New-York tribune., 1877-03-10

sent out from European countries to skirt the
Siberian coast, and perhaps to learn more OF
the little known islands to the north of that
region. The American expedition, if it is car
ried out as is now proposed, will be the Polar
expedition by eminence, and by it's definite
purpose to reach the Pole.
So far as the details of the scheme for the
American expedition have been made public,
they appear to he judicious. OF the main fea-
ture the colony system, there can be little
question that it offers better prospects at
smaller expense than any other that has yet
been devised. AS to the choice of routes, we
still think, notwithstanding the report OF Capt.
Mares, that the Smiths Sound passage Is the
most promising When the worst is admitted
il amounts to this: that the Pole is imprac-
ticable" by way of Smiths Sound in q year
when the circumstances are so unfortunate as
those encountered by Capt. Mares. 1t by no
means follows that there are similar obstacles
every year.
The last two Polar expeditions by way of
Smiths Sound had one feature in common.
They became in large measure dependent
for supply of fresh meat upon the skill and
labor of one man-Esquimau Joe. There Is
not the slightest doubt that the POlaris party
would have starved during their adventurous
ice-voyage of ], 800 miles, if Joe had not shot
or captured seals for them, and finally bear.
In the official report of Capt. Mares there is a
handsome acknowledgment OF similar service
from the same man; service that saved lives,
since fresh meat was effective when medicine
failed to check the scurvy. Due note should
be taken of these facts in preparing Tor new
expedition. They justify the theory OF the late
Can't. Hall, that Esquimau ways OF living ana
the Esduimaux themselves must be utilized
in Polar expeditions. Capt. Hall found
that race trustworthy. In his last. illness he
refused to take food or medicine from anybody
but "Joen or Hannah" That hardy couple
had been with him in his previous voyages,
and he was assured of their fidelity. Doubt
less they were somewhat superior to the aver
age of their race Hannah who died last New
Years day, was a woman or mtelhgence' as
well as energy. She could do more than an
ordinary mans work in hunting seal or build
ing snOw-huts, and she was also most skillful
Interpreter between the whites and the differ
ent Esquimau tribes. After the return of the
Polaris expedition Hannah became as expert
with the needle as she had been with
the rifle, and she and her husband
succeeded fairly in making living by
civilized pursuits on their scanty farm near
GrOton Conn. Hannah had a sewlng-machine
and became well versed in its use. Her native
name was ToOkooltoO She acquired clear re-
]igous conceptions, and died in full Christian
hope. Prof. GrOte of Buffalo has recently ad-
vanced theory that the Esquimaux are the
remnants of race that inhabited the conti-
nent in the last glacial period. The researches
of very recent years certainly lend an air OF
probability to a more extreme antiquity for
man than has been previously claimed Prof.
Grote thinks that the Esquimaux survived the
ice-period by virtue of Their superior fitness
for existence in frozen climate. AT all events
it is evident that these people il rightly
treated can be of great service to Arctic ex-
plorers, being not only tractable and intclli-
gent but having also a special familiarity
with the ways and means of living III the
polar regions. The colony that is to be
founded on the shore Of Smiths Sound will
commit great blunder if it neglects to make
good friends of the Esquimaux.