m&Mpi^t0^^imyf''^} ^y 'M' t50-5L-5S.- Cornell ^rnvmii ptatg BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF 1891 ..A//As^AS::f.. 5474 __^ Cornell University Library G665 1851 .M27 1852 ''^''SfSiiJSS.imSSP^""'^* relating to the Ar 3 1924 029 880 063 olin Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924029880063 PAPERS AND DESPATCHES RELATING TO THE ARCTIC SEARCHING EXPEDITIONS OF 1850-51-5S. TOGEIHEB WITH A PEW BEIEI' EEMAKKS A3 TO THE 3ro&abU Course pursues bg Sir Sa^n JFranftlin. ILLUSTEATED BY A OENBEAL MAP OF THE POLAE EEGIONS, A CHAEI or THE FIELD 0]? SEARCH, AND A SPEOIAI, MAP OF BEEOHEY ISLAND. COLLECTED AND AEEANGED James Hangles, Commander, B.IT. SeconS ffiSitiDtt, WITH COPIOnS ADDITIONS. LONDON: FRANCIS & JOHN BIVINGTON, ST. Paul's chtjrch yard, and Waterloo piaoe. 1852. 1\ RICHARDS, 3(' GREAT QUEEN STREET. CONTENTS. Page Advance and Ebsoub, Presentation of Medals to the Crews of, at New York 91 Animals available as Food in the Arctic Regions 8 Arctic Committee - 35 Summary of their "Eeport" - 47 Arctic Searching Expeditions. Article from the " Nautical Magazine" 11 Austin, Captain. Despatches 34 and Captain Penny. Correspondence between 33 Bartlett, Dr. Letter accompanying the Medal presented to Mr. Henry Grinnell at New York - 91 Beatson, Capt. D. Proposed search after Franklin through Behring Straits 88 Plan of Operations - - - 89 Blenky, Mrs. Letter to the " Morning Herald" - 85 Coppin, Mr. W. Applicability of Sailing Sledges to the Trans- glacial Searching Operations - 89 Eeeeus and Teebob. When they Sailed, and where they were last seen, with a List of their Officers 86 Exploring Vessels and their Officers 11-87-94 Fareham Collapsible Life Boat. Account of 93 Pitzjames, Captain. Journal written on Board H.M.S. Eeebus, June 8 to July 11, 1845 76 Franklin's Official Instructions 39 Franklin, Lady. Letter to Mr. Grinnell - 39 Opinion as to Franklin's Course 37 Orinnell Testimonials - 91 Mr, H., Presentation of Gold Medal to, at New York by the British residents 91 — Eeply to Dr. Bartlett in acknowledgment - 92 Letter decUning the proposed British Testimonial - 93 Kane, Dr., U.S.N. On the Resources open to Franklin 66 Keys to Places on Sectional Map 5 and 9 Maury, Lieut., U.S.N. Reasons for inferring the existence of a Polar Sea 75 Model of the Arctic Regions, notice of - 93 " 8 11 CONTENTS. Page Narrative of Four Russians who spent Six Years in Spitzbergen 51 Penny, Captain. Despatches 1 and Captain Austin. Correspondence between - 32 Letter to the Geographical Society - 4:7 Letter recounting Captain Martin's interview with Sir John Franklin - - 90 Petermann, Mr. Augustus. Notes on the Distribution of Animals in the Arctic Regions - 63 On the existence of an extensive Arctic Sea 67 Plan of Search after FrankUn - - 67 Pim, Lieut. Projected Examination of the Siberian Coast Line 41. Abandonment of his projected Expedition • 90 Remarks as to the probable Course pursued by Franklin - 44 Richardson, Sir John. EepHes to the Arctic Committee - 59 Sabine, Colonel. Opinion as to Franklin's Course - 36 Scoresby, Dr. W. Replies to the Arctic Committee - 61 Searching Expeditions in progress and in preparation - 87 Spitzbergen, Narrative of Four Russians who spent Six Years in - 51 United States' Expedition 33 Weld, Mr. C. R. Letter to the " Times 34 W. F. Letter to the "Times" - - 34 ILLUSTRATIONS. NOETH POLAE ChAKT Facing page Wellinuton Channel Section Map Of Beeghey Island The Section which accompanies the Pamphlet ia a tenth part of the Admiralty Chart of the North Polar Sea; consequently, ten such would include the whole area of the Arctic Begions. The simple method of working the keys (see the five examples given) is the same as that devised for the suggested "UNIVEBSAL ILLITSTEATED GEO- GRAPHY AKD HYDSOGEAPHY". In the large work, no more difficulty would he experienced in ascertaining the precise position of any required place in the world, generally, than is here encountered in discovering—hy means of the Keys, £eechey Island, Cape Herschel, Cape Sir John Franklin, or any other point included in our Arctic List. ILLUSTEATED GENERAL 6AZETTEEK. In One Volume, Imperial 8vo. An Illusti-ated Gazetteer, founded on a new and original principle, is in course of preparation. One of the distinguisliing features of this work, will he the employment of a progressive series of Topographical Vignettes, through the medium of which. Description will be combined with practical Illustration. Ey the adoption, likewise, of a novel species of arrangement, an immense I'ange and facility of Eeferenoe will be afforded within a comparatively hmited compass ; and in lieu of the present cumbrous and teasing system of isolated alphabetical sequence, the forthcoming work will give places, cities, and natural featiu'es in their connected and collateral relation. A detailed prospectus will be shortly issued. TO FIND A PLACE IN THE LIST. How, in the first instance, should we look for Cape Herschd, and at once regardless of latitude and longitude, ohtaui a key to it, and to 482 other adjacent places 1 EXAMPLES : No. of Map ABANDON BAY. KATEE CAPE. KETTH BAY. YOrXG ISLAND. — — — DISTRIBUTION OP ANIMALS AVAILABLE AS FOOD IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS * Sep- I.