Trial By Ice Part 14

When he saw the change of course, Tyson doffed his threadbare Russian cap and gave three cheers. His men followed suit. Tears flooded his eyes when three hearty cheers resounded from the steamer. As she hove into sight, he saw a hundred men lining her forecastle, rigging, and topgallant mast, waving and cheering at their rescue.

Not waiting for their rescuers, Tyson and his group abandoned their dented cooking pot and launched their own boat. Boat hooks caught the battered craft as it reached the Tigress. Tigress.

The rescued party climbed shakily aboard. Curious seamen crowded around them. The dirty, haggard group looked less than human. One boatload of sailors from the Tigress Tigress had peered into the beat-up tin pot to see what the rescued had been eating. The greasy loop of seal intestine spoke eloquently of their dire straits. had peered into the beat-up tin pot to see what the rescued had been eating. The greasy loop of seal intestine spoke eloquently of their dire straits.

"How long have you been on the ice?" Captain Isaac Bartlett of the Tigress Tigress asked. asked.

"Since the 15 th of last October," Tyson answered.

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the surrounding seamen. It was now the end of April. One wide-eyed sailor blurted out, "Was you on it day and night?" "Was you on it day and night?"

In spite of his exhaustion, Captain Tyson chuckled.

After 195 days drifting in the northern seas, Captain George Tyson and the eighteen members of the Polaris Polaris Expedition had survived their hardship on the ice. Frozen water and an overloaded whaleboat had been their only home for nearly seven months. The Expedition had survived their hardship on the ice. Frozen water and an overloaded whaleboat had been their only home for nearly seven months. The Tigress Tigress s.n.a.t.c.hed them from the jaws of the sea just off the coast of Grady Harbor, Labrador, at lat.i.tude 5335' N. In the process they had floated more than eighteen hundred miles. s.n.a.t.c.hed them from the jaws of the sea just off the coast of Grady Harbor, Labrador, at lat.i.tude 5335' N. In the process they had floated more than eighteen hundred miles.

Their trial by ice was over. If they thought they were done with ordeals, tbey were mistaken. Their trial by the United States Navy would soon begin.

THE I INQUEST.

Unshaven since I know not when, dirty, dressed in rags of wild beasts instead of the tatters of civilization, and starved to the very bones, our gaunt and grim looks, when contrasted with those of the well-dressed and well-fed men around us, made us all feel, I believe for the first time, what we really were, as well as what we seemed to others.-SIR JOHN ROSS, 1832 News of the disaster and the rescue reached Washington before the salvaged party did. Two days after the rescue, the Tigress Tigress rendezvoused with another sealer, the rendezvoused with another sealer, the Walrus. Walrus. While Captain Bartlett lingered in the Arctic waters to hunt seals for a few more days, Captain DeLange of the While Captain Bartlett lingered in the Arctic waters to hunt seals for a few more days, Captain DeLange of the Walrus Walrus sped southward to Newfoundland with the news. sped southward to Newfoundland with the news.

Mr. Molloy, the United States consul in St. John's, immediately telegraphed the American secretary of state. The following week, after being battered by a severe storm, Bartlett limped into Bay Roberts, thirty-five miles north of St. John's, to unload his cargo.

After half a year of starving and subsisting on raw seal meat, the Polaris Polaris people found that their sudden return to "civilized" food was taking its toll. Everyone, including the Inuit, suffered from diarrhea, migrating muscle pain, sore throats, and swelling of their faces and feet. The swelling resulted from the lowered protein content in the crew's blood. Suddenly faced with a high level of nutrients, their lymphatic systems were overwhelmed. That combined with the damage to the blood vessels from scurvy enabled the fluid and protein to simply leak into the tissues instead of being returned to the vascular system as it normally would have been. Muscle aches and sore throats most probably came from the reintroduction of the isolated band to the host of viruses that plague civilized men. Frederick Meyer's frozen hands and feet blistered and required continued treatment. people found that their sudden return to "civilized" food was taking its toll. Everyone, including the Inuit, suffered from diarrhea, migrating muscle pain, sore throats, and swelling of their faces and feet. The swelling resulted from the lowered protein content in the crew's blood. Suddenly faced with a high level of nutrients, their lymphatic systems were overwhelmed. That combined with the damage to the blood vessels from scurvy enabled the fluid and protein to simply leak into the tissues instead of being returned to the vascular system as it normally would have been. Muscle aches and sore throats most probably came from the reintroduction of the isolated band to the host of viruses that plague civilized men. Frederick Meyer's frozen hands and feet blistered and required continued treatment.

