The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-04-23
ON AN ICE FLOE.
Perils and Dangers of Seekers for the
Nortl, Pole,

|
perils and Dangers of Seekers for the
North Pole,
Captain Tyson, commander of the
Howgate polar expedition, and formerly
one Of the United States steamer Polarls
party to the Arctic regions, delivered
very entertaining lecture in Baltimore
on Zone hundred and ninety-six days
on an ice-hoe." AS an introduction,
Captain Tyson referred to the progress
of the Polaris expedition in 1871, the
death of Captain Hall, its commander, in
August, 1872, and the subsequent start OF
the vessel homeward in command of the
sailing g-master. Toward the middle of
October of that year, as the winter, sea-
son was about commencing, the ships
company built an icehouse on foe, as
precaution in the event Of the vessel
being disabled by the ice in which it was
bound. October 18th q gale end snow
storm set in, and while the speaker was
at supper an alarm was given that the
ice was breaking and the ship lad been
stove in. In the confusion which fol-
lowed q large quantity of ships stores
were cast over on the ice. The alarm in
regard to the vessels safety having
proved false, Captain Tyson, with a
number of volunteers, went on the ice
for the purpose of saving the provisions;
| While thus engaged the ice broke, and
the vessel parted from her moorings and
was swept away. She was not to be
seen at daybreak the day following, and
Captain Tyson, being the only officer
among the fugitivcs, found himself in
command of tile party, consisting of Mr..
Myers, of the scientific corps, the ships
steward, cook, seven seamen, EsqulmauX
Joe, his wife and little son. and Esqui-
xmau Huns. his wife and four children
n to,al of nineteen persons, including five
children. During the 10Th of October,
while endeavoring to perform the hope
less feat of making q boat voyage to land,
the Polaris was seen about six miles to
the stern, apparently sailing and steam
ine toward the floe. Signals were
hoisted, but the ship was subsequently
observed anchored on the lee OF an
island. The floe drifted rapidly to the
southwark, and the Polaris was finally
lost to sight, leaving the party without
hope of Il rescue from that quarter. o
the next day the foe broke in twain,
separating the party from their boats
and provisions, but eight days later for
tunately the two ice fields came together
again, and the party took up quarters on
the one containing their property and
began regular life. Several seals were
shot, but the EsquimauX being indiifer-
ent hunters, no extended supply was Sc
cured to prevent the perils Of starvation
which threatened the party later in their
forced exile. The only persons protect
ed by fur clothing were the Esquimaux,
the remainder of the little band being
clothed in woolen fabric, which was
sufficient for "still" cold. but scarcely
any protection from violent winds. The
EsquimauX built huts OF ice and snow,
of which Captain Tyson gave a graphic
description. They were small, admit
ting of two or three persons standing
erect, but others had to be packed in
like sardines." Lamps were also i'm
proviscd, but during the long winter
that followed the huts were frequently
in darkness, as no material was secured
to furnish light. Spoons were made OF
meat cans, as we'll as primitive cooking
utensils. The provisions brought with
the party were measured by Captain
TYSON. who calculated minutely the
amount, and apportioned eleven ounces
of ship bread per day to adults and live
and a-half ounces to the children, which
proportion was subsequently curtailed
through necessity. 1t was impossible to
get water, and the only means at times
Of ouenching thirst was to chip small
pieces of ice and dissolve them in the
mouth. During November the party
existed exclusively on the ships stores,
and the pangs of hunger, through en-
forced diet, were anon intense. Thanks
giving and Christmas were appropriately
observed, as far rs possible. q few dried
apples, etc., being preserved rs dalntles
for the occasion. When threatened with
Starvation the brain appears to. partake
of the desires of the physical nature, and
the eXiles were almost cr,lZed for food.
They could thing of nothing else, and
the white men performed no bodily
labor for fear of increasing the horrible
appetite. Captain Tyson gave an extend
ed description of the Esquimaux OF the
party and their habits, The women
mended the clothing of the white men,
and the males were constantly looking
for seals. The youngest member OF the
party was q young infant, who was only
two months and three days old when
they were sent adrift, and which the
mother kept in nude condition on her
back between her clothing and her flesh,
where it was protected from all of the
terrible experiences that followed. After
few weeks on the foe seal was caught
by Esquimaux Joe, and was eaten raw
by the nearly-famisled persons.
March 10th Il series Of gales, succeed
ing snowstorms of the period just preccd-
ing, began and eliminated in the break
ing up of the foe on which the party
were refuged. April lst the foe was re-
duced to dimensions which merely ad-
mittpd of habitation, and the following
day the castaways were obliged to take
to boat, twenty-sevcn by five feet.
They had ut this time been on the foe
five and u half months and travelled
twelve hundred miles. Here followed Il
detailed account Of the sufferings of the
party, who were compelled frequently 70
leave the boat and take to ice fields, only
to be driven again to the boat, which
threatened to sink with their combined
weight. Nearly all the provisions, guns,
etc, were cast overheard, and in conse-
uuence the tcrrOrs of starvation again
threatened, during which the sailors dis
cussed cannibalism, and were only pre-
vented from practicing it by providcn-
tial discovery of seals and bears, furnish
ing provisions. April 2Sth steamer
was sighted, hut sailed away without
discovering the castaways, who were
finally, two days later, rescued from their
perilous position, having drifted one hun
dred and ninety-six days, and accom-
plished distance of two thousand miles.
A Hard Head.