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diff --git a/old/65106-0.txt b/old/65106-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5439990..0000000 --- a/old/65106-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17761 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Great White North, by Helen S. Wright - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Great White North - The story of polar exploration from the earliest times to the - discovery of the pole - -Author: Helen S. Wright - -Release Date: April 18, 2021 [eBook #65106] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Peter Becker and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GREAT WHITE NORTH *** - - - - - -THE GREAT WHITE NORTH - - [Illustration] - - THE MACMILLAN COMPANY - NEW YORK · BOSTON · CHICAGO - ATLANTA · SAN FRANCISCO - - MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED - LONDON · BOMBAY · CALCUTTA - MELBOURNE - - THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. - TORONTO - - - - -[Illustration: COMMANDER ROBERT EDWIN PEARY, U.S.N. - -Who reached the Pole April 6, 1909 - -_Copyright by Clinedinst, Washington, D.C._] - - - - - THE GREAT WHITE NORTH - - THE STORY OF - POLAR EXPLORATION - - FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE - DISCOVERY OF THE POLE - - BY - HELEN S. WRIGHT - - New York - THE MACMILLAN COMPANY - 1910 - - _All rights reserved_ - - COPYRIGHT, 1910, - BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. - - Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1910. - - Norwood Press - J. S. Cushing Co.—Berwick & Smith Co. - Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. - - - - -PREFACE - - -The material for this book has been gathered from the rich storehouse of -Arctic Literature. The chief labour of its composition lay in elimination -rather than construction. The great field I have endeavoured to present -can hardly be brought with justice to the narrow bounds of a single -cover, but I have conscientiously endeavoured to bring to the reader’s -mind an accurate record of brilliant deeds that go to make the history of -the far North, and have let the explorers themselves tell the story of -_how_ these deeds have been accomplished. - -Between the lines of their simple language describing stern facts -or desperate realities, one reads the character and temperament of -the adventurer; one gathers lessons of patience, self-sacrifice, and -endurance unsurpassed in the history of mankind, and perhaps appreciates, -for the first time, the splendid fibre of which he is made. Stripped -of the conventions and luxuries of civilized life, he plunges into the -great unknown to fight a relentless war against the greatest foes to his -existence,—Cold, Starvation, and Death. Though he may fall by the wayside -a victim to the Cause, or crawl home on hands and knees over the rough -fastnesses of the frozen wilderness, famishing,—perhaps dying,—the record -of his work lives on; the fundamental principles of great character do -not perish, but stand through the centuries, a star of hope to the weary -traveller on his pilgrimage along the well-trodden pathway of everyday -life, and stirs the layman to a better endurance of the burdens and -perplexities of the common lot. - -It is with pleasure I make grateful acknowledgment to the gentlemen who -have accorded me their gracious permission to quote from their works, to -Commander Robert E. Peary, to Major-General A. W. Greely, and Sir Allen -Young, and to the following publishers and others who, by furnishing -material or giving consent to use selected matter, or by kind assistance -in other ways, have made my work possible: The American Publishing -Company, Hartford, Conn., for selections from “Our Lost Explorers”; -D. Appleton & Company for selections from Charles Lanman’s “Farthest -North” and Payer’s “New Lands within the Arctic Circle”; The Century -Company for selections from General Greely’s article on “The Northwest -Passage”; to Clinedinst, Washington, D.C., for permission to reproduce -the copyright portraits of Admirals Schley and Melville, General Greely, -and Commander Peary; Constable & Company, and E. P. Dutton & Company, -Ltd., London, for permission to reproduce the portrait of Amundsen in -the latter’s work, “The Northwest Passage”; Doubleday, Page & Company -for selections from Commander Peary’s “Nearest the Pole,” and for the -portrait of Anthony Fiala and other illustrations from the latter’s -work, “Fighting the Polar Ice”; The Encyclopædia Britannica Company for -a selection from an article by Markham on “Polar Regions”; to J. Scott -Keltie, Esq., editor of the _Geographical Journal_, for selections from -that journal; Houghton; Mifflin Company for selections from “The Voyage -of the Jeannette” and Melville’s “In the Lena Delta”; Dodd, Mead & -Company for selections from the Duke of Abruzzi’s “On the Polar Star”; -Benjamin B. Hampton, Esq., for permission to reproduce photographs of the -Peary expedition of 1908 and Commander Peary’s map, and Mr. Hampton and -the _New York Times_ for permission to quote Commander Peary’s telegram -announcing his discovery of the Pole; the editor of the _Illustrated -London News_ for permission to reproduce the portraits of Sir Edward -Belcher, Captain Nares, and Commander Markham; Little, Brown & Company -for selections from General Greely’s “Handbook of Polar Discoveries”; The -London Agency for Ordnance Maps for selections from Sir Allen Young’s -“Pandora Voyages”; Longmans, Green & Company for selections from Nansen’s -“First Crossing of Greenland” and Sverdrup’s “New Land”; the editor of -_McClure’s Magazine_ for a selection from Mr. Baldwin’s article on “The -Baldwin-Ziegler Arctic Expedition,” which appeared in that magazine in -1901-1902; Albert Operti, Esq., for permission to reproduce the portraits -of W. H. Gilder, Lieutenant Schwatka, Colonel Brainard, Captain De Long, -and Lieutenant Lockwood; C. Kegan Paul & Company for a selection from -Markham’s “Great Frozen Sea”; G. P. Putnam’s Sons for a selection from -Mr. Alger’s article on “Roald Amundsen,” which appeared in _Putnam’s -Monthly_; the editor of the _American Review of Reviews_ for a selection -from Mr. McGrath’s article on “Polar Exploration,” which appeared in that -magazine; Sampson, Low, Marston & Company, London, for a selection from -“German Arctic Expeditions”; Charles Scribner’s Sons for a selection -from Schwatka’s “Search,” Greely’s “Three Years’ Arctic Service,” and -Schley’s “Rescue of Greely”; F. A. Stokes Company for permission to -reproduce illustrations from Commander Peary’s work, “The North Pole,” -and for the loan of photographs; and to the same company for selections -from Andrée’s “Balloon Expedition” and Peary’s “Northward over the Great -Ice.” - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - CHAPTER I - - Early adventurers. Pytheas.—Dicuil.—Other.—Wulfstan.—The - Norsemen.—Iva Bardsen.—The Cabots.—The Cortereals.—Willoughby - and Chancellor.—Stephen Burrough.—Niccolò Zeno.—Frobisher.—Pet - and Jackman.—Sir Humphrey Gilbert.—Davis.—Barentz 1 - - CHAPTER II - - Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. - Hudson.—Baffin.—Deshneff.—Behring.—Schalaroff.—Tchitschagof.—Anjou - and Von Wrangell.—Phipps 18 - - CHAPTER III - - Early nineteenth century. Ross and Parry, May 3, 1818. Object - of voyage, search for Northwest Passage through Davis Strait - and explore bays and channels described by Baffin.—Met natives - near Melville Bay.—The discovery by Ross of the famous Crimson - Cliffs.—Enters Lancaster Sound.—Advance barred by imaginary - Crocker Mountains.—Return of expedition to England.—Buchan - and Franklin North Polar expedition _via_ Greenland and - Spitzbergen.—_Dorothea_ and _Trent_ in Magdalena Bay, June - 3, 1818.—Reached high latitude of 80° 37´ N.—Course directed - to east coast of Greenland.—Disastrous battle with the - ice.—_Dorothea_ disabled.—Hasty return to England 29 - - CHAPTER IV - - 1819-1827. Parry’s first voyage.—Object, to survey - Lancaster Sound and prove the non-existence of Crocker - Mountains.—Discovery of new lands.—Parry Islands.—Attains - longitude 110° W., thereby winning the bounty of five - thousand pounds offered by Parliament.—Winters near Melville - Island. Second voyage.—Ships _Hecla_ and _Fury_.—Examines - Duke of York Bay and Frozen Strait of Middleton.—Winters - off Lyon Inlet.—Sledge journeys.—Object, to make Northwest - Passage _via_ Prince Regent Inlet.—Reached Port Bowen.—Ten - months’ imprisonment.—Destruction of the _Fury_.—Hasty - return to England. Fourth voyage.—Purpose to reach the Pole - _via_ Spitzbergen with sledge boats over ice.—_Hecla_ as - transport.—Parry’s farthest 82° 45´ N. reached, June 23, 1827 41 - - CHAPTER V - - Nineteenth century _continued_. Scoresby and Clavering.—Former - visited Jan Mayen Island in 1817.—Later he visited east - coast of Greenland.—Discovered Scoresby Sound. In 1824, - Captain Lyon surveyed Melville Peninsula.—Adjoining straits - and shores of Arctic America.—In 1825, Captain Beechey in - the _Blossom_ sailed through Behring Strait and passed - beyond Icy Cape.—Surveyed the coast as far as Point Barrow, - adding 126 miles of new shore.—Second voyage of Captain - John Ross.—Undertaken in 1829.—Discovers Boothia.—Wintered - in Felix Harbor.—Discovery of North Magnetic Pole by nephew - of Captain John Ross.—Commander James Clark Ross.—Valuable - observations.—Sledge journeys to mainland.—Four years - spent in the Arctic.—Perilous retreat.—Safe return.—Land - journey by Captain Back.—The Great Fish-Back River.—Point - Ogle.—Point Richardson.—Back’s farthest point was 68° 13´ - 57″ north latitude, 94° 58´ 1″ west longitude. Land journeys - of Simpson and Dease, 1836.—Descend the Mackenzie River to - the sea.—Surveyed west shore between Return Reef and Cape - Barrow.—In 1839, they explored shores of Victoria Land as - far as Cape Parry.—Crossed Coronation Gulf.—Descended the - Coppermine.—Reached the Polar Sea. Overland journey in 1846 - by Dr. John Rae confirmed Captain John Ross’s statement that - Boothia was a peninsula 57 - - CHAPTER VI - - Sir John Franklin.—Early life.—First land expedition of - 1819-1821.—Journey from York Factory to Cumberland House.—Reach - Fort Providence.—Winter at Fort Enterprise.—Explorations.—5550 - miles.—Hardship.—Starvation.—Return.—Second land - journey.—1825.—Winter quarters at Great Bear Lake.—Descent - of the Mackenzie River to the Polar Sea.—1200 miles of coast - added to map.—The last journey of Sir John Franklin, 1845.—The - _Erebus_ and _Terror_.—Last seen in Melville Bay 79 - - CHAPTER VII - - Search for Sir John Franklin.—Captain Kellett.—Captain - Moore.—Dr. Richardson.—Dr. Rae.—Sir J. C. Ross.—Mr. - Parker.—Dr. Goodsir.—Collinson, M’Clure.—The _Felix_.—_Prince - Albert._—Commanded by Charles C. Forsyth.—Captain Austin’s - squadron.—Captain Ommaney.—Lieutenant Sherard Osborn.—Commander - Cator.—Grinnell expedition under De Haven 95 - - CHAPTER VIII - - Search for Sir John Franklin _continued_.—Sledge journey of - Captain Austin’s squadron.—Return of _Prince Albert_ under - command of Captain Kennedy.—Bellot 120 - - CHAPTER IX - - Search for Sir John Franklin _continued_.—Sir Edward Belcher’s - squadron.—Inglefield.—Rae’s journey.—Discovery of Northwest - Passage by Captain M’Clure.—Death of Bellot 141 - - CHAPTER X - - Sledging parties of Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron.—Desertion of - the ships.—Return to England.—Story of the _Resolute_.—Traces - of Sir John Franklin discovered by Dr. Rae.—Anderson’s - journey.—The voyage of the _Fox_ under Commander - M’Clintock.—Sledge journeys.—Record and relics of Franklin’s - expedition.—_Fox_ returns to England 174 - - CHAPTER XI - - The second Grinnell expedition.—Commanded by Dr. Elisha - K. Kane.—Winter quarters in Rensseläer Harbor.—Sledging - trips.—To the rescue.—Effects of exhaustion and cold.—Dr. - Kane’s journey.—Great Glacier of Humboldt.—Return and illness - of Dr. Kane. Second winter in the ice.—Privations and - suffering.—Abandonment of the _Advance_.—Retreat and rescue 199 - - CHAPTER XII - - Dr. Hayes’s expedition. Winter quarters at Port Foulke, - Greenland coast.—Death of Sonntag.—Dr. Hayes’s journey.—Attempt - to cross Smith Sound.—Hayes’s farthest.—“Open Polar - Sea.”—Homeward bound 235 - - CHAPTER XIII - - Charles Francis Hall.—Early life.—Interest in fate of Sir - John Franklin.—First journey to Greenland.—Discovery of - Frobisher relics.—Experiences and study of the Eskimos. Second - journey.—Delays and disappointments.—Sledging trips.—King - William Land at last.—Franklin relics.—Return of Hall to United - States. _Polaris_ expedition.—Reaches high northing.—Hall’s - sledge journey.—Return and death.—_Polaris_ winters.—No - escape.—_Polaris_ is wrecked.—Part of crew adrift on the - ice-floe.—Remainder build winter hut.—Final rescue and return - to United States 243 - - CHAPTER XIV - - Captain Thomas Long.—Discovery of Wrangell Land.—Captain - Carlsen and Captain Palliser sail across the Sea of - Kara.—Captain Johannesen circumnavigates Nova Zembla.—First - German expedition.—Second German expedition.—_Germania_, - Captain Koldewey commanding.—_Hansa_, Captain - Hegemann.—Departure from Bremen.—Crossing the Arctic - Circle.—Island of Jan Mayen.—The ice line.—Separation - from the _Hansa_.—Adrift on the ice-floe.—Winter.—Final - rescue.—_Germania_ beset.—Winter.—Sledging parties.—Lieutenant - Payer’s remarkable journey—77° 1´ north latitude.—Return of the - _Germania_ 268 - - CHAPTER XV - - Norwegian expedition, 1871. Payer and Weyprecht.—The - _Tegetthoff_ adrift in the Polar pack.—Discovery of Franz - Josef Land.—Payer’s sledge journeys.—Payer’s farthest - 82° 5´ north latitude.—Cape Fligely.—Abandonment of the - _Tegetthoff_.—Retreat of officers and crew.—Picked up by - Russian fishermen.—Home 286 - - CHAPTER XVI - - Baron A. E. von Nordenskjöld.—First voyage, 1858.—Accompanies - succeeding Swedish expeditions.—Spitzbergen.—Voyage of - _Sofia_.—1868.—Nordenskjöld’s journey to Greenland.—Voyage - of the _Polhem_.—Attempt to reach the Pole by reindeer - sledge.—Unexpected discouragements and disasters.—Voyage of the - _Proven_.—1875.—The Kara Sea.—Journey repeated the following - year.—In the _Ymer_.—Voyage of the _Vega_ 298 - - CHAPTER XVII - - British expedition of 1875.—The _Alert_ and - _Discovery_.—Captain George S. Nares, F. R. S., Albert - H. Markham, F. R. G. S.—Two voyages of the _Pandora_, - 1875-1876.—Schwatka’s search for the Franklin records, 1878-1879 310 - - CHAPTER XVIII - - The _Jeannette_ expedition, 1879-1881.—In command of Captain - George W. De Long.—Leaves San Francisco.—Touches at Ounalaska, - August 2.—Reaches Lawrence Bay, East Siberia, August 15.—Last - seen by whale bark _Sea Breeze_ near Herald Island, September - 2.—The _Jeannette_ beset in ice-pack September 6, never again - released.—Daily routine of officers and crew.—Ship springs - a leak.—A frozen summer.—Sight of new land.—A second winter - in the pack.—The _Jeannette_ crushed.—Abandonment.—The - retreat.—The fate of the three boats.—Death of De Long’s - party.—Melville’s search 345 - - CHAPTER XIX - - International circumpolar stations.—Failure of Dutch - expedition.—Greely expedition reaches Lady Franklin - Bay.—Life at Fort Conger.—Sledge journey of Brainard and - Lockwood.—Farthest north.—Greely’s journey to interior of - Grinnell Land.—Lake Hazen.—Failure of relief ship _Neptune_ to - reach Conger in 1882.—Official plans for Greely’s relief in - 1883.—_Proteus_ crushed in ice.—Garlington’s retreat.—Greely’s - abandonment of Fort Conger.—Greely reaches Cape Sabine.—The - beginning of a hard winter.—Death of members of the party from - starvation and cold.—Schley’s brilliant rescue of the remnant - of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition in 1884 369 - - CHAPTER XX - - Nansen.—The man.—First Arctic experience.—Plans the crossing - of Greenland.—Carries out his great undertaking.—Voyage on the - _Fram_.—Drifting with the current.—Life aboard.—Nansen and - Johannesen start for the Pole.—Difficulties of travel.—The - “Farthest North!”—The retreat.—A winter on the Franz Josef - Land.—Attempt to reach Spitzbergen by kayak.—The meeting at - Cape Flora with Frederick Jackson.—Home in the _Windward_ 401 - - CHAPTER XXI - - Journeys of Dr. A. Bunge and Baron E. von Toll.—Exploration in - Spitzbergen.—Sir Martin Conway.—Dr. A. G. Nathorst.—Professor - J. H. Gore.—Andrée’s balloon expedition to the North - Pole.—Search for Andrée by Theodor Lerner.—J. Stadling.—Dr. - A. G. Nathorst.—Captain Bade.—Walter Wellman’s plan to reach - the Pole from Spitzbergen.—Italian expedition under Duke of - Abruzzi.—Loss of the _Stella Polare_.—Captain Umberto Cagni’s - journey.—Breaks the record.—Retreat.—Home.—Baldwin-Ziegler - expedition of 1900.—Complete equipment.—Return of expedition - in autumn.—Ziegler expedition under Anthony Fiala.—The - _America_ reaches high northing.—Winters in Triplitz Bay.—Is - destroyed.—Failure of sledge journeys.—Relief ship does not - come.—Second winter.—Return of party by _Terra Nova_ in 1903 417 - - CHAPTER XXII - - Otto Sverdrup.—Four years’ voyage of the _Fram_.—Journeys in - Ellesmere Land.—Important exploration of Jones Sound.—Discovery - of new lands.—Release of the _Fram_.—Captain Roald - Amundsen.—The voyage of the _Gjoa_.—Reaches head of Petersen - Bay (King William Land).—Two years’ stay.—Valuable scientific - observations.—Visits from Eskimos.—Sledge journeys.—Release - from the ice.—August 14, 1906.—Completion of the Northwest - Passage.—Another Arctic winter.—Sledge journey of Amundsen to - Eagle City.—Release of the _Gjoa_.—Reaches San Francisco, 1907 435 - - CHAPTER XXIII - - Robert E. Peary.—The man.—First visit to the Arctic, - 1886.—Other journeys, 1891.—Independence Bay, - Greenland.—Discovers Melville Land and Heilprin - Land.—Subsequent journeys, 1893-1895.—Discovery of famous “Iron - Mountain.”—Summer voyages, 1896-1897.—North Pole journey of - 1898.—Peary seriously disabled by frost-bites.—Polar expedition - in S.S. _Roosevelt_, 1905-1906.—Final dash for the Pole, 1908 455 - - CHAPTER XXIV - - Dr. Frederick A. Cook.—Claims discovery of the Pole.—His return - from the Arctic.—Reception by the Danes.—Announcement of - conquest of the Pole by Peary.—Denounces Dr. Cook.—Acceptance - of Peary’s claims by the American Geographical Society.—Dr. - Cook sends manuscript to Copenhagen.—Verdict.—Prior claim to - the discovery of the North Pole.—Not proven 470 - - EXPLANATION OF TERMS 477 - - INDEX 481 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Commander Robert Edwin Peary _Frontispiece_ - - Hondius his Map of the Arctike Pole, or Northerne World xx - - FACING PAGE - - Sebastian Cabot 3 - - Sir Hugh Willoughby 7 - - Martin Frobisher 10 - - Sir Humphrey Gilbert 14 - - Davis’s Ships _Sunshine_ and _Moonshine_ 17 - - The Death of Henry Hudson 21 - - Peter Feodorovitsch Anjou 28 - - Ferdinand von Wrangell 28 - - Captain John Ross, R.N. 32 - - Entering Lancaster Sound 52 - - John Franklin 80 - - Upernavik 99 - - Henry Grinnell 110 - - The Graves on Beechey Island 113 - - E. K. Kane 120 - - The Rescue in Melville Bay 128 - - Landing near Grinnell Cape 170 - - Nipped in the Ice 180 - - A Gale in the Arctic Sea 209 - - The Outlook from Cape George Russell 215 - - Humboldt Glacier 218 - - I. I. Hayes 224 - - Five Members of the Grinnell Expedition 231 - - Tennyson’s Monument 234 - - Frobisher’s Map of Meta Incognita 243 - - Funeral of Captain Hall 254 - - Jan Mayen Island 273 - - A. E. Nordenskjöld 288 - - Foul Bay 305 - - The _Vega_ in Konyam Bay 309 - - The Crew of the _Vega_ 316 - - Disco Island 320 - - Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka, U.S.A. 337 - - W. H. Gilder 344 - - Captain G. W. De Long, U.S.N. 352 - - Rear Admiral George W. Melville, U.S.N. 369 - - Colonel David Legge Brainard, U.S.A. 373 - - Lieutenant James B. Lockwood, U.S.A. 380 - - General A. W. Greely, U.S.A. 384 - - Rear Admiral Schley, U.S.N. 400 - - The Retreat of 1904—Sledge Column leaving Cape Mellinbock 433 - - Breaking Camp at Cape Richthope 433 - - Anthony Fiala 437 - - Roald Amundsen 444 - - Cape Flora in Early July, 1904 448 - - The Coal Mine at Cape Flora 448 - - The _Roosevelt_ drying her Sails 456 - - Cairn erected over the Body of Marvin 460 - - Camp Morris Jesup 462 - - The Peary Sledge 464 - - Christmas Dinner on the _Roosevelt_ 464 - - The Flag that Peary carried to the Pole 468 - - Map of Arctic Explorations, 1860-1909 474 - -Transcriber’s Note: There are nine additional illustrations not listed -above: - - Admiral Sir Edward Belcher 142 - - Admiral Sir Edward Inglefield, R. N. 147 - - Map of North America 173 - - Sir John Franklin’s Record 192 - - Captain Hall and Eskimos 247 - - Captain G. S. Nares, F. R. S. 310 - - Commander A. H. Markham 311 - - Anniversary Lodge Cross Section 461 - - The Route Taken by Commander Peary in 1908 469 - - - - -[Illustration: HONDIUS HIS MAP OF THE ARCTIKE POLE, OR NORTHERNE WORLD] - - - - -THE GREAT WHITE NORTH - - - - -CHAPTER I - - Early adventurers: Pytheas.—Dicuil.—Other.—Wulfstan.—The - Norsemen.—Iva Bardsen.—The Cabots.—The Cortereals.—Willoughby - and Chancellor.—Stephen Burrough.—Niccolò Zeno.—Frobisher.—Pet - and Jackman.—Sir Humphrey Gilbert.—Davis.—Barentz. - - -A grave old world, majestically swinging upon its axis, the mystery of -its northern extremity locked closely within its breast, is suddenly -electrified by the news that at last man, for centuries baffled in his -heroic efforts, has revealed its hidden secret, and that Old Glory, -symbol of the daring of the moderns, floats from the Pole itself. - -What a thrill of interest passes over the nations of the earth; universal -excitement; universal rejoicings. Cablegram, Marconigram, carry the -wonderful tidings under the seas or around the world in space. - -_The Pole at last!_ For ages the northern lights have beckoned the -adventurous spirits to fathom the phenomena of the great unknown, have -lured man into harbours fantastic with the frozen ice of centuries, -have inspired him to cross the Greenland ice cap—or make his lonely -trail through the “barrens” of North America or the desolate “tundra” -of Siberia, his dauntless courage unquenched by previous records of -privation, starvation, and death itself. One after another of intrepid -explorers have left their stories of thrilling adventure, and record -of their names or those of their benefactors to mark their personal -discoveries. - -What a history, what suffering, what sacrifice, compensated by great -achievement, by heroism, by glory—by the additions to the world’s record -of scientific knowledge! - -Who were the early mariners that aspired to penetrate the unknown seas of -ice? Far back in the centuries, Pytheas, bold adventurer, brought back -rumours of an island in the Arctic Circle called Thule, at first welcomed -by the ancients as a wonderful discovery, but afterwards discredited. In -the ninth century some Irish monks, carried away by religious enthusiasm -and an adventurous spirit, seem to have visited Iceland, and one, Dicuil -by name, left written evidence, about 825, confirming the story of the -island Thule, which some of the brethren visited, and reported there -was no darkness at the summer solstice. Other and Wulfstan, athirst for -discovery and knowledge, set sail in the reign of King Alfred, and in all -probability the former rounded the North Cape and visited the shores of -Lapland, though his exact discoveries cannot now be identified. - -[Illustration: SEBASTIAN CABOT - -_From the “Harford” portrait attributed to Holbein_] - -The hardy Norsemen, realizing the advantage of hunting and barter among -the natives of Greenland, made permanent settlements at Brattelid and -Einarsfjord. As far as 73° north latitude a cairn was found, and upon a -runic stone was a date 1235, and there is evidence that other settlers -reached as far as latitude 75° 46´ N. and Barrow Strait in 1266 or -thereabouts. Toward the middle of the fourteenth century Norway was -cursed with the Black Death, and the colonists in far-off Greenland -were forgotten. Forsaken by their own countrymen, they received little -assistance from the native Eskimos, for we read they were overrun and -attacked by them about 1349. A rare old document, the oldest work on -Arctic geography, consisting of sailing directions for reaching the -colony from Ireland, was written by one Iva Bardsen, the steward of the -Bishopric of Gardar, in the East Bygd. Bardsen was a native of Greenland -and went forth for the purpose of helping the sister colony. All of this -early history is vague and unsatisfying, but it shows the adventurous -spirit of those early mariners. Within the next hundred years, that is to -say between 1348 and 1448, at rare intervals there was some communication -with the Greenland settlements, but finally it ceased altogether. Later -the desire to find a short route to India inspired merchantman and -mariner to cross the Arctic Circle, and in the sixteenth and seventeenth -centuries expeditions of note, led by men of dauntless spirit, find their -record upon the pages of history. - -[Sidenote: _THE CABOTS_] - -Born in Bristol, England, about 1476, Sebastian Cabot, ambitious son -of an adventurous father, John Cabot, became zealous at an early age, -through the successes of Columbus, to attempt a like achievement. Father -and son proposed to Henry VII to sail west, and reach India by a shorter -route. The king, pleased with the idea of entering a new field of -maritime discovery, confided to the Cabots the execution of this plan. A -patent was granted March 5, 1496. “It empowered them to seek out, subdue, -and occupy, at their own charges, any regions which before had been -unknown to all Christians.” They were empowered to take possession of -such lands and set up the royal banner. They were authorized to return to -the port of Bristol and no other, and a fifth of the gains of the voyage -were to be turned over to the crown. The following year, 1497, John and -Sebastian sailed from Bristol in the good ship _Mathew_. - -By the records of an old map of this period the land first seen by the -Cabots was the coast of Nova Scotia or Island of Cape Breton. The Cabots -designated the mainland as “Prima Terra Vesta,” and is outlined between -45° and 50°, showing land called St. Juan, no doubt Prince Edward Island -and mouth of the St. Lawrence. In the Privy Purse expenses of Henry VII -there is the following interesting expenditure, “10th of August, 1497. To -him that found the new Isle, £10.” No doubt, this modest sum was paid -for Newfoundland. - -With the enthusiasm of the first voyagers stimulating them to fresh -effort, the Cabots secured a second “patent” to John Cabot, dated -February 3, 1498, giving him the command of six vessels, of not more than -two hundred tons each, and to quote the exact words of this document, -“them convey and lede to the lande and isles of late found by the said -John in oure name and by oure commandment.” - -But before the small fleet was in readiness, the father died, and to -his son fell the enterprise. With five vessels, Sebastian set sail from -Bristol in May, 1498, and reaching the American coast ascended as high -as 67° north latitude, probably passing into Hudson Bay. He determined -to press on in a desire to find an open channel to India. His men became -appalled at the dangers that beset navigation in those higher latitudes -and mutinied, compelling him to retrace his course. - -There is a vague rumour that he had with him upon this voyage over a -hundred emigrants, whom he landed in these high latitudes, and who all -perished from cold, although the season was midsummer. However, he -brought back to England three natives of the countries he had visited, -and for his successful discoveries of more than eighteen hundred miles of -our North American coast, the king rewarded him by conferring upon him -the office of Grand Pilot of England. - -The interest and exertions of Sebastian Cabot did not abate, for this -hero, extolled by contemporary writers for his character and courage, by -his unflagging perseverance and indomitable will promoted the successful -expeditions of 1553, for which he was appointed governor for life of the -Muscovy Company. This company was established by the merchants of London -for the purpose of extending commerce and trade in India and Cathay, and -to find a northeast route that would expedite their enterprise. - -[Sidenote: _WILLOUGHBY AND CHANCELLOR_] - -Three ships were fitted out, and Cabot drew up instructions which are -curious reading at this day. The expedition was under Sir Hugh Willoughby -and Richard Chancellor, and sailed May 20, 1553, “for the search and -discovery of northern parts of the world, to open a way and passage to -our men, for travel to new and unknown kingdoms.” Cabot instructs these -men to treat all natives “with gentleness and courtesy, without any -disdain, laughing, or contempt.” If they should be invited to dine with -any lord or ruler, they should go armed and in a posture of defence. -He tells them to beware of “persons armed with bows, who swim naked in -various seas and harbours, desirous of the bodies of men which they covet -for meat.” - -Of Sir Hugh Willoughby, first in command of the _Bona Speranza_, it is -recorded that he was tall and handsome and had proved a valiant soldier; -of Richard Chancellor, that he was beloved and genial and especially -noted for “many good parts of wit.” - -Thus on that bright morning in early May, these two commanders with their -loyal crew sailed down the Thames amid the firing of guns and cheers of -the crowds assembled upon the river banks to wish them God-speed. It -was understood between the commanders that should their vessels become -separated, they should try to meet at Wardhuys, “a good port in Finmark.” - -They proceeded northward and passed the northernmost cape of Europe in -July. At night during a dense fog and storm, the two ships separated, the -third and smallest kept with Willoughby, and the two brave commanders -and their crews never met again. Proceeding northward some two hundred -miles, reaching Nova Zembla, Willoughby was forced by the ice to return -to a lower latitude. In September, 1553, he harboured in the mouth of the -river Arzina, in Lapland. - -He wrote in his journal at this time: “Thus remaining in this haven -the space of a weeke, seing the year farre spent, and also very evill -wether,—as frost, snowe, and haile, as though it had been the deepe of -winter, wee thought it best to winter there.” - -In January, according to the record of Willoughby’s journal, all were -living. In the spring Russian sailors, venturing in these high latitudes, -were surprised to see two ships frozen in the ice. The relentless grip -of the Arctic winter still held them fast; the hand of death in its most -gruesome shape had reaped its harvest. Not a man survived. How brief -the details, yet the imagination shudders at the agonies of their last -days,—the cold, intense, congealing; the impenetrable, melancholy dark, -and death, laying its icy fingers upon the despairing heart of each in -turn and the “last Man,” surrounded by the stark forms of his companions, -wrestling alone with inexorable fate. - -Chancellor’s vessel, the _Bona Ventura_, reached the Bay of St. Nicholas, -and landed near Archangel, which was then but an isolated castle. He -undertook a journey to Moscow, which resulted in successful arrangements -for commercial enterprise, Russia at that time being almost as little -known as the far east. Returning safely to England, he was warmly -welcomed as having proved the practical utility of Arctic voyages. - -One of the companions of Chancellor on this voyage, Stephen Burrough, -materially aided by Sebastian Cabot, then in his eighty-fourth -year, set sail in 1556 from Gravesend, in a small pinnace named the -_Search-thrift_. Before the departure, the ship and crew were visited by -Cabot, and it is recorded of this farewell visit that “Master Cabot gave -the poor most liberal almes, wishing them to pray for the good fortune -and prosperous success of the _Search-thrift_; and for very joy that he -had to see towardness of our intended discovery, he entered into the -dance among the rest of the young and lusty company; which being ended he -and his friends departed most gently, commending us to the governance of -Almighty God.” - -[Illustration: SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBY] - -Burrough skirted the northern coast of Lapland to the eastward, -discovering the strait leading to the Kara Sea, between Nova Zembla and -Waigat. As a result of “the great and terrible abundance of ice that we -saw with our eyes,” Burrough explored no farther, but sailing into the -White Sea wintered at Colomogro, returning home the following spring. - -[Sidenote: _THE CORTEREALS_] - -As early as 1500 a Portuguese, Caspar Cortereal by name, endeavoured to -reach Cathay by the Northwest Passage and reached between 50° and 60° -north latitude. After making captive some fifty-seven natives, for the -purpose of making them slaves, he returned to Lisbon, October 18, 1501. - -The following year he set sail again with two ships and is supposed to -have reached Hudson Strait, where the vessels became separated. Caspar -Cortereal and his crew were never heard of again. - -The other ship returned to Lisbon with the unfortunate tidings, and -a brother, Miguel, set sail from Lisbon, in the spring of 1502, on a -searching expedition. Upon reaching Hudson Strait the ships separated to -explore the various inlets and islands of the locality. Two of the ships -reached the point of rendezvous, but the third, with Miguel Cortereal on -board, never appeared. Thus the two brothers shared a like fate. - -A third brother, Vasco, petitioned the king to equip another expedition -to send in search of the missing men, but this the king refused to do -on the ground that the loss of two was greater than he could afford to -sustain. No tidings were ever received that could throw any light upon -the sad fate of the bold mariners. - -One of the most curious productions by geographers was a map published -in 1558 by one Niccolò Zeno, a Venetian noble, whose ancestor of the -same name had left with notes and journals a record of certain northern -journeys made by him toward the end of the fourteenth century. He had -entered as pilot the service of a mariner named Zichnmi, remained many -years in his service, and, joined later by a brother called Antonio, -spent some time in a country he named Frislanda. Later both brothers -found their way back to Venice. The young Niccolò, discovering the -mutilated letters and maps of these brothers, proceeded to prepare a -narrative and elaborate map which was considered a most valuable addition -to knowledge and continued to be an authority for more than a century. - -The names are very curious and confusing, but are supposed to be -identified as follows:— - -Engronelant, Greenland; Islanda, Iceland; Estland, Shetland Islands; -Frisland, Faroe Isles; Mackland, Nova Scotia; Estotiland, Newfoundland; -Drogeo, coast of North America; Icaria, coast of Kerry or Ireland. - -[Sidenote: _FROBISHER_] - -The three voyages of Frobisher undertaken between the years 1576-1578 -were in a great measure financed by a rich and influential merchant named -Michael Lok, whose passion for geographical research led him to encourage -the young explorer, who set out in the spring of 1576 in two small -vessels, the _Gabriel_ and _Michael_. The latter parted company in the -Atlantic, and the _Gabriel_ continued her voyage alone. Frobisher sighted -land about July 20 and called it Queen Elizabeth’s Foreland. - -Continuing on his course, he entered the following day the strait that -bears his name, calling the land “Meta Incognita.” He made a landing and -explored the land to some extent, returning to England with some bright -yellow ore which aroused the enthusiasm of gold seekers and greatly -assisted him in expediting his other voyages. His primary aim of seeking -for the Northwest Passage was all but forgotten in the excitement caused -by the possible discovery of untold wealth. - -Queen Elizabeth issued instructions for his guidance upon future voyages: -“Yf yt be possible,” so states the official document, “you shall have -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 time 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.” - -The second journey, much better equipped than the first, brought home, -beside specimens of plants and stones, large quantities of the supposed -gold ore. But though the dream of an El Dorado was never realized, and -the ore was eventually proved worthless, Frobisher’s greatest victory -to science was establishing the fact that there were two or more wide -openings leading to the westward between latitude 60° and 63° on the -American coast. Of his personal character we note with interest that -he was a brave, skilful leader of men, rough in bearing, but a strict -disciplinarian, and carried through his designs with the enthusiasm of a -true explorer. - -[Sidenote: _PET AND JACKMAN_] - -Arthur Pet and Charles Jackman, commanding two vessels, set out in 1580 -with instructions to sail through the strait leading between Nova Zembla -and Waigat, and from thence eastward beyond the Obi River. They reached -Wardhuys on the 23d of June. About two weeks later they approached Nova -Zembla, but ice retarded their advance. They sighted Waigat on the 19th -of July. While trying to push their way along its southern coast, they -were embarrassed by shallows and obliged to go round by the north. They -forced their way between the shore and a low island only to be closed -in by the ice, which stopped further progress. The ships were widely -separated, and could only communicate with each other by the beating of -drums or firing of muskets. Warping their ships as opportunity offered, -they finally got in closer communication. Of the weather, they write at -this time, “Winds we have had at will, but ice and fogs too much against -our wills, if it had pleased the Lord otherwise.” Surrounded by fields of -ice, enveloped in fog, they were obliged to make fast to icebergs, where, -“abiding the Lord’s pleasure, they continued with patience.” By the -13th of August the season was considered too far advanced to penetrate -farther. Pet had discovered a strait between the mainland and Waigat -leading into the Kara Sea, and with this news he returned to England. -Jackman wintered in a Norwegian port; sailing home in the spring, his -ship with all on board was lost at sea. - -[Sidenote: _SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT_] - -The distinguished British naval commander, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, near -relative of Sir Walter Raleigh and favourite of Queen Elizabeth, being -ambitious to colonize Newfoundland, obtained in 1578 full power from the -queen to undertake a voyage of discovery and settle such parts of North -America “as no Christian prince or his subjects could claim from previous -possession.” His second voyage was undertaken in 1583, and with five -ships under his command, he sailed out of Plymouth Sound, June 11. - -[Illustration: MARTIN FROBISHER] - -A