The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-07-17
FOR THE NORTH POLE.
How the Men for she Arctic ExEsIOratEO
Are Selected
San Francisco Post.

How the Men fer she Arctic Exploration
Are Selected.
San Francisco Post.
J. @. Morrison, of the firm of MOrisOn
& Brown, has Just arrived from New
York with eighteen of the crew of the
Jeanette. Mr.. Morrison is well known
among whaling men and explorers east,
and last year sent his schooner Eothen
to the Arctic regions in search of the
records of the Sir John Franklin expedi-
tiOn, for the discovery and delivery OF
which in EnglSpd the British govern
ment offered e20, 900 reward. That he
has been at no little trouble in securing
a crew will not be doubted when it is
told that he has had over /, ,250 sppli-
cants who were desiroIs of forming part
of the crew, and each of wbem hSd TO
undergo an examination msde by DR..
Amber, surgeon of the expedition. Out
of this large number only eighteen have
been accepted, and there are still needed
two firemen, s cook, steward and cabin
boy. The wages paid are only average
rates, and are no special in6ucement to
the right sort of men. The applicants
were mainly clerks, broken down trades
men, adventurers, and young men fresh
for anything that partook of novelty or
danger, and who desired to see some
thing of the northern world. Very
few passed the rigid examination
required. The men had to be of good
character, northern born or raised, and
Injured to eXtTeme cold, hardy mariners,
with some experience in the northern
seas. Men of the greatest physical
stamina, sound in all respects, and with
out the slightest cODsumptive tendency.
A decayed toeth, & cough, q rheumatic
twinge, depression of the cbest-in fact,
the very slightest defect was sufficient
to cause 8 rejection by the examining
surgeon. Men too solid or too lean, too
tall or too short, too young or too old
all were promptly rejected. The weight
desired in the men was 80 pounds
Four Esquimaux viii be taken on board
at Alaska, and will make s valuable ad-
ditien to the crew. It is s strange fact
that, although these ramblers over frozen
wastes form the most hardy and useful
portion Of an exploring expedition, they
can only be shipped on their native ice
foes and can not be induced to venture
south into 8 warm cline. EsQuimaux
Jo," who was with Hall in his expedi~
tion, and is now with Mr.. MOrison's
"Eothen" expedition, is one of the very
few of those strange people who have
visited New York. The Jeanette win
be provided with provisions, fuel, the
necessary clothing, etc, TO last for three
years. Every article OF diet calculated
to ward off scurvy will be placed on
board of ber. It is not expected that the
expedition will reach the Pole this
year, and perhaps not the next,
but a desperate attempt will be made.
The necessary sledges, iceboats, dogs,
etc, must be procured of the Esquimaux,
VINO are much more tTeacherous on this
side of the continent than on the eastern
side. Still no trouble Is expected from
these people, Ss everything will be done
to conciliate them and gain their sssisN
tanee and cooperation. Mr. Morrison
thought that the expedition was, if any,
thing, too large. His idea was that a
few men, picked from thousand hardy
men, could accomplish more toward finds
ing q northern passage than q larger eX-
pedition. He admired the course of
Hall, who, filled with an undying ambi>
tion to reach the pole, lived five years in
Greenland in order to learn the traditions
and language of the people and to
become Injured to the intense and bitterly
cold weather experienced there. Poor
Hall died without having an opportunity
TO put to noble use his haTd-acquired
experience. Had he lived and been
placed st the head of an expedition the
secret of the north would have to-day
been revealed. It is expected that the
totsl cost of the present expedition to
Mr.. Bennett viii be about 100000.
He furnishes everything excepting the
naval officers, who sre furnished by the
government. The expedition starts
q about fha sf of TuIv