96 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



HalFs first intention was to proceed up Jones Sound, 

 but his opinion regarding this route changed before he 

 left the States. He trusted chiefly to dogs for his sledge- 

 travelling, and did not expect to reach a higher latitude 

 than 80° during the first year. 



The Polaris left New London on 3rd July 1871, and 

 St. John's on 19th July. The coast of Greenland was 

 first seen on 27th July, and Upernavik was reached on 

 19th August. Here Hans, of Kane's and Hayes 1 ex- 

 pedition, was engaged as dog-driver and servant, and 

 received a salary of 300 dollars per annum. His wife 

 and three children, who were dressed in ragged and filthy 

 skin clothing, accompanied him. Their luggage consisted 

 of tents, tools, cooking utensils, implements of the chase, 

 and three or four puppies whose eyes could scarcely bear 

 the light. 



The Polaris was first stopped by the ice off the western 

 shore of Hakluyt Island, about 5 a.m. on the 27th August, 

 but by forcing ahead, open water was reached the same 

 day. At 3 p.m. on that day the Polaris was opposite 

 Cape Alexander ; at 5 p.m. it was off Littleton Island ; 

 Cairn Point was passed at 6.30 ; and at 8 p.m. the 

 parallel of Rensselaer Harbour was reached. 



Smith Sound was found quite open. At midnight a 

 heavy pack was seen, but in about two hours its south- 

 western point was rounded. At 3.30 a.m. on the 28th, 

 Cape Hawks was on the port beam, about 15 miles 

 distant. 



The width of the southern entrance of Kennedy Channel 

 was estimated to be about 35 miles, and it was found to 

 narrow towards the north to about 25 miles. 



The highest latitude, estimated by Hall to be 82° 26', 

 but afterwards corrected to 82° 11 , was reached at 6 a.m. 

 on the 30th August. Hall had therefore passed from Cape 

 Alexander, at the entrance of Smith Sound, to his highest 