contagious disease breaking out on one of the vessels, the property -of Sir Walter Raleigh, and commanded by Captain Butler, it returned to -England; the four remaining, the _Delight_, the _Golden Hinde_, the -_Swallow_, and the _Squirrel_, sighted Newfoundland about June 30. Here -they landed August 3, taking possession of the harbour of St. John’s in -the name of Queen Elizabeth. A miner, brought for the purpose of finding -precious metals, should such exist in the newly discovered territory, -claimed to locate a silver mine, which news was greeted with much -enthusiasm by the entire fleet. So many of the crew having become ill, -Sir Humphrey found it advisable to send home the _Swallow_ with the sick -on board. He then embarked on the _Squirrel_, of only ten tons, the -smallest ship of the fleet. - -Sailing out of the harbour of St. John’s on August 20, he reached by the -27th latitude 44° with fair weather. Two days later a gale arose preceded -by a dense fog. The _Golden Hinde_ and _Delight_ were beaten in among -the rocks and shoals. The _Golden Hinde_ signalled to stand out to sea, -but the _Delight_ did not heed this, and was shortly afterward wrecked -upon a shoal, where her stern was quickly beaten to pieces. A few of the -crew escaped in a boat, but the captain and a hundred men went down with -the ship. The heroic Captain Browne, only recently transferred from the -_Swallow_ to the _Golden Hinde_, when urged to save himself, spurned -the idea and stood bravely at his post rather than bear the reproach of -having deserted his ship, though that ship, himself, and all hands left -aboard were doomed to destruction. The small boat into which a few had -crowded, drifted about in the midst of the gale, which threatened every -instant to swamp them. They were without food and suffered greatly from -thirst. Fearing the overcrowded boat would founder unless materially -lightened, a man named Headley suggested that lots be drawn; those -drawing the four shortest should be thrown overboard. But one of their -number, Richard Clarke, who had been master of the _Delight_, rose in the -bow and answered sternly, “No, we will all live or die in company.” - -Two more days passed with increased sufferings. They tried to appease the -pangs of hunger with seaweed that floated on the surface of the waves, -and they drank sea-water. On the fifth day the man Headley died and one -other. All but Clarke were praying to God for death, rather than such -continued agony. Clarke tried to encourage them by telling them they -would surely reach land by the morrow, and if they did not make it by -the seventh day, they might throw him overboard. The seventh day came at -last, and by noon they sighted land, as Clarke had prophesied; in the -afternoon they landed. They gave thanks to God, and after slaking their -unbearable thirst with fresh water, the strong ones found some berries -growing wild with which to feed the party. In several days they slowly -regained their strength. - -Later they rowed along the coast, hoping to reach the bay of Newfoundland -and met some Spanish whalers who frequented these waters. They satisfied -their hunger by eating berries and peas, landing at intervals for the -purpose. Before long they fell in with a Spanish ship; the captain took -them to St. Jean de Luz in the Bay of Biscay. Landing near the French -frontier, they travelled through France and reached England about the end -of the year 1583. - -The loss of the _Delight_ was a serious blow to Sir Humphrey Gilbert; -of the five ships with which he had started only the _Golden Hinde_ and -the _Squirrel_ survived. The impenetrable fogs which at this juncture -enveloped these ships were most disheartening to the crew, and already -the provisions on board the _Squirrel_ were running low. Officers and men -besought Sir Humphrey to return, but reluctantly, with no abatement in -his enthusiasm for adventure, he only consented to alter his course, upon -their promise to embark with him again the following spring. On August 31 -they turned their bows toward home. - -On the 2d of September, having hurt his foot and wishing it dressed by -the surgeon, Sir Humphrey Gilbert boarded the _Golden Hinde_, and later -repeated the visit to take part in an entertainment with the captain -and crew. He mentioned the sorrow at the loss of the _Delight_, and of -certain papers and ore that the Saxon miner had procured in Newfoundland. -He was advised to remain aboard the _Golden Hinde_, the _Squirrel_ being -so encumbered with heavy artillery and other freight that she was not -considered safe to face the storms so likely to occur in mid-ocean at -that season of the year. After consideration, Sir Humphrey replied,— - -“I will not now desert my little vessel and crew, after we have -encountered so many perils and storms together.” - -Being supplied from the _Hinde_ with some necessary provisions, Sir -Humphrey returned to the _Squirrel_. - -On the 9th of September, in the latitude of England, the overburdened -little craft of ten tons showed signs of foundering. Sir Humphrey was -seen by the _Hinde_ sitting in the stern of his vessel with a book in his -hand and was heard to call out,— - -“Courage, my lads! we are as near heaven on sea as on land!” - -At midnight she sank with all on board. Thus terminated the first attempt -to colonize the inhospitable shores of Newfoundland. - -[Sidenote: _DAVIS_] - -Following closely upon the disastrous voyage of Sir Humphrey Gilbert came -the three voyages of Davis between the years 1585 and 1588. He discovered -the strait that bears his name, opened a way to Baffin Bay and the Polar -Sea, and surveyed a considerable extent of the coast of Greenland. - -[Sidenote: _BARENTZ_] - -Between the years 1594 and 1596, William Barentz made three journeys -to the Arctic, losing his life in the disasters and privations of the -last voyage. In this third voyage, he made his way to the sea between -Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, where he writes, “We came to so great a -heape of ice that we could not sayle through it.” In August, 1596, they -were surrounded by drifting ice which crushed around them with such -alarming force as to make “all the haire of our heads to rise upright -with feare.” They made every effort to extricate themselves from their -perilous position, but on the 11th of September “we saw that we could -not get out of the ice, but rather became faster, and could not loose -our ship, as at other times we had done, as also that it began to be -winter, so took counsell together what we were best to doe, according to -the time, that we might winter, and attend such adventures as God would -send us; and after we had debated upon the matter (to keepe and defend -ourselves both from the colde and wild beasts), we determined to build a -house upon the land, to keepe us there in as well as wee could, and to -commit ourselves unto the tuition of God.” - -While searching for material wherewith to build their winter-quarters, -they discovered a quantity of driftwood for which they thanked God for a -special act of Providence, and “were much comforted, being in good hope -that God would show us some further favour; for that wood served us not -only to build our house, but also to burne, and serve us all the winter -long; otherwise, without all doubt, we had died there miserably with -extreme cold.” - -In spite of the intense cold which made the building of their hut most -laborious, there was open water an “arrow shot” beyond their ship. They -dragged their stores on hand sleds, and by October their dwelling, -closely thatched with sea rack to keep out as much cold as possible, was -completed, and “we setup our dyall and made the clock stride.” On the 4th -of November, “wee saw the sunne no more, for it was no longer above the -horizon; then our chirurgion made a bath (to bathe us in) of a wine-pipe, -wherein wee entered one after another, and it did us much good, and was a -great meanes of our health.” - -[Illustration: SIR HUMPHREY GILBERT] - -Regulations were established, food was apportioned, and extra clothing -distributed. Traps were set for foxes and other game, but soon the -weather became so rigorous that for days they were snowed in and could -not open their door. They were in darkness except for their fire, the -smoke of which became almost unendurable. Ice formed two inches thick in -their berths, and their misery may be imagined better than described. - -On the 7th of December, they managed to secure some coal from their ship, -and with it made a good fire which warmed them somewhat, though it nearly -asphyxiated them. The cold becoming ever more intense and their supply of -wood diminishing, their sufferings are noted repeatedly in their journal. - -“It was foule weather again, with an easterly wind and extreame cold, -almost not to bee endured, where upon wee lookt pittifully one upon the -other, being in great feare, that if the extreamitie of the cold grew -to bee more and more, wee should all dye there with cold; for that what -fire soever wee made it would not warme us; yea, and our sake, which is -so hot, was frozen very hard, so that when we were every man to have -his part, we were forced to melt it in the fire, which wee shared every -second day about halfe a pint for a man, where with we were forced to -sustayne ourselves; and at other times we dranke water, which agreed not -well with the cold, and we needed not to coole it with snow or ice; but -we were forced to melt it out of the snow.” - -They were often awed by the great volumes of sound, “like the bursting -asunder of mountains and the dashing them to atoms.” About the middle of -January, they were forced, under great difficulties, to secure more wood, -and, making another trip to the vessel, they found much ice accumulated -within, and returned to their hut with a fox caught in the ship’s cabin, -which provided them with fresh meat. - -On Twelfth Night they made a heroic effort to make merry. They drew lots -for the honour of being king of Nova Zembla, and the gunner was royally -installed. Imagining themselves back in Holland, they drank to the three -kings of Cologne, soaking biscuit in the wine that for days they had set -aside out of their scant store to celebrate this “great feast.” But the -intense cold and storms that soon followed excluded every other idea, and -for days they were shut in, trying to bring warmth to their frozen bodies -with hot stones, but while sitting before the fire, their backs would be -white with frost, while their stockings would be burned before they could -feel heat to their feet. - -Their stock of provisions was becoming exhausted, and although they had -seen traces of bears and heard the foxes running over their heads, they -could not secure any. - -On January 24, Gerard de Veer, Jacob Keemsdirk, and a third companion, -upon making their way to the seaside toward the north, saw the sun above -the horizon for the first time. Not having expected this event for -fourteen days later, Barentz was doubtful of their accuracy. On the 26th, -one of their number who had long been ill died, and they dug a grave -seven feet in the snow, “after that we had read certaine chapters and -sung some psalmes, we all went out and buried the man.” - -As daylight increased, they left their hut for short periods of exercise. - -By May their impatience to leave this desolate spot prompted them to make -preparations for departure, and without waiting to see if their ship -would be navigable when once released from the ice, they repaired their -two boats and awaited the first opportunity “to get out of that wilde, -desart, irkesome, fearfull, and cold countrey.” - -On the 13th of June, the twelve survivors left the miserable shelter that -had been their home for ten months, and took to the open boats. Their -sufferings and privations cannot be described; three of their number -succumbed, and Barentz himself became too ill for service. - -[Illustration: DAVIS’S SHIPS, THE “SUNSHINE” AND THE “MOONSHINE”] - -As they passed Icy Cape, a headland of Alaska, latitude 70° 20´ N., -longitude 161° 46´ W., Barentz asked to be lifted up to see it once -more, and the dying man’s eyes rested with pleasure upon its cheerless -coast. - -On the twentieth day of June, Barentz was told that a man in the other -boat named Claes Andriz was near death. He remarked he would not long -survive his comrade. He was examining at the moment a chart of the -countries and objects they had seen on their voyage. He turned to Gerard -de Veer, who had made this chart, and asked him for something to drink. -Hardly had he swallowed the liquid when he suddenly expired. Saddened and -disheartened, the remnant of this unfortunate expedition struggled on -until September, when they reached the coast of Lapland. - -After a voyage of eleven hundred and forty-three miles, these heroes of -the north left their boats in the “Merchant’s house” at Coola as “a sign -and token of their deliverance.” A Dutch ship carried them to Holland, -where they appeared before the curious crowds of Amsterdam in the costume -they had worn in Nova Zembla. They were honoured by their countrymen and -made to repeat their wonderful adventures before the ministers of the -Hague. - -To the early maps of the period at the close of the sixteenth century, -Newfoundland and adjacent coast line had been added by the Cabots, who -had reached as far as 67° north latitude, Frobisher Strait, an outline of -the lands that he had visited, Davis Strait, and a portion of Greenland’s -east coast. But, more important than the discovery of new territory was -the stimulus to Arctic enterprise, which through Richard Chancellor had -established valuable trading activities between England and far-distant -Russia. The journeys of the Cotereals had opened a way to Spanish and -Portuguese fisheries off the banks of Newfoundland, and Frobisher’s -supposed discovery of gold in distant lands had given zest to discovery -in the New World by the English, exemplified by Sir Humphrey Gilbert’s -daring but unsuccessful attempt to colonize Newfoundland. - - - - -CHAPTER II - - Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: - Hudson.—Baffin.—Deshneff.—Behring.—Schalaroff.—Tchitschagof.—Anjou - and Von Wrangell.—Phipps. - - -[Sidenote: _HUDSON_] - -No century has produced a more daring or renowned mariner than Henry -Hudson, or one whose melancholy fate has provoked more pity. Down through -the decades the story of his adventures has been told and retold at the -fireside of the old to the eager ears and quickening imagination of the -young. - -Talented, indefatigable, fearless, his achievements, in the infancy of -Arctic exploration, handicapped by the lack of all that invention and -science has secured to modern explorers, place him in the first rank, -with the greatest navigators the world has known. As early as 1607 he had -distinguished himself by pushing as far north as latitude 81½°, in his -effort to follow the instructions of the Muscovy Company to penetrate to -the Pole. Attempting the Northeast Passage in 1608, he saw North Cape -on the 3d of June; pushing to the eastward on parallels 74° and 75°, he -skirted Nova Zembla, but found it impossible to penetrate higher than 72° -25´. - -The next year the Dutch sent him to try this passage again, though -the previous voyage had convinced him that the Northeast Passage was -impractical. - -He passed Warhuys, returning past North Cape, pushing his way to the -American coast, where he searched for a passage, and, sailing into New -York harbour, discovered the magnificent river which bears his name. -This splendid achievement only stirred his ambitions further, and under -the patronage of Sir John Wolstenholme, Sir Dudley Digges, and other -distinguished men, a vessel of fifty-five tons was fitted out and -provisioned for six months. - -Under the command of Hudson, the _Discovery_ set sail April 17, 1610. -Touching at Orkney and Faro islands, they sighted the southeastern part -of Iceland, May 11. Later they reached the Vestmanna Isles, and saw Mount -Hecla in eruption. On June 4, Hudson writes, “This day, we saw Greenland -perfectly over the ice; and this night the sun went down due north, and -rose north-north-east, so plying the fifth day we were in 65°.” - -Taking their course northwest, they passed Cape Desolation. A school of -whales was sighted at this juncture, and later icebergs were encountered. -In June they saw Resolution Island; going to the south of this island, -they were carried by the current northwest, until they struck shore ice, -from which it was most difficult to extricate themselves. - -At this time a growing discontent among the men first appeared on board; -some were for returning before the perils of the journey should become -greater, others were for continuing. Hudson showed them a chart showing -that they had sailed two hundred leagues farther than any Englishmen -had sailed before. The situation of the ship, at times embedded in ice, -at others pushing her way through leads of open water, was critical -and discouraging, but Henry Hudson continued his intricate navigation, -finally being rewarded by finding himself in a clear, open sea. Sighting -three headlands, he called them Prince Henry Cape, King James, and Queen -Anne, and, continuing, he saw a hill which he called Mount Charles, -and later sighted Cape Salisbury. While exploring the south shore, -he discovered an island, one point of which he named Deepe Cape, the -other, Wolstenholme. He entered a bay, which, from the date, he called -Michaelmas Bay. - -The season was advancing; already the days were very short and the nights -long and cold. Realizing it was time to find shelter for the winter, he -cast about to discover a suitable location. By the first of November he -had the vessel hauled aground, and ten days later it was frozen in. The -stock of provisions was very low, but the men supplemented it by killing -or trapping anything that was serviceable for food, and after game left -them in the spring, they lived on such birds as they could secure; when -these, too, migrated, they ate moss, frogs, and buds. - -With the breaking up of the ice in the spring, preparations were made for -returning home. - -In Hudson’s own bay, in the cold embrace of the shores he had explored, -Henry Hudson divided the last remnants of food equally among his men. -They were a famished, despairing crew, maddened with suffering. The cry -for bread was in their vitals, and there was no bread. Hunger and misery -made their brains reel, robbed them of their godliness, and reduced them -to wild animals at bay. It took but the encouragement of one of their -number, Green by name, to incite them to mutiny. - -[Illustration: THE DEATH OF HENRY HUDSON - -_From the painting by Collier_] - -On June 21, “The ship’s company, both sick and well, were in berths, -dispersed generally two and two about the ship. King, one of the crew -who was supposed to be friendly to Hudson, was up, and in the morning -they secured him in the hold by fastening down the hatches. Green then -went and held the carpenter in conversation to amuse him, while two of -the crew, keeping just before Hudson, and one, named Wilson, behind him, -bound his hands. He asked what they were about, and they told him he -should know when he was in the shallop. Another mutineer, Juet, went down -to King in the hold, who kept him at bay, being armed with his sword. -He came upon deck to Hudson, whom he found with his hands tied. Hudson -was heard to call to the carpenter, and tell him he was bound. Two of -the devoted party, who were sick, told the mutineers their knavery would -be punished. They paid no attention; the shallop was hauled up to the -side of the vessel, and the sick and lame were made to get into it. The -carpenter, whom they had agreed to retain in the vessel, asked them if -they would not be hanged when they reached England, and boldly refused -to remain with them, preferring to share the fate of Hudson and the sick -men.” - -The crew then set sail, and the boat in which were Hudson and his -companions was never seen again. After many hardships and vicissitudes -and much loss of life through the onslaught of the natives, where they -landed to secure food, a remnant of the unfortunate crew found their -way past the Cape of God’s Mercies and thence to Cape Desolation in -Greenland. Pursuing their homeward course, they were reduced to the last -extremities by hunger, one-half a fowl fried in tallow per man being -their only sustenance each twenty-four hours. - -Just before their last bird was devoured, they sighted the north of -Ireland, where they landed, and later made their way to Plymouth. - -[Sidenote: _BAFFIN_] - -Following the example of Hudson, and with the purpose of further -discovery, Baffin set sail in 1616 and explored the vast bay eight -hundred miles long and three hundred miles wide that bears his name. He -saw Lancaster Sound and brought home observations and reports of latitude -and longitude, the accuracy of which was doubted for many years, but has -since been verified and accredited to him. - -Equally tragic with the fate of Henry Hudson was the last voyage of -that great Russian commander, Behring, whose life was one long record -of heroic achievement. He had seen many parts of the world while -serving under Peter the Great, by whom he was given the commission of -lieutenant in 1707, and captain-lieutenant in 1710. In a previous -voyage he had explored the straits which bear his name. These straits -had been navigated nearly a century before by Deshneff, one of the early -Russian explorers who made several voyages between 1646 and 1648. His -great object was to round to the mouth of the Anadry River, and there -form a traders’ settlement. Deshneff and his companions were the first -navigators to sail from the Arctic Sea to the Pacific, and proved, at a -much earlier period than is generally supposed, that the continents of -America and Asia are not united. - -Behring set sail June 4, 1741, with two vessels from Kamtschatka in the -harbour of St. Peter and St. Paul. Steering eastward toward the American -continent, he sighted land the 18th of July, in latitude 58° 28´ and 50° -longitude, from Anatsda. Captain Tschirikov, who commanded this second -boat, had seen the land a few days previously and, having determined to -send some men ashore for investigation, the shallop and long-boat were -manned with seventeen of the crew for this purpose. They never returned -to the ship. Such a grave disaster determined Behring to send this vessel -back to Kamtschatka. - -He proceeded on his voyage alone, hoping to reach as high latitude as -60°, but progress was slow, owing to the varied coast-line and the -labyrinth of islands which border this vicinity. They fell in with a few -natives, who had been on a fishing expedition, with whom they held some -friendly intercourse. Progress continued to be retarded by calms and -currents, and finally dirty weather set in early in September and raged -in a violent storm for seventeen days. - -[Sidenote: _BEHRING_] - -The scurvy now attacked the crew, and numerous deaths occurred. Behring -determined to return to Kamtschatka. Through an unfortunate blunder, -they erred in their course, and land remained invisible. The approach -of winter became alarming, the cold increased, and rain turned to -ice and snow. The unfortunate crew were in a pitiable condition from -the miserable disease that laid hold of them. The steersman had to be -supported at the wheel by two other sick men that he might continue -at his post of duty. Finally he was disabled, and men hardly more fit -took his place one by one. Almost daily some one died, and the ship, no -longer with enough hands to man her, was at the mercy of the elements. -The nights became long and dark, the water supply was running low, and -certain destruction and death awaited the remnant of human beings left on -board, unless a harbour of refuge could be found. - -At last one morning land was sighted. The approach was difficult, the -ship so crippled as to be almost unmanageable, and the rocks threatened -instant destruction. Darkness came on before they could make a landing. -In their attempt to anchor, two cables parted, and the anchors were lost; -they had no third anchor in readiness. - -At this juncture it seemed as if the hand of Providence intervened, for a -huge wave lifted them across a sand bar, between a narrow opening of high -rocks, and they found themselves in calm water, where the next day they -made a successful landing. The land proved a barren and treeless island, -fortunately well supplied with game, but there was no hut or shelter of -any kind, showing it to be uninhabited. Such of the crew as were able -made shelters under projecting sand-banks, using sail-cloth to keep out -the wind and cold, and there they brought their sick and dying comrades. -But the shock to some of the sickest proved fatal, and, before their dead -bodies could be interred, foxes attacked and devoured portions of the -hands and feet. - -A special shelter was made for the brave old captain, now reduced to the -last extremities of disease, his body emaciated, his mind enfeebled. He -was moved November 9, and there he lay dying, passing the weary hours -in the vagaries of delirium, by covering his shrunken form with sand, -making his own grave, as it were, until, on December 8, 1741, he passed -away. There he rests, Behring Island his sepulchre, and his name is upon -every map of the world, showing the straits dividing North America and -Asia, through which he sailed in the glory of his prime. - -The command was now under Waxall, who rallied his men to superhuman -effort, that they might pass the weary winter and attempt making their -escape in the spring. A frightful blow to their hopes was the wrecking of -their vessel and a loss of valuable food supplies, which took place the -29th of December. - -By March, 1742, the forty-five survivors (thirty of their number having -perished) were confronted by the problem of how to make their escape when -the ice should permit. Their boat was a total wreck, and their only hope -lay in constructing from the débris a craft that would be sufficiently -trustworthy to carry them to civilization. At Waxall’s suggestion, they -took the old vessel to pieces, and one Sawa Slaradoubzov, a native of -Siberia, who had worked in the shipyard at Okhotsk, offered to construct -the new craft. - -Early in May the ship was started. It was forty feet long and thirteen -broad, one masted, a small cabin in the poop and a galley in the fore -part of the vessel. A second small boat was also made. - -On the 10th of August it was launched and christened the _St. Peter_. -During a few days’ calm that followed, the rudder, sails, and ballast -were adjusted. Provisions and such furs as they had collected were put -aboard, and they set sail on the 16th. Although Slaradoubzov had never -been a carpenter, his craft proved seaworthy and breasted a gale in fine -shape. - -They sighted Kamtschatka, August 25, entered the Bay of Awatska the next -day, and made port at Petropalovski, August 27. It is pleasant to note -that the Russian government conferred the lowest rank of nobility upon -Sawa Slaradoubzov, that of Sinboiarskoy. - -The Russians have been untiring in their endeavour to discover a passage -eastward to the north of Cape Tainmer and Cape Chelagskoi. In 1760, -Schalaroff attempted to force the passage that had proved so disastrous -to Behring; in spite of mutiny and hardship, he renewed his attempt -three times, but was finally wrecked about seventy miles east of Cape -Chelagskoi, where he and his crew perished miserably from starvation. - -Admiral Tchitschagof endeavoured to force a passage round Spitzbergen in -the year 1764, but in spite of courage and perseverance, his expedition -was unsuccessful. Later Captain Billings in 1787 made two attempts, both -of which were unsuccessful. - -[Sidenote: _ANJOU AND VON WRANGELL_] - -Many years later, 1820 to 1823, Lieutenant Anjou and Admiral Von Wrangell -made a series of remarkable sledge journeys starting from the mouth -of the Kolyma River. On the fourth journey, March, 1823, Von Wrangell -reached latitude 70° 51´, longitude 175° 27´ W., one hundred and five -versts in a direct line from the mainland over a frozen sea. Several -times the party came near losing their lives by breaking through the ice. -After reaching this high latitude and recognizing signs of open water to -the north, Von Wrangell writes:— - -“Notwithstanding this sure token of the impossibility of proceeding much -further, we continued to go due north for about nine versts, when we -arrived at the edge of an immense break in the ice, extending east and -west further than the eye could reach, and which at the narrowest part -was more than a hundred fathoms across.... We climbed one of the loftiest -ice hills, where we obtained an extensive view towards the north, and -whence we beheld the wide, immeasurable ocean spread before our gaze. -It was a fearful and magnificent, but to us a melancholy, spectacle. -Fragments of ice of enormous size floated on the surface of the agitated -ocean, and were thrown by the waves with awful violence against the -edge of the ice-field on the further side of the channel before us. The -collisions were so tremendous, that large masses were every instant -broken away, and it was evident that the portion of ice which still -divided the channel from the open ocean would soon be completely -destroyed. Had we attempted to have ferried ourselves across upon one of -the floating pieces of ice, we should not have found firm footing upon -our arrival. Even on our side, fresh lanes of water were continually -forming, and extending in every direction in the field of ice behind us. -With a painful feeling of the impossibility of overcoming the obstacles -which Nature opposed to us, our last hope vanished of discovering the -land which we yet believed to exist.” - -Of the difficulties that confronted them upon their return, Admiral Von -Wrangell writes:— - -“We had hardly proceeded one verst when we found ourselves in a fresh -labyrinth of lanes of water, which hemmed us in on every side. As all -the floating pieces around us were smaller than the one on which we -stood, which was seventy-five fathoms across, and as we saw many certain -indications of an approaching storm, I thought it better to remain on the -larger mass, which offered us somewhat more security, and thus we waited -quietly whatever Providence should decree. Dark clouds now rose from the -west, and the whole atmosphere became filled with a damp vapor. A strong -breeze suddenly sprang up from the west, and increased in less than half -an hour to a storm. Every moment huge masses of ice around us were dashed -against each other, and broken into a thousand fragments. Our little -party remained fast on our ice island, which was tossed to and fro by the -waves. We gazed in most painful inactivity on the wild conflict of the -elements, expecting every moment to be swallowed up. We had been three -long hours in this position, and still the mass of ice beneath us held -together, when suddenly it was caught by the storm, and hurled against a -large field of ice. The crash was terrific, and the mass beneath us was -shattered into fragments. At that dreadful moment, when escape seemed -impossible, the impulse of self-preservation implanted in every living -being saved us. Instinctively we all sprang at once on the sledges, -and urged the dogs to their full speed. They flew across the yielding -fragments to the field on which we had been stranded, and safely reached -a part of it of firmer character, on which were several hummocks, and -where the dogs immediately ceased running, conscious, apparently, that -the danger was past. We were saved: we joyfully embraced each other, and -united in thanks to God for our preservation from such imminent peril.” - -[Sidenote: _PHIPPS_] - -The primary object of the Phipps expedition sent out by the Royal -Society of England, under the solicitation of the government and all -scientific men of the time, was to reach the Magnetic Pole and solve, if -possible, the causes of the variation of the compass and other scientific -problems. With two vessels, the _Racehorse_ and the _Carcase_, Captain -Phipps set out in 1773 and skirted the eastern shore of Spitzbergen to -80° 48´ north latitude. Here he was beset with ice and could proceed no -farther. Accompanying this expedition was young Nelson, later the hero of -Trafalgar. An anecdote of Nelson showing his courage and daring on this -trip is told as follows:— - -“While out in small boats one of the officers had wounded a walrus.... -The wounded animal dived immediately, and brought up a number of its -companions; and they joined in an attack on the boat. They wrested an oar -from one of the men, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the crew -could prevent them from staving or upsetting her, till Nelson came up; -and the walruses, finding their enemies thus reënforced, dispersed. Young -Nelson exposed himself in a most daring manner.” - -The unfortunate situation of his vessels forced Phipps to retrace his -course and return to England. - -Under instructions to attempt the passage of Ice Sea, from Behring Strait -to Baffin Bay, the ill-fated Cook sailed in 1776, but failed to sail -beyond Icy Cape, where he found impenetrable ice; however, he reached as -far as North Cape on the coast of Asia. - -Mackenzie, the last of the eighteenth-century explorers, left Fort -Chipewyan, and descended the Mackenzie River, a much larger stream than -the Coppermine previously discovered by Hearne. He followed the course -of the river until he reached an island “where the tide rose and fell,” -but there is no certainty that he reached the ocean. The land expeditions -were for geographical discovery and not for the discovery of the -Northwest Passage, that had occupied mariners for so many years. - -[Illustration: PETER FEODOROVITSCH ANJOU] - -[Illustration: FERDINAND VON WRANGELL - -_From “The Voyage of the Vega,” Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London_] - - - - -CHAPTER III - - Early nineteenth century: Ross and Parry, May 3, 1818.—Object - of voyage, search for Northwest Passage through Davis Strait - and explore bays and channels described by Baffin.—Met natives - near Melville Bay.—The discovery by Ross of the famous Crimson - Cliffs.—Enters Lancaster Sound.—Advance barred by imaginary - Crocker Mountains.—Return of expedition to England.—Buchan - and Franklin North Polar expedition _via_ Greenland and - Spitzbergen.—_Dorothea_ and _Trent_ in Magdalena Bay, June - 3, 1818.—Reached high latitude of 80° 37´ N.—Course directed - to east coast of Greenland.—Disastrous battle with the - ice.—_Dorothea_ disabled.