Year: 1875

of the 18th the last spent by the vessels in the
company of the yalorous. The Captain and officers of
the Alert accordingly gave farewell banquet at mid
night TO Mr.. Clements r. Markham, C. b., who had
been so long associated with them, and who the
last British subject they expected to for long time
The circumstances under which the Valorous parted
with the Arctic vessels thus described in the
GrnYsic:-


The Valorous sailed from Ritenbenk at four A. NJ.
the Alert and Discovery following at six. At one
". the Valorous anchored of the coal bearing cliffs
the Disco shore of the Wagat From the hills
there magnificent view of icebergs streaming
of the Tossukaek Ford at the head which there
is great discharging glacier, and down the Wagat,
and among them the Arctic ships could be seen over
the Greenland side of the strait under all plain sail
They were standing down the Waigat 1.-THE Alert lead
ing) appearing and disappearing behind the huge
bergs, about six miles Off At five p NJ. the Vaorous
hoisted signal at all three mastheads-


'FAREwELLl SPEEDY RETURN"


II was not seen for long time, but at last the Dis
covery hosted, Thank you, and afterward the Alert
ran up the affirmative pendant They continued to
stand on and tore just about to disappear behind
point Of Disco Isand when at fifteen minutes past six
T. NJ, the Alert hois.ed signal TO the Discovery 'Do
you wish to communicate" few minutes atterword
the Alert went about apparently intending to beat up
to windward and communicate with the NaorOus and
at haltpas six NJ she hoisted second signal 70 the
Discovery, "Optonal; beat to windward.n Then fog
suddenly sank down on the water, and hid both ships
from view The Vaorous, supposing that they were
beating up TO her anchorage, went on blowing the
steam fog horn every ten minutes; but when the fog
again next morning the Alert and Discovery
nowhere to be seen. The intention TO communicate
had most likely been abandoned when the fog came
The Arctic ships would probably be at Upernavk on
the 21st and having shipped Hans and his dogs would
be in Melville Bay on the 23d.


Arrived in Melville Bay the vessels would be liable
incur the danger which has hitherto proved fatal
in Polar expedtons-that of the surrounding
of ice closing in upon the ships either side and
crushing them to spinters. 1t in taking precau-
tons against this contingency that the engineers
racked their brains here while the expedition max





ira beams and ribs inserted within the ships
and double plankng fastened without And lest these
might prove abortive, the were supplied
with haversacks ce-saws made ready and blasting
materials produced with which a way could be cleft
through the dreaded barrier. The most thorough dis
cipine existed on board the steamers. When the
pedition reaches the northwestern extremity of the
Cary Islands depot will be established there and
full record of progress deposited with theofcer in
charge At Sutherland Island a second depot will be
established, and If the passage be clear another
Will be made the island of Littleton. 1t is quite
possible that the passage north of the Cary Islands
may be cogged with ice, and in that the depot
and the records will be found Gale Point little to
the south Of Cape Isabella Three depos are to be cs-
tabshed south OF the spot where the Discovery will
winter. At Cape Sabine boat will be landed and
large depot fixed The notices and records will be
buried twenty the north of the cairns which are
be constructed at the depots In the Discovery
be fortunate enough to reach Lady Franklin strait in
latitude 50 deg north, grand base Of operations Will
be secured there is good hunting the frozen
plains bordering thereon. The depots will be estab
lished intervals of sixty miles, and will be stocked
with provisions enough to last twelve men for forty
days.


REACHED.


When the Alert will have travelled as far northward
CHI hv Sly elodv will ,o
the direction of the long looked for goal Five
of these will contain eight each, and
the remaining twelve Food and other
necessares for forty days subsistence will be taken
along. During the first five days the largo sledge
will supply all the others with provisions and at
the end Of that time depot will be established at
which tho large slcdgc will deposit all its ratons ex
cept what will suffice 10 maintain them during their re.
turn to the ship. The five sledges will continue tho
trip northward for another FIVE days, when a second
depot will be established, ratons deposited there and
another of the sedges return The four sledges con-


nue the journey, and at the expiration of five more
days sedgc turns back and but three proceed Thus
the party is diminished to the extent of
one sedge every Eve days until one sledgo
alone is left to proceed, having on board
its original supply Of forty days. ratons In each case
the returning sedge picks up provisions enough at each
depot to last until it reaches the When the last
sledge will have been twenty days out from tho last
depot 1t must return whether the grand discovery be
then made or not If open be encountered by
the explorers two boats, mounted sedges, will be
brought into requiston. They rugged with masts
and Sails and can be made use Of with favorable
wind, in relieving the strain upon the dogs The most
dreaded obstacle in the way of the sledgng parties will
be tho gaunt Polar bear AS many of the party how
ever hit BULBS eye with precision 1t is expected
C,itt l,it a.,
In the spring the Discovery will continue the explora
ton of Greonland's northern coast Halls tomb will
bo visited, and dispatches will be left tho en-
tranceN Of Smith Sound If no of the Alert
bc obtaiped by the Discovery in 1876 another
effort VIII be made to obtain tidiDgs in 1871
A failure to- get news that year will indicate that
the Alert hast travelled homoward by the east
Of Greenland pnrin the drGary winter night Of three