—NoETH Star, Master Saunders, wintered at WolstenholTne Sound, tember 30th to August 1st, 1849-50; during the whole period obtained Nautical but fifty hares and a few wild ducks ; several foxes also shot. Magazine, November 1850. II. Bnterpeise and Investigatoe, Captain J. C. Ross, wintered in Port Leopold 1848-49. Account kept on board the last named vessel shows the " number of birds killed to have amounted to about 4,000, yielding near 2,500 lbs. of meat. But more than this was obtained if the number shot by individuals for amusement, and not always noted, be included. Nautical Magazine, xix, p. 1 66. III.—Sir John Ross, when at Boothia Felix, 1829-33, found musk oxen, deer, bears, foxes, hares, &c., frequent; and partridges, ptarmigans, and ducks, numerous. Salmon were very abundant in the lakes—in one instance (see Voyage, p. 583) 3,378 were taken at a single haul. The fish averaged, when cleaned, 3 lbs. I v.—Sir W. E. Parry, wintering at Melville Island, 1819-20, found Polar hare very abundant—considerable numbers shot during the summer as a supply of provisions for the ships' companies—average weight about 81bs. Musk oxen, only three killed. Rein-deer in considerable numbers from May to October—twenty-four were killed during that interval. Snow bunting very numerous. Rock grouse in great abundance—are easily killed, especially in the breeding season, when the female will suffer herself to be taken on the nest. KUled in considerable numbers at Melville Island as a supply of provisions to the ships' companies. Golden plover in considerable abundance. Ring plover abundant on the shores of Possession Bay and Prince B£gent''s Irdet. Brent goose in great numbers on the island. King duck very abundant. V.—Parry (1821-23) referring to Melville Peninsula, says (Voyage, p. 612), that " the rein-deer are killed by the Esquimaux in great abundance in the summer season. For several weeks in the course of the year the natives retire to the banks of lakes in the interior, which they represent as abounding with salmon, whUe the pasture near them affords good feeding to numerous herds of deer." * Where the vegetable matter of the earth's surface i3 carpeted with snow, the purity of the air must be great, and high winds, unchecked by forests, must convey horizontally any scent to an amazing distance ; but to the keen noses of carnivorous creatures, the smoke and fumes from ft'ied animal matter must be enticing from an immense range. It is comforting to think that this power of allurement will assist Franklin's means of eking out his existence. Exiractfrom (page 75) Gaptmn Beecliey'a North Polar Voyage, H.M.S. Doeothea and Trent, under Captain Tlavld Buchan. " We set fire to some sea-horse fat, in order to entice within reach of our muskets any bears that might be ranging the ice. About midnight, the agreeable odour of the burnt blubber brought a white bear within musket range, which we killed and captured." — 9 VI. Arctic Searchino Expeditions, 1850-51. (From, Arrowsmith's recent Map.) The following are Lieut. McClintock's and Capt. Penny's accounts of animals killed or seen. Lieut. McClintock (in MeliviUe Island). ^mois BRACKETS. WORTH 1 2 8 I I WEST-O O-EAST 4 5 (i 10 I I |8|S) »ni,Tr<)t-^''V%/IFftS-r SOUTH Square PLACES. A vi 9 i A vii 111 Bi Bii 9 Biii 3 I 6 Biv 4- ———— ;; 11 ARCTIC EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS. (Extractedfrom the Nautical Magazine, October 1851.^ A Review of the Proceedings of the Arctic Searching Expeditions, under the Gommand of Captain H. T, Austin^ G.B., and Captain Penny^ with the recent despatches. '' Arctic intelligence which concerns so numerous a portion of our country- men abroad, and therefore deeply interesting to us at home, has now become of so much importance, that we need offer no other reason for allowing it to occupy so large a share of our attention. We shall, therefore, not only gratify our own readers now, but our absent voyagers hereafter, by preserv- ing a full record of their gallant doings. " Captain Penny has returned with his ship the Lady Franklin,* and has brought * favourable' intelligence, for such is the concluding sentence of the * With the view of facilitating a reference to the names of all the vessels and their several officers on these expeditions, we insert here the following list of them.