Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-10-21
FOREIGN NEWS.

sSAsaIeNN NGHS,
RETURN OF THE LADY FRANKLIN Ex~
PED1TIoN-A CRUISE IN UNKNOWN
ARCTIC SEAS w DIRK OF THE Polar
BEARS REMAINS OF TIE Ross Elk
PEDIuON-
The Franklin Pttor Expedition
SOUTHAMPTON, Oct. 1.-THE stea
mer Pandora, fitted out by Lad y
Franklin, has returned to Spithead,
She brings letter which Captain
Mares deposited at Carey Islands. The
Alert and Discovery arrived there on
the 27th of Jnls, and left again for
Smiths Sound They left Upensk on
the 22d of July, and Cape York on the
25th of July. The season was very
open one, and there was every pros.
pect of attaining a high latitude. All
were well.
A New York Herald correspondent
telegraphs brief outline of the eX-
periences and events of the expedi-
ton.
1t appears that the Pandora arrived
safely at Disco and lett that port OH
the It'll of August, reaching Uperna
vik in time to leave there on the 18th.
After sailing from the port of Uper>
navik, the Pandora crossed the dread
ed Melville Bay without any mishap,
for. contrary to previous expectation,
the usual fields of pack Ice were not
visable, and almosta clear sheet Of
water was found. Consequently the
passage was made in good time and in
I smooth water.
In due time the expedition reached
Caray Islands, and Lancaster Sound,
and on reaching that point encounter
ed for the first time the ice foes. So
great was the pressure of floating ice
that it was with great difficulty that
the Pandora was forced on her way.
THROUGH ICE AND FOG.
Despite the ice and the difficulty of
passage Captain Young succeeded in
traversing the entire length of Barrow
Straits, making the passage in good
time, The Pandora's progress was
then impeded Ey dense and binding
fog, which was so thick and impenetra
| bic that men few feet from each other
were invisible.
Moving slowly and cautiously by
compass and soundings, the Pandora
made such Roadway as to Reach Bee
chy Island on the 25th of August
TIE YACHT MARY.
When land was sighted considera
BILE excitement was caused among the
crew by the discovery of the yacht
Mary, which had been drawn up to the
beach by Captain Ross in 1880. The
Pandora anchored and it was found
that the yacht was still standing with
inasts upright.
L POLAR BEAR DEpREDAT1oNs.
As soon as the steamer Pandora ar
rived at the anchorage off Beechy
Island several of the officers and crew
went ashore and made an examination
of the buildings. They found the
storehouse built for the benefit of sail
or castaways of icesbound vessels bros
ken into. On entering the building
the visitors found the clothing and
provisions left there to be in state
of terrible confusion. Everything of a
movable nature was scattered about IN
the most singular manner. AT first it
seemed to be the act of human beings,
but on further investigation the Pando
ra people were satisfied that the des
Traction of the stores had been accom-
plished by Polar bears, as the tracks of
those animals were visible in every
direction, both inside and outside the
building.
FRANKLIN HEADBOARDs.
One IF the most interesting discover
les made by the Pandora officers was
that the headboards over the graves of
Sir John Franklin's men, who Were
lying buried there, were still standing
outright and in good preservation.
A CRITICAL PERIOD.
On the 26th of August the Pandora
steamed away from Beechy Island for
Peel Straits, and then ensued the most
critical period of the entire voyage. for
the steamer encountered vast fields of
pack ice, which made the passage of
the vessel a most difficult and laborious
one.
Struggling through the pack ice the
Pandora steadily worked her way on>
ward, and despite the difficulty soon
passed the furthest point reached by
the Fox when McClintock was in
search of Sir John Franklin's relics.
IN UNTRAvELED SEAS.
Soon after reaching that point the
King Williams Land, thus navigating
a sea where no ship was ever before
except, perhaps, that of Sir John
Franklin. Here it was, no doubt,
where that explorer was finally beset
by the masses of ice that proved his
destruction.
From King Williams Island the
i Pandora steamed down tire west coast
of Prince of Wales Land, and en-
countered most delicious weather The
atmosphere was soft and refreshing,
and the bitter cold of the Arctic Zone
was replaced by warm air currents and
open expanses of water.
At this time the most intense excite
nent prevailed among the officers and
members of the expedition, as it was
expected that some important results
were at hand. Many believed that
they would be sure to discover traces
of the Franklin expedition, and some
! were sanguine that even Sir Johns
papers would be found In this, how
nvo, thoy were diappointcd