Thrilling tales of the frozen north

Front matter

Shelf v

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

TO THE

Chapter II

Russian Explorations. — Deshneff. — Expeditions of 1711. — Fruitless Efforts. — Dapteff. — Behring. — His Shipwreck and Death. — Fate of the Survivors. — Schalaroff. — Sledge Expedition. — Admiral Von Wrangell's Expedition 6*

CHAPTER I'll.

Offer of Parliament. — Hearne's Journey. — Phipps.— Nelson. — Cook. —Mackenzie. — Sir John Ross's First Voyage. — Buchan and Franklin. — Dangerous Situation of the Trent and Dorothea *«

Chapter IV

Parry's First Expedition. — Icebergs. — Passage through Lancaster Sound. — Prince Regent's Inlet. — Wellington Channel. — Mellville Island. — Winter Quarters. — Scurvy. — Snow Blindness. — Theatricals. — Breaking up of the Ice. — Return of the Expedition Itr

Chapter V

Franklin's First Land Expedition. — Incidents. — Back's Journey.— Severity of the Weather. — Aurora Borealis. — Anecdotes. — Survey of the Coast. — Return Trip. — Sufferings. — Murder of Mr. Hood.— Deaths. — Unexpected Relief. — Arrival at York Factory 'U?

Chapter VI

Parry's Seoond Voyage. — Arrival at Hudson's Strait. — Repuls* Ba,y. — Baffling Navigation. — Esquimaux Friends. — Arctio Climate. — Frozen Up. — Amusements. — Iligliuk. — Lyon's Journey.— Snow Huts. — Land Excursions. — Harbor at Iglooik. — Anothe* Winter. — Parhelia. — Return Home. — Parry's Third Voyage.... „ '*J

Ij CONTENTS.

CHAPTEE VII. iaoi

Lyon's Voyage. — Beechey'8 Expedition. — Franklin's Second Land Expedition. — Port Franklin. — Winter at Great Bear Lake. — Em ; barkation. — Separation of the Party. — Progress of Franklin's Division. — Attack by Esquimaux. — Return to Fort Franklin. — Richardson's Division. — Second Winter at the Fort 151

Chapter VIII

Scoresby's Discoveries. — Clavering. — Parry's Polar Voyage. — Reindeer. — Hecla Cove. — Boat and Sledge Expedition. — Night Traveling. — Hummocks. — Softening of the Ice. — Highest Point Reached. Polar Bear. — Return to the Ship. — Homeward Bound 166

CHAPTEE IX.

Ross's Second Voyage. — Holsteinborg. — Disco Island. — Lancaster Sound. — Boothia. — Discovery of the Fury's Stores. — Dangerous Navigation. — Preparations for Wintering. — Excursion. — Second Winter in the Ice. — MagneticPole. — Third and Fourth Winter. — Abandonment of the Victory. — Meeting with a Whaler 188

CHAPTEE X.

Back's Land Expedition. — Arrival at Fort William. — Anecdote of a Canoe Party. — Franklin. — Scenery. — Ascent of Rivers. — Winter Quarters. — News of Ross's Safety. — Polar Sea. — Return to England. — Back's Voyage in the Terror. — Remarkable Perils among the Ice. — Homeward Bound. — Dease and Simpson's Discoveries.. 213

CHAPTEE XI.

Rae's Land Expedition. — Shores of Hudson's Bay. — Esquimaux Canoes. — Repulse Bay. — Snow-houses. — Return. — Renewed Interest in the Discovery of a North-west Passage. — The Erebus and Terror. — Sir John Franklin's Last Voyage. — Mystery of his Fate. 247

CHAPTEE XII.

Anxiety in Regard to Franklin — Three Expeditions of Search. — Eellett and Moore's Expedition by Behrings Strait. — Its Return. — Richardson's and Rae's Land Explorations. — Ross's Expedition by Lanoaster Sound. — The Explorers Return Unsuccessful. — Lieut. Pullen Ascends the Mackenzie. — Return to the Arctic Sea and Back. — The Season of 1850. — Pullen's Arrival in England.... 261

CHAPTEE XIII.

