AT WASHINGTON. 649 



Navy and to some of the American papers, announcing 

 the joyful news, and it spread with great rapidity over 

 the country, filling all hearts with grateful joy, that not- 

 withstanding the disasters that overwhelmed the Polaris 

 expedition, her precious freight of human beings had all, 

 except the gallant Capt. Hall, been rescued from the perils 

 and sufferings that had beset them, and restored to more 

 congenial and safe latitudes. 



The Secretary of the Navy, through the United States 

 consul at Dundee, took immediate measures for the com- 

 fort of the rescued men, and to have them sent home by 

 the first steamer. 



Accordingly, they were shipped as passengers on the 

 Inman steamer City of Antwerp, and reached the quaran- 

 tine station of New York early in the morning of the 4th 

 of October. Here they were met by the United States 

 steam-tug Capulca, to which they were transferred and 

 carried to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where they were 

 received on board the United States steamer Talapoosa, 

 and conveyed to Washington. 



The Secretary of the Navy pursued the same course 

 with this party as with that of Capt. Tyson, subjecting 

 each one to a separate and searching questioning, with the 

 view to ascertain all the facts connected with the successes 

 and failures of the expedition, and especially in relation 

 to the death of Capt. Hall. The testimony is voluminous, 

 and it is sufficient to say that, in all essential points, it 

 corroborates that of the former party, which we have 

 spoken of in a former chapter. It puts completely at 

 rest all questions as to Capt. Hall's death, and clearly 

 proves that he died from natural causes. 



Thus ends the history of one of the most remarkable 

 exploring expeditions ever undertaken. We have spoken 

 of its results in Chapter XXIV., and here only remark 

 that it is evident that the death of its great commander 

 alone prevented it from proving the most complete success, 



