OH shore. All timbers from
between decks were torn out; pro
visions were deposited on the ice the
the coal was removed; everything
useful was secured; the walls of I"
house were then built OF heavy piar Ks
! jointcd to exclude the wind, and ii
/ roof was made of sails. In such q
! home the long winter was passed.
Some help was received from three
| EsuUimaUE who discovered the
| wrecked ship and agreed tor Il frw
nAliry presents to convey provisions
over The ice from the vessel They
gave still more valuable aid BY sup
PLYING skins for clothing, Of WHICH
| the crew was "r"a'!v in need, for
many of their clothes wee worn cut
mauv more were ios. ,ytcn the vessel
broke away on The night Of the 15sii.
The EsguimauX had plenty, aud
though they were filthy smelling gar.
ments. the c.staways gladly adopted
TIE FULL ESQ UIMAl'N COSTUME
of fur trousers, caps, hats and boo,
Through the long, dreary winter th,
men kept up theirspirits remarkably
The SNOW fcl, heavily, but it served
to protect their frail hGbita;ion anu
make it more comfortable. Their ar
rangements were so complete that no
visit to the ship was necessary before
January eth, when they went for 6
supply OF wood. Fresh water wa!
obtained in abundance by collecting
pieces Oficcbergs and UcitiEG them
Toward the end of winter Chcstc
suggested that some means should bt
agreed upon TO cNiricate the partiC
from their prrilous position. Ts
provisions were gradually diminish
ing. and the fuel. of which only 81:
tons had been obtained from III" shil
was nearly exhausted. The Po,ari
was still available for timber ami
was now proposed to build two boais
A survey by Chester showed hat tn
cabin could be used and this was at
cordingly stripped off.
= During the spring months, wit
the thermometer rtwenty-'hrec degree
below zero, and often in = biudin
drift, the building ofboats went on
cnura"ing, but work was never II
laXcd, and the courage of the nae
i, never failed. Advancing stcadiI
!, the crew were ready To depart by th
). end of June, determined to pus
suuthward. just at this momcn
: when everything was in rcahincs
i!ils "CiC dali IiiCu DS tIiC u uppcdIttlC
of scurvy.
:. :. Happily, however, the attack prove
e slight, anda bounlifnl supply of wa
: rus liver, which t!.cy obtained froI
J. the EsquimauX, enabled tiicm I
:. avert the disease. When the boat
u were launched they leaked a goo
deal, but the men determined to trl,,
them, and slowing aboard all thci
rcmniming provisions and amunilio
;, they said farewell to Liie-Boat GOV,
= If not perfectly tight The boats pr vc
themselves excellent sailors. anu T.,
narSably easy. 10 row and on The fir
day OF the voyage reached Sonia
bay. After remaining th"rc 4 slol
time to regain their strength q!
party made for iiakluyt island, who,
:, the expedition was brought 10
IS strndsiill by n tremendous gat
.r which blew for three fn!l days with
=. continuous fail of snow for ali th
'y time. Immense flocks of auks. n bi.
ie of the penguin spices, were encou
: tered here, however, aud as the me
cou'd easily take up their guns al
kill len Of them at Il shot, there ";
plentiful supply of fresh provision
Whicn were very Thankfully receive
- Occasionally their tiny crafts we
Sadly beset, and it was feared th,
would come to grief. but they we
among Ice, and there was nothing