Opinions in Regard to the Fate of Franklin. — Climate. — Rewards Offered. — Renewed Searches. — Collinson and M'Clure. — Rae's Instructions. — Other Expeditions. — Grinnell's Expedition. — Meeting in the Arctic Seas. — Traces of Franklin. — Graves. — Sledging Parties. — Return Home 292

CONTENTS. 1 1

CHAPTER XIV. pad.

Further Particulars of the Searching Expeditions. — Ross's Voyage. — Results. — Carrier-Pigeons. — Penny's Expedition. — Dr. Sutherland's Scientific Observations. — Glaciers and Icebergs. — Winter Climate. — First Grinnell Expedition. — Winter in the Arctic Ocean. — Breaking up of the Ice. — Return 331

CHAPTEE XV.

The Prince Albert Refitted by Lady Franklin. — Mr. Kennedy the Commander. — Upernavik. — Carrier-Pigeons. — Disastrous Separation. — Relief and Reunion. — Preparations for Wintering. — Winter Journeys. — Visit to Fury Beach. — The Grand Journey. — The Fury's Stores. — Cairns not Always Seen. — Cape Walker.— -Return to Batty Bay. — Homeward Bound. — Bellot. — Rae's Land Journey. 362

CHAPTER XVI.

Sir Edward Belcher's Expedition. — The American Whaler. — Inglefield's Voyage. — Three More Expeditions. — Inglefield's Return. — News from M'Clure. — Parry and Franklin. — M'Clure's Explorations. — Adventures with Esquimaux. — Perilous Navigation. — Discovery of the North-west Passage. — Personal Perils. — Winter Quarters.— Still Frozen Up.— Plan of Escape 39P

CHAPTER XVII.

The Resolute and Intrepid. — Parry's Sandstone Again. — News from the Investigator. — Pirn's Journey. — Meeting with M'Clure. — Return to the Resolute. — Abandonment of the Investigator. — A Weary Summer. — Cresswell sent with Dispatches. — Incidents of the Voyage of the Phoenix. — Loss of the Bredalbane Transport. — Death of Bellot.— The Phoenix and Talbot Sent Out 438

CHAPTER XVIII.

The Resolute and Intrepid. — Winter in the Pack. — Both Vessels Abandoned. — Belcher's Explorations. — Remains. — Attempt to Reach Beechey Island. — Abandonment of the Assistance and Pioneer. — All Parties Assemble at Beechey Island. — Arrival of the Phoenix and Talbot. — Return to England. — Voyage of the Phoenix. — Collinson's Voyage. — Rae's Expedition. — Relics of Franklin. — Anderson's Journey 45J

CHAPTER XIX.

Second Grinnell Expedition. — Dr. Kane's Plan. — Departure.— Incidents. — Disastrous Sledging-Party. — The Rescue. — Discoveries. — Attempt to Reach Belcher's Squadron. — Another Winter. — Abandonment of the Vessel. — In Safety. — Report to Navy Department. — The Open Polar Sea , 4?l

12 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XX. rA<n

Action of Congress. — Expedition in Search of Dr. Kane. — Hartstein the Commander. — Found. — Narrative of Kane. — Ioebergs. — The Meeting. — The Resolute. — Found by American Whalers. — International Courtesies 521

GHAPTEE XXI.

Lady Franklin Not Disheartened. — Voyage of the Fox. — More Relics Discovered. — A Record Found. — The Mystery Solved. — Vovage of Franklin 539

CHAPTEE XXII.

Death of Dr. E. K. Kane. — Dr. Hayes' Expedition. — Lectures. — Departure of the United States. — A Sublime Sight and a Narrow Escape. — Port Foulk. — Sledge Traveling to Grinnell Land. — Mount Parry and Cape Union. — Return 563

CHAPTER XXIII.