Two days later the swollen-faced Tyson and his crew were surprised by the sudden arrival of MoUoy. By then the entire coast of Newfoundland buzzed with rumors, speculation, gossip, and disbelief. So-called Arctic experts labeled their story a fraud, a.s.serting that no one could have survived on the ice as they had.

And the blacker side of the expedition bubbled forth to tarnish the gleam of their survival. Tyson's sailors shared the crowded forecastle with the men of the Tigress Tigress and talked freely of their ordeal. Tyson vented his spleen to Isaac Bartlett, the master of the and talked freely of their ordeal. Tyson vented his spleen to Isaac Bartlett, the master of the Tigress. Tigress. Tales of Buddington's drinking and the mysterious death of Captain Hall spread like wildfire. When Molloy met them, Washington and New York hummed as well. Why had they failed to reach the North Pole? Had Hall been poisoned? Why had the Tales of Buddington's drinking and the mysterious death of Captain Hall spread like wildfire. When Molloy met them, Washington and New York hummed as well. Why had they failed to reach the North Pole? Had Hall been poisoned? Why had the Polaris Polaris not returned to pick up the shipmates who had become separated? Everyone wanted to know. not returned to pick up the shipmates who had become separated? Everyone wanted to know.

Molloy questioned the party, gathered their statements, and gave Tyson sixteen dollars to divide among the crew. If this was a sign of things to come, it rudely shattered the Germans' dreams of being handsomely rewarded for their travail on the ice. Furthermore, the nature of Molloy's questions put the crew on their guard. While the people of St. John's cheered them wherever they went, the breeze from Washington blew considerably colder.

Within two days of receiving Molloy's telegraphed report, the United States Navy steamer Frolic Frolic charged out of New York, making full steam to St. John's. On the seventeenth of May, Navy Secretary Robeson reported to President Grant on "the matter of the disaster to the United States exploring expedition toward the North Pole." Sirce Grant read the newspapers, he undoubtedly was quite familiar with the rumors. charged out of New York, making full steam to St. John's. On the seventeenth of May, Navy Secretary Robeson reported to President Grant on "the matter of the disaster to the United States exploring expedition toward the North Pole." Sirce Grant read the newspapers, he undoubtedly was quite familiar with the rumors.

Those rumors reaching Washington were not good, and Robe-son and all involved moved quickly to protect their interests. No one could deny that something had gone terribly amiss. The strange death of Charles Francis Hall, who had embodied the heart and soul of the expedition, troubled everyone. No one forgot the fact that President Grant looked favorably upon Hall and had given his personal blessing to the expedition. The Polaris Polaris disaster touched even the president. In his report to Grant, Robeson wrote: disaster touched even the president. In his report to Grant, Robeson wrote: As was obviously proper, in view of the prompt and responsible action which might be required, that the Government should, as soon as possible, be in possession of the fullest and most reliable information upon all the circ.u.mstances of the case, the Frolic Frolic was ordered to bring directly to Washington all the persons having personal knowledge on the subject. was ordered to bring directly to Washington all the persons having personal knowledge on the subject.

Robeson at long last linked Tyson into the chain of command that had eluded him. His telegraph placed Tyson in charge of the crew and the Inuit until they reached Washington. Correcting that oversight came far too late.

If the Navy Department had hoped Molloy would cooperate in keeping the crew isolated, it was disappointed. After all, the State Department's hands were clean in this matter. Molloy made no effort to insulate the survivors.

Throngs of people visited the Inuit. As a result, all the Natives contracted severe colds, and their children suffered from the cakes and candies fed to them. Citizens took up collections for the crew. Tyson dined with the governor of St. John's and freely expressed his view of the treachery that had swamped their expedition. Harper's Ill.u.s.trated Weekly Harper's Ill.u.s.trated Weekly arranged to photograph the castaways. Its dark lithograph of the somber-faced survivors cl.u.s.tered around their battered boat appeared on the front page under the heading the COMPANY WHO WERE ON THE ICE-DRIFT WITH CAPTAIN TYSON, adding fuel to the speculations. arranged to photograph the castaways. Its dark lithograph of the somber-faced survivors cl.u.s.tered around their battered boat appeared on the front page under the heading the COMPANY WHO WERE ON THE ICE-DRIFT WITH CAPTAIN TYSON, adding fuel to the speculations.

