THE OPEN POLAR SEA. 



CHAPTER I. 



LEAVING BOSTON. — AT ANCHOR IN NANTASKET ROADS. — AT SEA. 



Late in the evening of July 6th, 1860, the schooner 

 United States was hauled into the stream, prepared 

 to leave port the following morning. 



The morning dawned clear and auspicious. Upon 

 going on board, I found that a number of friends 

 v/hom I had invited to accompany us down the bay 

 had preceded me by half an hour. Among them were 

 His Excellency the Governor of the State, and rep- 

 resentatives of the Boston, New York and Philadel- 

 phia committees. 



The fine, large steam-tug R. B. Forltes soon came 

 alongside, alive with a gay party of well-wishers, and, 

 taking the end of our hawser, started us from our an- 

 chorage. As we passed Long Wharf we were honored 

 with a salute from a battery which the Mayor of the 

 city had sent down for that purpose, and numerous 

 parting cheers greeted us as we steamed down the 

 bay. 



The wind being unfavorable, we dropped anchor 

 for the night in Nantasket Roads. The tug took 

 most of our friends back to Boston, and I was left in 

 my cabin with the official representatives of the pro- 

 moters of the enterprise, engaged in the last of our 