Captain C. F. Hall. — Early Interest in Books of Travel and Adventure. — Becomes Interested in Arctic Exploration. — First Expedition. — Joe and Hannah. — His Return, and Result of his Life in Greenland. — Second Expedition. — Its Results 568

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Polaris Expedition. — TheVessel. — Outfit. — Leaves New York. — Highest Latitude ever Attained. — Valuable Discoveries. — Thank- God Harbor. — Sledge Exploration. — Hall's Death and Burial. — A Gale separates the Polaris from the Party on the Ice-raft 580

CHAPTER XXV.

Unparalleled Sufferings and Providential Deliverance. — On the Ice.— The Field Broken.— The Polaris lost to Sight.— Efforts to Reach the Shore. — Thanksgiving Day. — Christmas and New Tear's Day. — The Long Night Over. — The Sun Appears. — The Floe Breaks. — The Party Scattered. — They take to the Boat, and get on a small Floe. — No Food, no Light — Washed Out. — Cannibalism. — A Terrible Night. — The Crisis. — The Rescue. — In Port 607

CHAPTER XXVI.

the Polaris Adrift. — Beached. — Winter House. — Two Boats Built. — Embarked, and going Southward. — The Crisis, and the Rescue. ^-At Dundee and at Washington 939

CONTENTS. 13

CHAPTER XXVII. page The Sledge Journey of Lieutenant Schwatka, U. S. A.— Occasion of the Expedition.— Sailing of the Eoth en. —Arrival at Depot Island.— Crossing to King William Land.— Meeting with the Innuits.— Their Accounts.— Visit to a Cairn.— Identifying the Eemains of Lieutenant Irving, R. N.— Journey to Cape Felix — No Records Found.— Relics of Franklin's Expedition.— Camping out and Sledge Journey, October 1879 to March 4, 1880— Return to the United States 651

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Lieutenant De Long's Expedition toward the Pole, 1879-1881.— Mr. Bennett Undertakes it— Selection of the Routes.— De Long's Plans.— The "Jeannette " Commissioned.— Sailing from San Francisco.— Arrival at St. Michael's.— Attempts to reach Wrangell and Herald Islands.— Frozen in the Pack, September 6.— Chipp Attempts the Crossing to Herald Island.— The " Jeannette " Drifts Northwest past Wrangell Land.— Lieut. Danenhower Disabled.— Return of the Sun.— Experiment of the Windmill Pump.— De Long Abandons the Theory of the Currents.— Scientific Observations Kept Up.— The Frozen Summer.— Auroral Phenomena.— Continued Drift Northwest.— Discovery of Jeannette and Henrietta Islands.— The "Jeannette" Crushed.— Landing on the Floe. —Discovery of Bennett Island.— The Three Boats.— Their Separation.— The Whale-boat Party land on the Lena Delta.— The First Cutter under De Long.— Sufferings and Death of De Long.— De Long's Last Entries.— Danenhower's Search.— Melville's Search. —The Dead Ten Found.— Their Burial.— Return of Lieut. Danenhower.— Search begun by Lieut. Harber.— Engineer Melville's Return.— Appropriation to bring the Bodies Home.— The Return of the Bodies 664

CHAPTER XXIX.

An Official Polar Commission.— Establishing Stations of Observation in Lady Franklin Bay, Grinnell Land, and at Ooglamie, near Point Barrow, Alaska.— Lieut. A. W. Greely in Charge of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition.— Account of its Journey to the Station. —Fort Conger.— Life at the Station, 1881-2 and 1882-3.— Failure of Relief Parties.— Abandonment of the Station, September 1883.— Retreat of the Party Southward.— Beset in the Ice.— Drifting Helplessly.— Abandonment of the Steam Launch.— Reaching

Contents

Eskimo Point.— In Winter Quarters at Camp Clay, 1883HL— Reduced Rations.— Disappointment in Failing to find Supplies.— Terrible Sufferings and Starvation.— Death of many of tlie Party. —Rescue of the Survivors by Commander Schley at a time when Supplies had been Entirely Exhausted 681

TECHNICAL TERMS

PECULIAR TO THE NAVIGATION AMONG ICB.

