VOYAGE OF THE POLARIS. 55 



has caused me to devote my very life and soul to Arctic ex- 

 plorations." 



The Polaris sailed from New London, July 3, 1871. Capt. 

 Hall died, November 8, 1871. Capt. Budington then took 

 charge of the expedition. 



The voyage from this time on, and until most of its sur- 

 vivors providentially returned to their homes, is very sad, 

 though full of heroic endurance. The sad tale has been 

 read in most of our homes with moist eyes and aching 

 hearts ; how the Polaris left Thank God Harbor, drifted 

 south and west, sprung a leak, requiring the most constant 

 efforts to keep her from going down ; how, on that terrible 

 stormy night of October 15, 1872, it was thought the vessel 

 must sink, and orders were given to take to the ice. Instru- 

 ments, charts, boats, etc., were hurriedly transferred to the 

 floe ; but the drift changes its direction, the Polaris is re- 

 leased from her grim pressure, the floe parts assunder, and 

 the vessel, breaking from her moorings, drifts away in the 

 darkness and howling tempest, leaving Capt. Tyson and 

 eighteen of the crew on the ice. ** Several men were seen 

 hurrying toward the ship as she was leaving, but they failed 

 to reach her. The voice of the steward, John Herron, was 

 heard calling out, ' Good-bye, Polaris P^^ 



We will not attempt to picture the consternation of the 

 separated voyagers, nor try to describe their after adven- 

 tures; suffice it to say, that most of them marvelously 

 escaped the thousand dangers incidental to their perilous 

 position. 



In concluding this meager description of the Polaris ex- 

 pedition, we quote from the closing paragraphs of the re- 

 port of the Paris Geographical Society : 



*' In consideration of these results, your Prize Commis- 

 mission has judged it their duty to award to Captain 

 Francis Hall, the promoter and chief of the Polaris expedi- 

 tion, that which is otherwise due him for his previous 



