Richmond Daily Times

THE AMERICAN EXPLORERS IN THE ARCTIC SEA.
The London Spectator makes copious extracts from a volume by Mr. Snow, giving a narrative of the voyage of the Albert, the vessel fitted out by Lady Franklin to go in search of her husband, Sir John. Mr. Snow was a volunteer in the expedition, being a great traveller and wishing to inspect personally the Arctic regions. The Albert returned home without wintering in that frozen clime-the condition of the crew being such as to render it inexpedient and improper to prosecute the voyage further.
But Mr. Snow had the opportunity he sought. Without obtaining an actual sight of the North Pole he saw a great deal of the neighboring country and the circumjacent waters-or rather mostly ice. His descriptions are drawn with a ready hand in graphic sketches, though rough. "His style," says the Spectator, "is vigorous; and the scenery and circumstances are so fresh, so wonderful and so exciting as to justify reflection. The singularity of the sun at mid-night, the alternate desolation and magnificence of Arctic Scenery, the wonderful operations of nature by means of avalanche, icebergs, and almost perpetual frost and snow, are not so hackneyed as to pall."
While in the heart of the Arctic region the Albert fell in with two American vessels now engaged as then in prosecuting the search for Sir John Franklin. Mr. Snow seems to have been much struck with the bold demeanor of the Americans, their spirit of daring and self-reliance. The following piquant narrative is well told, and is creditable both to the narrator and to those of whom he speaks:
The following description of American intentions and the mode of navigating American vessels, gives a striking picture of the go-ahead habits of the people, and of the success which attends such rash or resolute determination till it fails:
"They intended to push on wherever they could, this way or that way, as might be found best, in the direction of Melville Island and parts adjacent, especially Bank's Land; and they meant to winter wherever they might chance to be, in the pack or out of the pack. As long as they could be moving or making any progress in any direction that might assist in the object for which they had come, they meant still to be going on, and, with the true characteristic of the American, cared for no obstacles or impediments that might arise in their way. Neither fears nor the necessary caution which might easily be alleged as an excuse for hesitation or delay, at periods when any thing like fancied danger appeared, was to deter them. Happy fellows! thought I: no fair winds nor opening prospects will be lost with you; no dissensions or incompetency among your executive officers exist to stay your progress. Bent upon one errand alone, your minds set upon that before you embarked, no trifles nor common danger will prevent you daring every thing for the carrying out of your mission. Go on, then, brave sons of America, and may at least some share of prosperity and success attend your noble exertions!
"The Advance was most extraordinarily fortified to resist any pressure of the ice, and to enable her to force her way against such impediments as those she encountered this evening. Her bow was one solid mass of timber-I believe I am right in saying, from the fore-mast. Her timbers were increased in size and number, so that she might well be said to have been doubled inside as well as out. Her deck was also doubled, then felted, and again lined inside, while her cabin had, in addition, a sheathing of cork. The after-part of the vessel was remarkably strong; and a movable bulkhead, which ran across the forepart of the cabin, could at any time be unshipped to afford a free communication fore and aft when needed. The crew, if I remember rightly, lived in a strongly built 'round house' on deck, amidships, one end of which was converted into a cook-house, called a 'galley,' and another the 'pantry.' Ten men formed the number of the working-seamen; there were no 'ice-masters,' nor regular ice-men; but most of the sailors were long accustomed to the ice. A steward and a cook completed the full complement of the ship.
"The Advance was manned by sixteen persons, officers included. Her commander, Lieutenant de Haven, a young man of about 26 years of age, had served in the United States exploring expedition, under Commodore Wilkes, in the Antarctic seas. He seemed as fine a specimen of a seaman, and a rough and ready officer, as I have ever seen. Nor was he at all deficient in the true characteristics of a true gentleman, although the cognomen is so often misapplied and ill-understood. With a sharp, quick eye, a countenance bronzed and apparently inured to all weathers, his voice gave unmistakable signs of energy, promptitude, and decision. There was no mistaking the man. He was undoubtedly well fitted to lead such an expedition, and I felt charmed to see it.
"His second in command (for they were very differently organized from us) was still younger, and more slim, but withal of equally determined and sailor-like appearance. Next to him was a junior officer, of whom I saw but little, and that little was enough to tell me that the executives under Captain de Haven would be efficient auxiliaries to him. Last of all, though not least among them, was one of whom I must be excused for saying more than a casual word or two. It was Dr. Kane, the surgeon, naturalist, journalist, &c. of the expedition. Of an exceedingly slim and apparently fragile form and make, and with features far more suited to a genial climate, and to the comforts of a pleasant home, than to the roughness and hardships of an arctic voyage, he was yet a very old traveller both by sea and land. His rank as a surgeon in the American navy, and his appointment at three days' notice to this service, were sufficient proof of his abilities, and of his being considered capable of enduring all that would have to be gone through.
"If ever a vessel and her officers were capable of going through an undertaking in which more than ordinary difficulties had to be encountered, I had no doubt it would be the American; and this was evinced to me even while we were on board, by the apparently reckless way in which they dashed through the streams of heavy ice running off from Leopold Island. I happened to go on deck when they were thus engaged, and was delighted to witness how gallantly they put aside every impediment in their way. An officer was standing on the heel of the bowsprit, conning the ship and issuing his orders to the man at the wheel, in that short, decisive, yet clear manner which the helmsman at once well understood and promptly obeyed. There was not a rag of canvas taken in, nor a moment's hesitation. The way was before them; the stream of ice had to be either gone through boldly or a long detour made: and despite the heaviness of the stream, they pushed the vessel through in her proper course. Two or three shocks, as she came in contact with some large pieces, were unheeded; and the moment the last block was past the bow the officer sang out, 'So; steady as she goes on her course,' and came aft as nothing more than ordinary sailing had been going on. I observed our own little bark nobly following in the American's wake; and, as I afterwards learned, she got through it pretty well, though not without much doubt of the propriety of keeping on in such procedure after the 'mad Yankee,' as he was called by the mate.
"If I had ever before doubted the daring and enterprise of the Americans, what I saw and heard on board of the Advance would have removed such doubt; but these peculiar features in the children of the Stars and Stripes were always apparent to me, and admiringly acknowledged. I was given a brief history of their voyage to the present time, as also an outline of their future plans."