Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-05-14
The POIariS.

regions. Fifty thousand dollars were appro-
priated to further the enterprise, and every
precAution taken to ensure success that skill
and money could command.
The Polaris left Brooklyn, June ~, 1871 !;
arrived at st. Johns, Newfoundland, July
18th; and reached Holsteinburg in Green
land, couple of weeks after. On the 24th
of August, 1871, the Polaris left Tossac,
near Upernavik, Greenland, for the cum
known sea- Since then nothing has been
heard from her, until the reception of the
news last week:
The steamer Walrus arrived at the port Of
St. Johns. NJ F., from the seal fishery on
Friday, bringing news that the steamer Il
gress had come into Bay Roberts. Is miles
from st. Johns, having on board ~ survivors
of Capt Halls Arctic expedition, who were
taken off from an iceberg on the 3Oth OF
April in latitude $50 30, after having spent
1876 days on the foe.
This party, under command of Capt. H.
C. TYSON, which had been landed from the
Polaris, were driven from her by gale
which burst her moorings on the 10Th OF
October, 1872. When they last saw the
Polaris she was under steam and canvas,
making for a harbor on the east side OF
| Nor cumberland island. She had no boats
left of the SIX which she took with her from
New York Two were lost in northern ex-
petition. two were landed on the ice with
Capt. Tyson's party, one was burnt as hre-
wood to make water for the crew, and the
other is on board the Tigress. The Polaris
was in com mand of Capt Buddington, who
had thirteen of the crew along with him,
and plentiful stock of provisions.
The story of the expedition, including the
death of Capt. Hail. is told in the following
statement of Capt. Tyson
On the oath of August. 1871, we left les
sinsack and went through Smiths sound.
We succeeded in getting as far north as latl-
tude so, 49,, when We re urned and winter
ed at Polars bay, latitude o10, 49, longitude
6l0, Az. We were frozen up until the 9Th
of September On the 10Gh of September,
Capt Hall started on a sledge journey north,
and returned on the Oath when be was taken
sick and died on the oth of November. He
was buried on the llth The attack that
carried him off was said to be apoplexy. We
passed the winter at Polaris bay. On the
| SJh of June, 1872, we attempted to reach
the north with two boats. We hauled our
other boat on shore and returned overland on
the 9Th of July. We started for home on
the 18th of August, and on the 18th were
| beset with ice ia latitude go, g. We DRIFT
ed from there down to Latitude ~, 80,
when we encountered heavy southwest
| gale. the ship being under heavy pressure
On the night of the 18Th we Commenced
landing provisions, etc Ga the ice, the YES
sci beng reported leaking very badly at
times We continued landing provlsi rms fJr
two OF three hours, when the pressure ceased.
| | went on board the vessel and asked the
Salllng-ma5ter if the vessel was making any
IN IRE water than usual. He reported that
she was not. | then went to the pumps aud
4scertaIned that she was not IN .kIng any
more than she was doing all summer.
went on the ice gain, and shortly after
1t began to crack, aud IN a few mInu ties
atterward broke in many places. The vessel
I broke from her fastenIngs, and was soon lost
- sight IN the darkness aud storm. On the
i broken Ice were most OF our provisions to
sustain the party through the winter, and
seeing nothing OF the vessel, we attempted
to reach the shore in hopes OF finding natives
to assist US in living through the winter.
Getting about half way to the shore with
our heavily laden boats, our progress became
hard by the drifting ice, and was compelled
!
succeeded 10 saving fourteen cans OF pemm-
can, eleven and halt bags of bread, ten
dozen one and two pound cans of meat and
soup, fourteen hams, one small bag of choco-
ate. weighing twenty pounds; some musk
OK skins, a few blankets, a number of rifles
and abund mt ammunition. ln the morning,
knowing that had not provisions enougl
and other articles OF food, clothing, c1mpas-
ses, etc on the abatement OF the gale | en-
deavored TO shoot as many seals as possible,
both for food, light and iuel, bat could only
get three, owing to bad weather having set
IN. supposed the wind to be about south
west
Ga its cl airing up found myself within
about eight miles of what | supposed 70 be
the east coast, and about thirty or forty
miles below the ship. rhs ice being weak,
| could not transport boats and provisions to
land until 1t grew stronger. WhIle here
discovered nv other boat, bread. etc and
saved all. The Ice grew firm. male an
othsr attempt to reach the shore, carrying
everything IN the boats and drlggins them
Oh - Il ;ccis. The ice beng exceedingly
rough we stove both boats. We succeeded
on the first Of November in getting about
half way to the shore Night came ON US
and very stormy weather. In the morning
the ice was broken, and we were drifting
southwark very fast.
We SAW no more land fox many days. bad
weather continuing all through the month OF
November. We built snow houses and made
ourselves as comfortable we could. We
were ten white men, two Esquimaux, two
women and FIVE childen in all. We sue
ceeded in killing few seals, which furnished
US with light and fuel to warm our scanty
allowance OF food through the darkness OF
the Arctic winter In the latter part OF
February we lived principally upon birds,
and in March commenced 70 catch seals.
Through thai month We supported ourselves
on bears and seals flesh. wasting neither
skins nor entrails. We collected enough
food in this way to last US until the middle
OF May, had we not been driven to sea by a
strong westerly gale IN the latter part OF
March, our foe piece being then reduced
rom five miles in circumference to about
twenty yards in diameter.
We LETT the piece on the frs of April,
and abandoned nearly all our meat, large
amount OF ammunition, clothing, skins and
other articles, taking a portion OF the meat
in the boat, which we were obliged 10 throw
overheard on account of the boats being so
heavily laden. | regained the outer edge OF
the pack of ice on the Sd of April, and sue
ceeded IN getting little farther on the pack
On the 4th ii heavy northeast gale set in, a
heavy running sea under the ice, which broke
it In small pieces, Sd that We had to live on
small fare, we could not put the boat out,
neither could we tind seals for food, and We
were reduced almost to starvation. % the
Dist of April we sighted polar bear. Every
person was ordered to e down and initiate
the seal, while the two Esquimaux secreteo
themselves behind piece of ice, entlcing
the bear near enough to to kill him. A
lew days after this we got our boat in the
water and worked our way west and south
west, and continued to work every opportu-
nifty to the westward, in hopes of reaching
the Labrador coast and getting temporary
reliet