National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-13

to he as follows The party left Tossack,
Greenland, on the s0th Of August, 1871, on
which date and from which place dispatches
were sent back to tho Navy Department.
They proceeded northward and entered
Smiths Sound, succeeding In stcamlng as far
north as latitude 50 deg. 10 min., whence
they returned and established themselves for
the winter at Polaris Bay, latitude 81 deg.
3S min, longitude 6l deg. a min. On the
10Th OF October Captain Hall started on a
sledge journey northward, and returned on
the cath, when he was taken sick and died on
the Sth Of November and was buried not far
from the ships winter quarters.
The vessel remained in her winter quarters
until August IL, 1872, whom it started home
ward, and September 10 was enclosed In the
Ice In latitude 50 deg. 33 min., and thus
driftea southward to latitude - deg. % min.
Being still cncompasscd with the ice, they
probably concluded to go into winter quar-
tcrs, and commenced unloading the supplies
and sending them to the shore. In the course OF
this operation heavy northeast gale sprung
up October 10, which broke the vessel away
from her moOrings and started the Ice, upon
which portion of the crew was engaged In
moving the stores. This party, consisting Of
ten Of the crew and nine Esqulmaux, imme-
diately drifted off on the ice, and occupied
one hundred and ninety-siN days In their
pcrilous journey, having reached latitude 50
deg. 80 min. of the coast Of Labrador, when
they were rescued by the Newfoundland
scaling steamer Tigress.
They built for themselves Esquimaux huts
on the Ice and lived In comparative comfort
In Esquimau1 fashion, subsisting upon seals,
polar bears, &c. Northumberland Island,
where they parted from the steamer, and
where In all probability she spent the last
winter, is about twenty miles long and ten
miles wide, situated at the northern end Of
Baiilns Bay, in the mouth of Inglefeld Gulf.
From an examinations Of DR.. Hayes map, 1t
would appear TO be only about sixty miles
from Port Foulkc, the winter quarters Of DIR.
Hayes in lSG0-6l. HE.
The death Of Captain Hall appe fzF<blhsy'
been the only casualty Of the cxpcditos mp tC
the time of the division Of the party, and they
had then spent over year In tho far north
II Ia well known that the vessel was provided
with every form OF scientific apparatus neces
sary for making observation and researches
into the cllmatology, geology and the phys
ical and natural history of tho northern lant
as well as the sea, and that the chief OF he
scientific party, DR.. Emil Bcssels, possessed
every requisite for directing the researches o
his associates and carrying on the work ac
cording to tho best methods Of modern scienct
lie was fully aware OF the problems that re
mained to be solved in regard to tho nortf
and had himself taken part In an cXpedltiO
to SpitLbergen.
We have no reason to suppose that the We
sci was entirely disabled by the loss OF po
tion OF her crew, enough being still left
navigate her and bring her safely homo. n
casualty Is reported in regard to the vcss
beyond the loss Of her boats, which cou
Esodlly be replaced by the carpenter {
board, We may, therefore, entertain vel
strong hopes Of seeing her sometime towar
the close u the present season, or at lea
of learning that she has arrived at some a
.ccssible port. The tyO winters that she
have spent In the Grecsland seas must CO
tainly have furnished every opportunity III
could be desired for scientific investigation
and although we may not, as q nation, ha
the qualification Of beng the frs. to rea
the pole, we may safely claim to have sail
W u. hhhb ihthbet N"Hst'
Hall may have reached on bis sledge journ
has not been reported
The drifting of the rescued men from 10
tude n deg. 50 min. TO latitude 80 deg.
min. on a cake Of Ice, distance Of full
sixteen hundred miles, without the loss OF
single person or any serious disaster, is APP
iormancc that has never been equaled. Gre
interest was aroused by the statement I'll
the crew Of the Hansa, 4 vessel belonging
The German Greenland exploring expedite
had, after her shipwreck, drlfted eight hr
.dred miles on caRo Of Ice. But this (,
has been far exceeded by our Yankee par
To speak Of the expedition Of the Pola
as failure, as has been done by some OF {
cotcmporarlcs even though the vessel hers
and her records should never come to hnI
Is far from Just, since the line Of discovC
has been carried considerably to the north
Its previous position, and we have every n
son to expect that In the observations up
points other than those purely geographi
an equal advance will have been aceo
plished We have good rensOn TO hope Il
before the end OF the year We may have
pleasure OF welcoming back the gallant me
bers of the expedition, with their vessel
cords and collections, and that no furl
disaster will remain to be chroniclcd.
IaNNa NaAR lFh Z