620 



HISTOKY OF THE SEA. 



poraiy paralysis and partial delirium. Still he seemed to get 

 better, but on the night of the 8th of November he became 

 worse, and died that night. It would seem that he had a 

 suspicion he was poisoned in the cup of coffee he drank, but 

 this was probably simply the delirium which became more 

 marked soon after, and during which he fancied every one was 

 trying to kill him. The report of the commission who care- 

 fully examined all the testimony available said that: "From 

 personal examination of all the witnesses, we reach the unan- 

 imous opinion that the death of Captain Hall resulted naturally, 

 from disease, without fault on the part of any one. During 

 his illness he was under the medical care of Dr. Bessels, and as 

 none of the persons now here are capable of giving a more 

 particular account of the nature and symptoms of his fatal 

 sickness, the return of the Polaris must be awaited for precise 

 information." 



After the death of Hall, according to 'the instructions sent 

 with the expedition, the command passed to Captain Bud- 

 dington. The Polaris remained in her winter position, and the 

 season passed without any serious suffering for food, or from 

 cold on the part of the company. Scientific observations were 

 regularly made, a considerable portion of the coa-^t was sur- 

 veyed, and quite a collection made of the skins and skeletons 

 of the various game captured and shot by the Esquimaux. 

 About three weeks after Captain Hall's death, a violent wind 

 caused the Polaris to drag her anchors, and forced her against 

 the protecting iceberg, to which she was made fast, and remained 

 so until August, when she got free from the position on the 

 berg into which her bow had been forced by the ice floe during 

 the winter. In June Captain Buddington ordered a boat expe- 

 dition along the coast, which penetrated north nearly as far as 

 Hall had reached with his sledges. 



In August, the Polaris being free, Captain Buddington 

 resolved to return, and set out, steaming carefully down the 



