Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-05-14
THE ARCTIC EXPLORERS.
SAD TERMINATION OF THE CRUISE
OF THE POLARIS.
Death of Captain Hall.
Part Of the Crew Rescued from an Ice Floe
by the Steamer Tlgress.

by the steamer TigresS.
Thrilling Narrative of the Rescued Sea.
men.
st. JOHNS, NEWFOUNDLAND,
May 9th, 1873.
To the STATE Department, IVa8hinqton.
The English sailing ship Wallerns has
just arrived, and reports that the steamer
Iigress picked up on the ice at Grady Har-
Dor, Labrador, on the Goth of April last, Is
of the crew and of the Esquimaux of
the steamer POlaris, of the Arctic expedi-
ton. Capt Hall died last summer. The
Tigress is hourly expected at st. Johns.
L. N. MALLORY,
United States Consul.
Left by the POIaris.
This party which had been landed from
the Polaris were driven from her by the
gale which burst her moorings on the 18th
of October, 1872, in latitude of 72o and 35/.
When they last saw the Polaris she was
under steam and canvass and making for
the harbor on the east side of Northum-
berland Island. She had no boats left. of
six which she brought with her from New
York. Two were lost in the Northern eX-
pedition, two were landed on the ice with
capt. Iyson's party, one was burned as
tirewood to make water for the crew and
the other is on board the Tigress. The Po-
laris was in command of Capt. Bud
dington, who had thirteen of the crew
along with him and a plentiful stock of
provisions. She was making a good deal
of water, but as Capt. Tyson informed the
correspondent she was not more lcaSy
than when he was on board the previ-
GUS fall and winter. The Polaris was
somewhat damaged and it is the opinion
of the survivors that they will be unable
to get clear until July and not even then,
if the ship is unseaworthy, when they
would have to make new boats to effect an
escape.
Death of Capt. Hall.
On the Sth of October 1871, in latitude
So. 3S|, longitude 6lo 44/, Capt. Hall died
of apopleXy and was buried on the shore
where they erected wooden cross to mark
his grave. He had recently returned from
the Northern sledge expedition, in which
he had attained the latitude of 80 1G,
He seemed in his usual health and had
called the crew into the cabin to encourage
them with the hopes of future reward and
TO stimulate them to renewed eXertions,
when he was suddenly struck down and
expired to grieve those around to whom
he had endeared himself by his kindness
and devotion.
In September, 1871, the Polaris entered
into winter quarters and left August Il,
1872 The ice was very heavy and set in
Southern direction. She was forced South
and she continued drifting till Capt Tyson
and party were driven from her.
SuGerings of the Crew.
The sledge party crossed Kane's Polar
Sea which they pronounced to be strait
about fifteen miles wide. There was ap-
pearance of open water TO the north
The rescued party suffered very much dur
ing 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 10y the Tigress they showed evil
dent signs of their great suffering, but DUR
ing the nine days they have been on board
they have improved vastly and are now in
fair health.
The following statement was furnished a
correspondent by Capt. Tyson On August
%, 1871, we left Tissinsac and went
through Smiths sound we succeeded in
getting as far north as latitude 32o l6/,
when we returned and wintered at Polaris
bay in latitude So 30/ and longitude 6l0 A..
We were frozen up until the 10Th of Sep
tember. On the 10th of October, Capt.
Hall started on his sledge journey north
and returned on the oath, when he was
taken sick and died on the 18th of Novem-
Der. He was buried on the 18th prox. The
attack that carried him off was said to be
apopleXy.
The Terrible Ice Blockade
We passed the winter at Polaris Bay.
On the Sth of June, 1872, we attempted to
reach the north with two boats. We haul
ed our other boats on shore, and returned
overland. On the r5th of July, we started
for home. On the 18th of August, and on
the 18th, we were besetwith ice in latitude
S00 p. We drifted from there down to
latitude 72o So, where we encountered
a heavy southwest gale. Our ship being
under heavy pressure, on the night of
the 10th, we commenced landing provis.
ions on the ice. The vessel being reported
as leaking very badly at times, we contin-
ued landing provisions for two or three
hours, when the pressure ceased. L went
ON board the vessel and asked the sailing
master if the vessel was making any more
water than usual. He reported that she
was not. L then went to the pumps, and
ascertained that she was not making any
more than she was doing all summer. I |
went on the ice again, and shortly after
ward it began to crack, and in few min
ltes more it broke in many pieces The
vessel broke from her fastenings, and was
'oon lost to sight in the darkness and |
storm.
WASHINGTON, May l0.-Forty hours
ater dispatches confirm the death of Can't |
Hall, but discredit the loss of the Polaris. |
As far as known no lives were lost.
Detailed Particulars.
On the broken ice were most of our pro-
yisions to sustain the party through the |
winter, and seeing nothing of the vessel |
n ffAE fAA TO Il, a.