The New York herald., 1875-11-08
THE NORTH POLE.
News from the. English Expedition
to the Arctic Regions.
THE ALERT AND DISCOVERY.
Letters from Commander Markham and
others on Board.

The Pandora brought to England several letters from
members Of the Alert and Discovery expedition, some
Of which printed in tho English papers. The fol
owing selected
COMMANDER MARKHAM's FIRST LETTER
Orr CAPE SHAcKLEroS. Friday July 23 1875.
We are now steaming full speed-being beautiful,
calm weather-toward the westward To make the pack
edge, which we shall probably do in three or four
hours time. We have had very busy day to-day.
In the first place, at six O'Clock this morning, the fog
pcihg 100 thick 70 proceea, we endeavored TO get INTO
a little bay on the island OF Kngitok. to anchor and
"iis loI clear weather. ~ aolnB so we ran
on a rock, and remained immovable for five hours
No damage, however, was done. The ccsaw crews
have been organized, and officers and appointed
TO The different boats IN case OF having 10 abandon the
ship. Everything has been prepared for lifting tho
screw and rudder, and altogether we have had busy
day. Our knapsacks all packed ready for leaving
the ship. am quite surprised at the amount OF water
We have as yet seen no pack ice whatever do really
believe that.we are going to have remarkably open
season and that We shall get as lar north
sanguinc expectations can suggest
SATURDAY July 24.-Wc have been far wonderfully
lucky and all much elaed at the prospect Of sue
cess before u.s. We made the pack edge about two
O'Clock this morning and pushed 1t, since which
time we have been stcamlng through The ice is
wonderfully open, and we have hitherto gone
on without tho slightest check. There
lanes OF water IN all directions and If the weather
will only remain fine and calm shall IN all probab-
ity get into the North Water tomorrow The leo is
by no means heavy the greater part OF it only about
twelve inches thick by which think is this springs
formation. II we only have TO encounter ice OF the
thickness in Smith Sound shall be able to
steam straight up to the North Pole this year. At
present everything points TO speedy Success but few
hours make wonderful difference these regions
We must hope for the best II We 20 at the
rate have been going to-day we shall get to the
Carey Islands on Tuesday
SUNDAY July 25.--wo have had unparalleled success
and are actually in the north water, passing Cape
York. believe our passage is almost unprecedented.
We only entered the ice OF the middle pack two
clock yesterday morning and at eleven tins forenoon
just thrty-iour hours the ice we emerged in the
Iyp htvp oply ~
been seventy hours going from uperuayk 10 Cape
York We certainly have been most fortunate in our
weather not breath of wind made the pack
which was 50 loose as TO render navigation through it
matter Of ease Everything appears favorable to the
northward Little ice be and all clear and
open We parted company with the Discovery ut six
this evening She has gone in toward Cape York
muncate with the natives and induce OF them a
brother-n-law OF Hans, TO JON as dog driver We
are now steering along the Crimson Cs Of Beverley,
with Cape Dudley Digges ahead way to the
Carey Islands where shall establish our first depot
and land letters for Allen Young to pick up. Hav-
ing completed our work, shall 20 Littcton Island
and ion the Discovery either there or nj sutherland
Island am afraid the Discovery will not be able to
send any letters, as they have not sent any and
will not visit the Carey Islands.
