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758 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



Of his early life he said but little. About all which I call to mind was that he 

 was born about 1823 ; had been brought up a blacksmith, had somehow drifted into 

 journalism in Cincinnati, and that a desire to explore the unknown Arctic regions had 

 for years been growing upon him, until at last he had come to look upon it as his 

 special mission to unravel the mystery of the fate of Franklin. Even when he set 

 out upon his second expedition, he had a strong persuasion that some members of 

 that party were still alive and might yet be rescued. 



In 1864 he sailed from New London, Conn., on his second expedition, in a whaling 

 vessel, commanded by Captain Buddington of whom we shall hear more. With 

 him went only the Esquimaux Ebierbing and his wife Tookoolito. He landed on 

 the coast of Hudson's Bay, penetrated to the north as far as Eecla and Fury Bay, 

 and thence journeyed into King William's land. In this region he spent four suc- 

 cessive winters, living entirely among the Esquimaux, most of the time near Repulse 

 Bay, acquiring a knowledge of their language and customs, and adapting himself to 

 their habits and modes of life, and so fitting himself for the prosecution of a larger 

 enterprise. By careful inquiry among the natives he satisfied himself of the truth 

 of the reports that the bulk of Franklin's party had died of starvation on King 

 William's land, and that only a small part of them had succeeded in passing to the 

 main land. He brought back with him many relics, and convinced himself that 

 before the final besetment Franklin had actually gone as far westward as any one 

 has since gone, and was thus the actual discoverer of the long sought north-west pas- 

 sage. He found, however, no traces of the records of the expedition ; and it is 

 probable that all were lost when the vessels were hastily abandoned. That the aban- 

 donment was hasty, is shown by the fact that no stores or provisions appear to have 

 been saved. 



Of this second expedition of Hall, the general results of which have been thus 

 meagerly stated, I know that he had full notes ; and it was his purpose, after he had 

 made one more expedition, in which he had full confidence that he would be able to 

 reach the pole, whether it was upon land or in water, to combine the results of both 

 in a work which should tell all that man could know of regions which human eye had 

 never seen, and might not perhaps again see for generations. 



For long months he labored to induce the government to fit out another expedition, 

 in which he was at last successful. What with government aid and the assistance of 

 private individuals, nothing which human foresight could provide seemed wanting to 

 ensure success, if this lay within the scope of human power. A steamer of 400 tons, 

 known as the Periwinkle, also rigged as a schooner, was purchased, and fitted up and 

 strengthened to adapt her for the new work. Six inches of solid oak planking was 

 placed upon her sides ; her bows were built up so as to be almost a solid mass of tim- 

 ber, sheathed with iron and ending in a sharp iron prow. The screw was so arranged 

 that it could be unshipped and placed upon deck, so as to be out of danger from the 

 ice. Extra blades, rudder, spars and sails were provided. Boats were built for the 

 special service. One of these, capable of carrying four tons, weighed only 250 

 pounds, and was so constructed that it might bo folded up at three minutes' notice, 

 and could be placed on a sledge, transported over snow or ice, and launched when- 

 ever a piece of open water was reached. Nothing was spared to ensure to cfficers 

 and men every comfort which could be attainable in the inhospitable region to which 