Washington quickly wanted control of the loose tongues. The Frolic Frolic steamed into St. John's on May 27, loaded the survivors, collected their diaries and Hall's writing desk, and hastily departed the next day. The ship sailed directly to the nation's capital, arriving at the Washington Navy Yard at precisely 1:15 p.m. on June 5, 1873. Its commander had to apologize for slowing down when he encountered ice. steamed into St. John's on May 27, loaded the survivors, collected their diaries and Hall's writing desk, and hastily departed the next day. The ship sailed directly to the nation's capital, arriving at the Washington Navy Yard at precisely 1:15 p.m. on June 5, 1873. Its commander had to apologize for slowing down when he encountered ice.

If the survivors had expected a heroes' welcome, they were sorely mistaken. Their return differed greatly from their departure. No one was allowed to disembark. No crowds thronged the wharves, no bands played, and no flags waved. No press was allowed aboard. These members of the Polaris Polaris expedition, having escaped their icy prison in the far North, found themselves captives of their own government. expedition, having escaped their icy prison in the far North, found themselves captives of their own government.

At four o'clock that same day, George Tyson appeared as the first witness before a hastily drawn board of inquiry. Tyson was haggard and thin, his face tanned and hardened like leather from months of exposure to the wind, cold, and sun. Transferred from his virtual prison ship, the rescued captain was taken aboard the USS TalLpoosa TalLpoosa for questioning. Besides Secretary Robeson, the board consisted of Admiral Goldsborough and Commodore Reynolds, representing the navy. Since Frederick Meyer belonged to the signal corps, the army insisted that Capt. Henry Howgate of the signal corps sit on the board. Prof. Spencer F. Baird represented the National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian. It was these two august bodies that had carefully chosen Emil Bessel. The reputations of the navy, the army, and the scientific community hung in the balance, and each ent.i.ty wanted to ensure that it was not made the scapegoat for this fiasco. for questioning. Besides Secretary Robeson, the board consisted of Admiral Goldsborough and Commodore Reynolds, representing the navy. Since Frederick Meyer belonged to the signal corps, the army insisted that Capt. Henry Howgate of the signal corps sit on the board. Prof. Spencer F. Baird represented the National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian. It was these two august bodies that had carefully chosen Emil Bessel. The reputations of the navy, the army, and the scientific community hung in the balance, and each ent.i.ty wanted to ensure that it was not made the scapegoat for this fiasco.

If Tyson realized that Commander Schoonmaker, the captain of the Frolic Frolic was sizing him up during the voyage, the navigator made no mention of it. But Schoonmaker reported in private to the board before it saw Tyson. When asked by Robeson about his report, the commander responded more like a warden involved in a prisoner transfer than a rescuer. was sizing him up during the voyage, the navigator made no mention of it. But Schoonmaker reported in private to the board before it saw Tyson. When asked by Robeson about his report, the commander responded more like a warden involved in a prisoner transfer than a rescuer.

"I found these people in charge of the consulate St. Johns. I received them on the 27 th of May. I had no trouble with any of them. I had no trouble with any of them. They are ill well-behaved, orderly people; and all seem to be good men." Schoonmaker went on to provide his a.s.sessment of Tyson: "Captain Tyson seems to be very intelligent; I have seen him more than any of the rest; I have had him with me in the cabin. He has made a very favorable impression on me." Surprisingly Schoon-maker's response implied that his mission was more than it appeared. Besides being a warden, the captain had obviously been asked to nake a judgment of the character of his pa.s.sengers. No doubt all They are ill well-behaved, orderly people; and all seem to be good men." Schoonmaker went on to provide his a.s.sessment of Tyson: "Captain Tyson seems to be very intelligent; I have seen him more than any of the rest; I have had him with me in the cabin. He has made a very favorable impression on me." Surprisingly Schoon-maker's response implied that his mission was more than it appeared. Besides being a warden, the captain had obviously been asked to nake a judgment of the character of his pa.s.sengers. No doubt all oi oi the survivors were on their best behavior. the survivors were on their best behavior.

If the board had thought Tyson would dispel the evil rumors under oath, he surprised them. The forty-four-year-old Tyson lost no time in venting his spleen once more. In the first minutes of his testimony, he named Buddington as the cause the ship had not got farther north. Referring to Hall, Chester, and himself, he said, "Our decision was to go north, but it was overruled by Captain Budding-ton." For good measure, he added, "Captain Buddington, with an oath, said he would be d.a.m.ned if she should move from here." The astonished secretary for the inquiry duly recorded each bitter statement.

