The New York herald., 1876-12-02

while travelng). tho lowest, 1 believe, be-
fore that time recorded. the spirit thcr-
mometer indicating sixty-nino and half degrees
below zoro-that is say, 1919 degrees below freez
ing. The general temperature throughout the winter
appears TO have been much lower than either at Rcns
selaer Harbor or Port Fouke. They but little
animal life few seals and musk were cap
tured. Water fowl, which were plentiful at Port
Foulkc during the summer, appear to have been few
in numbers at the further north. Reindeer, also
abundant at Port Foulke 1--WE shot 2oOl are not
mentioned in the report They, however, found the
hare. Tho aurora borcalis seems to have been even
less brilliant than at Port Fouke An important and
most significant fact hitherto suspected, and In
proven by DR.. Besscl, of the Polaris that
the tides in Robson Channel set from the north.
Vegetation had almost ceased, yet they found the
sasifrage dwarf oak twlow) and poppy.
They traced the Esqumaux, OF bygono time, to la,i
udc 81 deg. So min had before them to about
81 deg.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
In conclusion, brief statement of the various
petitions which have figured in the exploration OF
Smiths Sound may not perhaps, be unacceptable to
your readers. The Sound itself discovered by
William BafIin, in 1916, during the memorable voyage
made by that fearless navigator In the ship Discovery
OF only y'naynvo tons. whom in search OF northwest
passage the Indies. lie discovered circumnavi-
gated the great bay which bears his namc and among
other openings into IL which he that to which
he gave the name OF his friend Sir Thomas smith, as
he did likewise Earl wostenholme, Alderman Jones
and Earl Lancaster to Others all of which sounds he
looked into and did not return from observing them,
he says, "unt persuaded of the absolute imposs-
blIty OF finding what had 81 ardently longed
cover" How many lives anu how much treasure
would have been saved had the world been convinced
by his arguments! They were not, however, deemed
sufficient, and from that day until the time Of Sir
John Frapklin there was no lack of effort for the
accomplishment of northwest passage
ROSS.
The next adventurer IN this quarter after Baflln
who looked Smiths Sound with the view of fnd-
ing passage Sir John Ross IN 1918 Ross gave
the entering OF the Sound the names Of his
two ships, Alexander and Isabella
INGLEFrELD.
The next Captain Ingleheld Royal Navy, in
1852, in a small steamer, while search OF Franklin
He the Drst to enter the Sound. he was driven
out by heavy ice and a fierce gale.
KANE.
Next DR.. Kane 1853 in the little sailing brig
Advance, OF LA tons. Kane tried to reach the west
coast, but was prevented by head winds and heavy
ice, and forced into quarters the Green
land sdc IN latitude rs deg 81 min., whence
slcdge journeys were made in the fall and spring to
the northward, and what assumed 10 be open
sea was seen in latitude about so deg 80 min.
The next in order was my voyage in the schooner
United States, OF 1873 tons. Like Kane, tried
tho west coast and like him, driven back by fierce
head winds and noavy ice and, IN crippled and sink.
ing condition, was compelled to find harbor the
Greenland coast, whore wintcrcd, In latitude
7S deg IL min. Thence made numerous
slcdge journeys over tho icc in the spring
tho principal ono being across Kane Basin to
Grinnoll Land tho coast Of which followed