Chapter I

ASPECTS OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. — PHENOMENA. — THB ARCTIC OCEAN.— EARLIEST EXPLORERS. — THE NORTHMEN. — THE CABOTS. — THE CORTE- REALS. — SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBY. — FROBISHER. — SIR HUMPHREY GIL- BERT. — DAVIS. — BARENTZ. — HUDSON. — BAFFIN.

The varied physical aspect of the globe offeis as much to charm or awe the eye of man as to minister to his comfort and well-being. From the glowing heat and gorgeous vegetation of the torrid zone, we move through all gradations of climate and feature, to the frigid regions of either pole, where perpetual ice and a depressed temperature present an extraordinary contrast to the lands of the sun : from intensest heat we pass to intensest cold ; from the sandy deserts of the south to the icy deserts of the north. Yet there is as much in the frozen zone to impress and elevate the mind of the beholder as in the countries where nature displays herself in rich and exuberant loveliness.

Beyond the seventieth degree of latitude not a tree meets the eye, wearied with the white waste of snow ; forests, woods, even shrubs, have disappeared, and given place to a few lichens and creeping woody plants, which scantily clothe the indurated soil. Still, in the furthest north, nature claims her birthright of beauty ; and in the brief and rapid summer she brings forth numerous 2 17

18 ARCTIC PHENOMENA.

flowerft and grasses to bloom for a few days, until again blasted by the swiftly-recurring winter.

In these regions certain mysterious phenomena exhibit their most powerful effects. Here is the point of attraction of the compass needle ; and here the dipping needle, which lies horizontal at the equator, points straight downwards. Slowly, in its cycle of nearly two thou sand years, this centre or pole of magnetic attraction revolves in obedience to laws as yet unknown. Two degrees further toward the north is situated the pole of cold — a mystery like the former to science, but equally inciting to curiosity. If induction may be trusted, the pole of the earth is less cold than the latitudes fifteen degrees below it.

Round the shores and seas of the aretic regions ice ever accumulates : a circle of two thousand miles' diameter is occupied by frozen fields and floes of vast extent, or piled high with hugest forms, awful yet fantastic as a dreamer's fancy. Mountain masses —

" Whose blocks of sapphire seem to mortal eye Hewn from cerulean quarries in the sky, With glacier battlements that crowd the spheres, The slow creation of six thousand years, Amidst immensity they tower sublime, Winter's eternal palace, built by Time."

Here the months are divided into long periods of daylight and darkness : for many weeks the sun sinks not below the horizon ; for three dreary months he appears oot above it —

" And morning comes, but comes not clad in light ; Uprisen day is but a paler night."

But, in the absence of the great luminary, the vivid coruscations of the aurora borealis illuminate the wintry landscape, streaming across the skies in broad sheets of

THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 19

fight, flashing in multi-colored rays, 01 quivering in faint and feathery scintillations — a light that takes away the irksomeness of gloom, and makes the long night wondrous.

The desolate grandeur of the scene is in many parts increased by the entire absence of animated nature ; in others the dearth of vegetation is compensated by superabundance of animal life. Wrangell tells us that " countless herds of reindeer, elks, black bears, foxes, sables, and gray squirrels, fill the upland forests ; stone foxes and wolves roam over the low grounds. Enormous flights of swans, geese, and ducks, arrive in spring, and seek deserts where they may moult and build their nests in safety. Eagles, owls, and gulls, pursue their prey along the sea-coast ; ptarmigan run in troops among the bushes ; little snipes are busy along the brooks and in the morasses ; the social crows seek the neighborhood of men's habitations ; and when the sun shines in spring, one may even sometimes hear the cheerful note of the finch, and in autumn that of the thrush."

"There is," as observed by Lieutenant-Colonel Sabine, "a striking resemblance in the configuration of the northern coasts of the continents of Asia and America' for several hundred miles on either side of Behring'e Strait ; the general direction of the coast is the same in both continents, the latitude is nearly the same, and each has its attendant group of islands to the north : the Asiatic continent, those usually known as the New Siberian Islands ; and the American, those called by Sir Edward Parry the North Georgian Group, and since 6tly named, from their discoverer, the Parry Islands The reaemblance includes the islands also, both in gen eral character ard latitude."