Buddington's drinking came to light, as did the suspicious nature of Captain Hall's death. Tyson spoke of Hall's fear that he'd been poisoned. Now the specter of murder raised its ugly head, and Tyson's testimony pointed to two likely suspects: Captain Buddington and Dr. Bessel. This revelation especially shocked Professor Baird. He had helped select the German scientist.

"How did Captain Hall and the doctor get along?" the panel asked.

"Not very well."

Tyson also gave them a motive for Buddington: "Before his death there had been some little difficulty between Captain Buddington and himself. Captain Hall was about suspending Captain Buddington from duty. ..."

A second whole day of testimony revealed the fiasco that had put Tyson and half the crew on the ice. The angry navigator took great pains to describe how the Polaris Polaris had steamed close to them before turning away. Without their prompting he also detailed the deplorable existence he and his party had suffered after being left. His statements drew questioning looks from the board. had steamed close to them before turning away. Without their prompting he also detailed the deplorable existence he and his party had suffered after being left. His statements drew questioning looks from the board.

A third, equally worrisome detail emerged while Tyson talked. What had become of the expedition's records? Both Meyer's and Bryan's scientific records had been tossed onto the ice and lost. Not only did the expedition fail to reach the North Pole, but the majority of its scientific measurements lay at the bottom of the sea.

And there was the matter of Captain Hall's journals and records. Other than the writing box that his faithful Inuit had carried throughout their drift on the ice, the leader's doc.u.ments had disappeared. Tyson intimated that they were destroyed on purpose because they implicated someone.

"Was there no public examination of his papers in the presence of the oHcers? Were they not certified and sealed up?" the board asked incredulously.

"No, sir."

"Did anybody suggest that the papers should be sealed up?"

"I did myself; that they should be sealed, boxed, and screwed down, and suggested it to Captain Buddington."

"What did he say?" Robeson leaned forward, resting on his elbows.

Tyson shrugged. "He did not make any remark whatever, or merely his usual 'd.a.m.n his papers.'"

The board pressed cautiously onward. "While [Captain Hall] was deliiious did Captain Buddington get him to burn up some papers?"

Tyson nodded. "He told me he was glad the papers were burned, because they were much against him; and he got him to burn them."

The ine of questioning drifted back to Hall's demise. "Have you any Dpinion of your own as to the cause of his death?" Tyson was asked.

"I thought at the time that the man came to his death naturally; it has been talked on board ship that it was foul; but I have no proof of it, and I could not say much about it." Then Tyson dropped a bombsh.e.l.l.

"There were those that rejoiced in his death."

The panel looked at each other. "Who rejoiced in his death?"

"Captain Buddington."

"Did anyone else?"

"I thought it relieved some of the scientific party of some anxiety. They did not mourn him, at least. I know Captain Buddington so expressed himself, that he was relieved of a great load by the death of Captain Hall."

After two days of questioning Tyson, the panel turned to the next officer, Frederick Meyer of the scientific corps. But an easy confirmation of Tyson's accusations was not forthcoming. Without realizing it, the board was reopening dark chapters in each of the survivors' lives, chapters that contained failures in their character that the men wished to keep hidden. As the panel probed, each person remained silent as to his failures and did his best to avoid in-crimination. Tyson's testimony would have to stand on its own merits where it criticized his fellow castaways. They would grudgingly confirm the navigator's tale of Hall's bizarre death and confirm their abandonment by the Polaris. Polaris. For their own actions on the ice, the men spun a convoluted picture as obscure as the gray ice fog that had covered their floating island. For their own actions on the ice, the men spun a convoluted picture as obscure as the gray ice fog that had covered their floating island.

Meyer, always the Prussian officer, did his best to present a dry, impersonal account, emphasizing his findings and measurements. But probing by the committee confirmed the strange death of Hall with his "blue vapors" and the dying man's accusations against Dr. Bessel, Buddington, and Mr. Chester.

"Captain Hall called me to his bedside and said that he knew that some persons on board the ship intended to kill him, and he wanted me to stand by his side," Meyer revealed, adding that he was around the captain because he shared the same cabin.

"Did you at any time hear him accuse anyone of an intention to murder him?" the board asked.