—Hasty return to England. - - -As a result of the many disastrous voyages to the Arctic, there was a -long period of inactivity in polar research, which continued for the -first sixteen years of the nineteenth century. Interest was revived, -however, by the astounding report that ice which had cut off the Danish -colonies from communication with their native country for centuries, had -suddenly become free, and that certain Greenland whalers had sailed to -the seventieth and eightieth parallel. - -[Sidenote: _ROSS AND PARRY_] - -The British Admiralty in conjunction with the Council of the Royal -Society decided to fit out two expeditions: One under Captain John Ross -and Lieutenant Edward Parry, whose object was to force a northwest -passage through Davis Strait and to explore the bays and channels -described by Baffin at the head of the immense bay that bears his name. -The second expedition under Buchan and Franklin was to direct its course -by way of Greenland and Spitzbergen in search of the Pole, and make its -way through Behring Strait out to the Pacific. - -The four ships were the best equipped for Arctic research that had ever -been sent out from England, and the commanders were instructed to collect -all possible information that would promote scientific knowledge in -natural history, geology, meteorology, and astronomy as to the special -phenomena existing in high northern latitudes. - -On the 3d of May, 1818, the two expeditions parted company in Brassa -Sound, Shetland, and sailed for their respective destinations. The -_Isabella_ and _Alexander_, under the command of Ross and Parry, reached -Wygat Sound on the 17th of June, where they were detained by the ice in -company with forty-five whalers, until the 20th. They made observations -from the shore of Wygat Island, which they found to be misplaced on the -maps by no less than five degrees. - -By warping and towing they made slow progress, narrowly missing -destruction by the pressure of huge ice-floes, but finally making the -open water. High mountains were descried on the north side of this bay -called by Ross, Melville Bay, the precipices varying in height from one -thousand to two thousand feet. - -An Eskimo, John Sacheuse, who acted as interpreter to the expedition, -went ashore and brought back with him a dozen or more natives, who were -much entertained by the hospitality provided for them by the ship’s -company. After partaking of tea and biscuits, a dance was held on the -deck, and of this Captain Ross gives an amusing description:— - -“Sacheuse’s mirth and joy exceeded all bounds: and with a good-humored -officiousness, justified by the important distinction which his superior -knowledge now gave him, he performed the office of master of ceremonies. -An Eskimo M.C. to a ball on the deck of one of H. M. Ships in the icy -seas of Greenland, was an office somewhat new, but Nash himself could -not have performed his functions in a manner more appropriate. It did -not belong even to Nash to combine in his own person, like Jack, the -discordant qualifications of seaman, interpreter, draughtsman, and master -of ceremonies to a ball, with those of an active fisher of seals and a -hunter of white bears. A daughter of the Danish resident, (by an Eskimo -woman,) about eighteen years of age, and by far the best looking of -the half-caste group, was the object of Jack’s particular attentions; -which being observed by one of our officers, he gave him a lady’s shawl, -ornamented with spangles, as an offering for her acceptance. He presented -it in a most respectful and not ungraceful manner to the damsel, who -bashfully took a pewter ring from her finger and gave it to him in -return, rewarding him, at the same time, with an eloquent smile, which -could leave no doubt on our Eskimo’s mind that he had made an impression -on her heart.” - -Near Cape Dudley Digges a curious condition of the ice was noted by -Captain Ross as follows:— - -“We have discovered that the snow on the face of the cliffs presents -an appearance both novel and interesting, being apparently stained or -covered by some substance which gave it a deep crimson color. This snow -was penetrated in many places to a depth of ten or twelve feet by the -coloring matter.” - -Passing Smith and Jones Sound, Ross reached the entrance of Lancaster -Sound by the last of August. “On the 31st,” he writes, “we discovered, -for the first time, that the land extended from the south two-thirds -across this apparent Strait, obscured its real figure. During the day -much interest was excited on board by the appearance of the Strait. -The general opinion, however, was that it was only an inlet. The land -was partially seen extending across; the yellow sky was perceptible. -At a little before four o’clock A.M., the land was seen at the bottom -of the inlet by the officers of the watch, but before I got on deck a -space of about seven degrees of the compass was obscured by the fog. The -land which I then saw was a high ridge of mountains extending directly -across the bottom of the inlet. This chain appeared extremely high in -the centre. Although a passage in this direction appeared hopeless, I -determined to explore it completely. I therefore continued all sail. Mr. -Beverly, the surgeon, who was the most sanguine, went up to the crow’s -nest, and at twelve reported to me that before it became thick he had -seen the land across the bay, except for a very short space. At three, I -went on deck; it completely cleared for ten minutes, when I distinctly -saw land around the bottom of the bay, forming a chain of mountains -connected with those which extended along the north and south side. This -land appeared to be at the distance of eight leagues, and Mr. Lewis, -the master, and James Haig, leading man, being sent for, they took its -bearings, which were inserted in the log. At this moment I also saw a -continuity of ice at the distance of seven miles, extending from one side -of the bay to the other, between the nearest cape to the north, which I -named after Sir George Warrenden, and that to the south, which was named -after Viscount Castlereagh. The mountains, which occupied the centre, in -a north and south direction, were named Crocker’s Mountains, after the -Secretary to the Admiralty.” - -The much-disputed “Crocker Mountains” brought the navigator ridicule and -discredit upon his return to England. The return was decided upon on -October 1, that date being the limit to which his instructions permitted -Captain Ross to remain in northern latitudes. - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN ROSS, R.N.] - -Although the extraordinary blunder cost Captain Ross reputation and the -confidence of his friends, he had nevertheless rendered valuable addition -to Arctic knowledge; his scientific observations had been unremitting and -accurate. He had mapped the west coast of Davis Strait, had advanced -through Baffin Bay, thereby proving the claims of that famous old -mariner, and had been the first to meet the Eskimos of the far north, who -were to render such valuable assistance to future explorers. - -The progress of the _Dorothea_ and the _Trent_ under the respective -commands of Captain David Buchan and Lieutenant-Commander John Franklin -(later Sir John Franklin) was delayed by fog and storm until they sighted -Cherie Island, latitude 74° 33´ N., and longitude 17° 40´ E., famous for -its herds of walruses from which the Muscovy Company had derived much -profit by sending ships to the island for oil, the crew capturing as many -as a thousand animals in the course of six or seven hours. - -The ships now encountered small floes and huge masses of ice, which -augmented the difficulties of progress, and this Lieutenant Beechey, -the clever artist and interesting narrator of the voyage, describes as -follows:— - -“There was, besides, on the occasion an additional motive for remaining -up; very few of us had ever seen the sun at midnight, and this night -happening to be particularly distorted by refraction, and sweeping -majestically along the northern horizon, it was the object of imposing -grandeur, which riveted to the deck some of our crew, who would perhaps -have beheld with indifference the less imposing effect of the icebergs; -or it might have been a combination of both these phenomena; for it -cannot be denied that the novelty occasioned by the floating masses was -materially heightened by the singular effect produced by the very low -altitude at which the sun cast his fiery beams over the icy surface of -the sea. - -“The rays were too oblique to illuminate more than the inequalities of -the floes, and falling thus partially on the grotesque shapes, either -really assumed by the ice or distorted by the unequal refraction of -the atmosphere, so betrayed the imagination that it required no great -exertion of fancy to trace in various directions architectural edifices, -grottos, and caves here and there glittering as if with precious metals. -So generally, indeed, was the deception admitted, that, in directing the -route of the vessel from aloft, we for a while deviated from our nautical -phraseology, and shaped our course for a church, a tower, a bridge, or -some similar structure, instead of for humps of ice, which were usually -designated by less elegant appellations. - -“After sighting the southern promontory of Spitzbergen, the two ships -were parted in a severe gale. The snow fell in heavy showers, and -several tons’ weight of ice accumulated about the sides of the brig (the -_Trent_) and formed a complete casing to the planks, which secured an -additional layer at each plunge of the vessel. So great, indeed, was -the accumulation about the bows, that we were obliged to cut it away -repeatedly with axes to relieve the bow-sprit from the enormous weight -that was attached to it, and the ropes were so thickly covered with ice, -that it was necessary to beat them with large sticks to keep them in a -state of readiness for any evolution that might be rendered necessary, -either by the appearance of ice, to leeward or by a change of wind.” - -By the 3d of June the ships were reunited in Magdalena Bay. Surrounding -this harbour of refuge are high mountains rising precipitously about -three thousand feet high, the deep valleys filled with immense beds -of snow. The temperature is particularly mild on the western coast of -Spitzbergen, and in consequence there is a luxury of Alpine plants, -grasses, and lichens, also of animal life, reindeer, and flocks of birds, -such as the auk, willock, gulls, cormorants, also walruses and seals. - -There are numerous glaciers from which huge pieces would occasionally -break away. Mr. Beechey describes in a most interesting way the fall of -one of these extraordinary masses of ice:— - -[Sidenote: _BUCHAN AND FRANKLIN_] - -“The first was occasioned by the discharge of a musket at about half -a mile’s distance from the glacier. Immediately after the report of -the gun, a noise resembling thunder was heard in the direction of the -iceberg (glacier) and in a few seconds more an immense piece broke -away, and fell headlong into the sea. The crew of the launch, supposing -themselves beyond the reach of its influence, quietly looked upon the -scene, when presently a sea arose and rolled toward the shore with such -rapidity, that the crew had not time to take any precautions, and the -boat was in consequence washed upon the beach, and completely filled by -the succeeding wave. As soon as their astonishment had subsided, they -examined the boat, and found her so badly stove that it became necessary -to repair her in order to return to the ship. They had also the curiosity -to measure the distance the boat had been carried by the wave, and found -it to be ninety-six feet.” - -Describing a second avalanche he writes:— - -“This occurred on a remarkably fine day, when the quietness of the bay -was first interrupted by the noise of the falling body. Lieutenant -Franklin and myself had approached one of these stupendous walls of ice, -and were endeavoring to search into the innermost recess of a deep cavern -that was near the foot of the glacier, when we heard a report as if of -a cannon, and, turning to the quarter whence it proceeded, we perceived -an immense piece of the front of the berg sliding down from the height -of two hundred feet at least into the sea, and dispersing the water in -every direction, accompanied by a loud, grinding noise, and followed by a -quantity of water which being previously lodged in the fissures now made -its escape in numberless small cataracts over the front of the glacier.” - -So great was the disturbance of the waters by this great falling mass -that the _Dorothea_ was seen to be careening at a distance of four miles. -After it became somewhat settled, they approached it and found it to -be nearly a quarter of a mile in circumference. “Knowing its specific -gravity and making fair allowance for its inequalities, its weight was -computed at 421,660 tons.” - -The ships left Magdalena Bay, June 7, and made their slow way through -brash ice which became thicker and more impenetrable until a fortunate -breeze dispersed it. Sailing in a westerly direction, they encountered -several whale-ships, which reported others beset by the ice in that -direction. Captain Buchan changed his course and stood to the northward, -passing Cloven Cliff, an isolated rock, marking the northwestern boundary -of Spitzbergen. Near Red Bay they were stopped by the ice, and the -channel by which the vessels had entered became entirely closed. The -ships were here hemmed in, in almost the same position where Baffin, -Hudson, Poole, Captain Phipps, and all the early voyagers to this quarter -had been stopped. Of their perilous situation, Lieutenant Beechey writes:— - -“The ice soon began to press heavily upon us, and, to add to our -difficulties, we found the water so shallow that the rocks were plainly -discovered under the bottoms of the ships. It was impossible, however, by -any exertion on our part, to improve the situation of the vessels. They -were as firmly fixed in the ice as if they had formed part of the pack, -and we could only hope that the current would not drift them into still -shallower water, and damage them against the ground.” - -It was now found necessary to attach the ships to floes by ice-anchors, -which was done with considerable exertion. - -Taking advantage of a break in the ice, they reached Vogel Sang about -June 28, where the crew were fortunate enough to secure forty reindeer -and plenty of eider-ducks. - -On the 6th of July, Captain Buchan, finding the ice conditions -favourable, determined to make as far an advance to the north as -possible. By most arduous labours in warping and tracking, etc., he -attained a latitude of 80° 34´ N., but, though attached to floes, he -found himself being carried to the southward by the current. On the 15th -and 16th of July, both ships suffered considerable ice pressure. The nine -days following, the crew worked night and day to free the ships and get -into open water. - -Having given the ice a fair trial and proved it unnavigable, Buchan -turned his attention toward the eastern coast of Greenland, intending, -if it proved impenetrable there, to round the south cape of Spitzbergen -and attempt to make an advance between that island and Nova Zembla. A -terrific gale struck them the 30th of July, which brought down the ice -upon them and threatened their immediate destruction. Of this encounter -Lieutenant Beechey gives a most vivid description:— - -“In order to avert the effects of this as much as possible, a cable was -cut up into thirty feet lengths, and these, with plates of iron four feet -square, which had been supplied to us as fenders, together with some -walrus hides, were hung round the vessels, especially about the bows. -The masts, at the same time, were secured with additional ropes, and the -hatches were battened and nailed down. By the time these precautions had -been taken, our approach to the breakers only left us the alternative of -either permitting the ships to be drifted broadside against the ice, and -so to take their chance, or of endeavoring to force fairly into it by -putting before the wind. At length, the hopeless state of a vessel placed -broadside against so formidable a body became apparent to all, and we -resolved to attempt the latter expedient.” - -Beechey, in describing the appalling scene, continues:— - -“No language, I am convinced, can convey an adequate idea of the terrific -grandeur of the effect now produced by the collision of the ice and -the tempestuous ocean. The sea, violently agitated and rolling its -mountainous waves against an opposing body, is at all times a sublime -and awful sight; but when, in addition, it encounters immense masses, -which it has set in motion with a violence equal to its own, its effect -is prodigiously increased. At one moment it bursts upon these icy -fragments and buries them many feet beneath its wave, and the next, as -the buoyancy of the depressed body struggles for reascendancy, the water -rushes in foaming cataracts over the edges, while every individual mass, -rocking and laboring in its bed, grinds against and contends with its -opponent, until one is either split with the shock or upheaved upon the -surface of the other. Nor is this collision confined to any particular -spot; it is going on as far as the sight can reach; and when from this -convulsive scene below, the eye is turned to the extraordinary appearance -of the blink in the sky above, where the unnatural clearness of a calm -and silvery atmosphere presents itself, bounded by a dark, hard line of -stormy clouds, such as this moment lowered over our masts, as if to mark -the confines within which the efforts of man would be of no avail, the -reader may imagine the sensation of awe which must accompany that of -grandeur in the mind of the beholder.” And he continues: “If ever that -fortitude of seamen was fairly tried, it was assuredly not less so on -this occasion; and I will not conceal the pride I felt in witnessing the -bold and decisive tone in which the orders were issued by the commander -(the present Captain Sir John Franklin) of our little vessel, and the -promptitude and steadiness with which they were executed by the crew.” - -As the vessel rapidly approached the dangerous wall of ice, each person -instinctively secured his own hold, and, with his eyes fixed upon the -masts, awaited in breathless anxiety the moment of concussion. “It soon -arrived; the brig (_Trent_), cutting her way through the light ice, came -in violent contact with the main body. In an instant we all lost our -footing; the masts bent with the impetus, and the cracking timbers from -below bespoke a pressure which was calculated to awaken our serious -apprehensions. The vessel staggered under the shock, and for a moment -seemed to recoil; but the next wave, curling up under her counter, drove -her about her own length within the margin of the ice, where she gave one -roll, and was immediately thrown broadside to the wind by the succeeding -wave, which beat furiously against her stern, and brought her lee side in -contact with the main body, leaving her weather side exposed at the same -time to a piece of ice about twice her own dimensions. This unfortunate -occurrence prevented the vessel penetrating sufficiently far into the ice -to escape the effect of the gale, and placed her in a situation where she -was assailed on all sides by battering-rams, if I may use the expression, -every one of which contested the small space which she occupied, and -dealt such unrelenting blows, that there appeared to be scarcely any -possibility of saving her from foundering. Literally tossed from piece -to piece, we had nothing left but patiently abide the issue; for we -could scarcely keep our feet, much less render any assistance to the -vessel. The motion, indeed, was so great, that the ship’s bell, which, -in the heaviest gale of wind, had never struck of itself, now tolled -so continually, that it was ordered to be muffled, for the purpose of -escaping the unpleasant association it was calculated to produce. - -“In anticipation of the worst, we determined to attempt placing the -launch upon the ice under the lee, and hurried into her such provisions -and stores as could at the moment be got at. Serious doubts were -reasonably entertained of the boat being able to live among the confused -mass by which we were encompassed; yet as this appeared to be our only -refuge, we clung to it with all the eagerness of a last resource.” - -It was only too evident that she could not long survive the critical -position in which she was placed and that the only salvation lay in -penetrating still farther into the ice. To this end, more sail was -spread, and, with the added power, she righted herself, split a small -field of ice, fourteen feet in thickness, and effected a passage -for herself between the pieces. On the gale abating, both ships -reached the open sea, but were greatly disabled, the _Dorothea_ in a -foundering condition. In this useless state they made for Fair Haven, in -Spitzbergen, where they underwent necessary repairs. Lieutenant Franklin -urgently requested to be allowed to return to the interesting quest which -they had been obliged to abandon, but this being impossible, owing to the -shattered condition of the ships, the expedition put to sea the end of -August and reached England about the middle of October, 1818. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - - 1819-1827: Parry’s first voyage.—Object, to survey - Lancaster Sound and prove the non-existence of Crocker - Mountains.—Discovery of new lands.—Parry Islands.—Attains - longitude 110° W., thereby winning the bounty of five - thousand pounds offered by Parliament.—Winters near Melville - Island.—Second voyage.—Ships _Hecla_ and _Fury_.—Examines - Duke of York Bay and Frozen Strait of Middleton.—Winters - off Lyon Inlet.—Sledge journeys.—Object, to make Northwest - Passage _via_ Prince Regent Inlet.—Reached Port Bowen.—Ten - months’ imprisonment.—Destruction of the _Fury_.—Hasty - return to England. Fourth voyage.—Purpose to reach the Pole - _via_ Spitzbergen with sledge boats over ice.—_Hecla_ as - transport.—Parry’s farthest, 82° 45´ N., reached June 23, 1827. - - -[Sidenote: _PARRY’S FIRST VOYAGE_] - -The principal object of Lieutenant W. E. Parry’s first voyage under the -direction of the British Admiralty was to pursue the survey of Lancaster -Sound, so abruptly discontinued by Captain Ross the previous year, and -decide the probability of a northwest passage in that direction, thus -settling the much-disputed question of the existence of the “Crocker -Mountains,” which Parry, who had accompanied Ross, declared from the -first to have been an ocular illusion. Should Lancaster Sound not prove -navigable, Smith and Jones sounds were to be explored. - -The _Hecla_, 375 tons, and the _Griper_, 180 tons, were strengthened and -provisioned for two years. Sailing from the Thames May 11, 1819, they -reached Davis Strait the last week in June, and here experienced a good -deal of annoyance from ice, through which they made a slow and difficult -passage by heaving and warping, reaching Possession Bay a month later. -Upon landing the men were not a little surprised to see their own -footprints of the previous year; a fox, a raven, some ring flowers, and -snow-buntings were seen, also a bee. Tufts and ground plants grew in -considerable abundance wherever there was moisture. - -Proceeding on their voyage, they reached, by August 4, longitude 86° 56´ -W., three degrees to the westward of where land had been laid down by -Captain Ross. Passing through Barrow Strait, they found ice to such an -extent north of Leopold Island that Parry determined to shape his course -to the southward and explore the beautiful sheet of water to which he -gave the name of Regent Inlet. - -The compass now became useless, owing to the local attraction, and the -binnacles were discarded. Having penetrated one hundred and twenty miles -and having given the farthest point of land the name of Cape Kater, -it was found necessary to return to the southward or be caught in the -ice. Skirting the north shore of Barrow Strait, they later passed two -large openings, to the first of which Parry gave the name of Wellington -Channel, also naming various capes and inlets, as he passed them, Batham, -Barlow, Cornwallis, Bowen, Byam Martin, Griffith, Lowther, Bathurst, and -others. - -Navigation now became extremely difficult, owing to thick fogs, but -notwithstanding many obstacles they reached the coast of an island -larger than any yet discovered, which they called Melville Island, and -by the 4th of September Lieutenant Parry was able to make the joyful -announcement to his crew that, having passed longitude 110° W., they were -entitled to the reward of five thousand pounds promised by Parliament to -the first ship’s company which should reach that meridian. - -To celebrate their success, they gave the name of Cape Bounty to the -farthest neck of land sighted in the distance. Every effort was -now made to push forward in the hope of reaching longitude 130° W., -thereby securing the second reward held out by the government. They had -progressed but a short distance when, to their great disappointment, -farther advance became impossible by reason of an impenetrable barrier of -ice. - -The approach of winter decided Lieutenant Parry to seek the shelter near -Melville Island and there prepare for the long winter months. - -To the group of islands in the vicinity of which he had taken refuge, he -gave the name of Georgian Islands, in honour of His Majesty, King George -III, but later the name was changed to Parry Islands. - -Knowing well that good spirits meant good health in the tedious winter -months, Lieutenant Parry established a school for his men, as well as -the diversion of a newspaper, and the ship’s crew acted several plays, -which were most enthusiastically received. In spite of enforced exercise -and other methods for keeping in good physical condition, scurvy showed -itself among the crew, and such antiscorbutics as lemon juice, pickles, -mustard, cress, and spruce-beer were put into requisition. Later, -snow-blindness afflicted some of the men, but was relieved by washes and -the wearing of black crape before the eyes. - -As the spring approached, the ships were made ready for the first -opportunity to escape from the ice, which, however, remained impenetrable. - -On the 1st of June an excursion was made across Melville Island by -Lieutenant Parry and others, carrying provisions for three weeks. They -found such parts of the ground as were free from snow covered with dwarf -willow, sorrel, and poppy, also moss and saxifrage. A few ducks and -ptarmigan were killed. Upon his return to the ship the middle of June, -Captain Parry ordered his men to make daily excursions after sorrel, -which they procured in large quantities and greatly enjoyed. On the -western side of the island at Bushman’s Cove, in Liddon’s Gulf, they -found “one of the pleasantest and most habitable spots we had yet seen in -the Arctic regions, the vegetation being more abundant and forward than -in any other place, and the situation sheltered and favorable for game.” - -Though channels and pools were everywhere forming, it was not until the -second of August that the great mass of ice broke up and floated out. -The ship now made for the open water, but after a short advance, in -spite of every effort, they found themselves once more prevented by the -impenetrable barrier of ice from making their way westward. There seemed -no alternative but a return homeward, and after taking certain additional -observations of the two coasts extending along Barrow Strait, they set -sail for England. - -A warm welcome awaited the daring navigators, who had reached a longitude -greater by more than 30° than any other explorer; who had discovered many -new lands, islands, and bays; had established the fact of a polar sea -north of America; and had wintered successfully in the Arctic, bringing -back his crew in good condition. - -[Sidenote: _PARRY’S SECOND VOYAGE_] - -Parry’s unprecedented success and the enthusiasm for Arctic exploration -throughout England decided the British Admiralty to send out a second -expedition to attempt a passage in a lower latitude than that of Melville -Island. The _Hecla_ and the _Fury_ were manned and provisioned and put -under the command of Captain Parry and Lieutenant Lyon, whose travels in -Tripoli, Mourzouk, and other parts of northern Africa had already brought -him consideration and some degree of renown. The transport _Nautilus_ was -to accompany the ships as far as the ice, and transship extra provisions -and stock as soon as room could be found for them. - -The ships sailed from the Nore on the 8th of May, 1821, and by the -2d of July were at the mouth of Hudson Strait, having parted with the -_Nautilus_ the previous day. Icebergs in formidable numbers had already -been encountered, and the desolate condition of the shores, the naked -rocks, the snow-covered valleys, and the thick fogs encountered were -anything but encouraging. - -Progress was now made through very heavy floes, and between strong -currents, eddies, and icebergs they were menaced by serious danger -for more than ten days. While embayed in the ice, they sighted near -Resolution Island three strange ships also fast in the ice. These they -later managed to join, and found them to be Hudson Bay Company’s traders, -the _Prince of Wales_, the _Eddystone_, and the _Lord Wellington_, -chartered to convey one hundred and sixty emigrants, who intended -settling on Lord Selkirk’s estate at the Red River. Of these people -Lieutenant Lyon writes an interesting account:— - -“While nearing these vessels, we observed the settlers waltzing on deck -for above two hours, the men in old-fashioned gray jackets, and the women -wearing long-eared mob caps, like those used by Swiss peasants. As we -were surrounded by ice, and the thermometer was at the freezing point, -it may be supposed that this ball _al vero fresco_ afforded us much -amusement.” - -Some days later they fell in with some Eskimos, who came out to the -ships, the men in their kayaks, the women in their special “oomiaks.” The -natives boarded the ships and, says Captain Lyon:— - -“It is quite out of my power to describe the shouts, yells, and laughter -of the savages, or the confusion which existed for two or three hours. -The females were at first very shy, and unwilling to come on the ice, but -bartered everything from their boats. This timidity, however, soon wore -off, and they, in the end, became as noisy and boisterous as the men.” - -“The strangers were so well pleased in our society,” continues Captain -Lyon, “that they showed no wish to leave us, and when the market had -quite ceased, they began dancing and playing with our people, on the ice -alongside. - -“In order to amuse our new acquaintances as much as possible, the -fiddler was sent on the ice, where he instantly found a most delightful -set of dancers, of whom some of the women kept pretty good time. Their -only figure consisted in stamping and jumping with all their might. Our -musician, who was a lively fellow, soon caught the infection, and began -cutting capers also. In a short time every one on the floe, officers, -men, and savages, were dancing together, and exhibited one of the most -extraordinary sights I ever witnessed. One of our seamen, of a fresh, -ruddy complexion, excited the admiration of all the young females, who -patted his face and danced round him wherever he went. The exertion of -dancing so exhilarated the Eskimos, that they had the appearance of being -boisterously drunk, and played many extraordinary pranks. Among others, -it was a favorite joke to run slyly behind the seamen, and shouting -loudly in one ear, to give them at the same time a very smart slap on -the other. While looking on, I was sharply saluted in this manner, and, -of course, was quite startled, to the great amusement of the bystanders. -Our cook, who was a most active and unwearied jumper, became so great a -favorite, that every one boxed his ears so soundly as to oblige the poor -man to retire from such boisterous marks of approbation. Among other -sports, some of the Eskimos, rather roughly but with great good humor, -challenged our people to wrestle. One man in particular, who had thrown -several of his countrymen, attacked an officer of a very strong make, -but the poor savage was instantly thrown, with no very easy fall; yet, -although every one was laughing at him, he bore it with exemplary good -humor. The same officer afforded us much diversion by teaching a large -party of women to bow, courtesy, shake hands, turn their toes out, and -perform other polite accomplishments; the whole party, master and pupils, -presenting the strictest gravity. - -“Toward midnight all our men, except the watch on deck, turned into their -beds, and the fatigued and hungry Eskimos returned to their boats to -take their supper, which consisted of lumps of raw flesh, and blubber of -seals, birds, entrails, etc.; licking their fingers with great zest, and -with knives or fingers scraping the blood and grease which ran down their -chins into their mouths.” - -[Sidenote: _FROZEN STRAIT OF MIDDLETON_] - -Parry made an examination of Duke of York Bay, and the 20th of August -reached the Frozen Strait of Middleton. Two days later the _Hecla_ and -_Fury_ got well into Repulse Bay, and a careful examination of the shores -was made by parties of officers and men in boats. By the 31st of August -they reached Gore Bay, which was packed with ice. Encountering thick -fogs, northerly winds, and heavy ice-floes, they found that in spite of -every exertion they were being carried back to the spot in Fox Channel -from which they had started some days before. However, they later made -some advance and anchored near Lyon Inlet. - -Early in October the sludge, or young ice, began to form, a warning of -approaching winter, to be followed shortly by the pancake ice and bay -ice, which necessitated finding at once winter quarters for the ships. -The southeast extremity of an island off Lyon Inlet was selected, and -called Winter Island, and the monotonous winter closed in upon them -shortly after. - -[Sidenote: _TEN MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT_] - -The usual theatrical diversions were provided for the entertainment of -the crew, and the “Rivals” was presented as well as another successful -play. The crew took kindly to a school established by the officers and -to other forms of mental and physical activity designed to keep the -expedition in good health and spirits. Christmas was celebrated with -especial good cheer, and English roast beef, which had been kept by being -frozen, was served, as well as cranberry pies and plum puddings. The -effect of the intense cold upon certain of their stores is interesting:— - -“Wine froze in the bottles. Port was congealed into thin pink laminæ, -which lay loosely, and occupied the whole length of the bottle. White -wine, on the contrary, froze into a solid and perfectly transparent mass, -resembling amber.” - -On the 15th of March, a party under Captain Lyon started out to explore -the land near the ships; they were provisioned for three or four days, -but their experience was most unfortunate. The cold was intense, their -tents at night affording little protection against the frightfully low -temperature. They spent some time digging out a snow hut, which they -hoped would prove warmer, but this was hardly more satisfactory. The -following morning they found themselves almost buried with snow which had -drifted at night during a fierce gale which now raged. All paraphernalia, -sledges, etc., were completely buried. To remain where they were was as -impracticable as to move on. Carrying with them a few pounds of bread, -some rum, and a spade, the party set out in the hope of reaching the -ships. Captain Lyon records their sufferings as follows:— - -“Not knowing where to go, we wandered among heavy hummocks of ice, -and suffering from cold, fatigue, and anxiety, were soon completely -bewildered. Several of our party now began to exhibit symptoms of that -horrid kind of insensibility which is the prelude of sleep. They all -professed extreme willingness to do what they were told in order to keep -in exercise, but none obeyed; on the contrary, they reeled about like -drunken men. The faces of several were severely frost bitten, and some -had for a considerable time lost sensation in their fingers and toes; -yet they made not the slightest exertion to rub the parts affected, -and even discontinued their general custom of warning each other on -observing a discoloration of the skin. Mr. Palmer employed the people in -building a snow wall, ostensibly as a shelter from the wind, but in fact -to give them exercise when standing still must have proved fatal to men -in our circumstances. My attention was exclusively directed to Sergeant -Speckman, who, having been repeatedly warned that his nose was frozen, -had paid no attention to it, owing to the state of stupefaction into -which he had fallen. The frost bite now extended over one side of his -face, which was frozen as hard as a mask; the eyelids were stiff and one -corner of the upper lip so drawn up as to expose the teeth and gums. My -hands being still warm, I had happiness in restoring circulation, after -which I used all my endeavors to keep the poor fellow in motion; but he -complained sadly of giddiness and dimness of sight, and was so weak as -to be unable to walk without assistance. His case was so alarming that I -expected every moment he would lie down never to rise again. - -“Our prospect now became every moment more gloomy, and it was but too -probable that four of our party would be unable to survive another hour. -Mr. Palmer, however, endeavored, as well as myself, to cheer the people -up, but it was a faint attempt, as we had not a single hope to give them. -Every piece of ice, or even of small rock or stone, was now supposed to -be the ships, and we had great difficulty in preventing the men from -running to the different objects which attracted them, and consequently -losing themselves in the drift. In this state, while Mr. Palmer was -running round us to warm himself, he suddenly pitched on a new beaten -track, and as exercise was indispensable, we determined on following -it, wherever it might lead us. Having taken the Sergeant under my coat, -he recovered a little, and we moved onward, when to our infinite joy we -found that the path led to the ships.” - -It was not until the 2d of July that the ships, free from ice for the -first time in 267 days, put to sea, but not without danger of squeezes -from the moving ice-floes which frequently threatened the destruction of -the ship. Pushing to the northward, they entertained high hopes of making -the looked-for passage to the Polar Sea, but unfortunately a formidable -line of impenetrable ice barred the way and determined Parry to make an -expedition along the frozen surface of the strait in which they found -themselves. - -For four days Parry, accompanied by a party of six, made a laborious and -fatiguing advance over the uneven hummocks of ice that confronted them. -At times open water made the journey still more perilous. Their exertions -were at last repaid when they came in view of a bold cape, where they -found the strait at its narrowest part about two miles across. To the -westward the land receded until it became invisible, and Captain Parry -beheld the great Polar Sea, into which he had long hoped to force his -way. Naming this the Fury and Hecla Strait, he made ready for the return -to the ships. - -Taking advantage of every favourable condition, Captain Parry now made -as rapid progress toward his goal as the ice would permit. Under full -sail they pushed into the rotten ice that formed the barrier to the open -water, but suddenly they became fixed,—not another yard could be gained. -It was now found necessary to extricate the vessels and seek shelter for -another long winter. On the 30th of October, by the usual operation of -sawing, the ships were drawn into the harbour of Igloolik, and made ready -for the winter, which was now rapidly closing. - -Excursions were occasionally made with dogs and sledges bought of the -Eskimos, but the season settled down with unusual severity and the second -long winter’s night proved much more trying than the first. Death and -scurvy made their lamentable appearance, and although Captain Parry -desired to make another effort the following year by transferring to the -_Fury_ all provisions that could be spared, and sending the _Hecla_ home -with the sick, this project was abandoned, and on the 9th of August they -turned their faces homeward. - -They touched at Winter Island and found radishes, mustard, cress, and -onions that they had planted the previous year still alive. The ships -were drifted about in a stormy sea at the mercy of ice-floes and adverse -currents. Not until September 23 did they get free into the Atlantic; -and, the 10th of October, 1823, reached Lerwick, Scotland. - -[Sidenote: _DESTRUCTION OF THE FURY_] - -This expedition having proved the impracticability of a passage through -the western extremity of Melville Island or by way of Fury and Hecla -Strait, it was hoped that a passage might be accomplished through Prince -Regent Inlet. For this purpose, Captain Parry was again fitted out in the -_Hecla_ and in the accidental absence of Captain Lyon, Lieutenant Hoppner -was put in command of the _Fury_. The expedition sailed from Northfleet -on the 19th of May, 1824, and entered Davis Strait about the middle -of June. Lancaster Sound was not reached until September 10, and Port -Bowen was made their winter quarters. After ten months’ imprisonment, -the ships were once more free, but, later overtaken by gales, both ships -sustained serious damage. Drift ice caught them and threatened immediate -destruction. The _Fury_ was thrown on shore and seriously damaged. Later -it was found necessary to abandon her. The _Hecla_, now overcrowded by -the provisions and crew of the _Fury_, could no longer pursue her course -and was forced to return to England. Bitter as was his disappointment, -Parry clung to the idea that a northwest passage would some day be -accomplished, and to this end he wrote:— - -“I feel confident that the undertaking, if it be deemed advisable at -any future time to pursue it, will one day or other be accomplished; -for setting aside the accidents to which, from their very nature, such -attempts must be liable, as well as other unfavorable circumstances -which human foresight can never guard against, or human power control, I -cannot but believe it to be an enterprise of practicability. It may be -tried often and fail, for several favorable and fortunate circumstances -must be combined for its accomplishment: but I believe, nevertheless, -that it will ultimately be accomplished.” - -“I am much mistaken, indeed,” he continues, “if the Northwest Passage -ever becomes the business of a single summer; nay, I believe that nothing -but a concurrence of very favorable circumstances is likely ever to make -a single winter in the ice sufficient for its accomplishment. But there -is no argument against the possibility of final success; for we know that -a winter in the ice may be passed not only in safety, but in health and -comfort.” - -[Sidenote: _PARRY’S FOURTH VOYAGE_] - -“I in April, 1826,” writes Captain Parry, “proposed