The Evening Telegraph

From The Northern Seas.

News from Hall's Franklin Expedition.

The following is a copy of a letter received by Henry Grinnell, Esq., from Mr. R. H. Chappel.

We understand that Mr. Hall has been supplied with provisions from ships the Black Hawk and Ansel Gibbs, which are reported to have arrived at Repulse Bay. Mr. Chappel writes as follows:-

New London, November 16.-Henry Grinnell, Esq., New York-Dear Sir:—The steam whaling barge Pioneer, Captain Ebenezer Morgan, from the northern seas, arrived at this port yesterday. As the vessel fell in with Mr. C. F. Hall, the Arctic explorer, and yet brought no letter from him to his friends in the United States, I forward you Captain Morgan's statement of his interview and success with Mr. Hall in his researches among the natives of the northwest coast of Hudson's Bay. The Pioneer reached the head of Repulse Bay, north of River Welcome, on the 26th of July last. Here they met Mr. Hall and his party of Esquimaux, all in good health, at that time engaged in fishing—his faithful adherents, Joe and Han-dah (Esquimaux), who are well known to you, with some other natives from his family or troupe. He had at times no white man in his company. Mr. Hall was much affected again to meet familiar faces, and hear news from home. He had passed the winter very comfortably, being thoroughly inured to the Esquimaux mode of life, and having with his resources secured ample supplies of food. At this station he had killed one whale last fall and another this summer, while inland deer were found in the greatest abundance. He had established a great many depots of provisions, extending far into the interior, to be used in case of necessity.

Last spring, Mr. Hall made a journey northwest towards Committee Bay and King William's Land; but found the natives of that section so treacherous and jealous that he was forced to return, when within one hundred miles of his destination. This animosity and feud is between the different families and tribes of the Esquimaux, who all carry weapons secretly, and do not hesitate to kill each other for any real or supposed injury. Some of them threatened the life of Mr. Hall and his party, and they were obliged to turn back.

Mr. Hall has secured a great many relics of the Franklin exploring expedition, together with some important documents which he believes to have been penned by Captain Crozier, and his information of the location of others which he is determined to obtain, believing them to be of much value towards clearing up the mystery of the fate of the unfortunate survivors of the Erebus and Terror. Mr. Hall is continually adding to his stock of information, and the object of his search being further known among the natives, he is constantly gathering fresh traces and new proofs to establish previously known facts.

Among other things he has heard of the location of a boat turned bottom up, under which are the bodies of seventeen to twenty-five dead white men, with their hands and feet all cut off. The natives claim that the mutilation was not done by them, but by some of the white men who were wrecked. The tradition of the Esquimaux is that a rebellion broke out among the survivors, who were endeavoring to reach Hudson's Bay, and that all but three were murdered; that these three remained among the natives, working their way towards white settlements, but that they finally died before reaching them.

Captain Morgan furnished Mr. Hall such things as he needed from his ship, and states that two or three American whaling vessels will winter at Repulse Bay this season.

Mr. Hall expressed his great gratitude and regard for those who had aided him at home to undertake his plans of discovery; said that he was determined to carry out his plans, if it could be done without too much expense, and conclude his explorations in that quarter the ensuing year.

He wished very much to organize a small party of six or eight white men, fully armed, to accompany him. He would then travel with impunity, and reach the utmost limits of his desires. It is not improbable that such a party can be made up from the ships' crews wintering there.

Mr. Hall was preparing to send home by the Pioneer many relics, his journals, letters, etc. The ship moved some fifty miles for a better whaling ground, fully intending to return to Repulse Bay, but, owing to the ice, was unable to do so. This will account for the fact that she did not bring anything from Mr. Hall directly.

Hoping these items may prove of interest to you,

I remain, very truly, yours, etc.,

RICHARD H. CHAPPEL.