With respect to the Arctic Ocean, a late writer ex-

20 THE NORTHMEN.

plains : " We may view this great polar sea as enclosed within a circle whose diameter is 40°, or two thousand four hundred geographical miles, and circumference seven thousand two hundred miles. On the Asiatic side of this sea are Nova Zembla and the New Siberiar. Islands, each extending to about the ?6th degree of latitude. On the European and American sides are Spitzbergen, extending to about 80°, and a part of Old Greenland, whose northern extremity is yet unknown . Facing America is the large island washed by Regent's Inlet, Parry's or Melville's Islands, with some others, in latitude fO to 76°, and beyond these nothing is known of any other land or islands ; and if we may form an opinion, by inspecting the general chart of the earth, it would be that no islands exist which could in any shape obstruct navigation." It is to these regions, and the labors of which they have been the scene,, that we have for a short period to direct our attention.

The history of Arctic explorations properly begins at i period earlier by several centuries than is generally believed. Careful researches promoted and carried or. of late years by the Society of Northern Antiquaries of Copenhagen, and others interested in the subject, have established the fact, that Newfoundland, Greenland, and several parts of the American coast, were visited by the Scandinavians — the Northmen and Sea Kings of old — in the ninth and tenth centuries. While Alfred was engaged in expelling the Danes from England, and bestowing the rudiments of civilization on his country, and Charles the Bald was defending his kingdom against a host of competitors, the daring sea-rovers were forming settlements in Iceland.

One hundred and twenty-five years later, a. d. 1000, Leif Erickson, as many antiquarians believe, led the way to the westward, and landed on the shores ot Mas

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THE NORTHMEN. 23

sachusetts, naming the country Vinland, from the wild vines which grew in the woods. These adventurers made their way also to a high northern latitude, and sot up stones, carved with Runic inscriptions, with the date 1135, on Women's Islands — in latitude 12° 55' — Baffin's Bay, where they were discovered in 1824. The colonists on the eastern coast of this great bay made regular trips to Lancaster Sound and part of Barrow's Strait, in pursuit offish " more than six centuries before the adventurous voyage of Parry," and carried on a trade with the settlers in Markland, as Nova Scotia was then called. Their numbers must have been considerable, for in Greenland there were three hundred homesteads or villages, and twenty churches and convents. They kept up intercourse with Europe until 1406, wheii it was interrupted by extraordinary acci mulations of ice upon their coasts ; and though the Danish government has made repeated attempts to ascertain their fate, it still remains in doubt ; the supposition is, that all have perished from privation or violence of the natives Spitzbergen, too, contained numerous colonists : graves are frequently met with on its shores ; in one place Captain Buchan saw several thousands, the corpses of some of faem as fresh as when first interred, preserved by the rigor of the climate.

These early explorers were unable to take full advantage of their American discoveries ; this was reserved for a later period. " Intervening," observes Humboldt, "between two different stages of cultivation, the fifteenth century forms a transition epoch, belunging at once to the middle ages and to the commencement ol modern times. It is the epoch of the greatest discoveries in geographical space, comprising almost all degrees of latitude, an 3 almost every gradation of elevation of <he earth's surface. To the inhabitants of Europe it

24 THE CABOTS. — THE COftTEREALS.

doubled the works of creation, while at the same time it offered to the intellect new and powerful incitements to the improvement of the natural sciences in their physical and mathematical departments."

A s we approach the period here referred to, we find a new spirit at work ; no longer the boisterous adventurousness of the Northmen, but an earnest spirit of enterprise In 1380, the Zeni, two Venetian navigators, voyaged into the north, ignorant of the fact that the Scandinavians had preceded them by three centuries, and brought home accounts of the countries they had seen. In 1497, during the reign of Henry VII., British enterprise was first directed to a region in which it has been subsequently developed to a degree without example ; and Cabot, or Cabota, the younger, landed at Labrador eighteen months before Colunbus saw the mainland of tropical America. He contemplated also a voyage to the pole, and sailed up to 67^° of north latitude. It was thought scarcely possible that the newly-discovered continent stretched so far from north to south without a single opening to the westward, and the search for this became the prime object with mercantile adventurers, who hoped to find a way to the rich and gorgeous countries lying beyond.

