National Republican., 1880-06-22
SEEKING A COOLER CLINE.
Departure of the Gulnare for the
Polar Regions.
Personnel OF the Expedition Lively scenes
nt the wharf Neutrality-suspicious. and
Prospects of the Trip--A Fireman
who Lost Ills Grit-views as
to tho Gulnnre's Sea-
wOrthiness, Etc
Captain Howgate,s Polar Expedition.

ln0 cOmplctlOn OF tbo arrangements LOT the uc-
parture of the Gulnare with the Polar expedi.
tion. The vessel had been tOwod down the river
to point near Alcxandria, aud all who desired
to inspect her were taken aboard a tug, which
had been engaged for the purpose. During
tho entire afternoon wagons were driven upon
the wharf containing provisions, the baggage
Of the members of the expedition and the
thousand and one nocessaries incident 10 such
an event. Horses backing, drivers swearing,
lovers bidding farewell to their sweethcarts
and tugbOatnlou shouting orders about fore
and aft, all tended to mako up u scono of in
describable confusion. The crew OF the
Gulnare arrived early yesterday morning and
were at once taken down TO her aud spent the
day familiarizing themselves with their new
quarters.
AT five o'clock, the hour tho vessel had been
announced 10 start, there was seemingly an
unaccountabe delay. Captain Howgate paced
the wharf carefully scanning each car COM
ing down Seventh street. as if-in search Of
some one. "What is the difficulty, captain ~
qucried reporter of THE NATIONAL REPUp-
LIcAN. why Captain Palmer has moi ar.
rived yet. The Gulnaro is all ready to go,
and there are no signs Of him. l received a
dispatch saying that he had started for WASH
iugton last Sunday, and would be here on
the 1:30 train this afternoon. i want him 10
20 to Georgetown to sign some papers At the
The rattle of a carriage outside the gate
caused all eyes to lie turned in that direction,
thinking it the missing captain come at last.
1t turned ont to be Mr.. w. Il. Reed in
charge of another batch of supplies;
but whilo they were being stored, Captain
Chester, who had superintendent the fitting
out of the expedition. arrived upon the wharf
and stated that he had just met Captain
Palmer on his way to Georgetown, and that
he would be ready to go aboard his vessel at Z
o'clock. This settled matters somewhat, and
all that could be done was to await his arrival.
Meanwhile the ting f. NJ. Pierce had made
several trips to tine Gulnare, taking parties ol
ladies, press representatives and friends of the
crew. The Falcon, steam yacht. belonging
to Mr.. Norris Peters, also took down u select
party, and later the Storm Signal, belonging
to the signal Office, took Secretary Ramsey and
General A. J. Myer, chief signal officer, TO look
over the much discussed craft. About 8 o'clock
Il carriage dashed up to the gate, from which
Captain Palmer alighted, and sOon every thing
was in readiness for the last trip to tho Gunare,
prior TO her departure. Among tho party
aboard her were Captain HOwgatc, tho pro-
jector of the expedition, Captain Chester
company tho Gulnare outside of tho
capes and return on the pilot boat;
DIR, Rohe, surgeon Of tho expedition, Eugi-
ncer Kcmble and his assistant, q representa-
tive OF The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN and SOW.
eral members of the crew. Among tho latter
was n man named Francis Hughes, who had
signed as fireman for the expedition. Just
as the order was given to east of the bow
line" Hughes jumped ashore, aud despite
solicitations refused to make the trip. His
conduct formed the topic Of conversation for
the party on their way to the steamer Some
pretty severe comments were heard, such as
"he lost his grit" "nevor saw fellow weaken
So" didn't have sand enough" "he was not
fit to 90 anyhow" such Inen us that are no
good to an exploring party"
Upon arriving Mt the Gulnare, Captain
Palmer ut ouce assumed command, and the
crew were soon ut work getting ready for the
start. All was haste and confusion for short
time, husbands parting with their
wives, messmates breaking old tics, and
visitors swarminS over the vessel asking
every conceivable sort of question. At 8
o'clock the captain shouted, 'All who are go
ing 10 Washington get aboard the tug" and
Il scramble quickly cnsued. Tho vessel was
cleared ofal except officers and crew, and prep
arations were made to weigh anchor. A
hawscr from her bow was attached to the tug,
which pulled her around into tho stream, and
at exactly fifteen minutes past O'Clock the
Gulnnre, under full head of steam. started
upon hor trip, amid hearty cheers from the
passengers on the tugs. Everything aboard
her was in excellent condition, and her crew
seemed perfectly contontcd. She will stop ut
Norfolk for few naval supplies aud then go
to Halifax, after which shD will touch vt ST..
Johns for coal, and then proceed direct TO
Greenland. Three tanks, with capacity OF
5000 gallons of water, situated in her bow,
will be filled with fresh water at Smiths
poiut, on the Potomac, this morning, AS she
will not be able 80 procure fresh water between
the point aud Halifax.
PERSONNEL aF THE EXPEDITION.
Lieutenant William II. Low, jr., of the Twom-
tieth United States infantry, goes out in charge
OF the permanent party. He graduated ut
West Point in the class of 1872, and has
since then been on duty with his regiment
lio was promoted to first lieutenant in 1877.
First Lieutenant Gustavus @. Doane, of the
Second cavalry is also member Of the party.
His military record began during tho war.
He entered the army as u first Lieutenant of
cavalry in the Mississippi marine brigade, and
WAS appointed second lieutenant Ia tho regu-
lar army in 1868. His principal service has
been on the frontier He was ON duty with
his regiment in Dakota when he volunteered
to accompany the expedition.
THE NATURALsT.
Doctor Octave Pavy Is tho naturalist Of the
expedition. lie Is u native Of France, aud is
thirty.ilve years old he graduated in arts
and sciences Mt the University OF Paris, aud
ulterward studied medicine in that city and
later in St. Louis, Mo-, taking his degree OF NJ.
D. nt the medical school in the latter city. In
1868 DR.. Pavy joined the French Arctic eE-
petition of GustayG Lambert, which was in-
terrupted by the FTanCo.Prussian war. Lam
bert Joined tho French army and was killed,
which put an end to tho expedition which he
WAS TO lead. DR.. PaYy also figured in this war
as commander OF a company of Francs !iregS,
At the termination of the Frsnco-Prussian war
he came to this country and began or
ganizing an expedition to the Arctic regions
which WAS 10 sail from San Francisco and pro-
coed by way Of Behring's straits, When all
the preliminary details were completed the
expedition was suddenly dsorg by the
donth Of ono of the principal financial sup
pOrters OF tho scheme, Since that time the
doctor has been engaged in the practice of
medicine in 81. Louis on IN travelling in the
west and south, lie has many friends in
Now Orleans, aud some years since delivered
lecture on "Polar Exploration before the
New Orleans Academy Of Sciences, Of which
body he is q corresponding member,
THE ASTRONOMER.
The responsible position of astronomer and
chief Of the scientific staff will bo filled by
Mr., Onay Taft sherman. Mr.. sherman Is a
native Of Rhode Island, Hnd is twenty.four
years of age He is a graduate Of Yale col.
lego, elias, of 1877, his standing being sixth in
a class of 1875 During his term at college Eo