Year: 1873

w -
Polaris drfted away In a northeasterlv direction,
and that WAS the last we ever saw OF our late COM
panions on the iceberg. In the morning


MR. CHESTER WENT UP TO TIRE MASTHEAD;
but could discover nothing as To the whereabouts
OF the berg, but he saw floating past few pieces
OF ice on which were some OF the provisions that
had been removed from the ship. The portion of
search In the vessel Tor provisions, and discovered
10 their JOY tnat they had still about ten boxes OF
meat remaining. which II was calculated would
last about year. ON the 10th OF october we
sighted shore, about two miles north OF Lttleton


a. Ss snss we IS ran se
and found about i've feet OF the stern
was clean gone We ran her on shore because eve we
could not keep her clear oi water, and we were
AFRAID that she would sink. The hand pumps were
utterly useless and the steam pump could only Just
keep her anoat. Indeed, the water came up
within few inches of the boiler fires. Our con.
sderation was that we had only about SIX tons OF
coal on board, and we did not Wish TO eapema mo
knew that they would only have lasted iew honrs,
and then we would have had nothing for the
the provisions and everything else ashore. and
then couple OF Esquimaux arrived, one OF whom


MYoNY, VERY OLD EsoUMAU,


who was mentioned by DR.. Kane. We gave them
some presents, after which they started for their
settlement some twenty miles 10 the south, and IN
u short time returned with eight sledges ana SIX
teen Esquimaux. The natives were very kind and
gave US great assistance In bringing our provisions
on shore and in building house for US. They con-
tinued 70 come to and lro during the whole OF the
winter: two or three Esqumaux families had huts
near our encampment, and these came in and out
and shared with us What was going, but they made
us ample return Tor what We gave them, for In the
An ABUNDANCE OF FRESH MEAT,


such as walrus, bears and so forth. One family
mended our skins and clothes, while the husband
brought us fresh Ice to make drinking water. In
return for this Kindness we built them boat, in
which they could fish In the summer time. out OF
the panking OF the Poaris we also built two boats
for ourselves. During the whole OF the winter 1t
amongst the men. We had plenty to eat, and our
only concern was as to the fate OF our comrades
on a,s the ice noe On the sd June lS,S we ,e
being in command OF one and Mr.. Chester OF the
other. In each boat there were seven men, In the
was of Northumberland Island. The rest OF the
time we were in open water, and had, upon the
conical rock ABOUT twenty miles north of Cape
York we were delayed three days on account OF
the southwest gale. In two days afterwards, how
ever, we


REACHED CAPE YORK,


when we were discovered by the Ravenscraig. Mr..
Schuman speaks in the highest terms OF the kind
manner in which they were treated on the vessel
and the Arctic, to which they were subsequently
transferred.


The Winter Hut Described by One or the


Crew.


seaman thus describes the hut where the party
wintered:-The hut was twenty-five feet by four
teen the materials used being chiefly spars and
the bukheads of the staterooms OF the vessel. The
roof was covered with sails and was perfectly wa
tertight; fire was placed in one end OF the hut
with stoveppe as chimney Agalley and state
room were also provided. The hrt we simply one
apartment with berths aroUnG.tn tides. When
thoroughly banked up with saLv I'll round and
supplied with the stoves ?, nc iris the ex-
plorers found themselves II SCI 80 OF o very
comfortable lodging for winter, ,ud. rlaking up
their minds TO wait in SUI anct f5r lie spring,
each man seemed to be Q0up. ratvr'f AaUpy At
this time the weather WAS rlwsys da auG the hut
was Kept


cHEERFULLY LrgnIrD ~ OIL LtsPS
which had been got oul OF ne vessel lie used
being from seals and walrIs; the y vas be-
guied with reading and games at chess, and
good fire was kept constantly burning, the Unused
coal on board the Poaris having been launched
and used for the purpose. On the lst February the
coal was consumed, and the ship was made q supply
in much the same manner, when the party began TO
consider the propriety OF leaving to seek their way
some vessel. To enable them TO DO this MI.
Chester the chief mate, with the assistance Of the
carpenters and Mr. John Booth, set to work to
build two boats, the necessary materials being got
from the vessel. Each OF the boats were twenty
five feet long, with five beam, square at eacn end,
boat turned up and capable OF carrying seven men,
with stores Tor two months. The middle OF May
arrived before the boats were completed, owing to
the great difficulty there was In getting materials
for construction.


lntcrVieW WIN Dr. Emil Bessel.


called upon the chief OF the scientific corps OF
the Polaris expedition and the following con versa
tion resulted


CoRREsPoNDENT-Dr. Bessel, have been asked
by the NEW YORK HERALD to give you any oppor-
tunlty you may wish to make statement as to
this unfortunate expedition, and to AFFORD you an
opportunity II you feel SO disposed, also to give
the American public some notes OF the scientific
aspect of the cruise you have been engaged in.


DR.. BEssEL-I shall be very glad indeed to submit