"Yes, sir. When I was about the cabin I could hear him. Some persons might be attending to him, sitting by his side, and he would be talking pleasantly, and all of a sudden he would say: 'What is this; what is this blue smoke; and what is that there, all blue?' He thought it was poisonous vapors, he said."

The panel persisted, searching for a name. "Did you ever hear him accuse anyone to other people? When one was sitting by him would he speak of other people?"

Perhaps trying to protect a fellow German, Meyer sought to shift Hall's suspicions mainly to Buddington and Chester. "Yes, sir. He would accuse other people, and ask the protection of the man sitting by his side. He accused Mr. Chester and Captain Buddingtonthose were the two princ.i.p.al onesand Dr. Bessel."

Here Meyer planted the idea that the delirious Hall had accused whoever was absent, certainly the sign of a deranged mind to which the panel could point.

"When talking with Chester, for instance, would he accuse anyone else?' the board asked.

"Yes, sir; he would accuse Captain Buddington."

But a disturbing fact emerged. In his torment Hall had never asked for Bessel to protect him. "When talking to him, did you hear him accuse anybody else, and ask the doctor to stand by him?" Meyer was asked.

"I do not remember that I heard him appeal to the doctor to stand by him," Meyer admitted.

Meyer confirmed that Bessel had hovered about Hall during his illness. When asked if Bessel had provided regular treatment to his patient, Meyer replied, "He gave him a great many; hypodermic injections of quinine, I believe, for one." The meteorologist's statement conflicts with the careful record Bessel kept of his treatment. In that record the doctor mentions giving only several injections.

On another subject, Meyer was not shy about discussing Bud-dington's addiction to alcohol.

"Did you ever know of Captain Buddington's being drunk on board ship?" he was asked.

"Yes, sir; he was drunk most always while we were going to the southward. I do not remember whether he was drunk when we got beset with this last floe. There was only alcohol on board, and he would brew beverages out of the alcohol."

Meyer's statements revealed two new things. First, the crafty Dr. Bessel had not added his own papers to the boxes that Meyer threw onto the ice, keeping them on board during the frenzy. If the Polaris Polaris si ill survived, hope remained that Bessel's diaries and measurements did, too. Second, Buddington had possession of Hall's papers at the time Meyer fell overboard. That raised obvious but unspoken questions: Had Bessel and Buddington special information that the ship was in less danger than they pretended? Had they protected their own records while attempting to destroy other incriminating material? si ill survived, hope remained that Bessel's diaries and measurements did, too. Second, Buddington had possession of Hall's papers at the time Meyer fell overboard. That raised obvious but unspoken questions: Had Bessel and Buddington special information that the ship was in less danger than they pretended? Had they protected their own records while attempting to destroy other incriminating material?

"I have seen the outside of the papers many times, and have seen Captain Buddington looking at them," Meyer continued, referring to Hall's doc.u.ments. "He had them in a large tin box. I was on board about five minutes before the ice broke. Then I saw Captain Hall's papers in the cabin; so that they are, very likely, on board. I did not see the journal. The tin box was standing on the table and the papers were lying alongside of it."

Had Buddington been reading the papers just before he ordered Tyson, the Inuit, and those of the crew he disliked over the side? Was there something in Hall's letters that made him choose those men? The panel had to ask.

"At the time when you were separated from the ship had you any idea that the separation was any other than purely accidental?"

Meyer pondered the question that had vexed him while he suffered on the ice. "My idea was at the commencement that it was accidental," he started. Then his doubts poured forth. "But, I thought they neglected to pick us up, for it was possible to do so. The ice was not sufficient to keep them from picking us up. We expected them to come, and did not give up the hope until we saw that we were drifting off, and they did not come. ..."

As if embarra.s.sed by his outburst, Meyer lapsed into a rambling dialogue. While the stenographer's pen raced along, trying to keep up in shorthand, the Prussian discussed the weather, the shrimp, the types of driftwood found on the beaches, and every aspect of his scientific studies in a disjointed manner. Realizing the panel considered him a suspect, Meyer made it clear that he had no quarrel with Hall. As he closed his testimony, he threw more light on the reasons the expedition had failed: "I believe that a party might have gone much farther north by establishing a sub-base of supplies at Newman's Bay, and this would have been done but for the unpleasant relations existing between Captain Buddington and Dr. Bessel."

