30 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. July 



speed, and after a short consultation with his wife 

 agreed to join our Expedition and leave his family 

 behind. He proved himself to be an admirable hunter 

 and an excellent dog-driver. Hans when a lad of 

 nineteen joined Dr. Kane's expedition in 1853. After 

 rendering invaluable services to his companions during 

 their two winters' stay at Eensselaer Harbour, Smith 

 Sound, he married Merkut, the daughter of Shanghu, 

 one of the 'Arctic Highlanders,' who tended him when 

 lying sick at Hartstene Bay ; he remained behind with 

 his wife when Dr. Kane abandoned his vessel and 

 travelled south to Upernivik in boats. In 1860, after 

 he had passed five years with the 'Arctic Highlanders,' 

 Dr. Hayes finding Hans at Cape York, took him and 

 his wife and child on board his vessel the ' United 

 States ' ; on the homeward voyage in 1861 he was 

 landed with his belongings at Upernivik. In 1871 he 

 joined Captain Hall in the ' Polaris,' taking his wife 

 and three children with him. He was one of the party 

 who were separated from the ' Polaris ' in a gale of 

 wind, and drifted during the long winter of 1872-73 

 from Smith Sound to the southward of Hudson's 

 Straits ; during that time he and Joe another Eskimo 

 preserved the lives of their companions by their 

 indefatigable and noble exertions in hunting and 

 procuring seals. 



Hans having bid farewell to his wife and children, 

 we left Proven on the evening of the 21st. The 

 weather being calm we proceeded to the northward 

 under low steam with the ' Discovery ' in tow ; having 

 a pilot on board we adopted the inner passage, and 

 threaded our way between the numerous islands that 