In the year 1500, Gaspar Cortereal, a Portuguese, animated with the desire to emulate Columbus in making discoveries in the western world, set sail for that part of the globe, and reached the latitude of 50° north, whence he appears to have run as far as 60°. The account given of his voyage is very vague. After entrapping on board no less than fifty-seven of the natives of the western continent, there can be very little doubt for the purpose of making them slaves, he returned to Portugal, carrying them away with him. He arrived at Lisbor on the 8th of October, 1501. He sailed again the next season with two vessels, when, in entering a

THE CORTEREALS. 25

e. trait, supposed to be that known since as Hudson's, the ships were separated by a storm. One of them returned home in safety, but, as if it were a retribution for his kidnapping the unfortunate aborigines of the country on his previous voyage, neither Gaspar Cortereal nor his crew returned again, nor could the slightest trace of their fate ever be discovered. Gaspar Cortereal had a brother named Miguel, who was much attached to him, and full of the same spirit of enterprise ; — he determined to set out in search of Gaspar.

In the early part of the spring of 1502, Miguel sailed from Lisbon with three vessels. On reaching the numerous straits and islets about Hudson's Bay, the ships separated with the intention of exploring each of them a particular inlet. This was an impolitic measure, as their union would have enabled them to give each othei aid in case of distress, or to bring off the crew, should either of them chance to be shipwrecked on any of the numerous islands, either rock or ice, which abound in that dangerous navigation. The result was an unfortunate one. Two of the ships met at the point of rendezvous, and returned home in safety. The third, with Miguel Cortereal on board, shared the melancholy fate of the navigators of whom it had gone from Portugal expressly to get tidings, — it never returned. The place where it perished, whether by storm, rock, ice, 01 famine, was never known. The two vessels which were so fortunate as to reach Lisbon reported the disaster, in addition to that which had been prevkmsly known. There yet remained a third brother, Vasco, who endeavored to obtain leave of the king to set out and try to discover his two absent brothers. The king refused him permission, upon the ground that the loss of two out of such an adventurous family was much greater than he could afford to sustain, in servants so enthusiastic and

26 SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBY - FROBISHER.

noble-minded. Thus died the brothers Cortereai ; and this is all that is known of their fate to the present hour. Sir Hugh Willoughby was sent out by the Muscovy Company with two ships to find a north-east passaga " to Kathay and India ; " and pushed his way as far as Nova Zembla, from whence, being stopped by ice, he returned to a lower latitude, and in September, 1553, put in at the mouth of the river Arzina, in Lapland. A mel ancholy interest attended this event, little anticipated by the unfortunate leader when he wrote in his journal

— " Thus remaining in this haven the space of a weeke, seeing the yeare farre spent, and also very evill wether

— as frost, snowe, and haile, as though it had beene the deepe of winter, wee thought it best to winter there.'' The dreary season passed away, and in the following year some Russian fishermen found Sir Hugh and his crew all frozen to death. The other vessel, commanded by Richard Chancelor, reached Archangel, and opened the way for commercial intercourse with Russia.

Next in importance are the three voyages by Frobisher, in 15*76-78. He discovered the entrance to Hudson's Strait, and explored that still known as Frobisher's, but failed in penetrating to the westward. Great hopes were excited by some lumps of yellow glistening ore which he brought home, and in his later voyages gold-mines were not less to be searched for than the north-west passage. The study of natural phenomena was not, however, altogether lost sight of, as appears by a passage from the instructions issued under the authority of Elizabeth for the gallant seaman's guidance. " Yf yt be possible," so runs the official document, '' you shall leave some persons to winter in the straight, giving them instructions how they may observe the nature of the ayre and state of the countrie, and what tyme of the yeare the straight is most free from yce ; with who you shall leave a sufficient preparation of victualls and weapons, and also a pynnas, with a carpenter, and thyngs necessarie, so well as may be."