Next came the Inuit. Why the board departed from examining the crew and chose the Natives is unclear. As was their custom, the Inuit's words were direct and to the point. Tookoolito with her better grasp of English helped Hans with his answers. Their close a.s.sociation with Hall during his sudden illness cast more suspicion on the cup of coffee.

" 'Now, Joe, did you drink bad coffee?' he asked me," Ebierbing responded when asked about Hall's words. Tookoolito also spoke of the strange-tasting drink. "He said the coffee made him sick. Too sweet for him. ... 'It made me sick and to vomit,'" she said, quoting the late captain. Both husband and wife confirmed their dead friend's fears he was being poisoned.

Tookoolito also cast further light on Captain Hall's papers. "He said to take care of the papers; get them home, and give them to the Secretary." Robeson straightened at that revelation. Tookoolito turned back to the other man who had asked the question. "If anything had happened to the Secretary, to give them to someone else. After his death I told Captain Buddington of this charge several times. He said he would give them to me by and by."

The men of the panel looked at one another, then changed the line of questioning. To their surprise, Tookoolito revealed Budding-ton's unusual action during the night of October 15. The captain had ordeied her onto the ice even after she told him one of the firemen had issured her the ship was in no danger.

"I asked the fireman who was pumping how the ship was," she said. "He said the ship was all right. Was not tipped at the time. He was pumoing close to my door. He said, 'You need not carry anything more out, you will come aboard all right tonight.' I stayed down in c abin a few minutes. Captain Buddington told me to go on ice, and to take my things with me."

Tookoolito paused for effect. "I told him that fireman said ship all right. He replied, 'Never you mind; take little girl and go on ice.' "She raised her eyes to look directly at Admiral Golds-borough. In a voice barely a whisper, she said, "In a few minutes ship went."

Ebieroing ended his interview with a poignant tribute to his dead friend and an implied criticism of those who had a.s.sumed command after Hall's death. When asked if he wanted to resume his quest for the North Pole, he shook his head. "I would not like to; Captain Hall, my friend. With a man like him I would go back."

John Herron, the steward, was questioned next. While born in Liverpool, the thirty-one-year-old pointed out that he was a citizen of the United States. Herron could speak only from his personal knowledge. Being in the galley, he'd overheard Bessel's confrontation with Captain Hall over Frederick Meyer's duties and had served Hall the questionable coffee. Defensively Herron explained carefully that he had not made the coffee. Making the coffee was the sole responsibility of the cook. Also Herron had not kept track of the tin cup after he brought it to Hall. He could not recall how many hands had touched the cup. Other than confirming Budding-ton's drinking habits, the steward offered little that was new.

One by one the board called the able-bodied seamen, all young and foreign. Each man gave guarded replies. Well aware of Tyson's hostility toward them, they did their best to appear bland and cooperative. John Kruger reminded the panel that he was called Robert, praised Captain Hall, and made no mention of his threatening Tyson while on the ice.

Fred Jamka, another German, related overhearing Buddington tell Henry Hobby, "Well, Henry, there is a stone off my heart," and explaining when asked why that was, "Why, Captain Hall is dead." Jamka also had seen Buddington drunk many times. Jamka spoke of the night of the separation, painting Captain Buddington's actions in an even more questionable light. While Buddington had no qualms about ordering certain of his crew onto the ice with supplies, he seemed reluctant to lower the lifeboats.

"We started to transport the provisions farther from the ship," Jamka related, "and thought it rather careless to be on the ice without boats. I sang out to Captain Buddington to lower the boats. I sang out for a dozen times. I sang out for a dozen times. By and by he answered, and lowered the aft and then the forward boat, and we pulled them to our side." By and by he answered, and lowered the aft and then the forward boat, and we pulled them to our side."

The two naval officers shifted in their chairs. If the Polaris Polaris were in danger of sinking, any sensible commander would have lowered the lifeboats to keep them from being lost with the ship. were in danger of sinking, any sensible commander would have lowered the lifeboats to keep them from being lost with the ship.

"All at once we heard a crack under the boat," Jamka continued. "At the same time the vessel's stern swung off. All at once the lines slacked, and off the ship went. Captain Buddington sang out, 'Take care of the boats, and I will take care of the ship.'" Like all who had gone before him, Jamka saw no reason the Polaris Polaris had not returned to rescue them. had not returned to rescue them.

