ARCTIC REGIONS.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 412, 27 March 1850, Page 3

ARCTIC REGIONS.

Woolwich, Notember 11. —The Monkey, steam vessel, Master Commander Biyant, after towing the Investigator] to Woolwich, again went down the river to assist the African steam vessel in towing the Enterprise, Captain Sir James Clerke Ross, and arrived with her at thii port at 8 o'clock am. to-day. On ffoing on board the Enterprise this forenoon, it was gratify ing to witness the robust and apparently excellent health of the officers and crew, who have recovered entirely from the fatigues of their perilous voyage in the Artie regions. The Enterprise and Investigator entered Purt Leopold on the 11th of September, 1848, and remained locked up in the ice until the early part of September of the present year. When these vessels arrived in the extreme northern regions they burned blue lights and sent rockets up every evening and morning, the Enterprise firing at 10 p.m., and 12 night, and 2 o'clock a.m. ; the Investigator uning her rockets at 9 and 11 p.m. and 1 o'clock a.m., and both burned their blue lights at about five minutes before the rockets were sent up. During the long and tedious days of winter the officer* and crew amused themselves by catching foxes, and secured upwards of one hundred of these animali, which are nearly the size of our common foxes of thin country, only the fur of the former is white in winter and grey colour in summer. The whole of the foxes were liberated after each bad a collar put round his neck, made of bearskin, and having the name of tho vessels, and the captains commanding them, with tho latitude and longitude of the place where the ships were at the time, written upon them. Several of the foxes were taken the second time with their collars upon them. The traps used for taken the foxes were empty casks, and sometimes three or four of the foxes would be taken in one day. Captain Sir James Cleike Boss headed the party who proceeded on the search of Captain Sir John Frankiin and the officers and crews of the Erebus and Terror ; and the sufferings of the whole of those engaged in travelling over the ice were very great. The party was out 39 days. The difficulty of travelling over the ice is described as very great, owing to the little progress made in a day's journey, as the party had sometimes to walk three or four miles along the course of a ravine before they could meet with a safe crossing, and afterwards walk a similar distance back on the other side of the ravine before they could proceed in the desired direction. The route travelled by Captain Sir James C. Ross and party from Leopold Harbour was along the west side of Prince Regent's Inlet, and the north side of Boothia, and extended more than 200 miles. In their course they visited the place where the Fury was left, and found the peas, flour, and other provisions saved from the vessel in as good condition as when first put on board, with the exception of the biscuits, some of which had become mouldy. Previous to leaving the Arctic regions, they left a large boat which they bad cut in two, and lengthened six feet, making a capsci* ous boat of about 50 feet in length, and very strong, and sufficient to hold a whole ships crew- The engine* were also left, that if any of the engineers of the Erebus or Terror were still alive and found them; they might be able to put them together to aid their return from the northern regions. Provisions for six months' consumption were also left about three days journey from Port Leopold, io Prince Regent's Inlet, in the direction of the place were the Fury was wrecked, and a similar quantity about three days journey round the entrance to Prince Regent's Inlet from Barrow Strait*. Several of the m«n had to be taken back from the ex* cunion on sledges, their strength being completely exhausted. The nisistant-surgeon, a veiy intelligent; young man, and three able seamen of the Enterprise^ with three of the crew of the Investig ntor have died since the vessel left Woolwich in the spring of 1848. The Enterprise and Investigator are to be paid off at this port) and it is already ordered that they are to be prepared for proceeding to the Arctic regions again early in 1850. There are gome on board the Enterprise who have not lost hope of ihe ieturu of Sir John Franklin's expedi'ion."

Striking Errors at this Mint.— We wonder who reads the proofs at the Mint ; for it seems that at the last publication at that office (whoie works we invariably take in — as soon as we can get them) was not properly corrected before it was issued to the public. And the coins nre to be recalled, and to be sent through the press a second time. A second edition of a coin, "with additions and corrections,'' cannot be done exactly for a penny ; and we cannot see how the additional outlay is to be provided for. We strongly advise the ptoprieton to engage a careful reader for their establishment, and to see lor the future that every new work they bring out— no matter whether it is a humble hali'-farthing for the benefit of the Irish landlords, or a valuable half-sovereign for distressed Protectionists — is properly revised before it is put into the hands of the public. Nowhere do accidents cost so much as at the Mint— for the smallest mistake will chip a shilling off every tovereign, — »nd a number of such chip* would toon make a hole in the entire currency of tha realm. To guard against such accidents, therefore, perltups it will be safer for them to adopt the old urncantile camion, and to have engraved round the edge.