The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-05-29
Captain G. +. Hall and his
Arctic ExpeSlitiOn.

4 The news of the death of Captain
G. F. Hall and the disaster to the
''Polaris" Arctic Expedition will
cause general regret, though not
much surprise, Polar exploration
: has possessed peculiar fascination
for a certain class of adventurous
persons, in spite of it's certain hard
ships, probable fatality, and absence
of all reward except possible fame
Experience has shown that he who
tenipts his fate by repeated visits to
that inhospitable region is as likely
to meet his end there, as ''the pitcher
that goes often. to thewell is in dan
ger of being .broken.s > -s~ -
Captain c. F. Hall was a resident
of Cincinnati when he first conceived
the ideaoof engaging in Arctic explor-
alton. He was in his youth a black
smith, and afterwards newspaper
man, publishing short-ived cheap
paper. He was without special sci
entifc education, and had never stud
I led the science of navigation. But in
spite-of these defects, the idea gained
possession Of his mind. than he could
conduct an Arctic expedition that
would for ever set at rest the mystery
Of Sir John Franklin's fate, and by
constantly pegging away at the pub
lie, at scientific men, and at enterpris-
ing capitalists, he at length, through
the liberality of Henry Grinnell, secur-
ed the assistance of the barque "Res-
cue" of Arctic exploration, as a ten
der The expedition left New London
May 20, 1862, and returned to the same
port, bringing relics from the early
expedition of Sir Martin Frobisher.
The experience gained in this first
attempt encouraged Captain Hall to
make another, in which he felt salts
fed he should succeed either in res
cuing some of the Franklin exped-
ton, who might still be alive among
the Esquimaux, OF at least solve the
mystery of their fate. In June, 1854,
he left New London again in the
barque .'EMonticello,' and remained
away over five years. The result OF
that expedition fully verified the theo
ries of Capt. Hall in regard to the
Franklin party. The story OF that
ill-fated expedition was fully cleared
up, the circumstances and date of
Franklin's death ascertained, and a
number of relics secured.
On Captain Halls return the story |
of his expedition was given to the
public throughs the-newspapers, and |
his services as lecturer were secured
by most of the literary associations
of the country In this city, accom-
panied by his Esquimaux friends,
Edierbmg and his wife, Tookoolito,
he lectured at Case Hall before the
Cleveland Library Association But
Captain Hall was not at home on the
lecture platform, or indeed among
civilized scenes. He had the "Arctic
fever in its chronic form, and was
eager to get back to the region of
snow and ice and raw blubber, which
he ate with the relish of the native
Esquimaux. His new motive was the
discovery of the North Pole, which
he felt certain he could locate with
exactness, and thus solve problem
that had long puzzled geographers
and explorers. Congress finally yot-
ed $50,OO0 for the purpose and plac-
ed at Captain Halls disposal the
steamer ''Polaris,' fitted up espec-
tally for the purpose under Captain
Halls personal superintendence June
%, 1872, she left the Brooklyn Navy
Yard, arrived at Holstenber, Green
land, July 13, and sailed from Disco
for the Polar region August II. The
last word received from Captain Hall
was August "a, 1871, when he reported
the expedition under headwaN with
a full supply of material of every kind
for the vessel and interior exploration,
and with every prospect Of success.
THE LOST POLARLS. =. 49,
She was about 400 tons measure
al A Z 4