to the Right -Honorable Viscount Melville, the first lord commissioner of the -Admiralty, to attempt to reach the North Pole by means of travelling -with sledge-boats over the ice, or through any spaces of open water that -might occur. My proposal was soon afterward referred to the president -and council of the Royal Society, who strongly recommended its adoption; -and an expedition being accordingly directed to be equipped for this -purpose, I had the honour of being appointed to the command of it; and my -commission for his majesty’s ship the _Hecla_, which was to carry us to -Spitzbergen, was dated the 11th of November, 1826. - -[Illustration: ENTERING LANCASTER SOUND] - -“Two boats were constructed at Woolwich, under my superintendence, -after an excellent model suggested by Mr. Peake, and nearly resembling -what are called ‘troop-boats,’ having great flatness of floor, with the -extreme breadth carried well forward and aft, and possessing the utmost -buoyancy, as well as capacity for storage. Their length was twenty feet, -and their extreme breadth seven feet. The timbers were made of tough ash -and hickory, one inch by half an inch square, and a foot apart, with a -‘half timber’ of smaller size between each two. On the outside of the -frame thus formed was laid a covering of Mackintosh’s water proof canvas, -the outer part being covered with tar. Over this was placed a plank for -fir, only three-sixteenths of an inch thick; then a sheet of stout felt; -and over all, an oak plank of the same thickness as the fir; the whole -of these being firmly and closely secured to the timbers by iron screws -applied from without.” - -“On each side of the keel,” continues Captain Parry, “and projecting -considerably below it, was attached a strong ‘runner’ shod with smooth -steel, in the manner of a sledge, upon which the boat entirely rested -while upon the ice.” Two wheels were also attached, but soon discarded as -useless, owing to the unevenness of the ice. - -Two officers and twelve men were selected for each boat’s crew. The -_Hecla_, acting as transport for the adventure, sailed March 27, 1827, -and made Hakluyt’s Headland by the 13th of May, where she was shortly -beset by an ice-floe which carried her off to the eastward, causing both -delay and vexation. For the safety of the _Hecla_ it was found necessary -to return to Spitzbergen and secure anchorage in a safe harbour. This -Parry accomplished and, finding a convenient recess, which he named -Hecla’s Cove, made ready for the main object of the expedition. - -Having with him seventy-one days’ provisions, consisting of pemmican, -biscuit, cocoa, and rum, with spirit of wine to be used as fuel, changes -of warm clothing, thick fur dresses for sleeping in, and stout Eskimo -boots, he got away June 22, and proceeded in open water some eighty -miles, when the boats came to a trying condition of mixed surface ice and -water, through which it was found necessary alternately to haul and float -them. Owing to the better condition of the ice, it was deemed best to -reverse the usual course of life. - -“Travelling by night and sleeping by day,” writes Captain Parry “so -completely inverted the natural order of things that it was difficult -to persuade ourselves of the reality. Even the officers and myself, who -were all furnished with pocket chronometers, could not always bear in -mind at which part of the twenty-four hours we had arrived; and there -were several of the men who declared, and I believe truly, that they -never knew night from day during the whole excursion. When we rose in the -evening, we commenced our day by prayers; after which we took off our fur -sleeping dresses and put on clothes for travelling, the former being made -of camlet lined with raccoon skin, and the latter of strong blue cloth. -We made a point always of putting on the same stockings and boots for -travelling in, whether they had been dried during the day or not, and I -believe it was only in five or six instances at the most that they were -not either still wet or hard frozen. This indeed was of no consequence, -beyond the discomfort of first putting them on in this state, as they -were sure to be thoroughly wet in a quarter of an hour after commencing -our journey; while, on the other hand, it was of vital importance to keep -dry things for sleeping in. Being ‘rigged’ for travelling, we breakfasted -upon warm cocoa and biscuit, and after stowing the things in boats, and -on the sledges, so as to secure them as much as possible from the wet, we -set off on our day’s journey and usually travelled four, five, or seven -hours, according to circumstances.” - -They made very slow progress in spite of their strenuous exertions, owing -to the floes being small, exceedingly rough, and intersected by lanes of -water which could not be crossed without unloading the boats. Rain added -to their discomfort, causing the ice to form into numberless irregular -needle-like crystals, which proved very trying to the feet. Elevated -hummocks presented themselves, over which it was almost impossible to -draw the boats. - -Even by the utmost efforts they could not make an advance of more than -a mile and a half or two miles in five or six hours. Realizing the -unfavourable conditions for reaching the pole, owing to the advanced -season of the year, Parry soon relinquished that hope and bent his -energies to reaching at best the 83° parallel, if possible. But now to -his utter discouragement it was found that the drifting of the snow -fields was gradually carrying them backward, and that, in spite of every -attempt to advance, they were daily losing ground. - -On July 23, they reached their farthest north, 82° 45´. “At the extreme -point of our journey,” says Parry, “our distance from the _Hecla_ -was only one hundred and seventy-two miles in a S. W. direction. To -accomplish this distance, we had traversed, by our reckoning, two hundred -and ninety-two miles, of which about one hundred were performed by water -previously to our entering the ice. As we travelled by far the greater -part of our distance on the ice three, and not unfrequently five, times -over, we may safely multiply the length of the road by two and a half; so -that our whole distance, on a very moderate calculation, amounted to five -hundred and eighty geographical, or six hundred and sixty-eight statute -miles, being nearly sufficient to have reached the pole in a direct line. -Up to this period, we had been particularly fortunate in the preservation -of our health.” - -Owing to the increased softness of the ice, the return trip was even -more difficult than the advance, the men sinking to their thighs in the -ice slush. By the 11th of August the joyful sound of the surf breaking -against the margin of the ice was heard, and later the boats were -launched into open water, and in another ten days they rejoined the -_Hecla_, and soon afterward sailed for England. - -Parry’s remarkable voyages, besides reaping a rich harvest of scientific -data, had proved the navigability of Lancaster Sound, the non-existence -of the Crocker Mountains, and that Prince Regent Inlet opened into Barrow -Strait, which in turn widened into Melville Sound, and thence opened -into the polar ocean. He had added to the map the important archipelago -or Parry Islands, many of which he named and explored; had outlined the -sounds, bays, and inlets through which he had sailed; discovered Hecla -and Fury Strait; and demonstrated the impracticability of making the -northwest passage by way of Frozen Strait. - - - - -CHAPTER V - - Nineteenth century, continued: Scoresby and Clavering.—Former - visited Jan Mayen Island in 1817, later visited east coast - of Greenland, discovered Scoresby Sound.—In 1824, Captain - Lyon surveyed Melville Peninsula.—Adjoining straits and - shores of Arctic America.—In 1825, Captain Beechey in the - _Blossom_ sailed through Behring Strait and passed beyond - Icy Cape.—Surveyed the coast as far as Point Barrow, adding - 126 miles of new shore.—Second voyage of Captain John - Ross.—Undertaken in 1829.—Discovers Boothia.—Wintered in - Felix Harbor.—Discovery of North Magnetic Pole by nephew - of Captain John Ross.—Commander James Clark Ross.—Valuable - observations.—Sledge journeys to mainland.—Four years spent - in the Arctic.—Perilous retreat.—Safe return.—Land journey by - Captain Back.—The Great Fish-Back River.—Point Ogle.—Point - Richardson.—Back’s farthest point was 68° 13´ 57´´ north - latitude, 94° 58´ 1´´ west longitude. Land journeys of - Simpson and Dease, 1836.—Descend the Mackenzie River to - the sea.—Surveyed west shore between Return Reef and Cape - Barrow.—In 1839, they explored shores of Victoria Land as - far as Cape Parry.—Crossed Coronation Gulf.—Descended the - Coppermine.—Reached the Polar Sea.—Overland journey in 1846 - by Dr. John Rae confirmed Captain John Ross’s statement that - Boothia was a peninsula. - - -The names of Scoresby and Clavering hold their own special interest -in the long list of heroes of the north. A practical whaleman, of an -intelligent and scientific frame of mind, Scoresby, as early as 1806, had -penetrated to within five hundred geographical miles of the Pole. In 1817 -he had made an excursion to Jan Mayen Island, and later ascended Mitre -Cape, whose summit is estimated at three thousand feet above the level -of the sea. But not until 1822 did his discoveries reach the greatest -importance. In this year, while searching for better fishing grounds, -he fell in with the eastern coast of Greenland, a shore almost entirely -unknown, except where the Dutch colonies of Old Greenland were supposed -to have been situated. Skirting this bleak and barren coast, Scoresby -named inlets, bays, and capes as he discovered them, passing Jameson Land -and finally reaching Scoresby Sound. - -The coast of Jameson Land seemed especially fertile, and evidences of -rude habitations were seen, but no human beings discovered. Proceeding -northward, still following the coast-line, he was soon beset with ice, -and though he named other points of land and inlets, he was obliged to -return, not having run across the whales which it was his business to -secure. - -Good fortune, however, favoured him, for on the 15th of August numerous -whales appeared round the ship; three were secured, and the ship -now “full-fished” could make a happy return to England after a most -successful year. - -The following season, Captain Clavering, commander of H. M. S. _Griper_, -conveyed a Captain Sabine to Hammerfest in Norway, where Sabine desired -to make certain scientific observations on the comparative length of -the pendulum as affected by the principle of attraction. Other northern -points were to be touched for similar purposes, and Spitzbergen and the -east coast of Greenland were designated, the latter point being reached -early in August. “He landed his passenger and the scientific apparatus -on two islands detached from the eastern shore of the continent, which -he called the Pendulum Islands, and of which the outermost point is -marked by a bold headland rising to the height of three thousand feet.” -(“Arctic Adventures,” Sargent.) While waiting for Captain Sabine, -Clavering reconnoitred the coast, and was more fortunate than Scoresby in -running across some of the natives, who closely resembled those described -by Parry. By the beginning of September, Sabine having completed his -observations, the _Griper_ made her way, not without difficulty and -delays, by way of Drontheim, back to England. - -[Sidenote: _MELVILLE PENINSULA_] - -In 1824, Captain Lyon, commanding the _Griper_, was given the task of -the survey of Melville Peninsula, adjoining straits, and the shore of -Arctic America. Overladen and unseaworthy, the _Griper_ was totally unfit -for such an expedition, and upon reaching Roe Welcome, she was struck -by a gale which threatened the destruction of both the ship and crew. -After being battered around at the mercy of the storm for three days and -nights, in which commander and crew had taken no rest or sleep, she was -finally brought to anchor in a shallow bay, later designated as God’s -Mercy. Here she was still in imminent danger of being grounded, and -there seemed little hope of her surviving the high seas then running. -The crew were ordered to prepare for the worst, and to this end each man -was commanded to put on his warmer clothing. Of this scene, Captain Lyon -writes:— - -“Each, therefore, brought his bag on deck and dressed himself, and in -the fine athletic forms which stood exposed before me, I did not see one -muscle quiver, nor the slightest sign of alarm. Prayers were read, and -they then all sat down in groups, sheltered from the wash of the sea by -whatever they could find, and some endeavored to obtain a little sleep. -Never, perhaps, was witnessed a finer scene than on the deck of my little -ship, when all hope of life had left us. Noble as the character of the -British sailor is always allowed to be in cases of danger, yet I did not -believe it to be possible that among forty-one persons, not one repining -word should have been uttered. Each was at peace with his neighbor and -all the world; and I am firmly persuaded that the resignation which was -then shown to the will of the Almighty, was the means of obtaining His -mercy. God was merciful to us, and the tide, almost miraculously, fell no -lower.” - -As soon as the weather conditions permitted, they attempted to proceed up -Melville Channel, but another storm overtook them, and, after consulting -with his officers, it was decided to turn the crippled ship for home. - -Another expedition that set out about this time (1825) was commanded by -Captain Beechey. The _Blossom_ was directed to round Cape Horn and enter -the Arctic by way of Behring Strait. In describing this great gateway to -the north, Captain Beechey writes:— - -“We approached the strait which separates the two great continents of -Asia and America, on one of those beautiful still nights well known to -all who have visited the Arctic regions, when the sky is without a cloud, -and when the midnight sun, scarcely his own diameter below the horizon, -tinges with a bright hue all the northern circle. - -“Our ship, propelled by an increasing breeze, glided rapidly along a -smooth sea, starting from her path flocks of aquatic birds, whose flight, -in the deep silence of the scene, could be traced by the ear to a great -distance.” - -To the north of Cape Prince of Wales, they were visited by Eskimos with -whom they bartered and had friendly intercourse. By the 22d of July, -the ship reached Kotzebue Sound, and after exploring a deep inlet on -its northern shore, which they named Hotham Inlet, they continued their -course to Chamisso Island, where they hoped to fall in with Sir John -Franklin’s expedition, then in the field. Skirting the coast by Cape -Thomson, Point Hope, Cape Lisburn, Cape Beaufort, and Icy Cape, they -began to see evidences of the approach of winter, and rather than risk -being frozen in, they returned to Kotzebue Sound. From here Captain -Beechey despatched the barge in charge of his lieutenants to survey the -coast. This they successfully accomplished as far as Point Barrow, a -distance of one hundred and twenty-six miles of new shore. - -The last of August, 1827, found the _Blossom_ again at Chamisso Island, -where intercourse was renewed with the Eskimos. By October, no news -having been received of Franklin, Captain Beechey reluctantly shaped his -homeward course. Not until the following year, October 12, 1828, did he -arrive in England, after an absence of three years and a half. - -[Sidenote: _ROSS’ SECOND VOYAGE_] - -We now return to Captain John Ross, whose professional reputation had -suffered for ten years, under the cloud of his early failure. Ever -anxious to retrieve his unfortunate mistakes, he had in vain implored -the British Admiralty to send him once more to the Arctic. Undaunted by -their refusal and indifference, he persevered in his determination, and -at last found a liberal supporter in Felix Booth, a rich distiller, who -contributed seventeen thousand pounds toward the proposed expedition, -Captain Ross adding his own entire fortune, which was about three -thousand pounds more. - -A small Liverpool steamer called the _Victory_, one hundred and fifty -tons, was purchased and provisioned for three years. Accompanying -Captain Ross, as second in command, was his nephew, James Ross, who -had sailed with him on the first voyage to the Arctic, and had also -accompanied Parry on all his voyages. Setting sail in May, 1829, with -the avowed object of making, if possible, the Northwest Passage by some -opening leading out of Regent Inlet, they neared the Danish settlement -of Holsteinborg, in Greenland, toward the last of July, where they -received a most hospitable welcome from the governor. Their stores were -replenished and certain other additions made, including six Eskimo -dogs, a present from the governor. Sailing northward, they sighted the -imposing mountains of Disco Island, partially covered with snow, and -later, Hare Island, which they found clear, approaching latitude 74°, -where the _Hecla_ and _Fury_ had been ice-bound in 1824. No ice whatever -was encountered. Not without emotion, Captain Ross entered Lancaster -Sound, the scene of his early blunder. Now he found scarcely any trace -of ice, and he sailed through the middle of it, passing, on the 10th -of August, Cape York, after which the land turns southward and, with -the opposite coast of North Somerset (Boothia), forms the broad opening -of Prince Regent Inlet. Some days later they passed the scene of the -_Fury’s_ wreck. They examined the spot, and found that though the hull -had entirely disappeared, the tents and poles were still standing. The -canisters of preserved provisions were in perfect condition, also the -wine, sugar, bread, flour, and, cocoa, and, after replenishing their own -stores, they left a large quantity behind. - -By the middle of August they had crossed the mouth of Cresswell Bay and -reached Cape Parry, the farthest point seen by Parry on his previous -voyage, but here they found difficulty in navigating, owing to the -compass being useless by proximity to the Magnetic Pole. Ice conditions -also became alarming and obliged them to make fast to the drifting -floes, which sometimes carried them forward, but more often backward, -so that considerable time and distance was lost in this manner. In the -few weeks remaining, before the winter cold held them ice-bound, Captain -Ross explored some three hundred miles of coast land, going as far as -Brentwell Bay, thirty miles beyond Cape Parry. Here Captain Ross went -ashore and formally took possession in the king’s name, calling this land -Boothia. - -Wintering in Felix Harbor, the party had several occasions for -intercourse with the Eskimos, from whom they gathered remarkable -information regarding the geography of the country. This led Captain Ross -to send out several expeditions, hoping to establish the possibility of -a passage through to the west, when the summer should again free their -ships, but after careful inspection it was concluded that their only hope -was to the north. Though the observations were made from several distant -points, and much valuable information collected, the months rolled by in -hopeless succession, with no apparent prospect of leaving this desolate -spot. - -[Sidenote: _JAMES CLARK ROSS_] - -Not until the 17th of September were the ships free, and even then they -advanced only three miles to find themselves blocked once more, and a -few days later hopelessly frozen in for another dreary winter. Not until -April, 1830, were any excursions attempted, and in one of these Commander -James Clark Ross had the good fortune to discover the North Magnetic Pole -in latitude 70° 5´ 17´´, longitude 96° 46´ 45´´ W. - -“The place of the observatory,” he writes, “was as near to the Magnetic -Pole as the limited means which I possessed enabled me to determine. The -amount of the dip, as indicated by my dipping-needle, was 89° 59´, being -thus within one minute of the vertical; while the proximity at least -of this pole, if not its actual existence where we stood, was further -confirmed by the action, or rather by the total inaction, of the several -horizontal needles then in my possession.” - -“As soon,” continues Commander Ross, “as I had satisfied my own mind on -the subject, I made known to the party this gratifying result of all -our joint labors; and it was then that, amidst mutual congratulations, -we fixed the British flag on the spot, and took possession of the North -Magnetic Pole and its adjoining territory in the name of Great Britain -and King William IV. We had abundance of materials for building in the -fragments of limestone that covered the beach, and we therefore erected -a cairn of some magnitude, under which we buried a canister containing -a record of the interesting fact, only regretting that we had not the -means of constructing a pyramid of more importance, and of strength -sufficient to withstand the assaults of time and the Eskimos. Had it -been a pyramid as large as that of Cheops, I am not quite sure that it -would have done more than satisfy our ambition under the feelings of that -exciting day.” - -The succeeding summer was hardly more encouraging than the previous -one. Not until the last week in August were they successful in reaching -open water by the laborious effort of warping and towing, and, after -encountering gales and ice-floes, they were again fast in the ice by the -27th of September, after a discouraging navigation of only four miles. - -The thought of a third winter in the dreary Arctic had a most -disheartening effect upon the crew. Their only hope of ultimately -extricating themselves from their forlorn situation was in abandoning -the _Victory_, taking to their boats, and making their laborious way to -the wreck of the _Fury_, where, supplying themselves with a fresh stock -of provisions, they could push on to Davis Strait, in the hope of being -picked up by a passing whale-ship. The general health of the men was -showing a decline; scurvy showed itself as early as November of this -trying year. - -By April 23, 1832, the first part of the expedition started on the -wearisome journey of some three hundred miles to Fury Beach. Owing to the -weight of the loads, combined with snow-drifts and ice barriers, it was -necessary to go back and forward and cover the same ground several times; -thus after a month they had travelled three hundred and twenty-nine miles -in this trying and circuitous manner to gain thirty in a direct line. - -[Sidenote: _THE RETREAT_] - -On the 29th of May, final leave was taken of the _Victory_, her colours -nailed to the mast, a parting glass drunk in her honour, and the brave -old ship left to her Arctic loneliness. Not until the first of July -did the whole crew reach Fury Beach, after incredible obstacles had -been encountered and overcome, the slow and laborious advance made more -arduous by the heavy loads they carried. - -Immediately, however, they set to work and reared a canvas shelter, which -they called Somerset House. The following month was spent in fitting out -their boats. An open sea now gave them hope of reaching, through Barrow -Strait, to Baffin Bay. Icebergs and gales proved most disastrous to their -hopes and, after making a heroic attempt, they found it necessary to -return to Fury Beach and spend their fourth winter in the Arctic. - -The winter proved exceedingly severe, and their canvas shelter quite -inadequate to keeping out the cold. However, matters were improved by a -thick snow wall. Sickness, in the dreaded form of scurvy, caused much -uneasiness, and in February, 1833, one of their number succumbed to the -disease. Their situation had now become alarming, for if they were not -liberated the following summer, there was little chance of any of their -number surviving another year. - -As early in the season as it was possible to travel, they set forth on -their life-and-death struggle for safety. Reduced in strength, many -of the men being sick, the laborious process of advancing their loads -was even slower than the preceding year. However, by the 12th of July, -they all reached their boat station in Batty Bay. Not until August 14 -was a lane of water leading northward discovered, and, embarking at an -early hour the following morning, they pursued their course with rising -spirits. On the evening of the 16th, they were at the northeastern point -of America with the open sea ahead of them. Icebergs were numerous, but -their courage was gaining every moment, and they took small note of such -obstacles. Passing through Barrow Strait, they made that day seventy-two -miles. Delayed by contrary winds, they did not reach Navy Board Inlet -until the 25th, where they harboured for the night. - -Early the following morning, they were aroused from sleep by the lookout -man calling “a sail,” but though they made every effort to reach this -ship, it passed them by unobserved. At ten o’clock they sighted another -vessel which was becalmed. By hard rowing they reached her and found -her to be the _Isabella_ of Hull, a ship in which Ross had made his -first voyage to those seas. The captain and mate could hardly believe -their eyes when Ross announced that he and his party were the survivors -of the _Victory_, which had been given up for lost more than two years -previously. Ross describes the scene on board that followed:— - -“The ludicrous soon took the place of all other feelings; in such a -crowd, and such confusion, all serious thought was impossible, while the -new buoyancy of our spirits made us abundantly willing to be amused by -the scene which now opened. Every man was hungry, and was to be fed; all -were ragged, and were to be clothed; there was not one to whom washing -was not indispensable; nor one whom his beard did not deprive of all -human semblance. All, everything, too, was to be done at once; it was -washing, shaving, dressing, eating, all intermingled; it was all the -materials of each jumbled together, while in the midst of all there -were interminable questions to be asked and answered on both sides; the -adventures of the _Victory_, our own escapes, the politics of England, -and the news which was now four years old. - -“Night at length brought quiet and serious thoughts, and I trust there -was not a man among us who did not then express, where it was due, his -gratitude for that interposition which had raised us all from a despair -which none could now forget, and had brought us from the very borders -of a most distant grave, to life and friends and civilization. Long -accustomed, however, to a cold bed on the hard snow or the bare rocks, -few could sleep amid the comfort of our new accommodations. I was myself -compelled to leave the bed which had been kindly assigned me, and take -my abode in a chair for the night, nor did it fare much better with the -rest. It was for time to reconcile us to this sudden and violent change, -to break through what had become habit, and inure us once more to the -usages of our former days.” - -After five years in the Arctic, Captain Ross and his crew were homeward -bound, carrying with them a record unprecedented in Arctic history. -Boothia Felix had been discovered; the connecting isthmus had been -crossed to the mainland of America and explorations made in the -direction of Franklin Passage, Victoria Strait, and King William Sound; -the Magnetic Pole had been located; and a series of most valuable -observations kept during the entire period. - -Previous to his arrival in England, the prolonged absence of Captain Ross -had caused great anxiety to his countrymen, and, although his expedition -had been a private affair in no way connected with the Admiralty, the -government nevertheless felt it to be a national concern that his fate -and that of the crew should be ascertained if possible. - -[Sidenote: _LAND JOURNEY OF CAPTAIN BACK_] - -Subscriptions were raised to promote a relief expedition, liberally -added to from the public treasury, and an expedition fitted out in -charge of Captain Back, who had volunteered his services, accompanied -by the surgeon and naturalist, Dr. Richard King. With three men, they -left Liverpool, February 17, 1833, on a packet-ship bound for New York, -where they landed after a rough voyage of thirty-five days. From New York -they went to Montreal, where they secured four more volunteers from the -Royal Artillery Corps and some other assistants, and embarked on the St. -Lawrence in two canoes. Making a brief stop at Sault Ste. Marie, for the -purpose of purchasing a third canoe, they directed their course to the -northern shores of Lake Superior. - -On May 20, they arrived at Fort William. By the first week in June, the -canoes reached Fort Alexander at the southern extremity of Lake Winnipeg. -Coasting this lake, Captain Back made for Norway House, where he secured -his full complement of men, eighteen in all, and they started in high -spirits for Fort Resolution, the eastern shore of the Great Slave Lake. -The chief annoyance experienced on this long canoe trip was the torment -from myriads of sand-flies and mosquitoes, of which Captain Back writes:— - -“How can I possibly give an idea of the torment we endured from the -sand-flies? As we dived into the confined and suffocating chasms, they -rose in clouds, actually darkening the air; to see or to speak was -equally difficult, for they rushed at every undefended part, and fixed -their poisonous fangs in an instant. Our faces streamed with blood, as if -leeches had been applied, and there was a burning and irritating pain, -followed by immediate inflammation, and producing giddiness, which almost -drove us mad, and caused us to moan with pain and agony.” - -After securing all possible information from the Indians and others, -relative to the course of the northern rivers of which he was in search, -Captain Back divided his party. Leaving several under the escort of Mr. -McLeod, an employee of the Hudson Bay Company, he proceeded with four men -in search of the Great Fish River, later named after Back himself. - -On August 19, Captain Back began the ascent of the Hoar Frost River, and -made his laborious way through woods, swamps, cascades, and rapids. From -the summit of a high hill, Back discovered a beautiful lake, studded -with islands, to which he gave the name of Aylmer Lake, after the -governor-general of Canada at that time. Some of his men were despatched -to investigate this lake, and in their absence Back accidentally -discovered the source of the river which they had ascended, in Sand Hill -Lake. - -“For this occasion,” he writes, “I had reserved a little grog, and need -hardly say with what cheerfulness it was shared among the crew, whose -welcome tidings had verified the notion of Dr. Richardson and myself, and -thus placed beyond doubt the existence of the Thleu-ee-choh, or Great -Fish River.” - -Moving on, they found it was impossible to navigate Musk-Ox Lake in their -frail canoes, owing to the force of the rapids. Reaching Clinton Golden -Lake, they met with some friendly Indians. At Cat or Artillery Lake the -canoes were abandoned, and the rest of their return journey was made on -foot over gorges, ravines, and precipitous rocks, where a false step -would have proved fatal. - -Upon reaching Fort Reliance, they found Mr. McLeod had erected the -framework of their winter quarters. All hands immediately turned to, -and by the 5th of November they exchanged their cold tents for the more -hospitable abode. The winter now set in with unusual severity. The -unfortunate Indians of this locality came daily to the camp and implored -food for themselves and their starving families. “Famine with her gaunt -and bony arm,” writes Back, “pursued them at every turn, withered their -energies, and strewed them lifeless on the cold bosom of the snow. - -“It was impossible to afford relief to all, and the poor creatures -would stand round while the men were taking their meals, watching every -mouthful with the most pitiful, imploring look, but never uttering a -word of complaint. Seated round the fire, they would take bits of their -reindeer garments, roasting these and eagerly devouring them. A few -handfuls of mouldy pemmican intended for the dogs, was received with -gratitude. - -“Often,” adds Back, “did I share my own plate with the children whose -helpless state and piteous cries were peculiarly distressing; compassion -for the full-grown may, or may not, be felt, but that heart must be -cased in steel which is insensible to the cry of a child for food.” - -On January 17 the thermometer stood at 70° below zero. Of this extreme -cold Captain Back writes:— - -“Such indeed was the abstraction of heat, that with eight large logs -of dry wood on the fire, I could not get the thermometer higher than -12° below zero. Ink and paint froze, the sextant cases and boxes of -seasoned wood, principally fir, all split. The skin of the hands became -dry, cracked, and opened into unsightly, smarting gashes, which we were -obliged to anoint with grease. On one occasion after washing my face -within three feet of the fire, my hair was actually clotted with ice -before I had time to dry it.” - -Had it not been for the timely assistance of Akaitcho, a friendly Indian -chief who had arrived with a supply of men and who brought them game, -their sufferings might have had a disastrous ending, but this old brave -expressed his sentiments in the noble words:— - -“The great chief trusts us, and it is better that ten Indians perish than -one white man should perish through our negligence and breach of faith.” - -With the approach of spring, Captain Back began preparations for his -intended journey to the sea-coast, but on April 25 a messenger arrived -with the welcome news that Captain Ross and the survivors of the -_Victory_ were alive and had arrived safely in England. Extracts from the -_Times_ and _Herald_ were shown Captain Back to confirm the news. - -“In the fulness of our hearts, we assembled and humbly offered up our -thanks to that merciful Providence, which, in the beautiful language -of the Scripture, hath said, ‘Mine own will I bring again, as I did -some time from the deeps of the sea.’ The thoughts of so wonderful a -preservation overpowered for a time the common occurrences of life. We -had just sat down to breakfast: but our appetite was gone, and the day -was passed in a feverish state of excitement. Seldom, indeed, did my -friend Mr. King or I indulge in a libation, but on this joyful occasion, -economy was forgotten, a treat was given to the men, and for ourselves -the social sympathies were quenched by a generous bowl of punch.” - -The four months spent in the remarkable journey of Captain Back and his -men to the Polar Sea are one continual recital of hairbreadth escapes -in the falls, rapids, and cataracts of the Thleu-ee-choh, and of the -incredible suffering and hardship bravely endured by all hands. In -describing one of their narrow escapes, where the boat was obliged to be -lightened to shoot the rapids, Captain Back writes:— - -“I stood on a high rock, with an anxious heart, to see her run it. Away -they went with the speed of an arrow, and in a moment, the foam and -rocks hid them from view. I heard what sounded in my ear like a wild -shriek; I followed with an agitation which may be conceived, and to my -inexpressible joy, found that the shriek was the triumphant whoop of the -crew, who had landed safely in a small bay below.” - -[Sidenote: _VICTORIA LAND_] - -On the 29th, while threading their course down the great river, they saw -headlands to the north which gave them the assurance that the coast was -not far distant. To this majestic promontory, Back gave the name Victoria. - -“This then,” he writes, “may be considered as the mouth of the -Thleu-ee-choh, which after a violent and tortuous course of five hundred -and thirty geographical miles, running through an iron ribbed country, -without a single tree on the whole line of its banks, expanding into five -large lakes, with clear horizon most embarrassing to the navigator, and -broken into falls, cascades, and rapids, to the number of eighty-three in -the whole, pours its water into the Polar Sea, in latitude 67° 11´ N., -and longitude 94° 30´ W., that is to say, about thirty-seven miles more -south than the mouth of the Coppermine River, and nineteen miles more -south than that of Back’s River, at the lower extremity of Bathhurst’s -Inlet.” - -The following days were a succession of incredible hardships, the result -of the damp weather, the barrenness of the coast, and the soft snow and -slush into which the men plunged knee-deep at every step. No fire could -be lighted, and in consequence they had no means of securing warmth or -cooked food; the men became low-spirited and discouraged. The country was -flat and desolate, an “irregular plain of sand and stones; and had it not -been for a rill of water, the meandering of which relieved the monotony -of the sterile scene, one might have fancied one’s self in one of the -parched plains of the East, rather than on the shore of the Arctic Sea.” - -Making a heroic advance, Back discovered and named Point Ogle and Point -Richardson, caught a sight of Boothia Felix, and then having reached -latitude 68° 13´ 57´´ N., longitude 94° 58´ 1´´ W., he unfurled the -British flag and took formal possession in the name of His Majesty, -William IV, amid the enthusiastic cheers of his comrades. They left -the cold Arctic shores the middle of August, and not until the 17th -of September did they meet Mr. McLeod at Sandy Hill Bay, according to -appointment, and with him reached Fort Reliance on the 27th. - -A second winter was passed in the wilderness of the inhospitable north, -devoted by Back and Dr. King to writing their journals, mapping their -discoveries, and arranging their scientific data, the crew occupying -themselves in hunting and fishing expeditions. - -The last of March, Captain Back, having left instructions for Dr. King to -proceed as soon as the weather would permit to the company’s factory at -Hudson Bay, there to embark for England in their spring ships, proceeded -through Canada, and by way of New York to England, where he arrived at -Liverpool the 8th of September. Dr. King reached England a month later. - -For this remarkable discovery and voyage down the Great Fish River, -Captain Back received from the Royal Geographical Society their Royal -premium (a gold medal). In 1835 he was knighted, having already had the -congratulations and approbation of His Majesty, the King. - -The following year Captain Back made another Arctic voyage, in command -of the ship _Terror_, up Hudson Strait. Unfortunately the ship got fast -in the ice off Cape Comfort, and there remained at the mercy of the -destructive ice-pack through a dreary winter until the following July. -She had become so disabled that she was barely equal to crossing the -Atlantic, but the return voyage was fortunately accomplished in safety. - -[Sidenote: _SIMPSON AND DEASE_] - -In 1836 the Hudson Bay Company, desiring to complete the survey of their -northern territories, especially the coastline of Arctic America, sent -out two of their employees, Dease and Simpson, with a party of twelve men. - -Descending the Mackenzie River to the sea, they surveyed the westward -shore-line between Return Reef and Cape Barrow. Two large rivers were -discovered, the Garry and Coleville. Though the season was midsummer, the -ground was frozen, and northeasterly winds made progress very trying. - -By the 1st of August, further navigation proved impracticable and, -dividing the party, Simpson, with some of the men, continued the journey -on foot, and Dease remained with the rest of the crew in charge of the -boats. Simpson fell in with Eskimos, of whom he hired an oomiak, a large -canoe, to aid him as occasion demanded. A few days later he writes:— - -“I saw with indescribable emotions Point Barrow stretching out to the -northward and enclosing Elson Bay, near the bottom of which we were now,” -Lieutenant Elson having been in charge of the _Blossom’s_ barge which -reached this “farthest” in 1826. Upon the return of Simpson the party -took up winter quarters at Great Bear Lake. - -The following June they descended the Coppermine, where, in shooting the -rapids, they “had to pull for their lives, to keep out of the suction -of the precipices, along whose base the breakers raged and foamed, with -overwhelming fury. Shortly before noon, we came in sight of Escape Rapid, -of Franklin; and a glance at the overhanging cliffs told us that there -was no alternative but to run down with full cargo.” “In an instant,” -continues Simpson, “we were in the vortex; and, before we were aware, my -boat was borne toward an isolated rock, which the boiling surge almost -concealed. To clear it on the outside was no longer possible; our only -chance of safety was to run between it and the lofty eastern cliff. -The word was passed and every breath was hushed. A stream which dashed -down upon us over the brow of the precipice, more than one hundred feet -in height, mingled with the spray that whirled upwards from the rapid, -forming a terrific shower-bath. The pass was about eight feet wide, -and the error of a single foot on either side would have been instant -destruction. As, guided by Sinclair’s consummate skill, the boat shot -safely through those jaws of death, an involuntary cheer arose. - -“Our next impulse was to turn round to view the fate of our comrades -behind. They had profited by the peril we incurred, and kept without the -treacherous rock in time.” - -Hardly had they reached the coast before they were stopped by the ice, -and hopelessly delayed many days. The season was rapidly advancing, and -yet no real work had been accomplished. On the 20th of August, Simpson -and seven men started on a ten days’ walk to the eastward of Boathaven. -Progress was both difficult and discouraging. On the 23d they reached -an elevated cape, beyond which further progress was impossible. Of this -scene Simpson writes:— - -“I ascended the height, from whence a vast and splendid project burst -suddenly upon me. The sea, as if transformed by enchantment, rolled its -free waves at my feet, and beyond the reach of vision to the eastward. -Islands of various shapes and sizes overspread its surface, and the -northern land terminated to the eye in a bold and lofty cape, bearing -_east-northeast_, thirty or forty miles distant, while the continental -coast trended away southeast. I stood, in fact, on a remarkable headland, -at the eastern outlet of an ice-obstructed strait. On the extensive land -to the northward, I bestowed the name of our most gracious sovereign, -Queen Victoria. Its eastern visible extremity I called Cape Pelly, in -complement of the governor of the Hudson Bay Company.” - -In 1839, Simpson and Dease made a more successful journey. The ice -conditions being better, they sailed through the strait that separates -Victoria Land from the mainland. They pushed on to Simpson Strait, which -divides Boothia from the mainland, and later doubled Point Ogle. Upon -reaching Montreal Island in Back’s Estuary, they found certain provisions -left there by Captain Back five years before. On the 25th of August, -1839, they erected a cairn at their farthest point near Cape Herschel. - -Exploring 150 miles of the shores of Victoria Land as far as Cape Parry -and the Bays of Wellington, Cambridge, and Byron, they crossed Coronation -Gulf and finally reentered the Coppermine River, after a voyage of more -than 1600 miles in the Polar Sea. For his remarkable achievements, -Simpson was awarded the Founder’s Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical -Society of London. - -[Sidenote: _RAE’S OVERLAND JOURNEY_] - -In 1846, the Hudson Bay Company fitted out another expedition to be sent -into the field for the purpose of surveying the northeast corner of the -American mainland; the mouth of the Castor and Pollux to the Gulf of -Akkolee, so as to link the discoveries of Dease and Simpson and those of -the second voyages of Ross and Parry. - -An employee of the company, Dr. John Rae, was chosen for this purpose -and put in command of twelve men. Dr. Rae is described as a man of -unusual attainments, a surgeon, astronomer, an able steersman; combining -with his abilities for leadership the accomplishments of a first-rate -snow-shoe walker and dead shot. - -After a canoe trip of two months’ duration, the party arrived at York -Factory early in October. Here they passed the winter, and, as soon as -the weather would permit, set sail in two boats, and skirted the shores -of Hudson Bay. - -At Fort Churchill they found natives engaged in capturing white whales, -which make their way to these waters. They secured the services of -two Eskimos, father and son, Oolig-buck by name, who accompanied the -expedition as interpreters. - -In passing Chesterfield Inlet, they heard the grunting and bellowing of -walruses, “making a noise,” says Rae, “which I fancy would much resemble -a concert of old boars and buffaloes.” At Republic Bay they bought -sealskin boots from the Eskimos, and of the incident Rae says, “One of -our female visitors took them out of my hands, and began chewing them -with her strong teeth, for the purpose of softening up the leather.” - -Proceeding on their toilsome journey, they traced the coast from Lord -Mayor Bay to within ten miles of Fury and Hecla Straits, confirming -Captain Ross in his statement that Boothia was a peninsula; and not -returning to York Factory until September, 1847. - -Their long winter was spent at Repulse Bay, where they built a stone -house and procured provisions by hunting and fishing. Dr. Rae, being -an excellent shot, secured in one day as many as seven deer within two -miles of their shelter. In the month of September, sixty-three deer, five -hares, one seal, one hundred and seventy-two partridge, and one hundred -and sixteen salmon and trout were secured. By the middle of October the -deer became scarce, but two hundred partridges were secured, also a few -salmon, so that by the time all game had migrated, they had a fairly -well-stocked larder. However, the question of fuel was a vexing one, as -there was no wood to speak of, but the capture of two seals supplied them -with oil for their lamps. - -Toward February it was found necessary to limit the men to one meal a day. - -As the spring advanced, they made a series of journeys. Of these Dr. Rae -describes making camp after a fatiguing day’s travel:— - -“Our usual mode of preparing lodgings for the night was as follows: As -soon as we had selected a spot for our snow-house, our Eskimos, assisted -by one or more of the men, commenced cutting out blocks of snow. When a -sufficient number of these had been raised, the builder commenced his -work, his assistants supplying him with material. A good roomy dwelling -was thus raised in an hour, if the snow was in a good state for building. -Whilst our principal mason was thus occupied, another of the party -was busy erecting a kitchen, which, although our cooking was none of -the most delicate or extensive, was still a necessary addition to our -establishment, had it been only to thaw snow. As soon as the snow-hut -was completed, our sledges were unloaded, and every eatable (including -parchment-skin and moose-skin shoes, which had become now favorite -articles with the dogs) taken inside. Our bed was next made, and, by -the time the snow was thawed or the water boiled, as the case might be, -we were all ready for supper. When we used alcohol for fuel (which we -usually did in stormy weather) no kitchen was required.” - -After days of exposure and hardship, Dr. Rae writes:— - -“We were again on the march, and arrived at our home at half past eight -P.M., all well, but so black and scarred on the face, from the combined -effects of oil, smoke, and frost-bites, that our friends would not -believe but that some serious accident from the explosion of gunpowder -had happened to us. Thus successfully terminated a journey little short -of six hundred English miles, the longest, I believe, ever made on foot -along the Arctic coast.” - -Of another trip made in May, Dr. Rae writes:— - -“Our journey hitherto had been the most fatiguing I had ever experienced; -the severe exercise, with a limited allowance of food, had reduced the -whole party very much. However, we marched merrily on, tightening our -belts,—mine came in six inches,—the men vowing that when they got on full -allowance they would make up for lost time.” - -By the last of August, 1847, the party returned to civilization, where -Dr. Rae was awarded four hundred pounds by the Hudson Bay Company for his -important services. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - - Sir John Franklin.—Early life.—First land expedition of - 1819-1821.—Journey from York Factory to Cumberland House.—Reach - Fort Providence.—Winter at Fort Enterprise.—Explorations.—5550 - miles.—Hardship.—Starvation.—Return.—Second land - journey.—1825.—Winter quarters at Great Bear Lake.—Descent - of the Mackenzie River to the Polar Sea.—1200 miles of coast - added to map.—The last journey of Sir John Franklin, 1845.—The - _Erebus_ and _Terror_.—Last seen in Melville Bay. - - -No name holds more romantic association with Arctic history than that of -Sir John Franklin. What a career, what love of adventure, what hardships -endured with heroic fortitude, what leadership that could inspire others -to passionate loyalty, and superhuman endurance under unspeakable trials, -and what a _fate_! - -Let us review briefly a life that stands in the foremost rank of naval -history, not so much by great achievement, as by that particular charm of -character, indefinable and subtle, that is based on those great qualities -of tolerance, justice, loyalty, simplicity, and warm affections. - -John Franklin, the youngest son of twelve children, was born in the -small market town of Spilsby, Lincolnshire, April 16, 1786. He was early -destined for the church and educated at St. Ives, and later at Louth -Grammar School. A holiday jaunt with a young companion, twelve miles to -the shores of the North Sea, with its overwhelming grandeur, changed his -career and decided him for the life of a sailor. - -The shrewd old father, with that acute knowledge of the short-lived -enthusiasms of youth, put him to test, and at fourteen years of age -young John served on a merchantman bound for Lisbon. Undaunted by the -hard berth of a sailor lad, we find him in 1801 on the quarter-deck of -the _Polephemus_, under Captain Lanford, leading in line at the battle of -Copenhagen, Lord Nelson’s hardest fought battle. - -His iron will, ever more firm in its determination for a life -of adventure, secured him later a berth in the discovery ship -_Investigator_, exploring the coast of Australia, where Franklin acquired -valuable astronomical and surveying skill under his able relative, -Captain Flinders. - -Transferred to the _Porpoise_, which, in company with the _Cato_, was -wrecked on a coral reef off the coast of Australia, August 18, 1803, the -lad, with one hundred and fifty others, spent fifty days on a strip of -sand only four feet above water. Captain Flinders, after making his way -250 leagues to Port Jackson in an open boat, rescued his companions. -Franklin finally reached Canton, where he secured passage to England in -the _Earl Camden_, East-Indiaman, under Sir Nathaniel Dance, commodore of -the China fleet. - -An engagement with the French squadron occurred in February, 1804, at -which young Franklin rendered valuable service as signal midshipman. -On his return to England he was assigned to the _Bellerophon_. At the -battle of Trafalgar, he gallantly stood on the poop, with the dead and -dying falling beside him, attending to the signals, with a coolness and -accuracy that won him the unstinted admiration of his comrades. - -For the next two years he served under Admirals Cornwallis, St. Vincent, -and Stratham; then for six years in the _Bedford_. - -In the disastrous attack upon New Orleans, Franklin commanded the boats -in a fight with the enemy’s gunboats; he captured one of them and -suffered a slight wound in the shoulder in a hand-to-hand encounter. - -[Illustration: JOHN FRANKLIN] - -He was promoted to first lieutenant for gallant service and assigned to -the _Forth_, which, after the abdication of Napoleon and the restoration -of the Bourbons, conveyed the Duchess d’Angouleme back to France. - -[Sidenote: _SIR JOHN FRANKLIN_] - -It is not surprising that after such a varied and distinguished career, -Franklin should be one of the first to enter with whole-souled enthusiasm -into the renewed interest shown by England in Arctic discovery and -exploration. - -Of the Buchan expedition in which Franklin was second in command, we -already know the history. The succeeding expeditions, though spoken of -as failures in their main object, won for him a renown quite unique in -Arctic honours, and the last, so tragically fatal in its results, did -more, through the numberless searching parties sent out to discover news -of the missing ships, to extend the world’s scientific knowledge and -geographical accuracy of Arctic America, than could possibly have been -accomplished had the expedition been a success. - -Before taking up in detail the journeys of Sir John Franklin, it might be -well to make note of a side-light in his remarkable character. To this -man a career meant the paramount ambition of life, a passion stronger -than the love of woman, of family, of home or physical comforts. After -the return of the Buchan and Franklin expedition, the gentle poetess, -Anne Porden, who had written “Viels, or Triumph of Constancy,” the “Cœur -de Lion,” and a short poem on the Arctic expedition just returned, -visited the _Trent_ and met the gallant John Franklin in the full blush -of his youthful manhood. He fell in love, and upon his return from his -first land expedition, in 1823, they were married, but with the distinct -understanding that sweet Anne should “never, under any circumstances, -seek to turn her husband aside from the duty he owed his country and his -career.” And she kept her word, but at what sacrifice! - -In June of the following year a daughter was born to them, but the -mother never regained her health; a few months later, putting in John -Franklin’s hand a silken flag to be carried north to victory, the work -of her dying fingers, she courageously bade him God-speed, and he -started, amid the applause of an enthusiastic nation, upon that second -journey—little guessing she, too, was about to embark upon the great -unknown. - -“My instructions, in substance,” writes Franklin of the first land -expedition of 1819-1821, “informed me that the main object of the -expedition was that of determining the latitude and longitude of the -northern coast of North America, and the trending of that coast from the -mouth of the Coppermine River to the eastern extremity of that continent.” - -He was authorized to take counsel with the Hudson Bay officials, and plan -his course accordingly. In fact, much was left to his own discretion, and -before leaving England he was fortunate enough to go over the details -of the proposed journey with Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the only living -English explorer who had visited that coast. - -Accompanied by Dr. Richardson, surgeon and naturalist (later Sir John -Richardson), Admiralty Midshipman George Back (later Sir George Back), -Robert Hood, and another Englishman, John Hepburn, Franklin sailed from -Gravesend in the _Prince of Wales_, May 23, 1819. - -On reaching York Factory, the principal depot of the Hudson Bay Company, -he found an unfortunate state of affairs existing between them and the -Northwest Company. A bitter rivalry had resulted in the detention at York -Factory of certain partners of the other company, and the result of this -unfortunate quarrel had serious results upon his own future. - -[Sidenote: _JOURNEY TO CUMBERLAND HOUSE_] - -He was advised to make for Cumberland House, and later through a chain -of posts to the shores of Great Slave Lake. With only one steersman -and a boat so small that many of the provisions were in consequence -left behind, Franklin made his start up the Hayes River, September 9. -Sailing was frequently varied by the arduous labour of tracking, and not -unfrequently a portage was found necessary, which added to the fatigues -and discouragements of the day. - -At one of the outposts of the Hudson Bay Company, they were again obliged -to leave some of their stores under promise that these would be forwarded -in the spring, and later, at Swampy Lake, the tenants of the depot gave -them a supply of mouldy pemmican, which of course had to be thrown away -later. Thus from the outset the expedition laboured under the fatal -handicap of insufficient stores. - -At Oxford House, Holy Lake, they secured some good pemmican and also -fish, and, as the season was advancing, they pushed onward. They finally -reached the mouth of the Saskatchewan, and, following the river, they -first arrived at Little River, then Pine Island Lake, and at last, on -October 23, Cumberland House. Already ice had impeded their journey, and -here they determined to winter, at the invitation of Governor Williams. - -Impatient to be on his way, and desirous of securing guides, hunters, -interpreters, and stores for the journey to the sea, Franklin, -accompanied by Back and Hepburn, started, January 19, 1820, for Fort -Chipewyan, with provisions for fifteen days. After a winter’s journey of -eight hundred and fifty-seven miles, they reached their destination. - -The various posts at which they stopped supplied them with only a -limited amount of provisions, and the prospect of securing more was most -discouraging. Sickness of the Indians in the hunting season foretold -a scarcity for the following spring; moreover, the rivalry of the fur -companies and the lavish expenditure of their stores in opposition -tactics had resulted in greatly depleted food supply, so that provisions -expressly intended for Franklin were later consumed before reaching him. - -The travellers had suffered greatly from the unaccustomed use of -snow-shoes, the weight of several pounds of snow clinging to the shoes -having galled and lamed their feet. Yet the journey had not been -considered as wearing as that from York Factory to Cumberland House. - -The return of geese, ducks, and swans, together with the melting of the -snow and ice, now gave indications of approaching spring. Mr. Hood writes -of this time:— - -“The noise made by the frogs, which this inundation produced, is almost -incredible. There is strong reason to believe that they outlive the -severity of winter. They have often been found frozen, and revived by -warmth; nor is it possible that the multitude which incessantly filled -our ears with their discordant notes could have been matured in two or -three days.” - -Speaking of the resuscitation of fish, Franklin writes:— - -“If in this completely frozen state, they were thawed before the fire, -they recovered their animation. This was particularly the case with the -carp, and we had occasion to observe it repeatedly, as Dr. Richardson -occupied himself in examining the structure of the different species of -fish, and was always in the winter under the necessity of thawing them -before he could cut them. We have seen a carp recover so far as to leap -about with much vigor after it had been frozen thirty-six hours.” - -Richardson and Hood now joined Franklin, and the party increased by -sixteen Canadian voyageurs, a Chipewyan woman, and two interpreters, -made their way northward. It was now the middle of July, and their whole -stock of provisions consisted of hardly more than one day’s supply. -Fortunately they soon added a buffalo, and at Moose Deer Island they got -some supplies from the Hudson Bay and Northwest Company officers. - -About the last of July they reached Fort Providence. From the Indian -chief Akaitcho they secured guides, the party having been increased to -twenty-nine, exclusive of three children. A journey of five hundred and -fifty-two miles was accomplished, with no little hardship. Lack of food -and other privation caused the Canadian voyageurs to break out in open -mutiny. At Fort Enterprise winter quarters were established. - -[Sidenote: _WINTER AT FORT ENTERPRISE_] - -Early in October, Back and a party returned to Fort Providence to arrange -for the transportation of stores expected from Cumberland House. The -stores were anxiously awaited, and it was hoped they would arrive by New -Year’s Day, 1821. In the meantime the party were subsisting for the most -part on reindeer meat, fish twice a week, and a little flour. The middle -of January seven of Back’s party returned, bringing with them as many -stores as they could haul. - -A little later Back returned, having performed on foot the remarkable -journey of more than eleven hundred miles on snow-shoes, sleeping in -the open, with only the protection of a blanket and a deerskin, the -thermometer frequently at 40° and once at 57° below zero,—and passing -several days without food. - -The failure of the great fur companies to keep their contracts had -resulted in almost no provisions being secured. At Fort Enterprise it -was now found necessary to curtail rations to the most meagre amount, -and many of the Indian families camped about the house were obliged to -satisfy the cravings of hunger with bones, deer’s feet, and bits of other -offal. - -“When,” says Franklin, “we beheld them gnawing the pieces of hide, -and pounding the bones for the purpose of extracting some nourishment -from them by boiling, we regretted our inability to relieve them, but -little thought that we ourselves should be afterwards driven to the -necessity of eagerly collecting these same bones, a second time, from -the dung-hill.” - -In July, 1821, the expedition having dragged canoes and baggage with -fifteen days’ provisions to the bank of the Coppermine, embarked upon -the main object of the enterprise. By the 25th they had doubled Cape -Barrow, and its eastern side they named Inman Harbor. The dangers and -discouragements that beset Arctic travellers soon fell to their lot. -Their stock of food, replenished with a few deer, soon became exhausted, -and the ration issued to each man was a meagre handful of pemmican and a -small portion of soup. - -By the 5th of August, they had reached the Back River and then explored -Melville Sound and Bathurst Inlet. Having reached Point Turnagain, and -meeting with no Eskimos who could replenish their provisions, Franklin -was obliged to turn back, having sailed nearly six hundred geographical -miles in tracing the irregular shore of Coronation Gulf from the -Coppermine River. - -[Sidenote: _STARVATION_] - -Reduced to the last extremity for want of food, the last bit of pemmican -and arrowroot having formed a scanty supper, and without means of making -a fire, the forlorn party spent the fifth day of September in bed while -a snowstorm raged above them and drifted into their tent, covering their -thin blankets several inches. Of this day writes Franklin:— - -“Our suffering from cold, in a comfortless canvas tent in such weather -with the temperature at 20°, and without fire, will easily be imagined; -it was, however, less than that which we felt from hunger.” - -For two days they lived on a lichen known as _tripe de roche_, and on the -10th “they got a good meal by killing a musk-ox. To skin and cut up the -animal was the work of a few minutes. The contents of its stomach were -devoured upon the spot; raw intestines, which were next attacked, were -pronounced by the most delicate amongst us to be excellent.” - -The effects of suffering and famine began to show themselves in the -improvidence and indifference of the men. Three fishing-nets were left -behind, and one of the canoes broken and abandoned. Mosses, an occasional -partridge, _tripe de roche_, bits of singed hide, and such marrow as -could be extracted from finds of bones of animals formed their only diet. - -Though weak and lame, Back pushed forward in search of relief. One by one -the starving men fell by the wayside. Hood, suffering from the effects of -_tripe de roche_, which never agreed with him, became too exhausted to -proceed, and Dr. Richardson volunteered to remain with him. As one by one -the various members dropped down with fatigue, only five besides Franklin -were left in the advance party. These continued their weary pilgrimage, -cheered with the hope that at Fort Enterprise would be found shelter and -the much-needed supplies which had been promised them. Alas! their grief -and disappointment may be imagined upon entering this wretched depot to -find it desolate and without a vestige of provisions. - -“It would be impossible,” says Franklin, “to describe our sensations -after entering this miserable abode, and discovering how we had been -neglected; the whole party shed tears, not so much for our own fate as -for that of our friends in the rear whose lives depended entirely on our -sending immediate relief from this place.” - -To their surprise they found a note from Back stating that he had reached -the shelter two days before by another route and had immediately pressed -on in hope of finding the Indians, and if not, he would direct his steps -to Fort Providence, though he doubted if he and his party could reach -there in their present unfortunate condition. - -Franklin and his men gathered together what could be used as food and -found several deerskins that had been thrown away the previous year and -a few bones gathered from the refuse heap. These, with _tripe de roche_, -they made into a soup and endeavoured to support life on the putrid mass. -Later on one more member of the party came in, and a day or two after -a man named Balanger of Back’s party reached camp in all but a dying -condition. He had fallen into a rapid, had come near drowning, and was -then speechless from exhaustion and exposure. When warmed, dry clothing -put on, and given a little soup, he was sufficiently restored to answer -questions. - -Back had not found the Indians and was making for Fort Providence. -Thither Franklin determined to follow him with two of his men, the others -volunteering to remain until succour should be sent to them. Owing to an -unfortunate accident to his snow-shoes, Franklin was obliged to return to -camp the next day, sending on his companions alone. - -The poor wretches that had been left at Fort Enterprise were in such a -weakened state that it was with difficulty that Franklin could rouse them -to any exertion. - -“We saw,” writes Franklin, “a herd of reindeer sporting on the river, -about half a mile from the house; they remained there a long time, but -none of the party felt themselves strong enough to go after them, nor was -there one of us who could have fired a gun without resting it.” - -Eighteen long days passed slowly by, during which they endured frightful -privations, when Dr. Richardson and Hepburn reached them, greatly -enfeebled and emaciated. “The doctor particularly remarked the sepulchral -tones of our voices, which he requested of us to make more cheerful, if -possible, unconscious that his own partook of the same key.” Hepburn -divided a partridge he had shot and, says Franklin, “I and my three -companions ravenously devoured our shares, as it was the first morsel -of flesh any of us had tasted for thirty-one days, unless, indeed, the -small, gristly particles which we found occasionally adhering to the -pounded bones may be called flesh.” - -Dr. Richardson then told of the tragic death of Hood, who had been -murdered by the Iroquois, Michel, whose threatening demeanour they had -noted for some days, and whom they afterwards suspected of having put -an end to two other members of the party. Under the circumstances, as a -matter of self-preservation, it was deemed necessary to end the Indian’s -life, and this Dr. Richardson did with a pistol-shot. - -The day after the arrival of Richardson and Hepburn, two of the party -died. Finally, early in November, Indian messengers sent by Back brought -the longed-for relief, the Indians “evincing humanity that would -have done honor to the most civilized people.” When the party were -sufficiently restored to health with food and kind nursing, they started -for Fort Chipewyan, where they remained until June of the following year. -In July they reached York Factory, whence three years before they had -started out. - -In this remarkable journey of over five thousand five hundred and fifty -miles, human endurance and patience had been put to the uttermost test; -the wonderful courage and fortitude with which these heroes braved a fate -that threatened them at every step, make this one of the most remarkable -feats in Arctic history. - -[Sidenote: _FRANKLIN’S SECOND JOURNEY_] - -A more cheerful picture presents itself in Franklin’s second voyage, -and, though fortunately not so tragic as the first, it nevertheless -demonstrates his remarkable leadership. - -In conjunction with the Beechey expedition in the _Blossom_ and Parry’s -expedition with the _Hecla_ and _Fury_, a third expedition was promoted -and, upon request of Franklin, put under his charge. The outline of -operations was for this party to descend the Mackenzie River to the sea, -and there to divide the force, one section to explore the coast east to -the Coppermine, while the other should take a westerly course and round -Ice Cape and, if possible, Behring Strait. Profiting by past experience, -the party were amply provisioned from the outset; in fact, a delay of -some months was required to secure the necessary amount of pemmican. - -Undaunted by the hardships endured on the previous voyage, Back and -Richardson volunteered again to accompany Franklin; Mr. Kendall, a mate -in the navy, and Mr. T. Drummond, a naturalist, were also of the party. -Four carefully constructed boats were sent ahead in one of the Hudson -Bay Company’s ships, and in July, 1825, the Franklin party reached Fort -Chipewyan. - -They reached Great Bear Lake without incident, and there erected winter -quarters under the direction of Back and Dease, the latter being detailed -by the Hudson Bay Company to assist the expedition. Although the season -was well advanced, Franklin set out, with a small party, to make a -six-day journey down the Mackenzie for the purpose of examining the -state of the Polar Sea. They reached an island to which he gave the name -of Garry Island, and ascended the summit, from which “the sea appeared -in all its majesty, entirely free from ice, and without any visible -obstructions to its navigation, and never was a prospect more gratifying -than that which lay open to us.” Here the silken Union Jack made by the -hands of Anne Porden was unfurled, the news of whose death had but lately -reached her husband. - -“I will not,” writes Franklin, “attempt to describe my emotions as it -expanded to the breeze.” - -By the 7th of September the party had returned to Fort Franklin, and the -long winter was passed in comparative comfort. Every effort was made to -amuse and interest the men, the entire number consisting of nearly fifty, -including guides, interpreters, Canadian voyageurs, and Indians. - -[Sidenote: _DESCENT OF THE MACKENZIE RIVER_] - -The following June, 1826, preparations were made for the important work -of the expedition. Descending the Mackenzie in four boats to the Polar -Sea, the party here divided, Captain Franklin and Lieutenant Back with -fourteen men pushing to the westward, Dr. Richardson with Mr. Kendall -assisted by ten men in two boats going in an easterly direction toward -the Coppermine River. - -Soon after parting, Franklin’s party had an unfortunate encounter -with Eskimos, who pillaged their stores and caused them considerable -annoyance. Making his way westward, he encountered dirty weather and -penetrating fogs, which kept the poor shivering men perpetually enveloped -in moisture. However, he reached latitude 70° 24´ N., longitude 149° 37´ -W., which point of land he named after Lieutenant Back. He had surveyed -three hundred and seventy-four miles of coast. - -It was now deemed advisable to return, and by September 31 the party -reached Fort Franklin, where Richardson and his party had returned some -days earlier after a successful voyage of five hundred miles, or nine -hundred and two by the coast-line. - -The party under Richardson had been favoured with good weather, and, -though detained by an occasional storm, were on the whole most fortunate. -One of these shelters, Refuge Cove, Dr. Richardson describes:— - -“Myriads of mosquitoes, which reposed among the grass, rose in clouds -when disturbed, and gave us much annoyance. Many snow birds were hatching -on the point; and we saw swans, Canada geese, eider, king, Arctic, and -surf ducks; several glaucous, silvery, black-headed, and ivory gulls, -together with terns and northern divers. Some laughing geese passed -to the northward in the evening, which may be considered as a sure -indication of land in that direction.” - -During the second winter passed at Fort Franklin, the thermometer fell -as low as 58° below zero. The Englishmen spent their time in making -scientific observations and completing their data and records. Food and -warmth, combined with good health, made it pass comparatively quickly, -and in the spring the party made their way back to England. - -Honours of the most distinguished character awaited Franklin upon his -return. To the map of North America he had added no less than twelve -hundred miles, for which the nation rendered him enthusiastic applause. -In 1829 he was knighted, Oxford conferred on him the degree of D.C.L., -and the Geographical Society of Paris awarded him a gold medal. - -[Sidenote: _LAST JOURNEY OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN_] - -In his second marriage Franklin was most fortunate in winning a cultured, -travelled woman of wealth, Jane Griffin, whose sympathies were entirely -in harmony with his own, and whose devotion to his memory kept alive for -twelve years the interest of the world in ceaseless efforts to ascertain -his fate. The succeeding years until the last ill-fated voyage were -most happily divided between a cruise on the Mediterranean, in which -Franklin commanded the _Rainbow_ with such pleasure to the crew and -officers that the ship won the cheerful sobriquet of _Celestial Rainbow_ -and the _Paradise of Franklin_, and the governorship of the colony of -Van Diemen’s Land, or Tasmania, a post he held for seven years with -admirable success. Franklin had only been a few months in England when -the Admiralty, through Sir John Barrow, for many years an enthusiastic -promoter of Arctic enterprise, decided upon another expedition to effect -the discovery of the Northwest Passage. It is recorded that the First -Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Haddington, in conversing with Sir Edward -Parry upon the advisability of offering Franklin the post of commanding -officer, remarked:— - -“I see Franklin is sixty years old. Ought we to let him go?” to which -Parry answered,— - -“My lord, he is the best man for the post I know, and if you don’t let -him go, he will, I am certain, die of disappointment.” - -In an interview with Franklin, Lord Haddington spoke again of his age -being sixty, and added,— - -“You might be content with your laurels, after having done so much for -your country,” to which Franklin replied with all the eagerness of youth,— - -“No, no! my lord, only fifty-nine!” - -Lord Brougham, when told that the command had been accepted by Franklin, -remarked,— - -“Arctic work gets into the blood of these men. They _can’t help_ going -again if they get a chance.” - -The _Erebus_ and _Terror_ were both ships that had seen many years’ -service in Arctic and Antarctic seas. They were provisioned for three -years and supplied with every facility for scientific and geographical -observations. The combined crews and officers number one hundred and -thirty-eight souls. In company with the transport, _Barreto Junior_, the -expedition sailed from Greenhithe on the 19th of May, 1845. - -The 4th of July, they reached Whale Fish Island, near Disco, in -Greenland, and here the _Barreto Junior_ transferred to the _Erebus_ and -_Terror_ her extra stores, returning to England with the last message -from Franklin ever received by the Admiralty. - -“The ships are now complete with supplies of every kind for three years; -they are therefore very deep, but happily we have no reason to expect -much sea as we proceed further.” - -With confidence and enthusiasm, John Franklin turned to the north, “much -better in health,” Lieutenant Fairholme had written, “than when we left -home, and really looks ten years younger. He takes an active part in -everything that goes on, and his long experience in such service makes -him a most valuable adviser.” - -On the 26th of July, the _Prince of Wales_, a whaling vessel, saw the -two ships in Melville Bay, waiting a favourable opportunity for pushing -through the “middle ice.” Signals were exchanged and an invitation -extended to Franklin to dine with the captain of the whaling ship. A -breeze springing up, the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ parted company with the -_Prince of Wales_. - -As if alluringly beckoned by that fatal enchantress, the “Lady of the -Mists,” Sir John Franklin and his gallant crew silently glided into the -unknown, and from that hour were lost to the world forever. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - - Search for Sir John Franklin.—Captain Kellett.—Captain - Moore.—Dr. Richardson.—Dr. Rae.—Sir J. C. Ross.—Mr. Parker.—Dr. - Goodsir.—Collinson and M’Clure.—The _Felix_.—_Prince - Albert._—Commanded by Charles C. Forsyth.—Captain Austin’s - squadron.—Captain Ommaney.—Lieutenant Sherard Osborn.—Commander - Cator.