CHAPTER XX. 



ACTION OF CONGRESS. RELIEF EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OP DR. KAHB. - 



HARTSTEIN THE COMMANDER. ICE ENCOUNTERS. SEARCHES. THK 



LOST FOUND. NARRATIVE BY JOHN K. KANE. ICEBERGS. BIRDS. 



ESQUIMAUX. THE MEETING. THE RESOLUTE. FOUND BT AMERICAS 

 WHALERS. INTERNATIONAL COURTESIES. 



THE apprehensions caused at home, by the detention 

 of Dr. Kane and his party, produced a resolution of 

 Congress, approved February 3d, 1855, authorizing the 

 Secretary of the Navy to despatch a suitable steamer 

 and tender for the relief of the absent voyagers. The 

 bark Release and the steamer Arctic were accordingly 

 procured and equipped, Lieut. Hartstein having been 

 appointed to the command. He was accompanied by a 

 brother of Dr. Kane. They reached Lievely, Isle of Disco, 

 Greenland, July 5th, 1855, having encountered the first 

 iceberg in latitude 51 30' north, longitude 51 40' west. 

 With seaman-like generosity, Hartstein, in his letter 

 from this place to the Secretary of the Navy, says : " To 

 avoid further risk of human life, in a search so extremely 

 hazardous, I would suggest the impropriety of making 

 any efforts to relieve us if we should not return ; feeling 

 confident that we shall be able to accomplish all neces- 

 sary for our own release, under the most extraordinary 

 circumstances. 7 ' 



Entering the closely-packed floe of Melville Bay, the 



