AN EXPLORING TRIP. 587 



the escape by calling the haven Thank-God Harbor. Aa 

 it often happens, a berg which was formidable enough 

 itself to have destroyed the steamer proved a valuable 

 help in her extremity, and to this Hall gave the appella- 

 tion of Providence Berg. 



With the Polaris hi safety, Captain Hall began imme- 

 diate preparations to prosecute his discoveries by means 

 of sledges. He first erected some huts and an observa- 

 tory, and made such other arrangements as would con- 

 duce to the comfort of his men, and at the same time 

 enable his scientific assistants to make their observations 

 and pursue their investigations into the natural phenomena 

 of polar latitudes. Having completed all the arrange- 

 ments, Hall started on October 10th on an exploring trip 

 with two sledges and fourteen dogs, taking with him his 

 first mate, Mr. Chester, his friend Joe, and Hans. The 

 journey occupied two weeks, during which they traveled 

 almost incessantly. On October 17th they reached lati- 

 tude 82 3', and here paused, having on the way dis- 

 covered a lake and a river ; following the serpentine 

 course of the latter, they had come to a bay fully thirty 

 miles in extent, which Hall named Newman Bay ; here 

 there were two capes, the southern of which, " a high, bold 

 and noble headland," he called Sumner Headland, while to 

 the northern he gave the name of Brevoort Cape. Find- 

 ing the mouth of Newman Bay open, and the ice of 

 Kobeson Strait in motion, it was impossible to pursue the 

 sledge journey up the strait, while the mountainous nature 

 of the land on the north made traveling in that direction 

 impracticable. Hence, on the 18th, they started on their 

 return to Thank-God Harbor. The farthest point of land 

 discovered by Hall on this sledge excursion was in lati- 

 tude 83 5', but he has left no description of that lying 

 beyond 82 C 3'. 



Captain Hall's main object in this sledge journey was 

 to find a direct and feasible route by which he might in the 



