Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-01
An arctic Expedition.

NPS' 49, " : AAcN oetpC oCCiilo W iltf Z
struck the right view in his plan OF
organizing another polar expedition
from the United States, as evinced BY
the numerous letters coming to him
from interested parties from all over the
country indorsing and admitting his plan
of approaching the pole as the most
practical yet offered, and urging him to
have an expedition started in the spring,
Capt. Howgate's suggested plan is
simple, practicable, economical, and,
under proper supervisor. certain of sue
cess. He believes that the open Pola,
Sea, SO stoutly insisted upon by Capt.
Hayes and so etfectually barred against
the entrance Of Capt. Mares, is open Oh
closed alternately, according to the
vicissitudes Of intensity in the winter
season, which undoubtedly occur in the
Arctic regions as they do in temperate
zones. 1t is to found a temporary
colony at Discovery Harbor in Lady
Franklin Bay, and to make this the
base Of operations from which explor-
ing parties should be sent out towards
the Pole whenever the weather and
other conditions We're most favorable.
The experience CT Capts. Hall and
Mares shows that this harbor can be
reached rapidly and with but little more
danger to vessel as well 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 neigh
boring 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 with
stand the rigor OF the climate. To
these should be added number of
EsqulnauX TO serve as hunters, guides,
etc, and 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. HeI
says suitable buildings to shelter thel
men and proper supplies for their
maintenance could be carried on the
vessel selected for the expedition. and
an annual visit could aud should be
made to them to provide fresh supplies
and afford such encouragement and re-
sef as the circumstances might render
necessary. The expedition should be
composed Of selected volunteers mus
tered into the naval service for the Dur
pose, and the whole commanded BY a |
naval atfeer to insure proper
discipline and guard against the internal
dissension that brought disaster upon
the Polaris party after Capt. Halls
death. 1t was this superior discipline
that enabled Capt. Mares to reach
higher latitude than any previous ex-
plorer.
The severity oGtha climate has been
To parties under cover
it is not more trying than that at the
of Mount Washington, in New
Hampshire, or Of Pixies Peak, in
Colorado. as stated by former men,
Der of one Of Dr.. Hayes expeditions,
and who has since served a year on the
summit Of the last-named mountain.
In this connection attention is invited
o the following extracts from official
'eports. The first is from the report Of
he Secretary of the Navy and his
associates in the resultsof tile Polaris
expedition.
During the summer the entire extent
# both low lands and elevations Cat
Thank God harbor, latitude 81 degrees
IS minutes northl, are bare OF both
now and ice. excepting patches here
nd there in the shade of the rocks.
The soil during this period was covered
With more or less dense vegetation of
moss, with which several Artic plants
we're interspersed. some Of them Of
considerable beauty, but entirely without
cent, and many small willows scarcely
eacIinu the (lio1,ity of shrubs
Animal life was found to abound, +
musk oxen being shot at intervals ,
throughout the winter. their food consist J
ng of the moss and other Vegetables !
during this season by scraping
If the snow with their hoofs. Wolves,
$50 bears, foxes and other mammals.
we're repeatedly observed. Geese, ducks t
nd other water fowls, including plover v
nd other wading birds. aboundedI .
uring the summer although the species
+ land birds were comparatively few, +
lcluding, however, as might have been :
large numbers Of snow
artridges. Ne fish were seen. The =
-aters were. however, found filed to an -
Extraordinary degree with marine !,
ltervcrtebrata, including .ielly-fsh and |,
hrimps. 1t was believed by the party v
hat the seals depend upon the latter !,
" their principal subsistence. the seals :,
themselves being very abundant. !,
Numerous insects we're observed also, Ii
specially several species of butterflies, IL
lso, flies, bees ana insects of like il
laracter. n
In the last dispatch written by Capt. h
IaH, at his snow encampment on the 2
orth side of Newman Bay, Latitude I'll
deg. 5 min. north, October 20. 1871. b
e says: II
We find this much warmer country
ian we expected. From Cape Alex y
rder the mountains on either side Of N
le Kennedy Channel and Robinson .
trait We found entirely bare of snow .,
nd ice, with the exception Of glacier u
nat we saw covering about latitude 50 n
/