American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-07-03
Arctic Explorations.

The probable success of the English
expedition, to which we lately alluded,
suggests glance at the history of Arctic
discovery. The immediate interest in
volved in reaching the North Pole is
doubtless of a scientific nature; but apart
ject considerations of ethnOlOgy bearing
directly upon the history of man, and es-
pccially important in determining the
character of the earliest inhabitants of our
western world. 1t is now we'll ascer-
tanned that long before the discovery of
America by Columbus and Cabot portions
of our coast were known to the old Morse
sea- kings, who established colonies on the
coast of Greenland and pursued their fish
cries even as far as Barrow's Strait. In
the year 1000 a Norwegian and q crew of
Icelanders pushed their way up Baffin's
Bay and into Lancaster Sound. These
were the first Arctic discoveries of whom
we have authentic word. In 1880 two We
netian navigators attempted to explore
this unknown region, but without success.
In 1897 John and Sebastian Cabot pene-
trated as far as 81 80 north, in hope of cx-
tending their voyage along the northern
shore of the continent and discovering the
famous northwest passage. Next were
the brothers COtereal, who reached go deg.
north, their expedition, however, result
ing only in disaster. Then followed the
first English expedition in search of the
northwest passage, with which the names
of Hudson, FrObisher and WillOughby
are identified. Next followed Q5S5-O
Davis, who explored the coast Of
Greenland and discovered the strait which
bears his name. Stimulated by these efforts
other expeditions were prepared by the
Danes, French and Dutch, who amid
great suffering, and even at the sacrifice
of life, in vain endeavored to find the de-
sired passage to Cathay. In 1907 Hud
son set out under instructions to steer di-
rectly for the North Pole. He passed
latitude 20 deg, and, having steered be-
tween Greenland and Spitz bergen, returned
withOu success. Three other expeditions
followed under the direction of Hudson,
still with unfavorable results, though the
new country discovered by him, and the
bay which takes his name, greatly extend
ed the field of Arctic exploration. During
the next thirty years many expeditions
were accomplished, the only important re-
suit being the observation of the extreme
variation of the magnetic needle. In TAI
Behring set sail from Kamtchatka and dis
covered the sea named for him, though he
failed to pass to the eastward as he antic-
ipated. His sufferings and death are but
an episode in the disasters which attended
The explorations Ofthesc hardy navigators.
1t being supposed that western outlet
existed, connecting Hudson Bay with the
Pacific Ocean, the British Parliament in
1743 offered Il reward of E2O, 900 for its dis
covery. This served TO increase the inter
est in explorations both by sea and land,
and expeditions followed in rapid sue
cession, among the most noteworthy being
that of Capt. Cook in 1116, in which he
reached latitude 20 As. In 1918 two cxpedi
tions, with which the names of Ross, Parry
and Sir John Franklin are forever assOciat-
ed, were fitted out, one of them to seek the
northwest passage; the other, that of
Franklin, designed for purely scientific
purposes. They reached latitude so "a, but,
finding no outlet to Lancaster Inlet returned
to England. Parry, however, speedily
set sail again, and in a successful voyage
passed the 10th meridian. Several land
journeys were now undertaken, with va
ried success, the explorers travelling $500
miles in the course of three years. The
correction of the variation in the magnetic
needle is perhaps the most important re-
suit of the expeditions of this period. In
1921, 1923 and 1924 new explorations en-
sued, chiefly under Franklin, and in the
following years no expense was spared in
equipping numerous expeditions, the last
of the illustrious navigator being that
which sailed May 10, 1s45, in which, as was
known long afterward, he succeeded in the
practical discovery of the northwest pas
sage. Then came repeated searches after
the lost explorers, and in 1850 the first
American expedition, under Lieut.. De
set sail from New York, having
been fitted out by Mr.. Henry Grinnell. |
Of tie courage and endurance of this of
ficer we may cite the sobriquet of "the |
Mad Yankee" applied to him by the En-
glish who accompanied him, lie leading
the way wherever they could go. The |
voyages of DIR. Kane and their invaluable |
results are too familiar to us to require |
detailed mention. Those of Mcclure and |
McClintock, undertaken about the same
lime, though in some respects less pro-
Iluctive OF results than those of our country
man, were also of great importance to ex
plorers. 1t was reserved for DIR. Hayes,
on May IL, 1861, to reach the highest lat
itude attained by any Arctic explorer
After travelling for several days he
passed the eighty-first parallel, and
from summit in latitude 81 IS
saw what he supposed to be an
open polar sea, though at that season
it was filled with soft ice and foes The
subsequent expedition of the unfortunate
Capt. Hall is still fresh in our rccollcc-
ion. His explortions confirm the belief
hat Franklin was the discoverer of the
northwest passages and have added much
% our knowledge of the Esquimaux
lwellIng in the region visited by him. In
Ill these expeditions the greatest trial and