The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-03-09
An Arctic Expedition.

writes to the Graphic:
Capt. H. w. Howgate seems to have
struck the right view in his plan of Or
ganizing another polar expedition from
the United States, as evinced by the nu-
merous letters coming to him from inter-
ested parties from all over the country,
indorsing and admitting his plan of APP
preaching the pole as the most practical
BILE yet offered, and urging him to have
an expedition started in the spring.
Capt. Howgate's suggested plan is sim
pie, practicable, economical, and, under
proper supervision, certain Of success.
He believes that the open Polar Sea, so
stoutly insisted upon by Capt. Hayes
and so effectually barred against the en-
trance of Capt. Mares, is open or closed
alternately, according to the vicissitudes
of intensity in the winter season, which
undoubtedly occur in the Arctic regions
as they do in the temperate zones. 1t
to found temporary colony at Discovery
Harbor in Lady Franklin Bay, and to
make this the base of operations from
which exploring parties should be sent
out towards the Pole whenever the
weather and other conditions were most
favorable. The experience of Capt. Hall
and Mares shows that this harbor can be
reached rapidly and with but little more
danger to vessel as we'll equipped as
the Polaris, the Alert or Discovery, than
is constantly incurred by vessels forming
part of the whaling fleets that annually
make Smiths Sound and neighboring
waters their scene of operations.
Capt. Howgate suggests that the colony
should consist of energetic, capable men,
experienced in Arctic navigation, and
physically sound in order that they
might the better withstand the rigor of
the climate. To these should be added a
number of Esquimaux to serve as hunters,
guides, etc, aud who can be taken over
with their families from Greenland. This
native force would relieve the regular
number Of much Of the drudgery and be
in many ways useful to them. He says
suitable building IS to shelter the men and
proper supplies for their maintenance
could be carried on the vessel selected
for the expedition, and an annual visit
could and should be made to them to
provide fresh supplies and afford such
encouragement ana relief as the circum-
stances might render necessary. The eX
petition should be composed of selected
volunteers mustered into the naval SER
vice for the purpose, and the whole COM
manded by a competent naval officer to
insure proper discipline and guard
against the internal dissension that
brought disaster upon the Potdris party
after Capt. Halls death. 1t was this SUI
perior discipline that enabled Capt
Mares to reach higher latitude than any
previous explorer.
The severity of the climate has been
exaggerated. To parties under cover it is
not more trying than at the SUBMITS of
Mount Washington, in New Hampshire,
or of Pixies Peak, in Colorado, as stated
10y former member of one of DIR. Hayes
expeditions, and who has since served Il
year on the summit of the last-named
mountain.
In this connection attention is invited
to the following extracts from official re-
ports. The first is from the report Of the
Secretary of the Navy and his associates
in the results of the Polaris expedition.
During the summer the entire extent
of both low lands and elevations Cat
Thank God Harbor, latitude 81 degrees
80 minutes north), are bare of both snow
and ice, except OF patches here and there
in the shade of the rocks. The soil dur
ing this period was covered with more
ar less dense vegetation of moss, with
which several Arctic plants were inter
spersed, some of them OF considerable
beaxty, but entirely without scent, and
many small willows scarcely reaching
the dignity of shrubs.
Animal life was found to abound,
musk oxen being shot at intervals
throughout the winter, their food consist
ing of the moss and other vegetables OBJ
taiued duriag this seas IN by scraping off
the snow with their hoofs. Wolves, also
bears, foxes and other mammals, were
repeatedly observed. Geese, ducks and
other water fowls, including plover aud
other wading birds, abounded during the
Summer, although the species Of land
birds were comparatively few, including,
however, as might have been expected,
large numbers Of cartridges. No
fish were seen. The waters were, how
ever, found filled to an extraordinary de-
gree with marine intervertebrata, in-
Guiding jelly-fish and shrimps. 1t was
believed by the party that tue seals de-
pend upon the latter for their principal
subsistence, the seals themselves being
very abundant.
Numerous insects were observed also,
especially several species OF butterflies,
also flies, bees and insects Of like character.
In the last dispatch written by Capt.
Hall, at his snow encampment on the
north side Of Newman's Bay, latitude 80
deg. min. north, Oct 20, 1871, he says: