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THE POLAR WORLD. 



foundland, July 13. where the expedition was cordially welcomed by the governor 

 and principal citizens. Thence they steamed up Davis's Straits, reaching Holstein- 

 borg, in Greenland, on the 31st. There they found a Swedish vessel, which was just 

 about sailing for home. This reported that Baffin's Bay was more free from ice than 

 it had been for years. They awaited the arrival of the transport Congress, bearing 

 additional stores and supplies, and in the meantime purchased dogs, furs, and other 

 requisites. On the 17th of August the Polaris bade adieu to the Congress, and 

 fairly set out on her expedition for the pole, touching successively at Upernavik and 

 Kong-i-toke, where more dogs were procured. On the 22d they reached Tessuisac, 

 in latitude 73*^ 30', probably the most northern permanent settlement on the globe. 

 Here Hall commenced penning a dispatch, to which on the two following days he 

 added brief postscripts. 



There had been, as was reported by the Congress on her return, some disputes 

 between Hall and his scientific associates. As far as we can judge from the scanty 

 account, in Hall's view the main object was to reach the pole, and to this everything 

 else was to be subordinate ; in their view, quite naturally, scientific observation and 

 research was the main thing. The instructions from the Secretary of the Navy seem 

 to us to be so clear, as to leave no doubt that Hall's view was the correct one. So 

 at least it was decided by the commander of the Congress, and his decision seems to 

 have met with prompt acquiescence. The dispute, whatever it was, was adjusted, and 

 Hall writes in the highest spirits : 



''August 22, 1871. The prospects of the expedition are fine ; the weather beau- 

 tiful, clear, and exceptionally warm. Every preparation has been made to bid fare- 

 well to civilization for several years, if need be to accomplish our purpose. Our 

 coal-bunkers are not only full, but we have fully ten tons on deck, besides wood, 

 planks, tar, and rosin in considerable quantities that can be used for steaming pur- 

 poses in case of any emergency. Never was an Arctic expedition more completely 

 fitted out than this. The progress of the Polaris so far has been quite favorable, 

 making exceedingly good passages from port to port. The actual steaming or sailing 

 time from Washington to New York was sixty hours ; and from that place to this— 

 the most northern civilized settlement of the world, unless there be one for us to dis- 

 cover at or near the North Pole — has been twenty days, seven hours, and thirty min- 

 utes. There is every reason to rejoice that everything pertaining to the expedition, 

 under the rulings of High Heaven, is in a far more prosperous condition than I had 



hoped or prayed for. We are making every efibrt to leave here to-morrow. 



August 23, Evening. We did not get under way to-day, as expected, because a 

 heavy, dark fog has prevailed all day, and the same now continues. The venture of 

 steaming out into a sea of undefined reefs and sunken rocks, under the present cir- 

 cumstances could not be undertaken. August 24, 1 P. M. The fog still con- 

 tinues, and I decide that we cannot wait longer for its dispersion ; for a longer delay 

 will make it doubtful of the expedition securing the very high latitude I desire to 

 obtain before entering into winter quarters. A good pilot has offered to do his very 

 best in conducting the Polaris outside of the most imminent danger of the reefs and 

 rocks. Now, at half-past 1, P. M., the anchor of the Polaris has just been weighed, 

 and not again will it go down, till, as I trust and pray, a higher, a far higher, latitude 

 has been attained than ever before by civilized man. Governor Elberg is about 