Sir Humphrey Gilbert's expedition to colonize Newfoundland soon followed. This naval commander was distinguished for his intellectual acquirements, his courage, and bold actions. He was nearly related to Sir Walter Raleigh. In 1518, he obtained full power from Queen Elizabeth to undertake a voyage of discovery on the continent of America, and to settle such parts as no Christian prince or his subjects could claim from previous possession. A discourse, written by him, and creditable to his talents, upon the practicability of a north-west passage, is extant in Hakluyt.

In 1583, Sir Humphrey left England, on his second voyage, with five ships, sailing out of Plymouth Sound on the 11th of June. On the 30th, four vessels were in sight of Newfoundland ; one of the ships, commanded by Captain Butler, and the property of Sir Walter, then Mr. Raleigh, having returned home on account of a contagious disorder breaking out on board. On the 3d of August they landed in Newfoundland, and took possession of the harbor of St. John's, in the name of the Queen of England. A discovery was made at the same time of a supposed silver-mine, by a Saxon miner, brought out on purpose in the squadron. The vessels remaining with Sir Humphrey at this time were the Delight, Golden Hinde, Swallow, and Squirrel. The largest vessel was but one hundred and twenty tons, while the smallest was only ten. The Swallow was sent home with the sick. Sir Humphrey then embarked in the Squirrel, of ten tons.

Sir Humphrey left the harbor of St. John's on the 20th of August. On the 2tth, he was in latitude 44°, with fair weather. On the 29th a storm arose, and the Delight, the largest vess< of the squadron, was lost. Sixteen only made their escape in the boat. The first appearance of change was a dense fog, which enveloped the ships, followed by a gale of wind, south by east. They could not see beyond the head of the vessel. The Golden Hinde, all of a sudden, got entangled among rocks and shoals. The Delight beat still further in among them. Finding the soundings constantly varied, a signal was made to the Delight, by the Golden Hinde, to stand out, but it remained unnoticed. She soon afterwards struck on a shoal, and her stern was quickly beat to pieces. This was a fatal blow to the prospects of Sir Humphrey.

The Golden Hinde and Squirrel, all now left of the five ships which originally set sail from Plymouth, stood east by south. The water shoaled, and then deepened from four to seven fathoms, and then shoaled to four or five again, with a very high sea. At the time the Delight went on the rocks, her boat was afloat at the stern, it having fortunately been hoisted out the da\ before, when the weather was fine, to pick up some birds which had been shot. Into this boat a part of the crew were, by great exertion, enabled to get, and to pick up others. The captain and a hundred of the crew perished with the ship ; and besides the Saxon before mentioned, who said he had discovered the silver ore, a learned man from Buda, in Hungary, called Budseus on board, but whose name was Stephen Parmenius, who had written a Latin poem in praise of Sir Humphrey, and had gone out to write an account of the voyage, and what he saw, in the Latin tongue, was among the sufferers.

The bearing of Captain Browne, who had been transferred from the Swallow into the Delight, was, upon this occasion, of the most heroic character. When the fate of the vessel was seen to be inevitable, he was advised to save himself by the boat, or, at least, to make the attempt. He spurned the counsel, refusing to set the example of deserting the ship and abandoning the larger portion of the crew, who could have no hope of escape. He continued to the last to exhort those on board not to give way to despair ; and firmly upon the deck of his vessel he awaited, with magnanimous resignation, the termination of the catastrophe. He could not endure the apprehension of a reproach for leaving his ship, even when hope was extinguished. The master, named Richard Clarke, was one of those preserved in the boat.

During two days, in this destitute situation, and without provisions of any kind, they drifted before the tempest. It was feared the boat could not live much longer in such a sea unless lightened, and one of the party, by name Headley, proposed that lots should be drawn, and those who drew the four shortest of the number should be thrown overboard. Thus a better chance would be afforded to the survivors of keeping afloat and reaching land. The master nobly answered, "No, we will all live or die in company ! " The conduct both of the captain and master of this vessel exhibited that striking heroism to which bravery in the field of battle is but secondary.