Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-22
SIX MONTHS OF TERRoR.

AKm3U03m
Ferseos q HALLS Expedtsioa Aban.
aenee On An Ice ftee-sseW they sub.
.tseea and How they Passed the Leng
Arctic winter.
The adventures OF the nineteen persons Who
were abandoned on the ice zoe In the Arctic
regions by the Polsris were OF the most en-
citing character. The breaking away was
caused by the foe, 20 which the ship Was fast
ened, drifting I'm between the land and some Ice
bergs that were jsmmed.
AFTER THR SEPARATION
all lay down on the ice and went 10 sleep, en-
cept Tyson, who walked about al night. Next
morning the vessel WAS not 90 he seen, and
knowing that their stock OF provisions Was not
sufficient 20 last the whole company oil winter,
they tried 10 make the land. Having got about
half way 90 the shore, and the boats being
count OF the drifting ice, and they were com
PEELED 10 haul their boats ON the ice again. At
that time
THE VESSEL CANE IN sIeHr.
but soon disappeared behind Northumberland
bend. Now commenced the drift from the 18Th
OF October, lss2. 20 the Soth OF April, l73, over
six months, or 49, DAYS. Night closed upon the
scene last described. The abandoned party had
fortunately two boats, the only remaining boats
belonging 20 the folaris.
DESPERATE SITUATION oF THE PARTY.
The gale during the night carried the Zoe and
Its unioi tuDate occupiers a the south west, and
in the morning they were about thirty miles
away from where the ship was living comfort
shlv at anchor. A heavy sea was running,
which broke up the foe and separated the
party from six bags Of bread, one Of their boats
and other articles OF food clothing, compasses,
SC. When the gale abated they endeayored TO
shoot a many seals a. possible for food and
light as well as fuel, but did not succeed IN
getting more than three, owing 20 rough
weather which set in. When II cleared mp
the party found themselves, ss they supposed,
on the east coast or west coast Of Greenland,
about
FFRrY MILES FROM THE SHIP.
They now hoped TO reach the shore, but, the
ice being weak, they could not transport boats
and provisions 90 shore until IL grew stronger.
Fortunately they here discovered the other
boat, provisions, &c, from which thew had
been separated, and saved all. The ice az
length grew stronger, and they made another
in the boats and dragging them on their keeis-
on the LIST of November they succeeded In get
ting about halfway TO the shore, when
NIGHT AND STORMY WEATHER CANE ON,
and prevented further progress In the morn
ing IL was found that the ice was broken and
the foe drifting south very swiftly. Then, Civ
snow houses on the ice. They had no materials
Tor fire, except old rags and blubber-both
scarce-which had 20 be used very sparingly,
and Only when IL was necessary 20 warm their
scanty allowance of food; 20 that Cor nearly the
whole six months thew were without hre.
THE ARCTIC WINTER.
The darkness OF the Arctic night, which lasts
a long time, and commences about December
mails except by accident. Then the sun disap-
peared, and did not reappear until the end OF
january OF btginnlng fcDfuafN- Dufiuk
this period day was not distinguishsble from
night, except by means of a streak Of light ON
the southern horizon, which, however. afforded
no light 10 our unfortunate wanderers. The
Esquimaux of the party were, Of course, used
to the long, dark winter, and thought lightly Of
IL, hut IL was not 50 Of the Americans and the
other members Of the expedition. The greatest
privation which the darkness occasioned was
that il put stop for the time 20 the seal hunt
ing, which 10 the crew was the chef means Of
sustenance.
TuYs,-x .ppvAprro x TIM uop,zo~
on the 18th OF January for the nrst time after
it, disappearance i'm Noyembe1, rising at half
past II a. m. ana setting at half-past u D. nm.
Alter the sun set there was twilight for six or
seven hours. The days after that rapidly grew
longer until the party was picked mp. On the
last OF February thew had remaining of their
provisions brought from the vessel only two cans
of PC ncan and 100 pounds Of bread-the latter
wet and mouldy. One OF the boats was cut mp
to make fuel 10 melt the ice into water TO drink.
During the time they were without blubber
their provisions were eaten cold.
STARVATION sTAREs THEN IN THE FACE.
The natives were very faithful in their exer-
tons 20 kill seals during the months OF dark
ness; but, a. said before they rarely succeeded.
Starvation now stared the party In the face,
and the return of the sun, though il gave some
A lot of Es9uimaux dogs dfifted on the doe,
most OF which Hans and his family RECALLED
themselves upon. The whites were at that
time delicate, but would, subsequently, they
say, have
EATEN ROAST Dog.
Capt. Tyson says he wanted the men 90 save
the dogs, kill and store them up for more hum
CRY day; but they would not, not thinking At
the time hiatt they would eat seals entrails &c.,
afterwards. After the provisions gave out the
men ate not only the flesh and fat of the seal.
they were fortunate enough to get, but also the
bones, skins, entrails, and all intestnes and APP
purteDances. Capt Tyson showed us two Of
his front teeth, broken by
CHEWING Up FROZEN SEAL BONES,
while at times IL was considered a great luxury
TO get lump OF blubber TO hold IN the mouth
and suck, 70 keep out the cold. The people
confined themselves fer days together to Their
huts during the cold drifts, spending the time
steering, wrapped upon in skins. In March
they got among the seals and procured plenty
Of meat. One night q very large polar bear
approached their encampment and commenced
eating their seal skins lying about. Tyson hred
one shot, which wounded the bear, who there
upon faced and attacked him. Tyson had TO
retreat 20 get more ammunition, and, return
ing, dispatched him. About the end Of March
heavy gale drove them out TO sea, and
BROKE Up THE YLoK
on which they had lived 30 many months Their
noe, which had been nearly i've miles i'm cir
conference, was by this untoward calamity re-
duced TO pan OF ice no more than twenty
yards In diameter. They abandoned their
homes on the LIST of April, and, with the noe
and huts, they also abandoned all their stock
other articles. ON the ID and 4th OF April the
outer edge of the main body of ice was regained,
and some progress made inwards. The ele-
ments were still adverse,
TREMENDOUS GALE AND HEAVY SEA
breaking the ice into yet smaller pieces, con-
tinuously hindered and threatened them with
destruction, 30 that they were obliged 20 con-
hne hemselves TO small pans, changing their
positions from time TO time as danger necessi-
tated IL wasimpossible TO launch the boat, no
seals could be taken, and actual starvation was
inevitable. IL was at this crisis that, on the
21st Of April, fortune sent the Polar bear, which
they happily obtained possession OF a. above
described. The boat was afterwards got into
the water, and they worked their way west and
southwest every day i'm the hope of reaching
some part Of the Labrador coast. The only then
remaining shelter was a canvas tent. On the
22j Of April the boat happened TO become sepa-
rated from this tent some seven or eight feet.
The weather, which had been fine for some
days previously, with hardly any wind, sud
denly shifted, and
A TERRIFIC STORM,
accompanied with sleet ana snow, sprang up
More suddenly still, and without any warning
sounds whatever, the ice between the boat and
tent burst asunder. with a loud and deafening
explosion. A cry was At once raised to ssstand
by the boat" Fred. Myer, I'm the darkness (for
was night) managed TO reach IL, though, I'm
attempting 70 do 20. he narrowly escaped being
inf. has fl.a