—Grinnell expedition under De Haven. - - -No tidings of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ having reached England by the -close of 1847, great anxiety was felt as to the whereabouts and fate -of the missing ships. The government immediately took measures to -outfit three searching parties. The first was to go westward to Behring -Strait, and there meet the ships with assistance, should they have been -successful in making the object of their voyage, and for this purpose -Captain Henry Kellett commanding the _Herald_ and Captain Moore in the -ship _Plover_ left England in January, 1848. - -The second was to be an overland and boat expedition with its object to -explore the coast of the Arctic Sea between the Mackenzie and Coppermine -rivers, under the leadership of that faithful companion and friend of Sir -John Franklin, Dr. Sir John Richardson, accompanied by Rae, who had but -lately returned from his memorable journey of 1846-1847. - -The third expedition was under Sir James Clark Ross in the ships -_Enterprise_ and _Investigator_, with instructions to make for Lancaster -Sound and Barrow Strait, examine all tracks of the missing ships westward -and render relief if the ships should be discovered imprisoned in the ice. - -Owing to the poor sailing qualities of the _Plover_ and _Herald_, the -ships were unable to reach high latitudes in time to penetrate to the -northward that season, and not until the following July, in company with -the _Nancy Dawson_, a pleasure yacht belonging to Robert Sheldon, Esq., -did they pursue the main object of their expedition. July 18, 1849, they -left Chamisso, and on the 20th they were off Cape Lisburn; five days -later they passed Icy Point. Here they despatched the _Herald’s_ pinnace -and three other boats, with a party of twenty-five men with three months’ -provisions, under command of Lieutenant Pullen, whose instructions were -to connect with the Richardson party, one division in two whale-boats to -extend the search to the Mackenzie River, ascend that river, and return -homeward by Fort Hope and York Factory; the remaining division to return -to the rendezvous of the ships at Chamisso Island. - -The _Herald_ and _Plover_ cruised northward as far as the ice would -permit, then explored the coast-line in detail. On the 7th of August, the -_Herald_ sighted new territory. Running close to the island, they found -it barren, and for the most part of inaccessible granite cliffs. - -The _Nancy Dawson_ and the return boats under Lieutenant Pullen rejoined -the _Herald_ by the 24th of August. They had parted company with the two -whale-boats at Dease Inlet. They had found no traces of the Franklin -expedition, but had left deposits of provisions at intervals along the -route. - -The following months were spent in winter quarters, and, as soon as the -weather permitted, in careful examination of the inlets and coast from -Icy Cape to Point Barrow in the hope of finding traces of the missing -party. Disappointed at a fruitless voyage, the ships returned to England -in October, 1850. - -[Sidenote: _RICHARDSON’S REPORT_] - -In his official report to the Secretary of the Admiralty, Sir John -Richardson gives an excellent summary of the results of the second -expedition. He says in part:— - -“In the voyage between the Mackenzie and Coppermine, I carefully executed -their lordships’ instructions with respect to the examination of the -coast-line, and became fully convinced that no ships had passed within -view of the mainland. It is, indeed, nearly impossible that they could -have done so unobserved by some of the numerous parties of Eskimos on -the look-out for whales. We were, moreover, informed by the Eskimos -of Back’s Inlet, that the ice had been pressing on their shore nearly -the whole summer; and its closely packed condition when we left it on -the 4th of September made it highly improbable that it would open for -ship navigation later in the season. I regretted extremely that the -state of the ice prevented me from crossing to Wollaston Land, and -thus completing, in one season, the whole scheme of their lordships’ -instructions. The opening between Wollaston and Victoria Lands has always -appeared to me to possess great interest, for through it the flood-tide -evidently sets into Coronation Gulf, diverging to the westward by the -Dolphin and Union Strait, and to the eastward round Cape Alexander. By -the fifth clause of Sir John Franklin’s instructions, he is directed to -steer southwestward from Cape Walker, which would lead him nearly in the -direction of the strait in question. If Sir John found Barrow Strait as -open as when Sir Edward Parry passed it on four previous occasions, I am -convinced that (complying as exactly as he could with his instructions -and without looking into Wellington Sound, or other openings either to -the south or north of Barrow Strait) he pushed directly west to Cape -Walker, and from thence southwestwards. If so, the ships were probably -shut up on some of the passages between Victoria, Banks, and Wollaston -Lands. - -“Being apprehensive that the boats I left on the coast would be broken -up by the Eskimos, and being, moreover, of opinion that the examination -of the opening in question might be safely and efficiently performed in -the only remaining boat I had fit for the transport from Bear Lake to the -Coppermine, I determined to entrust this important service to Mr. Rae, -who volunteered, and whose ability and zeal in the cause I cannot too -highly commend. He selected an excellent crew, all of them experienced -voyageurs and capable of finding their way back to Bear Lake without -guides, should any unforeseen accident deprive them of their leader. - -“In the month of March (1849) a sufficient supply of pemmican, and other -necessary stores, with the equipments of the boat, were transported over -the snow on dog-sledges to a navigable part of the Kendall River, and -left there under the charge of two men. As soon as the Dease broke up -in June, Mr. Rae would follow, with the boat, the rest of the crew, and -a party of Indian hunters, and would descend the Coppermine River about -the middle of July, at which time the sea generally begins to break -up. He would then, as soon as possible, cross from Cape Krusenstern to -Wollaston Land, and endeavor to penetrate to the northward, erecting -signal-columns, and making deposits on conspicuous headlands, and -especially on the north shore of Banks’ Land, should he be fortunate -enough to attain that coast. He was further instructed not to hazard the -safety of his party by remaining too long on the north side of Dolphin -and Union Strait, and to be guided in his movements by the season, the -state of the ice, and such intelligence as he might obtain from the -Eskimos. He was also requested to engage one or more families of Indian -hunters to pass the summer of 1805 on the banks of the Coppermine River, -to be ready to assist any party that may direct their course that way.” - -[Illustration: UPERNAVIK] - -[Sidenote: _SIR JAMES CLARK ROSS_] - -The 6th of July, 1848, found the _Enterprise_ and _Investigator_ of the -third expedition, at the Danish settlement of Upernavik; from this port -Sir James Clark Ross wrote a letter to the British Admiralty stating that -after passing a second winter near Port Leopold, should no traces of Sir -John Franklin’s party be discovered, he would send the _Investigator_ -under Captain Bird back to England and proceed with the search alone. - -This caused great uneasiness at the Admiralty, and the _North Star_ was -at once despatched with a supply of extra stores and instruction to Ross -to remain in company with the _Investigator_ and not follow out the -design expressed in his letter. The _North Star_ was further instructed -that should she fail to reach the ships, stores were to be left at the -farthest point she could reach in safety, and then she should return to -England. Though explicitly warned against getting beset in the ice, the -season of 1849 passed, and the _North Star_ did not return, thus causing -great anxiety in England as to her safety. - -To return to the _Enterprise_ and _Investigator_, these two ships, -after leaving Upernavik, had found very unfavourable conditions in the -ice, which necessitated towing the ships or proceeding slowly under -light winds and calms. By the 23d of August, the ships had reached Pond -Bay, having sustained severe shocks through ice pressure and other -discouraging conditions. They kept close to the shore, firing guns and -sending up signals at frequent intervals, but no sign of Eskimos or other -human beings were discovered. - -Upon reaching Possession Bay, a party was sent on shore to search for -traces of the expedition, but nothing was found except a paper left -there by Sir Edward Parry on the same day (August 30) in 1819. Again at -Cape York another party went ashore, and, though no traces were found, -a conspicuous mark was erected for the benefit of any other party that -might reach there. The ships then proceeded. - -“We stood over,” writes Sir James Ross, “toward Northeast Cape until we -came in with the edge of a pack, too dense for us to penetrate, lying -between us and Leopold Island, about fourteen miles broad; we therefore -coasted the north shore of Barrow Strait, to seek a harbour further to -the westward, and to examine the numerous inlets of that shore. Maxwell -Bay, and several smaller indentations, were thoroughly explored, and, -although we got near the entrance of Wellington Channel, the firm -barrier of ice which stretched across it, and which had not broken away -this season, convinced us all was impracticable in that direction. We -now stood to the southwest to seek for a harbour near Cape Rennell, -but found a heavy body of ice extending from the west of Cornwallis -Island. Coasting along the pack during stormy and foggy weather, we had -difficulty in keeping the ships free during the nights, for I believe so -great a quantity of ice was never before seen in Barrow Strait at this -period of the season.” - -By the 11th of September, the ships found winter quarters in the harbour -of Port Leopold, and almost immediately the ice pack closed in and formed -a complete barrier for the remainder of the winter. Various exploring -and surveying journeys were undertaken during this winter and the coast -carefully examined in all directions, but no trace of Franklin or his -ships was discovered. - -The crew caught in traps a number of white foxes, and knowing how far -these animals will roam in search of food, the men clasped round the -animals’ necks copper collars, on which were written the position of the -ships and depots of provisions, and the creatures were set at liberty in -the hope they would be caught by some of the ill-fated party. - -During April and May, Captain Ross, accompanied by Lieutenant M’Clintock -and a party of twelve men, carefully explored the coast-line of the -northern and western coast of Boothia Peninsula. - -“The examination of the coast,” writes Captain Ross, “was pursued until -the fifth of June, when, having consumed more than half our provisions, -and the strength of the party being much reduced, I was reluctantly -compelled to abandon further operations, as it was, moreover, necessary -to give the men a day of rest. But that the time might not be wholly -lost, I proceeded with two hands to the extreme south point in sight from -our encampment, distant about eight or nine miles.” - -During the absence of Captain Ross, other parties had explored the -vicinity of Cape Hind, and another along the western shore. This last -party under Lieutenant Robinson reached as far as Cresswell Bay, a few -miles to the southward of Fury Beach. He found the house in which Sir -John Ross had wintered in 1832-1833, with a quantity of stores and -provisions of the _Fury_, that had been there since 1827, and were in -excellent state of preservation. - -Preparations were now made for leaving Port Leopold, Captain Ross’s -object being to examine Wellington Channel and, if feasible, to penetrate -as far as Melville Island. To this end it was necessary to set to work -with ice-saws and cut a channel of over two miles that the ships might -be freed. This tedious work was accomplished by the last of August, but -before leaving, a shelter was built on land, twelve months’ provisions, -a steam-launch, belonging to the _Investigator_, and such other stores -being left behind as would be found welcome to Sir John Franklin’s party -should they reach that spot. Hardly had the ships got under way when a -strong wind brought the ice down on them, and they were soon beset. - -For some days it seemed as if the ships were hard fast for a dreary -winter, but the wind shifted to the westward, the whole body of ice being -driven to the eastward, and in the centre of a field of ice more than -fifty miles in circumference, the ships were carried along the southern -shore of Lancaster Sound. After passing its entrance, they drifted along -the western shore of Baffin Bay until abreast of Pond Bay, when, with a -suddenness that was all but miraculous, the field broke into innumerable -fragments, and the ships were freed. - -“At once all sail was set, warps were run out from all quarters, to -assist the ship through the heavy floes, and at last the _Investigator_ -and _Enterprise_ found themselves in open water.” - -“It is impossible,” writes Ross, “to convey any idea of the sensation we -experienced when we found ourselves once more at liberty; many a heart -poured forth its praises and thanksgivings to Almighty God for this -unlooked-for deliverance. - -“The advance of winter had now closed all the harbours against us; and -as it was impossible to penetrate to the westward through the pack from -which we had just been liberated, I made the signal to the _Investigator_ -of my intention to return to England.” - -Thus the three expeditions so far sent out had not met with success, and -the anxiety in England over the fate of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ was -increasing. In March, 1848, the Admiralty offered the sum of one hundred -guineas or more to the crews of any whaling ships that should bring -accurate tidings of the missing ships and of Franklin. - -In March, 1849, the British government offered another reward of twenty -thousand pounds “to such private ship, or by distribution among such -private ships, or to any exploring party or parties, of any country, as -might, in the judgment of the Board of Admiralty, have rendered efficient -assistance to Sir John Franklin, his ships, or their crews, and might -have contributed directly to extricate them from the ice.” - -[Sidenote: _THE LADY FRANKLIN EXPEDITION_] - -Lady Franklin, whose devotion and courage had won the admiration of the -world, offered two thousand pounds and three thousand pounds to officers -and crew of any ship that should render assistance to her husband and, if -necessary, bring Sir John Franklin and the party back to England. - -In the spring of 1849, she sent out provisions and coal for the use of -the missing ships, and these were carried in the whaling ship _Truelove_, -in charge of Mr. Parker, and were landed at Cape Hay on the south side of -Lancaster Sound. - -In 1849, Dr. Goodsir, whose brother had sailed in the _Erebus_ as -assistant surgeon, went north on the whaling ship _Advice_, under -Captain Penny, and penetrated to Lancaster Sound, but was debarred from -entering Prince Regent Inlet by the ice. The _Advice_ closely skirted -the shores, and deposited provisions, but found no traces of the missing -ships, and returned to England. In the meantime, the _Enterprise_ and -_Investigator_, the gallant ships of the third government expedition -previously described, were being refitted and provisioned for the purpose -of going by way of South America to Behring Strait. Sailing from Plymouth -Sound January 20, 1850, the _Enterprise_ under the command of Captain -Richard Collinson, and the _Investigator_ under Commander M’Clure, made -a comparatively fast run to the Pacific. By the middle of August the -_Enterprise_ fell in with the ice. At Grantly Harbor, communication with -the _Plover_ and _Herald_ determined Captain Collinson to proceed to -Hongkong, there to replenish his stores and not attempt to penetrate the -ice until the following April. - -In the meantime the _North Star_ with her provisions and despatches -had spent the winter in North Star Bay, in Wolstenholme Sound, 76° 33´ -north latitude and 68° 56´ west longitude. Not until August, 1850, did -she get free of her retreat, and some days later in Lancaster Sound she -spoke the _Lady Franklin_ and _Sophia_ under the command of Mr. Penny. -These ships had been equipped mainly at the expense of Lady Franklin; -had sailed early in the spring and, though independent of the government -expeditions, were to coöperate with them as circumstances demanded. Later -the _North Star_ fell in with the _Felix_, a schooner-rigged vessel of -one hundred and twenty tons, provisioned for eighteen months and under -that veteran sea captain and explorer, Sir John Ross. The _Felix_ had -been equipped by public subscription and sent out for the purpose of -searching the west side of the entrance of Wellington Channel from Cape -Hotham to Banks Land. - -The _North Star_ deposited a quantity of provisions at a point the -commander named Navy Board Inlet, on the mainland behind Wollaston -Island, and erected a cairn and flagstaff, having first made an -unsuccessful attempt to reach Port Bowen and Port Neale. In Possession -Bay she spoke the _Prince Albert_, that gallant little craft, equipped in -greater part by the devoted Lady Franklin, who had raised the necessary -funds by selling out all personal securities which she could legally -touch. Commander Charles C. Forsyth and Mr. W. P. Snow had volunteered -their services without compensation, and the object of this expedition -was to examine the shores of Prince Regent Inlet and the Gulf of Boothia -and send out travelling parties to examine the west side of Boothia down -to Dease and Simpson straits. - -Shortly after this, the _North Star_ turned homeward, reaching Spithead, -England, September 28, 1850. - -The British government had by now outfitted two strong teak-built ships, -the _Resolute_ and the _Assistance_, and two steam vessels, the _Pioneer_ -and _Intrepid_. The object of this expedition was to renew the search by -way of Baffin Bay and Lancaster Sound. Captain H. T. Austin commanded the -_Resolute_, Captain Ommaney the _Assistance_, Lieutenant Sherard Osborn -the _Pioneer_, and Lieutenant Commander Cator the _Intrepid_. Of what -they accomplished, we shall speak later. - -As early as April 4, 1849, Lady Franklin had made a heartrending appeal -to the President of the United States, in which she called on the -American nation, as a “kindred people, to join heart and hand in the -enterprise of snatching the lost navigators from a dreary grave.” Such -an eloquent appeal could not help but rouse the country to the strongest -feeling of sympathy and interest. But the prolonged delays incident -to our national legislation threatened to defeat her request, until a -generous philanthropist, Mr. Henry Grinnell, a New York merchant of great -wealth, stepped forward with the munificent offer of two well-equipped -vessels, the _Advance_ of one hundred and forty tons, and the _Rescue_ -of ninety tons, which he placed at the disposition of the government. -Congress accepted this generous gift, and the ships were placed under -the direction of the Navy Board. The command was given to Lieutenant E. -De Haven, a most zealous and able naval officer; Mr. Murdock was sailing -master, with Dr. E. K. Kane, that remarkable man “weak in body but great -in mind,” whose succeeding journeys contributed so much to solving the -mystery surrounding the fate of the lost ships. - -[Sidenote: _FIRST GRINNELL EXPEDITION_] - -The Grinnell expedition left New York on May 23, 1850, and was absent -about sixteen months. - -It will thus be seen that the Arctic seas had never been so replete with -expeditions, whose heroic object was the search for missing comrades; and -the year 1850-1851 was one of unparalleled adventure, exploration, and -discovery, but alas! only the most meagre traces of the brave mariners -were found, whose deplorable fate stirred the sympathy of the civilized -world. - -The unfavourable conditions of the “middle ice” in Baffin Bay and the -Melville Bay barrier caused the searching expeditions great difficulties -and discouraging delays. So strenuous were the conditions at times that -the officers and crews of the smaller vessels made every preparation to -leave the ships at a moment’s notice, should these vessels be crushed -in the ice. By boring, tracking, and cutting, and by one ship towing -the other through loose ice as the occasion demanded, slow but steady -advance was made to the desired latitudes. Most interesting are the -experiences of the little _Prince Albert_, Lady Franklin’s ship. - -In describing a daring attack of this little craft upon ice-floes, Mr. -Snow writes most graphically:— - -“It was determined by Captain Forsyth boldly to try and break through the -impediment, by forcing the ship under a press of canvas. Accordingly, all -sail was set and the ship was steering direct for the narrowest and most -broken part of the neck. As this was the first and only time the Prince -Albert was made to come direct upon the ice to break it with the force -she would derive from a press of sail, we were all anxious to see how she -would stand it; and right well did she bear the test. The two mates were -aloft in the ‘crow’s nest’ to _con_ the vessel; I was standing on the -extreme point of her bow and holding on by the fore-stay to direct her -movement when immediately upon the ice; and Captain Forsyth was by the -side of the helmsman. Every man was at some particular station, and ready -to perform anything that was instantly required of him. Cook and steward -were also on deck; and throughout the ship an almost breathless anxiety -prevailed; for, it must be remembered, it was not a large and powerful -ship, but a small, and comparatively fragile one, that was now about to -try of her own accord, and with her own strength, to break a piece of ice -some feet thick, though not very broad. On either side of her were heavy -floes and sconce pieces; and it required the greatest nicety in guiding -her, that she might, in her strongest part, the bow, hit the precise spot -where the neck was weakest, and not come upon any other part where she -could do nothing but severely injure herself. - -“On she came, at a rate of full five miles per hour; gaining, as she -proceeded, increased impetus, until she rushed towards it with a speed of -at least eight miles in the hour. The distance from the neck was about -a mile, and the breeze blew steadily upon it. The weakest and narrowest -part was that close to the starboard floe, and to _that_ our eyes were -all directed. - -“‘Port! starboard! So—O—steady!’ was every now and then bawled out with -stentorian lungs from aloft, and as energetically and promptly repeated, -by the captain below, to the man at the wheel. Presently she came close -to—she was almost upon it—a mistaken hail from aloft would have put her -helm _a-port_, and sent her _crushing_ upon the heavy floe. I heard the -order ‘_a-port_,’ and, before it had been repeated, shouted loudly, with -the men around me, who also saw the mistake, ‘starboard! _starboard! -hard a-starboard!_’ and in the next instant, with a tremendous blow, -that for the moment made her rebound and tremble, she struck the ice in -the exact point, and caused it to rend apart in several fragments. Ice -poles and boat hooks were immediately in request; and myself and half a -dozen men sprang instantly over the bows, working with hands and feet and -with all our might in removing the broken pieces by pushing them ahead -of the vessel; in which labour, she, herself, materially aided us by her -own power pressing upon them. In a moment or two it was effected, and -throwing ourselves aboard again like so many wild cats, we prepared for -the next encounter. - -“This, however, proved nothing like the other. The first blow sent -the whole of it flying in all directions, and the little _Prince_, as -if in haughty disdain, passed through without once stopping, pushing -aside the pieces, as they came against her. In another moment or two we -were in a larger sheet of water, though to our disappointment blocked -up at the extreme end by small bergs and huge hummocks, which latter -had, apparently, been thus thrown up in consequence of some late severe -squeeze there. We were, therefore, again obliged to make fast.” - -Thursday, August 15, Mr. Snow makes the entry, “We were, now, fairly in -what is called by Arctic seamen, the ‘North Water,’ and all seemed clear -before us.” - -By the 21st the little _Prince Albert_ found herself off Port Leopold. -Here a party made a difficult landing in a gutta-percha boat and found -the house constructed by Sir James C. Ross, somewhat rent by the winter -storms, but the provisions were in excellent condition and the little -steam-launch ready to carry any shipwrecked crew to safety. - -The _Prince Albert_ now made for Prince Regent Inlet, and soon after -stood off Fury Beach. From this point the outlook was discouraging, as an -expanse of hummocky ice without the slightest sign of an opening extended -as far as the eye could reach. - -It was now found necessary to abandon the main object of the expedition; -that is, the examination of the shores of Boothia, and the ship turned -with the purpose of closely scanning the shores and headlands at the -throat of Barrow Strait and a short distance up Wellington Channel. In -Barrow Strait, they spoke the American brig _Advance_; by the 24th they -neared Cape Hind. On this day they saw the _Lady Franklin_ and _Sophia_, -and later observed three more ships in Wellington Channel. - -The next day, while off Cape Spencer, the officers of the _Prince Albert_ -saw that to push further into the ice-pack through the few lanes still -open might mean, in case of a sudden nip, being shut up for the winter, -so it was reluctantly decided to make for home. - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN OMMANEY_] - -Leaving behind them that noble fleet of searching vessels, including -the _Assistance_, the _Lady Franklin_, the _Sophia_, the _Rescue_, and, -though not visible, the _Advance_ and _Intrepid_, the _Prince Albert_ -turned her bow homeward. At Cape Riley the officers noticed a signal-post -and immediately sent a boat ashore to discover what it meant. - -“As the boat touched the shelving rocks,” writes Mr. Snow, “I hastily -sprang out into the water, leaving the men to secure her; and ran to the -signal-post about fifty yards off. I was there in a moment, with Grate -close at my heels. A few paces off I observed another and a rougher post -erected, but this one had a small flag flying, and was evidently the -principal. I really cannot tell whether the cylinder handed to me in the -course of a second or two had been buried or merely tied to the post, -so intent was I upon conjecturing what news I should receive. My hands -trembled with eagerness, and I could hardly read the paper. It was as -follows:— - - “‘Her Majesty’s Arctic Searching Expedition. - - “‘This is to certify that Captain Ommaney, with the officers - of her Majesty’s ships _Assistance_ and _Intrepid_, landed at - Cape Riley on the 23d of August, 1850, where he found traces - of an encampment, and collected the remains of materials which - evidently prove that some party belonging to her Majesty’s - ships have been detained on this spot. Beechey Island was also - examined, where traces were found of the same party. - - “‘This is also to give notice that a supply of provisions and - fuel is at Port Leopold. Her Majesty’s ships, _Assistance_ - and _Intrepid_, were detached from the squadron under Captain - Austin, off Wolstenholme, on the 15th inst., since when they - have examined the north shores of Lancaster Sound and Barrow - Strait, without meeting any other traces. Captain Ommaney - proceeds to Cape Hotham and Cape Walker in search for further - traces of Sir John Franklin’s expedition. - - “‘Dated on board her Majesty’s ship _Assistance_, off Cape - Riley, August 23, 1850. - - “‘ERASMUS OMMANEY.’” - -“After the other signal-post had been examined,” continues Mr. Snow, -“I made a careful observation of everything around me, and commenced -as close an investigation as the hurried nature of my visit, according -to my orders, permitted me. The men had also, previously to my telling -them and with an alacrity that did them credit, commenced a most prying -search. One in a short time brought me about an inch and a half square -piece of canvas well bleached; another, the second mate, more fortunate, -discovered a piece of rope, as I supposed a ratlin, and which was found -to contain the Chatham Dock-yard Navy mark;[2] a third found a piece of -bone, with two holes bored in it. Beef bones, and other unmistakable -marks of the place having been used within some very few years by a -party of Europeans, for some purpose or other, were discovered. The -ground presented very much the appearance of having been turned into an -encampment, for certain stones were so placed as to lead to the inference -that tents had been erected within some of their enclosures, and in -others a fire might have been made, but no marks of fire were visible. - -“Four of these circular parcels of stones I counted, and observed another -which might or might not have been a fifth.” - -[Illustration: HENRY GRINNELL] - -Continuing her homeward voyage with her precious relics, the _Prince -Albert_ reached Aberdeen, October 1. The Admiralty identified the bit of -rope as being navy-yard manufacture of not later than 1841. The canvas -was also believed to be of British manufacture. The meat bones seemed to -bear exactly the marks of the ship’s provisions used about five years -back, and the relics were identified as belonging to the ill-fated -_Erebus_ and _Terror_. - -As soon as it was known among the other searching parties that Captain -Ommaney had found traces of the missing expedition, Ross, Austin, Penny, -and De Haven began a minute investigation of the surrounding locality -and proved that Cape Spencer and Beechey Island at the entrance of -Wellington Channel had been without doubt the site of Franklin’s first -winter quarters. At Cape Spencer, some ten miles above Cape Riley, a -ground place for a tent was found, the floor paved with small stones. -About the tent birds’ bones and meat canisters were found. Numerous -sledge tracks along the shore were also noticed. - -[Sidenote: _LIEUTENANT OSBORN_] - -Of the examination of Beechey Island, Lieutenant Osborn writes:— - -“A long point of land slopes gradually from the southern bluffs of -this now deeply interesting island, until it almost connects itself -with the land of North Devon, forming on either side of it two good -and commodious bays. On this slope a multitude of preserved-meat tins -were strewed about; and near them, and on the ridge of the slope, a -carefully constructed cairn was discovered; it consisted of layers of -fitted tins, filled with gravel, and placed to form a firm and solid -foundation. Beyond this, and along the northern shore of Beechey Island, -the following traces were then quickly discovered: the embankment of -a house, with carpenters’ and armorers’ working places, washing tubs, -coal-bags, pieces of old clothing, rope, and, lastly, the graves of three -of the crew of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_, bearing date of the winter of -1845-1846. We, therefore, now had ascertained the first winter-quarters -of Sir John Franklin. - -“On the eastern slope of the ridge of Beechey Island, a remnant of a -garden (for remnant it now only was, having been dug up in the search) -told an interesting tale; its neatly-shaped, oval outline, the border -carefully formed of moss lichen, poppies, and anemones, transplanted from -some more genial part of this dreary region,—contrived still to show -symptoms of vitality; but the seeds which, doubtless, they had sowed in -the garden had decayed away. - -“Nearer to the beach, a heap of cinders and scraps of iron showed the -armorer’s working-place; and, along an old water-course, now chained -up by frost, several tubs, constructed of the ends of salt-meat casks, -left no doubt as to the washing-places of the men of Franklin’s squadron. -Happening to cross a level piece of ground, which as yet no one had -lighted upon, I was pleased to see a pair of cashmere gloves laid out -to dry, with two small stones on the palms to prevent their blowing -away; they had been there since 1846. I took them up carefully, as -melancholy mementoes of my missing friends. In another spot a flannel was -discovered; and this, together with some things lying about, would, in my -ignorance of wintering in the Arctic regions, have led me to suppose that -there was considerable haste displayed in the departure of the _Erebus_ -and _Terror_ from the spot, had not Captain Austin assured me that there -was nothing to ground such a belief upon, and that, from experience, he -could vouch for these being nothing more than the ordinary traces of a -winter station; and this opinion was fully borne out by those officers -who had, in the previous year, wintered in Port Leopold, one of them -asserting that people left winter quarters too well pleased to escape to -care much for a handful of shavings, an old coal-bag, or a washing tub.” - -[Illustration: THE GRAVES ON BEECHEY ISLAND] - -On the headstones of the three graves resting in that bleak and desolate -shore were the following inscriptions:— - - Sacred - to the - Memory - of - W. Braine, R. M. - H. M. S. Erebus, - Died April 3rd, 1846, - Aged 32 years. - - “Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.” - Joshua, ch. XXIV. 15. - - Sacred to the Memory of - John Hartwell, A. B. of H. M. S. - Erebus, - Aged 23 years. - - “Thus saith the Lord, consider your ways.” - Haggai, I. 7. - - Sacred - to - The Memory - of - John Torrington, - Who departed this life, - January 1st, A.D., 1846, - On board of - H. M.’s Ship Terror, - Aged 20 years. - -No other written record was found. The lost expedition had seemingly -folded its tents, in the mysterious gloom of the Arctic night, and -silently crept away. - -Now, just as the searchers had struck the trail, and were hot upon the -scent, the icy clutch of the long winter arrested their endeavours, -imperiously demanded of them patience, courage, endurance, and enforced -upon them the weariness of months of waiting. Thus the squadron took -up winter quarters at the southern extremity of Cornwallis Land; the -Grinnell expedition, following its instruction, made an attempt to return -home; but was soon shut up in Wellington Channel, where the _Advance_ -and _Rescue_ drifted backward and forward at the mercy of the ice. Of -their attempts to escape being ice-bound for the winter, Dr. Kane draws a -lively picture. - -“September 13. - -“The navigation is certainly exciting. I have never seen a description in -my Arctic readings of anything like this. We are literally running for -our lives, surrounded by the imminent hazards of sudden consolidation -in an open sea. All minor perils, nips, bumps, and sunken bergs are -discarded; we are staggering along under all sail, forcing our way -while we can. One thump, received since I commenced writing, jerked the -time-keeper from our binnacle down the cabin hatch, and, but for our -strong bows, seven and a half solid feet, would have stove us in. Another -time, we cleared a tongue of the main jack by riding it down at eight -knots.” - -“We were obliged,” he continues, “several times the next day to bore -through the young ice; for the low temperature continued, and our wind -lulled under Cape Hotham. The night gave us now three hours of complete -darkness. It was danger to run on, yet equally danger to pause. Grim -water was following close upon our heels; and even the Captain, sanguine -and fearless in emergency as he always proved himself, as he saw the -tenacious fields of sludge and pancake thickening around us, began to -feel anxious. Mine was a jumble of sensations. I had been desirous to -the last degree that we might remain on the field of search, and could -hardly be satisfied at what promised to realize my wish. Yet I had hoped -that our wintering would be near our English friends, that in case of -trouble or disease we might mutually sustain each other. But the interval -of fifty miles between us, in these inhospitable deserts, was as complete -a separation as an entire continent; and I confess that I looked at the -dark shadows closing around Barlow Inlet, the prison from which we cut -ourselves on the seventh, just six days before, with feelings as sombre -as the landscape itself. The sound of our vessel crunching her way -through the new ice is not easy to describe. It was not like the grinding -of the old formed ice, nor was it the slushy scraping of sludge. We may -all of us remember in the skating frolics of early days, the peculiar -reverberating outcry of a pebble, as we tossed it from us along the edges -of an old mill-dam, and heard it dying away in echoes almost musical. -Imagine such a tone as this, combined with the whir of rapid motion, and -the rasping noise of close-grained sugar. I was listening to the sound in -my little den, after a sorrowful day, close upon zero, trying to warm up -my stiffened limbs. Presently it grew less, then increased, then stopped, -then went on again, but jerking and irregular, and then it waned, and -waned, and waned away to silence. - -“Down came the captain: ‘Doctor, the ice has caught us; we are frozen -up.’” - -In describing the discovery of new territory, Dr. Kane says:— - -“On the 22d (September, 1850), our latitude was 75° 24´ 21´´. I now saw -land to the north and west; its horizon that of rolling ground, without -bluffs, terminating at its northern end. Still further on to the north -came a strip without visible land, and then land again with mountain -tops distant and ‘rising above the clouds.’ This last was the land which -received from Captain De Haven the name of Mr. Grinnell.” - -[Sidenote: _ALBERT LAND_] - -The following year (1851) this same land was seen by Captain Penny, and -named by him Albert Land. The Americans naturally supposed that when it -was made known that this land had been discovered by De Haven about eight -months before it was reached by Captain Penny, the name “Albert” would be -dropped, and that of “Grinnell” substituted. This, however, was not done. -A strange, and certainly not very honourable, feeling of jealousy seems -to have induced the Admiralty and Geographical Society to shut their eyes -to the fact that the discovery of the land was due to the Americans. -This famous controversy resulted in bitter condemnation of the English -authorities for injustice and partiality. - -[Sidenote: _DE HAVEN EXPEDITION_] - -But to return to Dr. Kane’s journal. On September 23, he pictures a fatal -break-up of the ice:— - -“How shall I describe to you this pressure, its fearfulness and -sublimity! Nothing I have seen or read of approaches it. The voices of -the ice and the heavy swash of the overturned hummock-tables are at this -moment dinning in my ears. ‘All hands’ are on deck fighting our grim -enemy. - -“Fourteen inches of solid ice thickness, with some half dozen of snow, -are, with the slow uniform advance of a mighty propelling power, -driving in upon our vessel. As they strike her, the semi-plastic mass -is impressed with a mould of her side, and then, urged on by the force -behind, slides upward, and rises in great vertical tables. When these -attain their utmost height, still pressed on by others, they topple over, -and form a great embankment of fallen tables. At the same time, others -take a downward direction, and when pushed on, as in the other case, form -a similar pile underneath. The side on which one or the other of these -actions takes place for the time varies with the direction of the force, -and the strength of the opposite or resisting side, the inclination of -the vessel, and the weight of the superincumbent mounds; and as these -conditions follow each other in varying succession, the vessel becomes -perfectly imbedded after a little while in crumbling and fractured ice.” - -“We are lifted bodily eighteen inches out of water,” continues Dr. Kane. -“The hummocks are reared up around the ship, so as to rise in some cases -a couple of feet above our bulwarks—five feet above our deck. They are -very often ten and twelve feet high. All hands are out, laboring with -picks and crowbars to overturn the fragments that threaten to overwhelm -us. Add to this darkness, snow, cold, and the absolute destitution of -surrounding shores.” - -“October 6, Sunday. 