New Orleans Republican., 1873-06-22

channel from tAenty five to thirty miles
wide, opening to the sound above mentioned
to which Captain Hal, as has already been
stated, gave the name of RObeeon's straits.
The western shore Of these straits, north
!, of Grinnels land, Is also nameless., North.
east of Cape Lupton, in latitude $40 81 is
deep inlet, which Captain Hall called New
mans bay, naming its .northward point
Cape BrevoOrt, and it's southern bluff Sum
mer Headland. The bend Of land continues
TO Re pulse harbor in latitude 81 9 north.
The highest northern position reached by
land during this expedition was an eieva
tion of 100 feet at Repulse harbor. On the
eastern coast of Robeson's straits the land
continues northeast to the end of these
straits, and thence east and southeast, till
lost in the distance. its vanishing point
bearing south by east from the place OF OBJ
servatiOn.
No other land was visible to the north
east, but lard was seen on the west coast
extending north as far as the eye could
reach, and apparently terminating on the
he&dlAnd of 81 north. The errors on the
shore line of the west coast, as laid down
by DR.. Hayes, and the errors IN the shore
line OF Greenland. as laid down by DR..
Kane, were observed and corrected. Of
course, full scientific results of the PolaIis
expedition can not be known until that ves
sci shall have been found and brought back,
with the treasures she has gathered and the
records and details of her Arctic explora-
tions. but enough is told by the witnesses
whom we have examined to excite expec
tatiOn and encourage the hope of large and
valuable additions to the domain OF human
knowledge.
The following is the text of Captain
Halls dispatch, which is dated at Sixth
SnOwhouse Encampment, Cape BrevOort.
north side entrance to Newman's bay, lati-
tude 81 3 north. longitude 6l2 2 west,
October 20, 1871:
To the Honorable Secretary of the United States
Navy, George ". Robeson:
Myself and party, consisting Of Mr.. Ches-
ter, first mate, my Esquimaux Joe and
Greenland, have left the ship in winter
quarters, thank God. The harbor is in lati-
tude so ;3S| north, longitude Gl a. west of
meridian, October 10. The Journey is by
two sledges drawn by fourteen dogs, to
discover, if possible, a feasible route inland
for ny sledge journey next spring to reach
the north pole, purposing to adopt such a
route, if found better than a route over old
foes and hammOcks, to q strait, which
have designated Robson strait. after the
honorable Secretary Of the United States
navy.
We arrived here the afternoon of October
II, having discovered a lake and river; on
our way along the latter our route was a
most serpentine one, which led us on to this
bay. fifteen minutes distance from here,
southwark and eastward. From the top of
an iceberg near the mouth of said river We
could see that this bay, which have named
after Rev. DR.. Newman, extended to a
highland eastward and southwark Of that
position, about fifteen miles, making the
extent OF Newman's bay, from it's headland
or cape, full thirty miles. The south cape
is high, bold and noble headland. have
named it Sumner headland, after Hon.
Charles Sumner, orator and United States
Senator, and the north cape, Cape Bre
WORT, after j. Carson BrevOOrt, a friend TO
Arctic discoveries.
On arriving here we found the mouth of
Newman's bay open, and in the water
numerous seals bobbing up their heads.
this open water making close to Sumner
headland and Brevoort cape. The ice of
Robeson strait debarred all chance of ex-
tending our journey up the straits. The
land is mountainous, but will admit OF our
surveying further north, and as the time Of
our expected absence was understood to be
two weeks, We commence our return TO-
morrow. To-day we are storm bound to
this, our sixth encampment. From Cape
BrevoOrt we can see the land extending on
the west side Of the strait to the north,
twenty-five degrees west and distant about
seventy miles, thus making the land we
discovered as far as latitude S3o $ north.
There is tine appearance of land further
north, and extending more easterly than
that l have just noticed but peculiar
dark cloud that constantly hangs over
what seems to be land prevents my making
full determination. On the thirty first Of
August the Polaris made her greatest
northern latitude, So 80 north, but after
several attempts to get her further north
she became beset, when we were drifted
down to about 81 30, when an opening
occurred westward of the pack, and made
the harbor September 3, where the Polaris
is. A corner of the manuscript is here
burned off. Up to the time l and nv
party left the ship, all have been well, and
continue with high hopes Of accomplishing
our great mission. We find this much
warmer country than we expected.
From Cape Alexander the mountains on
either side of Kennedy channel and Robe
son strait were found entirely bare OF snow.
with the exception of a glacier that we
saw, commencing in latitude go. 30 north.
on the east side of the strait and extending
in a northeasteriy direction as far as can be
seen from the mountains by Polaris bay.
We have found that the country abounds in
seals, geese and ducks. musk cattle, rabbits,
wolves, foxes, bears. partridges. etc. Our
sailors have shot two seals in open water.
While at this encampment our long Arctic
night commenced. This dispatch to the
Secretary of the Navy finish at this mo-
ment at S23 in the evening, having written
it in ink. in our snow hut, the thermometer
outside minus 300 to 23o-that is 90 minus
to 23o minus Fahrenheit.
A copy of this dispatch was placed in
pillar at Brevort cape. October 2l. 1871.