, 1877-03-16

fwnNa AND lNaA = nlAfhNINIn W
ruH ExFBoHEEs.
Hiram J. Psnrod. Of the signal srr-
=. uritss b. the GrapLir:
C.rs. n. ". Hougats seems 30 have
.,rurk the right viev in his plan Ci OF.
canning another polar exPe,iiiion from
- United States. ~ eyinced by the
rumsruus letters coming 10 him from
;,,errsie,i parties from all over the coun-
~ indorSing and admitting his plan Of
.sprnaching the pole as the most prac-
Ia yet offered, and urging him TO have
an expedition started in the spring.
Can't. Howgate's suggested plan is
81 dmpie, practicable, economical, and,
npder proper supervision, certain Of sue
- He believes that the open Polar
Sea- 30 stoutly insisted upon by Capt.
Hayes and so elfectually barred against
ne entrance of Capt. Mares, is open or
closed alternately, according to the vi
c;.situdes of intensity in the winter
season, which undoubtedly occur in the
Arctic regions as they do in the tenn
oerate zones. 1t is to found q tempo
rary colony at Discovery Harbor in
LADY Franklin Bay, and to make this
the base of operations from which ex-
ploring parties should be sent out to-
wards the pole whenever the weather
and other conditions are most favora-
bic. The experience of Capts. Hall
and Mares shows that this harbor can
be reached rapidly and with little more
danger to a 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
nsighboring waters their scene Of op-
erations.
Capt. Howgate suggests that the col
ony should consist of energetic, capa-
BILE men, experienced in Arctic naviga-
ton, and physically sound in order
that they might the better Withstand
the rigOr of the climate. To these
should be added a number of Esqui-
maux 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. He says
suitable buildings to shelter the men
and proper supplies for their mainte-
nance could be carried on the vessels
selected for the expedition, and an an
nual visit could and should be made to
them to provide fresh supplies and afford
such encouragement and relief as the
circumstances might render necessary.
The expedition should be composed of
selected volunteers mustered into the
naval service for the purpose, and the
whole commanded by competent naval
officer 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 explorer.
The severity of the climate has been
exaggerated. To parties under cover it
is not more trying than that at the sum-
mits Of Mount Washington, in New
Hampshire, or Pixies Peak, in Colorado,
as stated by former member of one of
DR.. Hayes expeditions, and who has
since served year on the summit of the
last-named mountain.
In this connection attention is invited
to the following extracts from official
reports. The first is from the report of
the Secretary Of the Navy and his as
sociates in the results of the Polaris ex-
petition.
During the summer the entire extent
Of both low lands and elevations lat
Thank God Harbor, latitude 81 degrees
81 minutes north), are bare both of
snow and ice, excepting patches here
and 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 Arctic plants
were interspersed, some of them Of con-
siderable beauty, 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 consisting of the
moss and other vegetables obtained
during the season 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 and
other wading birds, abounded during
,he summer, although the species of
and birds were comparatively few. in
elnding, however, as might have been
expected, large numbers Of snow-part-
ndges: No fish were seen. The waters
we're, however, found filed to an extra
ofdinary degree with marine interverte-
1pfAta, including ielly-fish and shrimps.
y vas believed by the party that the
e.ls depend upon the latter for their
principal subsistence, the seals them
'e,sea being very abundant.
Namerons insects were observed also.
peeiaily several species of butterflies.
- hiea, beea and insects of like char