THE LAST EXPEDITION OF CHARLES FRANCIS HALL. 765 



outset ; but its place being supplied by the light canvas boat, before mentioned, a 

 point was gained almost as far north as that which Hall had reached in his sledge 

 journey. Here they remained until the middle of July, 1872, waiting for the ice to 

 open, when they were recalled by Buddington, who had determined to return home 

 as soon as the ice would permit. The party made their way overland, leaving the 

 boats behind. From the data now accessible, this determination to return can hardly 

 be censured, although Hall would not probably have consented had he been living. 

 The Polaris had been much strained, and though there were abundance of stores 

 from which overland parties could be supplied, the coal was getting short, and so the 

 Polaris itself would hardly have been able to make her way again under steam far to 

 the north. 



The Polaris got free early in August, and steamed cautiously down the western 

 shore for a day, when she was beset in the ice, and was in imminent peril. On the 

 ICth the ship was made fast to a huge floe, in latitude 80° 2', and drifted slowly up 

 and down Smith's Sound for two months, during which they only gained about a 

 dozen miles to the south, bringing them near Northumberland Island, in latitude 79*^ 

 53'. To be prepared for the worst, provisions were brought on deck, in readiness to 

 be thrown upon the ice should it be necessary to abandon the vessel, and a canvas 

 shelter was put up on the ice. 



On the 15th of October a violent gale set in from the south, driving the ice under 

 the ship, pressing her fairly out of the water, and throwing her over on her beam 

 ends. Some provisions and stores were thrown over, and half of the crew were 

 ordered out to carry them further upon the ice. All the boats were lowered. In the 

 middle of the night, in a violent storm, the Polaris broke loose, and in a few minutes 

 was out of sight. Upon the ice were the nineteen persons already named. All 

 through the night they labored to save the provisions ; and when morning dawned 

 attempted to reach the shore, which was in plain sight. During the day the Polaris 

 hove in sight, at a distance of four or five miles, apparently approaching the floe 

 under sail and steam. Those on the ice were sure that they must be seen from the 

 vessel, and that they would soon be taken on board. But the vessel changed her 

 course, and soon disappeared. Not unnaturally they believed that they had been 

 purposely abandoned. But the commission, upon a full review of all the circum- 

 stances, came to the conclusion that there was no sufficient evidence that this was the 

 case. A few hours afterward, another glimpse was got of the Polaris. She appeared 

 to be made fast to the shore or to the ice. From that day up to the middle of July, 

 1873, when these pages are written, a period of more than nine months, no tidings 

 of the Polaris have been received. It is indeed hoped that she is fast beset in the 

 ice, but otherwise safe. If so, as there is no danger of starvation, it is believed that 

 the crew, if not the vessel, may be rescued. 



We now turn to the fortunes of the nineteen who were left upon the ice, and who 

 were finally rescued by the Tigress. In all the records of adventure and peril there 

 is nothing which, for interest, exceeds this ; and of it we have an account, unique in 

 its kind ; the only thing approaching it being the famous journal of Bligh and his 

 party of seamen, who were set adrift from the " Bounty" in 1789. Bligh, in an 

 open boat, was adrift forty-six days under a torrid sun. These men, women and 



