New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-22

about $40 to knots per hour. On the run to God
havn under sail alone, kept well to the east
ward to avoid the Labrador Ice. The Proteus,
some sixty miles west of our track,
under steam pushed through a stream of ice
for five hours which was of heavier nature than
they are are accustomed to meet ON that coast and
which the officers stated could not have been pene-
trated by the Yantic.
THE YANTIC NOT IN GOOD CONDITION.
"The boilers of the vessel were in unreliable
condition when she was ordered TO fit for the North
ern cruise; repairs were pushed night and day to
hasten her departure, but not being finished on sail
ing day. the material for completing the work was
put on board. Repairs continued in st. Johns,
but on our passage to Godhavn they were discOn-
tinued, as it desirable to have steam-power
ready to use in case of necessity Having arrived
at GOdhavn, and knowing that FROM thence north
ward our main dependence would he on the
engines. l determined, to get the boilers
took six days; One day was then taken to get
coal from tho brig Peru, which had just arrived;
then thick, stormy weather set in, which delayed
our departure two days. arrived in Godhavn
with 17O tons of coal. In these narrow seas
thought the ship able to carry more than when she
left ST. John, and deemed it prudent for future
operations TO provide as much as possible. For tins
purpose | went to Rittenbank, where twenty tons
were procured and thence to Kudiset, where the
supply was completed Our bunkers and decks
We're then full, aud being now as well prepared as
was able, July % we proceeded nOrthward .
My instructions also stated that: You will rely
TO a certain extent upon the information which is
given You by the Danish authorities at Disco and
Upernavik as 10 the probable movements of lee
etc. l visited Upcrnayik to obtain this inforna-
tion, arriving at l0p p. IN. July %. BY morning a
dense fog had set ill., and continued, with slight IN
terniSsion until the 3lst, when il cleared, and
proceeded To sea.
NO TINE LOST.
"No time was lost, and no unnecessary delay was
made at any point. The Proteus, carrying large
III. I,,J ,,,Itr
to delay to obtain the stores left at Godhayn last
year. and native dogdriycr from Disco ford. She
then went north without stopping. Had | sailed
from GOdhavn at the same time as the Proteus,
besides being unable to keep up with her. should
have arrived at Litteton Island, 200 miles distant
with my coal supply reduced to about seventy-iye
tons and the boilers in a leaky, precaTlous cohdI
ton, 49,. This is without taking into account
any detention from thick weather or icei which
cannot be counted on, rs the normal condition OF
this region appears to be fog.
A DESCRIPTION OF MELVILLE BAY.
THE body of water known as Melville Bay is so
little understood generally that a short description
may not be out of place here. From Cape Shacltle-
ton, which may be regarded as the southern point,
the coast trends northerly 100 miles to Cape
Walker, thence westerly $50 miles 10 Cape Dudley
Digges. The coast line is vast glacier, the rocky
headlands only projecting, which constantly
nous size. These, drifting to the westward and
grounding in the shoa water south of Cape York.
frequently hang up for whole season the vast
fields of ice which accumulate during the winter
When not so hung up by bergs, the "main"
or middle pack which is out of the influence of
the current ffCm Smiths Sound to Davis's Straits
drifts back and forth with the prevailing winds, at
times leaving open water between 1t and the fast
ice and again closing. The North star was caught
in August, 1919, and luckily broke out after
'hairbreath escapes on the 18th of September, and
succeeded in getting into WOlstcnhoIn sound.
where she wiutcred. The first Grinnoll exPedi-
ton, in 1870, caught in the pack early in July,
aud not released untlAugust IN 1897 the Fox was
in The pack. In 1873 the Alert and Discovery met
the pack just outside the Brown Islands, near Upcr
navik, and were thrty-fOur hours pressing thor
way through. On July 22, 1876, the Pandora was
be;et for eight day days IN the, the pack, ana
self having been in imminent danger Of being
crushed Many whale ships have been lost in this
bay During one year the Governor of Upomavil
states that he had 200 men thrown on his county
whose ships had been crushed in the ice"
After quoting from Commander Markham, Of the
continues: In view OF these facts ! should
have felt justified in delaying to a still later
date the attempt to cross Melville Bay, or
even not making the attempt at all. But did not
delay one moment after | considered my ship
prepared and the weather had cleared, but
pushed across to Cape York, feeling certain
from the thick foRgy weather, chilly air, iuuo5
of snow and smooth sea- that the middle pack was
not far distant. Pandora Harbor was reached six
NOT HAPPY. GO-LUCKY SAILOR.
"To conclude this part, did not intend 10 run
the vessel under my command in the hap
hazard, happy-go-lucky fashion which finally
brought the Protcus to grief, but TO make sure, so
far as possible, of every step which |
took Had the Proteus been ordered to keep
company with the GanUic. II would have been
vastly better for al concerned. sailed from New
York having ships company Of l24 enlisted men
aud twenty officers with eight months provisions
for eighty men on board; every avail
able space was utilized for their stowage.
On our passage nOrthward the usual ration
was found insufficient, and 100 ratiOns
issued. On learning, Of the loss Of the
Proteus, | considered my first and par
which contained thrty-seyen men. Having done
that it would be time to consider what next. had
DO doubt that | should do this and
failing there, somewhere between Cape Parry
aud Care Ath9l; should they hay, have Pcachoq
thought il impossible to tell when they would
appear. DIR. Kane took eighty days to 90 over
the same ground. This would ncccs'tatc my
manning very late in the season, il quite out
OF the question TO return home without Them
WITHOUT ANY OTHER ALTERNAIIvE
"But the pack prevented my reaching
Cape Athol and having worked through
ON August 8, various frutlcss attempts
were made 70 find opening between
Cape Dudley Dgges and Cape York. On
the 10th a heavy pack appeared to the
southwest, the wind was northeast and the ice
moving off shore down us there ice behind
ms. preventing our return northward. had no
alternative but to proceed to UpcTnayik.
In taking these steps | was governed by what
/ have previously stated in regard to
The possibilities Of Melville Bay and the
probabilities of being bcSct in the
pack. Once involved in ice knew would be help
less and our Imprisonment OF indefinite duration.
had no fears for Lieutenant Greedy, who living
in region reported well stocked with game,
has economized his provisions. should he
reach LittletOn Bay, besides the provisions on the
island aud the mainland abound with walIus, the
stencil from their ordure fouling the air for long
distance On the neighbOrng mainland reindeer
are reported numerous"
LIEUTENANT GARLINGTONS DEFENCE.