Gustavus Lindquist, the native of Sweden, refused to say if any of the officers had been drunk. "I am no judge whether a man has got liquor or not," he said flatly. He kept his testimony factual and added only one personal impression. Tellingly he admitted, "There was good discipline while Captain Hall lived, but we put discipline along with him in his grave."

Peter Johnson, the Dane, and Frederick Anthing, the Russian born along the Prussian border, had little more to add. Both Lindquist and Anthing remembered Buddington's shouting for them to" work for their lives" as the storm struck. Why the Polaris Polaris had not seen them and picked them up puzzled them all. The consensus of the crew was that the had not seen them and picked them up puzzled them all. The consensus of the crew was that the Polaris Polaris was still intact with the remainder cf her crew, waiting to be rescued. was still intact with the remainder cf her crew, waiting to be rescued.

William Jackson, the cook, came last. Wary of being implicated in anything, he added little. "Did you ever see any stealing of provisions?" he was asked.

"No, sir."

"Did the man who had charge of the provisions give Captain Tyson his share?"

"n.o.bDdy, that I know of, refused to do as Captain Tyson told them."

Faced with conflicting reports, the panel turned to the journals kept on the ice. If the members of the board hoped to find written comments that backed Tyson's recriminations, they were sorely disappointed. Frederick Meyer's diary started on October 15 with comments and narratives of the party's situation. But within two weeks it had degenerated into spa.r.s.e notations of wind directions and air temperatures. Reading the contracting notations, one can easily imagine the starving Meyer withdrawing deeper and deeper into his inner mind.

John Perron's diary painted a graphic picture of the suffering and terror that gripped the party as they floated helplessly amid a white he 1. Nothing in Herron's writing, however, confirmed Tyson's tales of insubordination, mutiny, and thoughts of cannibalism. Had the steward wisely excluded doc.u.menting that d.a.m.ning behavior, had he been a party to it, or had Tyson's imagination played tr-cks on him during their dreadful journey? The panel could only wonder.

Two journals belonging to William Morton, the second mate, and Herman Sieman had been tossed onto the ice and accompanied the drifting men. Of the men who remained aboard the Polaris, Polaris, the st.u.r.dy Morton and the pious Sieman would be most likely to incriminate any lawbreakers. Had their journals been tossed onto the ice in an attempt to destroy them? Again, the panel could only wonder. the st.u.r.dy Morton and the pious Sieman would be most likely to incriminate any lawbreakers. Had their journals been tossed onto the ice in an attempt to destroy them? Again, the panel could only wonder.

Just one page of Morton's notes survived. Strangely that page describes Dr. Bessel p.r.o.nouncing Captain Hall's sudden illness as fatal just two days after the man got sick. "Captain Hall seriously ill," Morton wrote, "and Dr. Bessel has no hopes of him. He told Chester and myself so."

Hastily the board of inquiry had Sieman's journal translated from its original German. The devout Sieman filled his pages with prayers and lines of guilt for his sinfulness. He carefully doc.u.mented Buddington's gradual elimination of religious services aboard the ship. One interesting fact emerged from the water-stained pages. Sieman had dearly wanted to watch over Captain Hall during the first episode of his illness. But Buddington denied his request. Was Buddington trying to protect Hall from being proselytized by the overzealous Sieman, or was the skipper isolating his commander from loyal men? The journal gave no clue as to motive. Only Sieman's disappointment came through.

After six days of grueling testimony, the board of inquiry was no closer to the truth. Its report was printed and submitted to President Grant under a cover letter by Secretary Robeson.

The United States' first exploration to discover the North Pole had failed in every way, and Robeson immediately distanced himself from its shortcomings. Too many questions remained unanswered. There were too many shadowy accusations, and too many people were demanding answers. Charles Francis Hall had died mysteriously, the North Pole had not been reached, half the crew had been abandoned on the ice, the fate of the Polaris Polaris was undetermined, and the conduct of the officers and men left much to be desired. Ever the consummate bureaucrat, Robeson attempted to deflect any blame away from himself. was undetermined, and the conduct of the officers and men left much to be desired. Ever the consummate bureaucrat, Robeson attempted to deflect any blame away from himself.

"This report is made directly to yourself, as the person under whose orders the expedition was organized, as the person under whose orders the expedition was organized, and I have myself signed it, concurring as I do in all the statements and conclusions," the secretary wrote to the president. and I have myself signed it, concurring as I do in all the statements and conclusions," the secretary wrote to the president.