MONDAY, July 26.--A dense fog this morn
ing and lasted all day; 50, with all the numerous
bergs about, obliged to 20 carefully. We
shdl prouaby get IN ut ten or twelve O'Clock tonight
] have got all the depot prepared tor anIing 1t
ought not to take US more than six hours putting
shore and securing it, Tomorrow forenoon We ought
TO be on our way to littlcton Island. Everything is
st in our favor. light breeze from the northward
is blowing winch will nicely clear smith Sound or US
Not bit Of pack be to-day and the tenpera
ture Of the water Is very high believe success is
going to be most complete
SECOND LETTER
OFF CAFE DUDLEY DlGGEs July % 1875
II think our passage from upernavik TO Cape York is
quite without precedent Captain Mares adhered to
his original determination OF giving up Melville Bay
ana trying the Middle Passage. We left uperuaviR at
eight O'Clock last Thursday evening and the following
morning on account of dense fog, attempted to
chor in small bay near the island OF Kngitok and within
mile or two OF the settlement man in kayak from
that place actually plotting US IN; but he evidently
ignorant of the pilolagc for we ran on TO rock and
remained mmovabe Tor i've hours getting of how
ever without any difficulty ut high water. The fog
having cleared up, we shaped due west ttrucl
aud at one O'Clock yesterday morning made the edge
of the pack, into which we went ! never such
light ce thicker than about twelve inches and very
soft and hrashy We could easily have steamed through
it. That however, was unnecessary, as the pack
quite loose, with innumcrable leads through
IT, Having beautiful calm weather we progressed
rapidly, both ships steaming iull speed, ana at
eleven O'Clock tins forenoon emerged into the north
water with Capes York and Dudley Dgecs in sight
ahead, having been in the pack only thirty six hours
IL Is certainly wonderful passage or course the
weather favored us good deal, and have doubt
we should have been able TO get through Melville Bay
with as much ease. What astonlshed me the ice.
do not believe encountered any of last years zee
all that We came through having, in my mind, been
heavy iccp Ii must all have been blown lar south by
the late prevailing northerly winds That this ind
Gates an open season Tor US to the northward have
little doubt
ELArED AT THE SUCCESS
We are al naturally much elaled at success so
far and quite count upon reaching eghtyye without
any serious check. In week 3 time we ought to be
on "thc threshold of the unknown region, when our
real work Will commences; hitherto IL has all been
clilds play wish you could be with now. We
have sent the Discovery into Cape York TO attempt
communicate with tho natives there, and II possible,
TO induce one OF them tlIans brother-inawl accom-
pany us. We are steaming towards Carey Islands,
which we shall reach tomorrow forenoon, and where
shall land Depot and the whaleboat obtained from
the Yalorous / shall have a look for your record
lt, tO
you* We shall then 60 TO Littleton Island
where the Discovery IS ordered TO rejon hope
not going 10 have early winter; but all last
hlght ana TINS forenoon "bay ice" was making, aud
the temperature of the water was us low rs 20 deg
We have, ! hope, SIX good weeks Of the navigablc
season before US, and in that time may do much.
1t is indeed lucky our getting into tho north water
50 easily and SO speedily, as we have been able
to ccuuoni2o fuel TO great degree. We shall
entor Smith Sound with very little coal out or our
bunkers We shah, in all probability take fifteen or
twenty tons from the Discovery when ,yc leave her
in her winter quarters which Will quite up again
She has only had TO steam coming through the
ice; up 70 the edge Of the pack towing her III
Allen Young doesn't comc up to the Carey Islands you
will not, Of course, get this until next year. hope
that he VIII come, ! wish could have met him be-
fore and got our letters.
GLORIOUS TRfuNrH
CAREY ISLANDS Monday, July 26
thick fog all day prevented getting here
as | anticipated last night. ! send YOU a very rough
tracing Of our track through the middle ice. am too
busy preparing Depot for going on shore TO make
more elaborate one. The part painted blue is simply
the pack ice we came through, where We rst entered
it, and where VIC emerged from H. You will
SEQ made good runs, but then NJ great
sacrifice Of fuel, steaming full speed in
fact were using eight tons in twenty tour
hours! However, We must not grow for II We had
been detained in tho peck should have used much
more hope my next letter to you will say that We
have achieved grand and glorious triumph Every
thing, including minimum sun spots, points TO this
year as being the one Tor Arctic explorations hope it
may prove So The temperature o. tho surface water
to-day (Mondayl at four I. NJ from thirly-four
degrees TO forty degrees Ii forty degrees at