12 Midnight. They report us adrift. Wind, a gale from -the northward and westward. An odd cruise this! The American expedition -fast in a lump of ice about as big as Washington Square, and driving, -like a shanty on a raft, before a howling gale. - -“November 25. - -“Our daylight to-day was a mere name, three and a half hours of meagre -twilight. I was struck for the first time with the bleached faces of my -mess-mates. - -“Seventy-seven days more without a sunrise! twenty-six before we reach -the solstitial point of greatest darkness! - -“December 22, Sunday. The solstice!—the midnight of the year! - -“December 23, Monday. Perfect darkness! Drift unknown. Winds nearly at -rest with the exception of a little gasp from the westward. - -“December 24, Tuesday. ‘Through utter darkness borne.’ - -“December 25. ‘Ye Christmas of ye Arctic cruisers!’ - -“Our Christmas passed without a lack of the good things of this life. -‘Goodies’ we had galore; but that best of earthly blessings, the -communion of loved sympathies, these Arctic cruisers had not. It was -curious to observe the depressing influences of each man’s home thoughts, -and absolutely saddening the effort of each man to impose upon his -neighbor and be very boon and jolly. We joked incessantly, but badly, -too; ate of good things, and drank up a moiety of our Heidsieck; and -then we sang negro songs, wanting only time, measure, and harmony, but -abounding in noise; and after a closing bumper to Mr. Grinnell, adjourned -with creditable jollity from table to the theatre.” - -“Never,” writes Dr. Kane, “had I enjoyed the tawdry quackery of the stage -half so much. - -“The ‘Blue Devils’: God bless us! but it was very, very funny. None -knew their parts, and the prompter could not read glibly enough to do -his office. Everything, whether jocose, or indignant, or commonplace, or -pathetic, was delivered in a high-tragedy monotone of despair; five words -at a time, or more or less, according to the facilities of the prompting. -Megrim, with a pair of seal-skin boots, bestowed his gold upon the gentle -Annette; and Annette, nearly six feet high, received it with mastodonic -grace. Annette was an Irishman named Daly, and I might defy human being -to hear her, while balanced on the heel of her boot, exclaim, in rich -masculine brogue, ‘Och, feather,’ without roaring. - -“After this followed _The Star Spangled Banner_; then a complicated -Marseillaise by our French cook, Henri; then a sailor’s hornpipe by the -diversely talented Bruce; the orchestra—Stewart playing out the intervals -on the Jew’s-harp from the top of a lard-cask. In fact, we were very -happy fellows. We had had a foot race in the morning over the midnight -ice for three purses of a flannel shirt each, and a splicing of the main -brace. The day was night, the stars shining feebly through the mist. - -“December 28, Saturday. - -“From my very soul do I rejoice at the coming sun. Evidences not to be -mistaken convince me that the health of our crew, never resting upon a -very sound basis, must sink under the continued influences of darkness -and cold. The temperature and foulness of air in the between-deck -Tartarus, cannot be amended, otherwise it would be my duty to urge a -change. Between the smoke of lamps, the dry heat of stoves, and the -fumes of the galley, all of them unintermitting, what wonder that we -grow feeble. The short race of Christmas Day knocked up all our officers -except Griffen. It pained me to see my friend Lovell, our strongest -man, fainting with the exertion. The symptoms of scurvy among the crew -are still increasing, and more general. Faces are growing pale; and an -indolence akin to apathy seems to be creeping over us. I long for the -light. Dear, dear sun, no wonder you are worshipped!” - -It may be imagined with what rejoicings they welcomed the glowing disk -when on February 18 they first beheld it. Three cheers went up, and Kane -himself fired a salute. Though the dawn increased, the cold twilight -still continued, and the perils of their situation were ever present. -Many times the conditions of the ice threatened their destruction, but -not until June 5 did its appalling disruption free them. In twenty -minutes the ice, as far as the eye could reach, was a vast field of -moving floes. Five days later they emerged into the open water and made -for Godhaven on the coast of Greenland. - -Here they underwent repairs, and, undaunted by the recent perils, again -turned their prows to the north. Skirting the coast of Greenland as far -as the 73d degree, they sailed to the westward and spoke an English -whaling ship near the Dutch Island about the 7th and 8th of July. By -the 11th they were pushing their way through the accumulations of ice -in Baffin Bay, and here the gallant little _Prince Albert_, on her way -back to join the searching squadron, continued in their company until the -3d of August, when she hove off to the westward to try a more southern -passage. - -Pushing bravely against the odds of impenetrable ice barriers; blocked at -every manœuvre to force a passage; nine more months of winter threatening -the enfeebled crew; the brave De Haven determined to give up the unequal -battle, and Dr. Kane makes this entry:— - -“August 19, Tuesday: - -“_Rescue_ is close astern of us; she got through about noon yesterday. -Our commodore has resolved on an immediate return to the United States.” - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - - Search for Sir John Franklin _continued_.—Sledge journey of - Captain Austin’s squadron.—Return of _Prince Albert_ under - command of Captain Kennedy.—Bellot. - - -[Sidenote: _SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN_] - -The British searching squadron, including the _Resolute_, the -_Assistance_, the _Pioneer_, and the _Intrepid_, while wintering in the -vicinity of Cornwallis Island and Griffith Island, had held frequent -communication and planned for exploration journeys on sledges to be -undertaken as early as possible the following spring. Before the winter -became too severe, depots of provisions were established to be used by -the sledging parties, and the men trained in sledge dragging and walking -exercises that they might be in good physical condition when the time for -a test of endurance should arrive. Under the direction of Captain Austin, -detailed plans were formed for careful exploration of islands and lands -along Parry Strait. To Captain Penny was entrusted the thorough search of -Wellington Channel. - -As early as the 12th of April, 1851, the parties intended for the -westward explorations, numbering one hundred and four men, proceeded -under the command of Captain Ommaney to the northwest end of Griffith -Island, and there the entire encampment was closely inspected by Captain -Austin. - -[Illustration: E. K. KANE] - -The extraordinary records of the six “extended” parties, those with -instructions to go the farthest possible distance, were as follows: -First, the sledge _Reliance_, under Captain Ommaney, travelled on south -shore, was absent sixty days, and covered four hundred and eighty miles, -two hundred and five of which was previously unknown coast. Second, the -sledge _True Blue_, under Lieutenant Osborn, travelled on the south -shore, was absent fifty-eight days, covered five hundred and six miles, -and discovered seventy miles of coast. The third sledge, _Enterprise_, -under Lieutenant Brown, travelled on south shore, was absent forty-four -days, and covered three hundred and seventy-five miles, including one -hundred and fifty of previously unknown coast. The _True Blue_, making -the most western point reached 103° 25´ west longitude, a point about -halfway between Leopold Island and Point Turnagain on the American -continent. - -Of the three parties designed for the search of the north shore, the -first sledge, _Lady Franklin_, under command of Lieutenant Aldrich, -was absent sixty-two days, covered five hundred and fifty miles, and -discovered seventy miles of coast. The second sledge, _Perseverance_, -under Lieutenant M’Clintock, was absent eighty days, and covered seven -hundred and sixty miles, forty miles of which was previously undiscovered -coast. The third sledge, _Resolute_, under Surgeon Bradford, was absent -eighty days, and covered six hundred and sixty-nine miles, and discovered -one hundred and thirty-five miles of coast. - -To Lieutenant M’Clintock was due the honour of reaching the farthest -west, 74° 38´ north latitude, and 114° 20´ west longitude. On this -journey M’Clintock reached Bushman Cove, Melville Island, where Parry had -encamped June 11, 1820. Traces of his stay were found by M’Clintock and -later, upon crossing to Winter Harbor, on a large stone boulder he found -the following inscription:— - - His Britannic Majesty’s - Ships Hecla and Griper, - Commanded by - W. C. Parry and Mr. Liddon, - Wintered in the adjacent - Harbor 1819-20. - - A. Tisher. Sculpt. - -It was evident that no man had visited the spot since that early date, -and a hare was found near the rock so tame that she would almost -allow the men to touch her. M’Clintock added the figures 1851 to the -inscription and prepared to return to the ships, which he reached July 4. - -The parties organized for the purpose of depositing provisions, setting -up marks, and making observations, were absent from the ships during -periods of from twelve to thirty-four days. Strange as it may seem, they -underwent greater hardship and suffered more than the “extended parties,” -which returned in excellent condition, whereas no less than twenty-eight -men were frost-bitten, and one died from exhaustion, of those sharing the -shorter excursions. - -The six parties designated for the exploration of Wellington Channel were -under the command of Captain Stuart, Messrs. Marshall, J. Stewart, and -Reid, and Surgeons Sutherland and Goodsir. - -From the outset, April 17, they encountered disagreeable weather, which -considerably delayed their progress. However, Captain Penny, who had -general supervision, was fortunate enough to discover “a wide westward -strait of open water, lying along the further side of the lands which -flank Barrow’s Strait and Parry’s Strait.” Entering the ice lanes with -a boat, he penetrated up Queen’s Channel as far as Baring Island and -Cape Beecher. Being able to proceed no further, he returned to the -ships. At this point “a fine open sea stretched invitingly away to the -north, but his fragile boat was ill-equipped for a voyage of discovery. -Fully persuaded that Franklin must have followed this route, he failed, -however, in convincing Captain Austin of the truth of his theory, and as, -without that officer’s coöperation, nothing could be effected, he was -compelled to follow the course pointed out by the Admiralty squadron, -which, after two ineffectual attempts to enter Smith and Jones sounds, -returned to England.” - -An unlikely tale told to old Sir John Ross by the Eskimos near Cape York, -to the effect that in the winter of 1846 two ships were wrecked in the -ice off Cape Dudley Digges and afterwards ransacked and burned by the -natives, and the crew massacred, determined Sir John to investigate the -story as closely as possible and then return in the _Felix_ to England. -Even after his return home, he seems to have been firm in the belief that -Sir John Franklin and the crew of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ perished in -Baffin Bay. - -Having made a close inspection of this bay before his return, he -describes the results of his search as follows: “Many important -corrections and valuable additions were made to the charts of the much -frequented eastern side of Baffin Bay, which has been more closely -observed and navigated by this than any former expedition; and, much to -my satisfaction, confirming the latitude and longitude of every headland -I had the opportunity of laying down in the year 1818.” - -We turn now to continue the story of another expedition. - -The little _Prince Albert_, which spoke the _Advance_ and _Rescue_ in -Baffin Bay, July 12, 1851, on her return trip to northern waters, had -been most carefully overhauled and refitted for her arduous enterprise. -Her commander was Captain Kennedy, and second in command was Lieutenant -J. Bellot, a young French officer noted for his adventurous spirit and -charming personality, who had volunteered his services. Among the crew, -all of whom were picked men, was John Hepburn, who had accompanied Sir -John Franklin on that first land expedition which came near proving -fatal to the entire party. Another of the men had accompanied Dr. Rae on -his first journey to Repulse Bay, and a third had accompanied Sir John -Richardson in his boat journey through the interior of America. - -Discouraging conditions of ice and weather met the gallant crew in Prince -Regent Inlet. Ploughing a way through a tortuous course, the _Prince -Albert_ succeeding in reaching Elwin Bay only to find it ice-bound and -impassable. Batty Bay and Fury Beach were also impossible of access, -and now the condition of the ice becoming so alarming, they gave up an -attempt at the west side of the inlet and made a hasty retreat to Port -Bowen,—where traces of Sir Edward Parry’s party, which wintered there in -1825, were still discernible. - -To avoid wintering at so great a distance from the scene of the -explorations planned for the following spring, they recrossed the strait -and approached the shore for the purpose of making a landing. Captain -Kennedy, accompanied by four of the crew, cast off in a gutta-percha boat -and made for the beach. Upon landing, Captain Kennedy ascended the cliffs -of Cape Seppings, and decried Port Leopold free from ice. Hoping to put -the _Prince Albert_ in this safe harbour, he at once made an attempt to -rejoin his ship, but, upon reaching the shore, found to his consternation -that, owing to the sudden moving of the ice-pack, he could not rejoin -her and that she was being merrily carried down-stream in spite of every -effort of the men on board to stop her progress. The shadows of night -came upon them rapidly, and the tempestuous roaring, grinding, and -tossing of the ice was all that could be seen or heard. - -A most uncomfortable night followed their unlucky adventure. Their boat -was the only available shelter, and this served for a covering under -which one man at a time took an hour’s uncomfortable rest, while the -others exercised to keep their bodies from freezing. The next morning at -dawn, upon mounting the cliffs once more, their alarm was increased by -the melancholy fact that the ship had completely disappeared from view. - -No more forlorn castaways can be imagined. The only mitigating -circumstance in their sorry condition was the knowledge that on the other -side of the harbour at Whaler Point, Sir James Ross had left a deposit -of provisions about two years before. To this point their steps were now -directed, and upon reaching the depot their hopes revived somewhat when -they found the condition of the provisions excellent. The house left by -Sir James Ross was in fair condition, the flag and record were easily -found, and, resigned to their fate, Kennedy and his companions determined -to face the possibility of passing the long Arctic winter with the best -possible grace. - -“It was now,” says Kennedy, “the 10th of September. Winter was evidently -fast setting in, and, from the distance the ship had been carried during -that disastrous night, whether out to sea or down the inlet we could not -conjecture—there was no hope of our being able to rejoin her, at least -during the present season. There remained, therefore, no alternative but -to make up our minds to pass the winter, if necessary, where we were. The -first object to be attended to was the erecting of some sort of shelter -against the daily increasing inclemency of the weather; and for this -purpose, the launch, left by Sir James Ross, was selected. Her main mast -was laid on supports at the bow and stern, about nine feet in height, -and by spreading two of her sails over this a very tolerable roof was -obtained. A stove was set up in the body of the boat, with the pipes -running through the roof; and we were soon sitting by a comfortable fire, -which, after our long exposure to the wet and cold, we stood very much in -need of.” - -[Sidenote: _RETURN OF THE PRINCE ALBERT_] - -It was the intention of Captain Kennedy to make sledge journeys -to distant points in the hope of sighting the _Prince Albert_ or -discovering traces of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_,—but before the necessary -preparations were completed, some five weeks after their separation from -the ship, a shot echoed through the stillness, and Lieutenant Bellot and -seven of the crew of the _Prince Albert_ came to their rescue. After two -previous attempts to find their long-lost comrades, they had succeeded -in dragging the jolly-boat all the way from Batty Bay, where the _Prince -Albert_ was securely moored. Of this happy reunion, Captain Kennedy -writes:— - -“It can hardly be a matter of surprise that the reaction in the state -of our feelings, consequent upon this unexpected meeting with our -long-lost friends, should have been striking and immediate, and in direct -proportion to our former solicitude and dejection. - -“It was but five weeks ‘by the chime’ since our disastrous separation -from the _Prince Albert_; but they were five _years_ of dreary anxiety -and despondency fast merging into something like despair. We had a jovial -evening, let the reader be well assured, in our little launch that 17th -of October, and a jovial housewarming, out of Her Majesty’s stores at -Port Leopold, enjoyed none the less from the absence of any grim vision -of a long reckoning to discharge with ‘mine host’ on the morrow. And we -kept it up, too, let me tell you, with long yarns of our adventures, and -rough old sea songs; and in brimming cups of famous chocolate, ‘cheering -but not inebriating,’ drank most loyally (at Her Majesty’s expense) a -happy meeting with H. M. S. _Erebus_ and _Terror_, and their gallant -crews. - -“It was some days after this before our preparations for returning to the -ship were completed. At last, on Wednesday, the 22d, exactly six weeks -after our first detention at Whaler Point, we set out; after depositing -a paper in the cylinder, containing information of our proceedings up to -this date, and placing all the loose stores in proper order and security -for the use of any party that should come after us. - -“Our provisions and ‘traps’ of all kinds were stowed on a strong sleigh. -A mast was then set, and a sail hoisted in the jolly-boat, and away we -went before a spanking fair wind over the smooth ice of Leopold Harbor -at a rate which ‘all the King’s horses’ could hardly have been equal to. -We had not gone half across the bay, however, before our sleigh, wholly -unused to this style of locomotion, broke down, and it cost us the best -part of the day, before we could repair our damage and start afresh.” - -“In our endeavor to reach Mr. Bellot’s encampment of the 16th,” continues -Mr. Kennedy, “we continued on foot longer than we should have done, and -the consequence was, that being overtaken by night before looking for -camping ground, we found ourselves, before we were aware or had time -to reflect on the predicament we had got into, groping about, in the -darkness, and with a heavy shower of snow falling, for some bit of terra -firma, (for we had been all day upon the ice), where we could pitch the -tent. We stumbled at last, after making our shins more freely acquainted -than was altogether agreeable with the sharp edges of the broken ice, -into a fine square of clear beach, between some heavy masses of stranded -ice. Choosing out the softest part of a shelving rock of limestone of -which the beach was composed, we pitched the tent, spread the oilcloth, -and with some coals, which we had brought with us from Whaler Point, -boiled a good kettle of tea for all hands. - -“All these preparations were, however, but introductory to another, which -we found a most difficult problem indeed—namely, to contrive how we were -all to pass the night in the single little tent we had brought with us. -We all got in, certainly, and got the kettle in the middle; but as for -lying down to sleep it was utterly out of the question. A London omnibus -on a racing day after five o’clock, was the only parallel I could think -of to our attempt to stow thirteen men, including our colossal carpenter, -into a tent intended for six. At last, after some deliberation, it was -arranged that we should sit down six in a row, on each side, which would -leave us about three feet clear to stretch our legs. Mr. Bellot, who -formed the thirteenth, being the most compact and stowable of the party, -agreed to squeeze in underneath them, stipulating only for a clear foot -square for his head alongside the tea-kettle. Being unprovided with a -candlestick, even if there had been room to place one anywhere, it was -arranged that each of us should hold the candle in his hand for a quarter -of an hour, and then pass it to his neighbor, and thus by the aid of -our flickering taper, through the thick steam of the boiling kettle, we -had just enough light to prevent us putting our tea into our neighbor’s -mouth, instead of our own. - -“‘Well, boys,’ suggests our ever jovial first mate, Henry Anderson, -‘now we are fairly seated, I’m thinking, as we can do nothing else, -we had best make a night of it again. What say you to a song, Dick?’ -Whereupon, nothing loath, Mr. Richard Webb strikes up, in the first style -of forecastle execution, ‘Susannah, don’t you cry for me,’ which is, of -course, received by the company with the utmost enthusiasm, ‘Mr. Webb, -your health and song,’ and general applause, and emptying of tea-cans, -which Mr. John Smith, pleading inability to sing, undertakes to replenish -for the night. - -“‘Irvine, my lad, pass the candle, and give us the “Tailor.”’ Mr. Irvine, -you must understand, gentle reader, has distinguished himself by some -extraordinary performances on the blanket-bags, during our late detention -at Whaler Point, in virtue of which he has been formally installed -‘Tailor of the Expedition.’ - -“‘The Tailor’ is accordingly given, _con amore_, and is a remarkable -history of knight of the thimble, who, burying his goose, like Prospero -his books, ‘beyond the reach of plummet,’ becomes a ‘Sailor bold,’ and -in that capacity enslaves the heart of a lovely lady of incalculable -wealth, who, etc., etc. We all know the rest. ‘Kenneth, you monster, -take that clumsy foot of yours off my stomach, will you?’ cried out poor -Mr. Bellot, smothered beneath the weight of four-and-twenty legs, upon -which the carpenter, in his eagerness to comply, probably drives his foot -into Mr. Bellot’s eye. And so, passing the song and the joke around, Mr. -Bellot, occasionally making a sudden desperate effort to get up, and -sitting down again in despair,—with a long ‘blow’ like a grampus, we -make what Anderson calls ‘a night of it.’ No management, however, can -make our solitary candle last beyond twelve o’clock, or thereabouts. -Notwithstanding this extinguisher to the entertainments of the evening, -Mr. Anderson, while some are dozing and hob-a-nobbing in their dreams, -may still be heard keeping it up with unabated spirit in the dark, -wakening every sleeper now and then with some tremendous chorus he has -contrived to get up among his friends, for the ‘Bay of Biscay,’ or some -favourite Greenland melody, with its inspiriting burthen of ‘Cheeri-lie, -ah! cheeri-lie!’” - -[Illustration: THE “RESCUE” IN MELVILLE BAY] - -A warm welcome awaited the lost ones, when a few days later they reached -the ship. - -“With our return to the vessel,” writes Mr. Kennedy, “may be said to -have closed all our operations, as far as the ship was concerned, in -the Arctic seas for the year 1851. There remained now only to make our -arrangements for the vessel passing the next six or eight months where we -were, and for preparing for our own winter journeys.” - -Preparations were completed by January 5, 1852, and the morning of that -day the men on snow-shoes, with dogs dragging the sledges, started off -amid the cheers of their comrades and the yelping and barking of the dogs. - -“The first object of the journey,” continues Mr. Kennedy, “was, of -course, to ascertain whether Fury Beach had been a retreating point to -any of Sir John Franklin’s party since it was visited by Lieutenant -Robinson, of the _Enterprise_, in 1849. A secondary object, should our -expectations in this respect not be realized, was to form a first depot -of provisions here, with the view of carrying out a more extended search -as soon as circumstances would permit. It was desirable at the same time -to ascertain the state of the roads, by which, of course, I mean the -yet untrodden surface of the snow or ice, in the direction in which we -meant to go, before commencing any transport, on a large scale, between -the ship and Fury Beach; and it was thought advisable, therefore, to go -comparatively light. A small supply of pemmican was all we took with us -in addition to our travelling requirements, consisting of a tent and -poles, blanketing and provisions for a week, some guns and ammunition, -fuel, and a cooking apparatus, in all weighing from two hundred to two -hundred and fifty pounds.” - -From the outset the travelling was difficult and arduous. “... not -infrequently after toiling to the top of an incline, a lurch of the -sleigh would send us careening in a very lively and unexpected manner to -the bottom. Here follows an incident in our first day’s journey, which -caused us some amusement at the time, and carried a lesson with it, -whenever we had to encounter any of these obstacles afterward. - -“We had got about halfway up one of those villainous steeps, when our -entire cortège gave unmistakable signs of a tendency to seek a sudden -descent. There was just time for us to cast off the traces, all but poor -Mr. Bellot, who was not sufficiently alert in disengaging his, when away -went the sleigh and dogs, and Mr. Bellot after them into an abyss at the -bottom, where the only indication of the catastrophe that could be seen -was some six inches of Mr. Bellot’s heels above the surface of the snow. -We dug him out ‘a wiser and a better man’ for the rest of the journey, -whenever any of these pestilent slopes had to be encountered thereafter.” - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN KENNEDY—BELLOT_] - -On the 8th, the distance to Fury Beach being very short, Mr. Kennedy -decided to leave the sledge and two of the men, and press on with Mr. -Bellot, and one man unencumbered. - -“It may be imagined with what feelings,” says Kennedy, “when we really -had come upon it, we approached a spot round which so many hopes and -anxieties had so long centred. Every object, distinguished by the -moonlight in the distance, became animated to our imaginations, into -the forms of our long-absent countrymen; for had they been imprisoned -anywhere in the Arctic Seas, within a reasonable distance of Fury Beach, -here we felt assured some of them at least would have been now. But alas! -for these fond hopes! How deeply, though perhaps unconsciously cherished, -none of us probably suspected, till standing under the tattered covering -of Somerset House, and gazing silently upon the solitude around us, we -felt as we turned to look mournfully on each other’s faces, that the last -ray of hope as to this cherished imagination had fled from our hearts. -It is perhaps necessary for the vigorous prosecution of any difficult -object that for the moment, some particular circumstance in the chain of -operations by which it is to be effected, should seem to us so vitally -important that the eye is blinded to all beyond. The spot on which we -now stood had so long been associated in our minds with some clue to the -discovery of the solution of the painful mystery which hung over the -fate of Franklin, and had so long unconsciously perhaps coloured all -our thought, that it was not without a pang, and a feeling as if the -main purpose of our expedition had been defeated, that we found all our -long-cherished anticipations shattered at a blow by the scene which met -our eyes. Thus my friend and I stood paralyzed at the death-like solitude -around us. No vestige of the visit of a human being was here since -Lieutenant Robinson had examined the depot in 1849. The stores, still -in the most perfect preservation, were precisely in the well-arranged -condition, described in the clear report of that energetic officer.” - -“His own notice of his visit,” continues Mr. Kennedy, “was deeply buried -in the snow, and the index staff he had placed over it was thrown down -and gnawed by the foxes. Wearied with a long and fruitless examination we -took up our quarters for a repose of a few hours in Somerset House, the -frame of which was still standing entire, but the covering blown to rags -by the wind, and one end of the house nearly filled with snow. We lighted -a fire on the stove which had heated the end occupied by Sir John Ross’s -crew during the dreary winter of 1832-33. - -“After refreshing ourselves with a warm supper, and nodding for a few -hours over the fire, we set out about 11 P.M. on our return to our -encampment, which we reached by 2 A.M. of the following morning. Our -return from this point to the ship, which we reached about 5 P.M. of -Saturday the 10th, was not marked by any incident worthy of notice. - -“We had deposited at our encampment a 90-pound case of pemmican, a bag -of coals, two muskets, and some ammunition, which, while it served as a -reserve for future explorations in this direction, materially lightened -the labour of the dogs, and allowed us time for a more minute examination -of the coast than we had been able to make during the outward journey. -The result, however, was not in any respect more successful. No traces of -any kind were discovered which could throw light on the objects of our -search. - -“Thus ended our first journey to Fury Beach, and its results satisfied -us that, in the present state of the ice in Prince Regent’s Inlet, the -more extended explorations of the coastline, which we had calculated -on being able to commence on our return to the ship, could not now be -safely undertaken, and must for the present be postponed. We were most -reluctantly compelled, therefore, to pass the next month in the ship, -occupied in the same general routine duties as those on which we had been -during the earlier part of the winter.” - -Captain Kennedy gives a vivid description of Arctic gales and the dangers -of travel during a tempest. “About eight A.M. in the morning of the 13th -February,” he writes, “Mr. Bellot, the carpenter, Andrew Irvine, Henry -Anderson (the first mate), and myself left the ship, taking with us -two cases of pemmican, and three tin jars, each containing two gallons -of spirits of wine, on a sledge, drawn by five Eskimo dogs, for the -purpose of depositing them a short distance on the way to Fury Beach, -and returning in the evening. After proceeding for a few hours, and -making very fair progress along a tolerably good path, a strong wind -arose, which by one P.M. had increased to a perfect hurricane, so thickly -charged with snow that, in attempting to cross a bay on our return, we -lost sight of the land by which our course homeward had been guided. In -short, after wandering about for some time, scarcely able to distinguish -each other at the distance of a few paces, we found that we had fairly -lost our way. In this dilemma, we set two of the five dogs loose from -the sledge, in the hope that they would act as guides better than when -drawing; but this proved to be a mistake, as they would not leave the -others. At last, however, they all set off together, taking the sledge -with them and leaving us to our fate. As we afterwards found, they -reached the ship without any difficulty, and, as may readily be supposed, -put every one on board in a perfect fever of terror and anxiety as to -what had become of us. In the meantime, we had gone on floundering over -broken ice, until we had once more stumbled on the land, but where or -what the land was we had fallen upon, nobody knew. It was something -certainly to know we were not marching over the Inlet or out to sea, -in which case we would have marched on, and in all probability never -returned; but in other respects we had rather lost than gained by getting -on terra firma. With an atmosphere as thick as pea-soup, and no sun, -moon, or stars to be seen, there was no keeping the shore (and to go on -one side or the other was to incur the certainty of losing ourselves -again, either on the Inlet or on the land) without hugging close up and -into a break-neck line of stranded fragments of ice, which indicated the -direction of the beach. - -“Along this formidable path we floundered on—now coming bump up against -some huge fragment of ice, or pitching over the top of it into a hole, -excavated in the snow at the bottom, by the whirling eddies of the wind; -now walking, now crawling, occasionally tumbling into the snow, until -we were all brought up by a cry of pain from one of the men who had -met a ‘_bouleversement_’ over the edge of a bank of ice. It was a sad -accident, but the worst of it was, that after setting him on his legs, -nothing could induce him to move a step farther. Here he was, and here -he maintained he must remain ‘_coute qui coute_.’ There was no reasoning -with the poor fellow, who certainly had sustained a very severe injury, -but not anything like so bad as he had imagined it, and it would never do -to leave him lying here. So feigning to take him at his word, we proposed -to bundle him up in a buffalo-robe and bury him in the snow for the -night—comforting him with the assurance that we would certainly come back -for him in the morning. This Arctic prescription had a magical effect -upon our patient—the back and the broken bones were speedily forgotten, -and in a short time he was on his legs again, and we all trudging on -once more in the old rough and tumble style of progression, till about -midnight, we found ourselves standing under the lee of something which -looked like a bank of snow, but which, to our great gratification, proved -to be the powder house we had erected on shore in the beginning of the -winter. A consultation was now held whether we should cut our way into it -and pass the night here, ‘accoutred as we were,’ or make for the ship, -which we now knew could not be far off. Our decision was for the latter, -and the only question now was, how to steer for the vessel. This, too, -was decided upon at last, by each of the party pointing in turn, in the -direction in which he thought the vessel lay, and then taking the mean -of the bearings. To prevent our separating in the drift (for some of the -party had by this time got so benumbed with cold, as to be unable to -use their hands to clear their eyelids, and had thus become literally -blind with the accumulation of the snow on their eyes), it was agreed -that at certain intervals we should call and answer each other’s names, -and that those whose eyes had suffered least should take the others in -tow. In this order, we proceeded for the vessel, and fortunately by the -guidance of a solitary star, that could be faintly distinguished through -the drift, got near enough to the ship to hear the wind whistling through -the shrouds and were thus guided, rather by the ear than by the eye, to -her position, and soon afterwards found ourselves on board, where we were -received once more as those from the dead. - -“These short journeys, however arduous, in which caches were established -for future use, were only preliminary skirmishes to the ‘grand journey’ -planned by Captain Kennedy with much forethought and in preparation for -which days had been occupied in making suitable apparel, trappings, -and sledges. It was expected that the journey would take at least -three months. The particular direction our route ought to assume, was, -of course, a matter to be regulated very much by the nature of the -circumstances that might arise in the course of it. On one point only we -were decided, viz. that it should embrace Cape Walker to which, as the -point of departure of Sir John Franklin for the unknown regions to the -W. and S.W., had he decided upon this course, and not gone up Wellington -Channel, much interest naturally attached. - -“There were fourteen of the crew disposable in the ship,” continues -Captain Kennedy, “of whom four picked men were to go with Mr. Bellot and -myself to Cape Walker, while the rest were to accompany us, as a fatigue -party, as far as Fury Beach, which was to form the starting-point of the -journey. Parties sent out on different occasions during the last two -months, had taken in advance six cases of pemmican, six muskets, and -a bag of coals. One case of pemmican, as already mentioned, had been -deposited in January a few miles north of Fury Point. Our provisions, -clothing, and bedding, drawn upon two Indian sleighs by our five dogs, -had, of course, been reduced to whatever was strictly indispensable. Five -gallons of spirits of wine were taken as a substitute for fuel. With -proper management and economy, we hoped to make this last us till the -spring, when, by the plan we proposed adopting, of travelling during the -night instead of the day, we trusted, should a necessity arise for so -doing, to be able to dispense with the use of fuel altogether. - -“On the morning of the 20th of February, a scene of general bustle and -excitement showed that all our arrangements had been completed, and that -the long-deferred start for the grand journey was about to take place. -A detachment of five men, Mr. Bellot, and myself, were all that could -leave the ship at this time; the others appointed to join us being still -under the doctor’s attendance for slight and temporary inconvenience, -frost-bites, etc. The whole crew, however, had mustered to see us as far -as the south point of Batty Bay, all but our dear Hepburn, who, unable -to control his manly emotion at parting with so many old friends, and -above all at being unable to accompany us, took a touching farewell -of us at the vessel: ‘God bless you,’ said he, grasping my hand with -affectionate warmth, ‘I cannot accompany you, and I cannot let all these -men witness my emotion: let me part with you here, and may God grant -that we meet in life and health, after the long and hazardous journey -you are about to undertake.’ Though this veteran hero saw much hardship -and hazard in store before us, he would have seen none whatever had he -been allowed to accompany us, but I could not for a moment entertain the -idea of employing him on a journey, when there were so many younger men -all emulous to be engaged on it, and more particularly when his services -on board ship were so indispensable; and, by his kindly consenting to -remain, I was relieved of all anxiety as respected the _Prince Albert_. - -“Reaching the south point of Batty Bay, with our friendly escort, our two -parties once more separated with many kindly and touching farewells and -then, with three hearty cheers, diverging in our different routes, we -were soon lost to each other in the mist and snow.” - -The fury of the equinoctial gales greatly impeded the advance of the -party, frequently detaining them for several days at a time. - -Sledges, moccasins, and snow-shoes were greatly damaged under the hard -conditions of travel, and it was found necessary when the whole party -had assembled at Fury Beach to send back to the ship for additional -supplies. They also made use of the excellent stores found at the Fury -Beach which had been left there thirty years before. It was decided, -after careful calculation, that six men could carry provisions for the -proposed journey of three months’ duration; that fourteen men should -travel as far as Brentford Bay, at which point eight would return to the -ship, the remaining six to proceed, carrying with them all provisions and -necessaries for the remainder of the trip. - -The total dead weight of this equipment, including sledges and tackling, -might be estimated at about two thousand pounds. “The whole was lashed -down,” writes Kennedy, “to the smallest possible compass on four -flat-bottomed Indian sleighs, of which our five Eskimo dogs, assisted -by two men to each sleigh, took two, while the rest of the men took the -other two.” - -The day of their start proved mild and pleasant, and at first the -travelling was good, the ice being sufficiently smooth to make easy and -rapid progress. But such good fortune did not remain with them long, and -the inevitable gales made travelling most difficult and painful. The -usual snow huts were erected at night, under which they took such comfort -as their short hours of rest afforded them. Frost-bites caused them much -suffering, and to protect their faces they resorted to curious expedients. - -“For the eyes,” writes Kennedy, “we had goggles of glass, of wire-gauze, -of crape, or of plain wood with a slit in the centre, in the manner of -Eskimos. For the face, some had cloth-masks, with neat little crevices -for the mouth, nose, and eyes; others were muffled up in the ordinary -chin-cloth, and, for that most troublesome of the facial members, the -nose, a strong party, with our always original carpenter at their head, -had gutta-percha noses, lined with delicate soft flannel.” Though -admirable in theory, these contrivances proved failures in practice, and -were all discarded except the chin-cloths and goggles. - -On the 6th of April they reached Brentford Bay, and the fatigue party -began their retrograde journey to the ship. At this point Kennedy -discovered a strait running westward, separating North Somerset from -Boothia Felix. This he named Bellot Strait, in honour of the brave young -officer who had secured the affectionate regard of commander and crew. -From here the party crossed Victoria Strait to Prince of Wales Land, -naming many of the prominent headlands, bays, and islands. - -On April 17 the thermometer stood at plus 22, “a temperature,” writes -Kennedy, “which, to our sensations, was absolutely oppressive. One of -our dogs, through over-exertion, fainted in his traces, and lay gasping -for breath for a quarter of an hour; but after recovering, went on as -merrily as ever. These faithful creatures were perfect treasures to us -throughout the journey. They were all suffering, like ourselves, from -snow-blindness, but did not in the least relax their exertions on this -account. The Eskimo’s dog is, in fact, the camel of these northern -deserts; the faithful attendant of man, and the sharer of his labors and -privations.” - -The flat country over which they were travelling, and the close proximity -of the Magnetic Pole, which rendered their compass of little use, made -it particularly difficult to keep a westerly course. It was hoped that -this direction would lead to a sea which would conduct them northward to -Cape Walker. From this point they hoped to ascertain if there was any -westward channel or strait through which Sir John Franklin might have -penetrated. After marching for thirteen days, and reaching the hundredth -degree of west longitude, without coming to a sea, Kennedy decided to -turn northward to Cape Walker. - -“Being now satisfied,” he writes, “that Sir James Ross had, in his land -journey along the western shore of North Somerset, in 1849, mistaken -the very low level land over which we had been travelling for a western -sea, I felt no longer justified in continuing a western course. Whatever -passage might exist to the south-west of Cape Walker, I felt assured must -now be on our north. I determined therefore, from this time forward, to -direct our course northward, until we should fall upon some channel which -we knew must exist not far from us, in this direction, by which Franklin -might have passed to the southwest.” - -The channel for which they were in search could not be found. Boisterous -gales still pursued them, and the men began to show the effects of -exhaustion and exposure in the form of the dreaded scurvy. They, -therefore, turned eastward again and, reaching Cape Burney, they made -next for Cape Walker, which first loomed in the distance the 4th of -May. Their disappointment was great at finding no trace of Franklin’s -expedition. - -“Wearied and dispirited beyond description,” writes Captain Kennedy, -“at the fruitless result of our long and anxious labours, we returned -to our encampment, guided through a heavy snow-storm by the report of -guns, which I had directed to be fired every fifteen minutes, to make -preparation for our return homeward. This could be effected either by -pushing directly for Batty Bay, across North Somerset, a distance in a -straight line of not more than six days’ journey, or by following the -coast round to Whaler Point, and thence to the ship.” The latter route -was chosen, though the distance was nearly double that of the other, and -after an absence of ninety-seven days and covering about eleven hundred -miles, they at last reached the ship May 30. A remarkable journey “for -six men and five dogs, dragging for most of the way two thousand pounds’ -weight, and sleeping in snowhouses, encamping on frozen seas, and rarely -having a fire when they halted to recruit.” - -Preparations for the return to England were now commenced. June and July -passed without the vessel becoming free from the ice, but by the 6th of -August, after sawing and blasting, the little craft was liberated. At -Beechey Island, which Captain Kennedy reached the 19th, he found the -depot ship _North Star_, now attached to Sir E. Belcher’s expedition, -engaged in sawing into winter quarters. Proceeding in her course, the -_Prince Albert_ reached England, after an uneventful voyage, October 7, -1853. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - - Search for Sir John Franklin _continued_: Sir Edward Belcher’s - squadron.—Inglefield.—Rae’s journey.—Discovery of Northwest - Passage by Captain M’Clure.—Death of Bellot. - - -Interest in the mysterious fate of Sir John Franklin was in no wise -lessened by the unexpected return to England of the searching squadron -in 1851. Dr. Rae’s land journey of over-eight hundred miles, including a -thorough examination of the east and north coast of Victoria Land, had -thrown no new light on the tragic situation. The American coast had now -been diligently examined from the entrance of Behring Strait to the head -of Hudson Bay, and it was generally believed that Franklin had never -reached so low a latitude. - -On April 28, 1852, a thoroughly equipped squadron of five vessels—the -_Assistance_, the _Resolute_, and the _North Star_, and two steamers, the -_Pioneer_ and _Intrepid_—sailed from England under the command of Sir -Edward Belcher. The _Assistance_ and _Pioneer_ were to sail up Wellington -Channel. The _Resolute_ and _Intrepid_, under command of Captain Kellett, -were to proceed to Melville Island, there to deposit provisions for the -use of Captain Collinson and Commander M’Clure, should they succeed in -making the passage from Behring Strait, for which, as we have seen, they -had set sail in January, 1850. The _North Star_ was to remain at Beechey -Island as a depot store ship. - -By the 6th of July the squadron was in Baffin Bay, accompanied by a fleet -of whalers. The ice conditions proved exasperating; the _Assistance_, -_Pioneer_, and _Resolute_ were beset and detained for a time, while the -rest of the fleet, accompanied by the whalers, stretched in a long train -of some three quarters of a mile in length and slowly pushed their way -through a narrow lane of water. - -The American whaler, _McLellan_, had the lead; the _North Star_ of the -English squadron followed the _McLellan_. The weather conditions were -most favourable; no anxiety was felt for the safety of the vessels, in -spite of the fact that the lane of water gradually closed and prevented -the ships from advancing or retreating until July 7, when the report was -made that the _McLellan_ was nipped in the ice and her crew making ready -to abandon her. Carpenters, under orders of Sir Edward Belcher, put a few -charges of powder in the ice, to relieve the pressure. - -[Illustration: ADMIRAL SIR EDWARD BELCHER. - -_By permission of The Illustrated London News._] - -[Sidenote: _SIR EDWARD BELCHER’S SQUADRON_] - -The next day, however, the _McLellan_ was nipped harder than ever -with the water pouring into her in a steady stream. While drifting -unmanageable, first into one ship and then into another, she was boarded -by English whalemen who proceeded to ransack and plunder her, until, at -the Captain’s request, Sir Edward Belcher placed sentries on board to -prevent further loot, and working parties proceeded to take inventory -of her stores, and remove them to a safe distance. In a day or two the -_McLellan_ had sunk to the water’s edge, and for the safety of the rest -of the fleet, a charge or two of powder put her out of the way. - -The squadron reached its headquarters at Beechey Island, August 10. -Wellington Channel and Barrow Strait were found free from ice, and on the -14th, Sir Edward Belcher, with the _Pioneer_ and _Assistance_, proceeded -up the Channel. The next day Captain Kellett, with the _Resolute_ and -_Intrepid_, sailed in open water for Melville Island. - -[Sidenote: _INGLEFIELD_] - -While Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron was making its arduous passage to -Beechey Island, Lady Franklin had refitted the screw-steamer _Isabel_ -and placed it under Commander Inglefield, R. N., with instructions to -investigate the rumour brought home by Sir John Ross to the effect that -Franklin and his crew had been murdered by natives at Wolstenholme Sound. - -Setting sail from England, July 6, 1852, the little _Isabel_ made for the -northern shores of Baffin Bay, reached a higher latitude up Whale Sound -than any previous vessel, and later pushed through Smith Sound as far as -latitude 78° 28´ 21´´ N., without discovering any opposing land. Captain -Inglefield discovered that Smith Sound, generally supposed to be narrow, -was at least thirty-six miles across, expanding considerably to the -northward. The shore seemed comparatively free from snow, and the rocks -appeared of their natural colour. - -Ice was met in considerable quantities, and though Captain Inglefield -was ambitious to steam through, a fortunate gale arose which blew with -such violence that the _Isabel_ was forced back, thus saving her in all -probability from a dreary winter in the ice. - -By the 7th of September, the _Isabel_ sighted the _North Star_ at Beechey -Island. - -“When we were near enough to see from our crow’s-nest the mast heads of -the _North Star_, I had ordered one of the twelve pounders to be fired, -and the people who were working on shore were greatly puzzled at hearing -such a sound, as they believed that nothing human but their own party -could be within hundreds of miles of them.” - -Captain Inglefield soon “waited upon” Captain Pullen, and the letters for -Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron brought out by the _Isabel_ were placed -upon the _North Star_. A few hours later the _Isabel_ put off to sea, -carrying letters from officers and crew of the _North Star_ to relatives -and friends in England. - -By the 12th the _Isabel_ stood off Mount Possession, by the 14th Cape -Bowen, and here Captain Inglefield landed to look for traces and erect -a cairn; nothing was discovered but the bold footprint of a huge bear -and the tiny tracks of an Arctic fox. The 23d found them in Davis -Strait. Here a terrific gale was encountered, which lasted four days and -“accompanied,” writes Captain Inglefield, “with the heaviest sea I had -ever seen, even off Cape Horn....” - -As soon as the storm abated, they put for the nearest port to undergo -necessary repairs, and by October 2 they made a settlement off Hunde -Islands, a little south of Whalefish Islands. The governor came on board -to see what was wanted, and, the next day being Sunday, the crew were -given shore leave, and a general day of rest was enjoyed. - -On the 5th, he writes, “I received a message from the governor, that it -was the King of Denmark’s birthday, the Eskimos would assemble at his -house, and have a dance, and the pleasure of my company was solicited for -the occasion; accordingly at six o’clock I repaired to the wooden palace -of his Excellency, and there found, crammed into a smallish chamber, as -many Eskimos as could conveniently stand. - -“I had prepared myself with certain bottles by which punch could be -quickly made; and several officers and crew joining the party, by their -assistance, each of the Eskimo ladies was first supplied with a glass -full of the beverage, and afterward the gentlemen, when I made them -understand that they were to give three cheers for the King of Denmark, -which was done with a vigour and goodheartedness, that made the wooden -walls echo again. - -“I had prepared another treat for them, which I am quite sure was to -many the most agreeable of the two. My coxswain came in to tell me when -all was ready, and then I begged the governor would tell the party to go -outside where I had something to show them. - -“When all were assembled, the booming of one of our guns, which by signal -was fired from the vessel, not a little alarmed some of the most timid, -and their fear was not much allayed, when, from under their very noses, -a shower of rockets flew into mid-air, with a whirl that startled some -of the more ancient sages amongst them, though when no damage was found -to accrue to any of the party, the shouts of joy overpowered the noise -of the rockets. The blue lights and white lights, which were burnt to -enliven the performance, were objects of great curiosity, and I could see -some enquiring faces, eagerly watching our movements, as the port-fires -were placed to ignite them.” - -“Dancing was afterwards commenced,” continues Captain Inglefield, “and -feeling that it was my duty to lead off with the governor’s wife, who -was an Eskimo, I begged the honour of her hand, for a dance, in the best -Eskimo of which I was master, and to the scraping of a disabled fiddle -bound round with twine and splints, I launched into the mysteries of an -Eskimo quadrille, which, but for the strenuous exertions of my partner, -to keep me right, I should certainly have set into utter confusion. - -“It was composed of a _chaine des dames_ and a reel, complex to a -wonderful degree, and exhausting to a frightful extent; and yet it -appeared to be the determination of the whole party to continue at this -one figure till tired nature sunk. - -“Unaccustomed to this kind of violent exercise, I was soon knocked up, -and tried, though unsuccessfully, to make my escape; but at last I had -the gratification of observing an elderly lady opposite beginning to -falter, and out of compliment to her I presume this dance was terminated. - -“The Eskimos seem to think it is impossible to be too warm, so the doors -and windows were tightly closed, and certain lamps and tallow candles -(with which I had supplied his Excellency) soon brought the temperature -up to blood heat. - -“After resting from my labour, I determined to try their waltz, which -I found was not very unlike ours, being performed somewhat in the -same manner, and the fair ladies with whom I now alternately figured -instructing me in the mysteries of the measure. Some of my sailors having -obtained permission to attend the ball, they were now solicited to give -a specimen of their skill, and accordingly a sailor’s hornpipe and reel, -with the usual heel and toe accompaniment, met with great applause. I had -had sufficient fun by nine o’clock, but the party did not break up till -after twelve; before I went away, however, at my special request, some -Eskimo melodies were sung by the party, and afterwards a Danish national -hymn by the governor. When the officers and men were returning in their -boat to the ship they were serenaded by the ladies of the party, who -joining hand-in-hand walked along the rocks towards the ship, singing a -plaintive air, which might well have been taken for their evening hymn. -And such it may have been, for these poor people, semi-civilized and -instructed as they have been by the Danes, are full of fervour and zeal -for their religion, the Lutheran, and show more real moral principle than -any nation I ever visited.” - -By the 7th of October the _Isabel_ was ready for sea, but encountered -terrific gales. Upon the advice of the ice-masters, Captain Inglefield -determined to return to England in spite of a strong desire to winter and -complete the search of the west coast of Baffin Bay by sledge journeys -in the spring and the survey of Davis Strait from Cape Walsingham south, -as far as Newfoundland. However, a continuance of bad weather made such -a course impracticable, and by November 4 the _Isabel_ anchored at -Stromness; by the 10th of November she made Peterhead by way of Pentland -Firth. - -[Illustration: ADMIRAL SIR EDWARD INGLEFIELD, R. N. - -_By permission of The Illustrated London News._] - -“Besides penetrating one hundred and forty miles further than previous -navigators, and finding an open sea stretching northwards, from Baffin’s -Bay, to at least the latitude of 80°, Captain Inglefield discovered a -strait in about 77½°, which he named Murchison Strait, and which he -supposed to form the northern boundary to Greenland.” His careful survey -of the eastern side of Baffin Bay, from Carey Islands to Cape Alexander, -and his approach to Jones Sound, all contributed interesting data to -geographical knowledge, but though the natives with whom he met were -carefully interrogated, no light was thrown on the fate of Sir John -Franklin or his men, and the utter falsity of the story told by Sir John -Ross’s interpreter was satisfactorily established. - -Early in the year 1853, three expeditions were fitted out, to assist -Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron already in the field, and to continue the -search for Sir John Franklin. - -The _Rattlesnake_, under Commander Trollope, and the _Isabel_—again -refitted by Lady Franklin, and put in command of Mr. Kennedy—set out with -instructions to sail for Behring Strait and carry supplies to Captains -Collinson and M’Clure. Dr. Rae set out again for the further examination -of the coast of Boothia, and Captain Inglefield was sent to Barrow Strait -in command of the _Phœnix_ and _Lady Franklin_, for the purpose of -reënforcing Sir Edward Belcher. - -In America the second Grinnell expedition was fitted out about the same -time for the purpose of exploring the passages leading out of Baffin Bay -into the unknown oceans around the Pole, and was placed under the command -of Dr. E. K. Kane, U. S. N., who had sailed under Lieutenant De Haven in -the first Grinnell expedition. - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN M’CLURE_] - -In the autumn of 1853, the deep interest of the British nation was -aroused by the return of Captain Inglefield of the _Phœnix_ with -despatches from the Arctic regions, containing the news that the -Northwest Passage had at length been successfully accomplished by Captain -M’Clure of the _Investigator_, who had passed through Behring Strait and -sailed within a few miles of the most westerly discoveries made from the -eastern side of America, at which point he had been frozen up for more -than two years. - -Parties from the _Investigator_ had walked over the frozen ocean; and -Lieutenant Cresswell, the bearer of the despatches from Captain M’Clure, -had sailed to England, by the Atlantic Ocean, having thus passed through -the far-famed, much-sought-after, and, at length, discovered Northwest -Passage. - -It will be remembered that Captains Collinson and M’Clure sailed for -Behring Strait in 1850, through which, in company with the _Plover_ and -_Herald_, they endeavoured to pass. - -The _Investigator_, Captain M’Clure, was last seen on August 4, 1850, -bearing gallantly into the heart of the “Polar Pack.” - -Captain Collinson, in the _Enterprise_, had concluded to winter at -Hongkong, and not until May, 1851, did he return to Behring Strait, which -he succeeded in entering. In the meantime, the _Herald_ had returned to -England, while the _Plover_ remained some time at Port Clarence as a -reserve for the vessels to fall back upon. - -On parting company with the _Herald_ in Behring Strait in July, 1850, -Captain M’Clure stood north-northwest with a fresh breeze. For several -days the _Investigator_ struggled with the ice pack, now boring through -the masses, or winding among the lanes of open water. By the 7th of -August they had rounded Point Barrow, at which point clear water was seen -from the “crow’s nest.” - -“The wind,” writes M’Clure, “almost immediately failing, the boats were -all manned, and towing commenced amid songs and cheers, which continued -with unabated good humour for six hours, when this laborious work was -brought to a successful termination. Being in perfectly clear water in -Smith’s Bay, a light air springing up, we worked to the eastward. At -two A.M. of the 8th, being off Point Drew, sent Mr. Court (second mate) -on shore to erect a cairn, and bury a notice of our having passed. Upon -landing, we were met by three natives, who at first were very timid; -but upon exchanging signs of friendship, which consisted of raising the -arms three times over the head, they approached the boat, and after the -pleasant salutation of rubbing noses, became very communicative, when, -by the assistance of our valuable interpreter, Mr. Miertsching, we -found the tribe consisted of ten tents (this being the only approach to -their numbers he could obtain), that they had arrived only three days -previously, and that they hold communication with a party inland, who -trade with the Russian Fur Company. The evening before, they had observed -us, but could not imagine what large trees were moving about (our masts) -and all the tribe had assembled on the beach to look at them, when they -agreed that it was something very extraordinary, and left the three men -who met the boat, to watch! They also gave the pleasing intelligence -that we should find open water along the coast from about three to five -miles distant during the summer, that the heavy ice very seldom came in, -or never left the land farther than at present, that they did not know -if there were any islands as they found it impossible to go in their -kayaks, when in pursuit of seals, farther than one day’s journey to the -main ice, and then the lanes of water allowed of their proceeding three -quarters of a day farther, which brought them to very large and high -ice, with not space enough in any part of it to allow their kayaks to -enter. The probable distance, Mr. Miertsching therefore estimates, from -his knowledge of the Eskimo habits, to be about forty miles off shore, -and, from what I have seen of the pack, I am inclined to think this is -perfectly correct, for a more unbroken mass I never witnessed.” - -These natives, whose entire lives had been spent between the Coppermine -River and Point Barrow, knew nothing of Franklin’s party, and it was -therefore concluded by Captain M’Clure that the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ had -not been lost on these shores. - -For the next four or five hundred miles they skirted slowly the coast, -part of the time in such shallow water that they ran aground, but -fortunately without damage to the ship. The narrow lanes opening in the -ice made it often necessary to retrace their course, but by the 21st of -August they had passed the mouth of the Mackenzie River, and made the -Pelly Islands. - -Upon reaching Warren Point, natives were seen on shore, and Captain -M’Clure, desiring, if possible, to send despatches by them to the Hudson -Bay Company’s posts on the Mackenzie, the boats were ordered out. - -It was found that these Eskimos had no communication with the Mackenzie, -being at war with the neighbouring tribes, and having had several -skirmishes with the Indians of that quarter. A chief of the tribe had a -flat brass button suspended from his ear, and in explanation of where he -got it, he replied: “It had been taken from a white man, who had been -killed by one of his tribe. The white man belonged to a party which had -landed at Point Warren, and there built a house; nobody knew how they -came, as they had no boat, but they went inland. The man killed had -strayed from the party, and he (the chief) and his son had buried him -upon a hill at a little distance.” It could not be ascertained just when -this event occurred, and though Captain M’Clure tried to investigate the -matter, only two very old wooden huts were found, and no grave of the -white man was discovered. - -Natives were constantly encountered as the _Investigator_ proceeded, -and though they seemed at first hostile and disinclined to open -communication, they invariably became friendly and gratefully accepted -the various presents bestowed upon them. - -On September 5, Captain M’Clure writes:— - -“The weather, which had been squally, accompanied by a thick fog during -the early part of the day, cleared towards noon, when a large volume -of smoke was observed about twelve miles south-west.... As divers -opinions were in circulation respecting its probable cause, and the -ice-mate having positively reported that from the crow’s nest he could -distinguish several persons moving about, dressed in white shirts, and -observed some white tents in the hollow of the cliff, I certainly had -every reason to imagine they were a party of Europeans in distress, -convinced that no travellers would remain for so long a period as we had -remarked the smoke. For their pleasure, therefore, to satisfy myself, -equally as others, I determined to send a boat on shore, as it was -now calm. The first whale-boat, under Lieutenant Cresswell, with Dr. -Armstrong, and Mr. Miertsching, was despatched to examine into the cause, -who, on their return, reported the smoke to emanate from fifteen small -mounds of volcanic appearance, occupying a space of about fifty yards, -the place strongly impregnated with sulphur, the lower mounds being -about thirty feet above the sea-level, the highest about fifty feet. -The land in its vicinity was blue clay, much intersected with ravines -and deep water-courses, varying in elevation from three hundred to five -hundred feet. The mark of a reindeer was traced to a small pond of water -immediately above the mounds. Notice of our having landed was left, which -would not long remain, as the cliff is evidently crumbling away. Thus the -mystery of the white shirts and tents was most satisfactorily explained.” - -Early in the morning of the 6th of September they were off the small -islands near Cape Parry; on the same day high land was observed on the -port bow. Up to this time they had been sailing along a shore which had -been surveyed by Franklin, Back, Dease, Simpson, and others, although -theirs was the first _ship_ that had sailed in these waters. - -The discovery of new territory was therefore joyfully received, and, -landing in the whale-boat and cutter, formal possession was taken in -the name of “Her Most Gracious Majesty” and the name “Baring’s Island” -bestowed upon it in honour of the first lord of the Admiralty. After -depositing a record, they returned to the ship and sailed along the -eastern coast, as it was more free of ice than that on the west. Later -it was found that the island was one whose extreme northeastern shore had -been faintly seen by Parry in 1820 and given by him the name of “Banks’ -Land.” - -“We observed,” writes Captain M’Clure, “numerous traces of reindeer, -hare, and wild-fowl; moss and divers species of wild-flowers were also -in great abundance; many specimens of them, equally as of the object -of interest to the naturalist, were selected with much care by Dr. -Armstrong. From an elevation obtained of about five hundred feet, we -had a fine view towards the interior, which was well clothed with moss, -giving a verdant appearance to the ranges of hills that rose gradually to -between two thousand and three thousand feet, intersected with ravines, -which must convey a copious supply of water to a large lake situated in -the centre of a wide plain, about fifteen miles distant; the sight to -seaward was favourable in the extreme: open water, with a very small -quantity of ice, for the distance of full forty miles towards the east, -insured good progress in that direction. The weather becoming foggy, our -lead was the only guide until ten A.M. of the 9th; it then cleared for a -short time, when land was observed to the eastward, about fifteen miles -distant, extending to the northward as far as the eye could reach. - -“The mountains in the interior are lofty and snow-covered, while the low -ground is quite free. Several very remarkable peaks were discernible, -apparently of volcanic origin. This discovery was named Prince Albert’s -Land. The wind becoming fair, and the weather clearing, all the studding -sails were set, with the hope of reaching Barrow’s Strait, from which we -were now distant about seventy miles. The water was tolerably clear in -that direction, although much ice was lying against the western land; ... -much loose ice was also in motion, and while endeavoring to run between -two floes, at the rate of four knots, they closed so rapidly, one upon -either beam, that our way was instantly stopped, and the vessel lifted -considerably; in this position we were retained a quarter of an hour, -when the pressure eased, and we proceeded. Our advance was of short -duration, as at two P.M. the wind suddenly shifted to the northeast, -and began to freshen; the water, which a few hours previous had excited -sanguine hopes of a good run, became soon so thickly studded with floes, -that about four P.M. there was scarcely sufficient to keep the ship -freed; this by much exertion was however effected until two A.M. of the -14th, when we were beset.” - -From now on, baffling winds and impenetrable floes made progress almost -impossible. The total destruction of the _Investigator_ was daily -threatened by the rushes of ice that assailed them in the narrow strait -along which they were endeavouring to proceed. - -On the 17th of September, “There were several heavy floes in the -vicinity; one, full six miles in length, passed at the rate of two knots, -crushing everything that impeded its progress, and grazed our starboard -bow. Fortunately, there was but young ice upon the opposite side, which -yielded to the pressure; had it otherwise occurred, the vessel must -inevitably have been cut asunder. In the afternoon, we secured to a -moderately sized piece, drawing eight fathoms, which appeared to offer a -fair refuge, and from which we never afterwards parted.” - -The smallest pools now became covered with ice; the last Arctic bird to -take flight was the eider-duck, which turned south by the 23d. By the -27th of September the thermometer stood at zero, and every preparation -was being made to house the ship for the winter. The ice was in constant -and violent motion. “The crushing, creaking, and straining,” writes -Captain M’Clure, “is beyond description; the officer of the watch, when -speaking to me, is obliged to put his mouth close to my ear, on account -of the deafening noise.” - -[Sidenote: _DISCOVERY OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE_] - -Clinging with the “tenacity of a bosom-friend” to the ice-floe to which -they were secured, “it conveyed us,” continues M’Clure, “to our farthest -northeast position, latitude 73° 7´ north, longitude 117° 10´ west, back -round the Princess Royal Islands, passed the largest within five hundred -yards to latitude 72° 42´ north, longitude 118° 42´ west, returning along -the coast of Prince Albert’s Land, and finally freezing in at latitude -72° 50´ north, longitude 117° 55´ west, upon the 30th of September, -during which circumnavigation we received many severe nips, and were -frequently driven close to the shore, from which our deep friend kept -us off. To avoid separation, we had secured with two stream-cables, one -chain, two six, and two five hawsers. As our exposed position rendered -every precaution necessary, we got upon deck twelve months’ provisions, -with tents, warm clothing, etc., and issued to each person a pair of -carpet-boots and a blanket-bag, so that in the event of any emergency -rendering it imperative to quit the vessel, we might not be destitute. On -the 8th of October, our perplexities terminated with a nip that lifted -the vessel a foot, and heeled her 4° to port, in consequence of a large -tongue getting beneath her, in which position we quietly remained.” Here -the _Investigator_ passed the winter of 1850-1851, during which season a -journey was made over the ice to the shores of Barrow Strait, which they -found connected with the strait in which they wintered, thus establishing -the fact of a northwest passage. - -The journey undertaken on the morning of October 21, 1850, came near -proving fatal to Captain M’Clure. On the return trip a week later about -2 P.M. one afternoon, having seen the Princess Royal Isles and knowing -the position of the ship, he decided to leave his sledge and push ahead, -that a warm meal might be made ready for the rest of the party upon their -arrival at the ship. Night overtook him when still at least six miles -from the vessel, and a dense mist, accompanied by heavy snow, obscured -every object. - -“I now,” writes M’Clure, “climbed on a mass of squeezed-up ice, in the -hope of seeing my party, should they pass near, or of attracting the -attention of some one on board the vessel by firing my fowling-piece. -Unfortunately, I had no other ammunition than what it was loaded with; -for I had fancied, when I left the sledge, that two charges in the gun -would be all I should be likely to require. After waiting for an hour -patiently, I was rejoiced to see through the mist the glaring of a blue -light, evidently burnt in the direction in which I had left the sledge. -I immediately fired to denote my position; but my fire was unobserved, -and, both barrels being discharged, I was unable to repeat the signal. -My only hope now rested upon the ship’s answering, but nothing was to be -seen; and, although I once more saw, at a greater distance, the glare of -another blue light from the sledge, there seemed no probability of my -having any other shelter for the night than what the floe afforded. Two -hours elapsed; I endeavored to see the face of my pocket compass by the -light of a solitary lucifer match, which happened to be in my pocket; -but in this hope I was cruelly disappointed, for it fizzed and went out, -leaving me in total darkness. It was now half-past eight; there were -eleven hours of night before me, a temperature of 15° below zero, bears -prowling about, and I with an unloaded gun in my hands. The sledge-party -might, however, reach the ship, and, finding I had not arrived, search -would be made, and help be sent; so I walked to and fro upon my hummock -until, I suppose, it must have been eleven o’clock, when that hope fled -likewise. Descending from the top of the slab of ice upon which I had -clambered, I found under its lee a famous bed of soft, dry snow; and -thoroughly tired out, I threw myself upon it and slept for perhaps three -hours, when, upon opening my eyes, I fancied I saw the flash of a rocket. -Jumping upon my feet, I found that the mist had cleared off, and that -the stars and aurora borealis were shining in all the splendor of an -Arctic night. Although unable to see the islands or the ship, I wandered -about the ice in different directions until daylight, when, to my great -mortification, I found I had passed the ship fully the distance of four -miles.” - -Sledge journeys along the shores of Baring Island and Prince Albert Land -were undertaken, but no trace of Franklin or his party was discovered. -Traces of Eskimos were found, but only one party met with; however, -deer, musk-oxen, and bears were encountered. A bear was killed, and, -when opened, its stomach was found to contain raisins, tobacco, pork, -and adhesive plaster! This extraordinary medley led Captain M’Clure to -the conclusion that the _Enterprise_ was in the vicinity, and a diligent -search was instituted, but the only result was the discovery of a -preserved meat canister, which contained similar articles, probably the -same from which the bear had obtained his unusual meal. By the 13th of -June, 1851, all the sledge parties having returned in safety to the ship, -everything was made ready to set sail the moment the huge barriers of ice -should permit. - -“The first indication of open water,” writes Captain M’Clure, “occurred -to-day (July 7th) extending some distance along the shore of Prince -Albert’s Land, about a mile in width; the ice in every direction is -so rapidly decaying, being much accelerated by sleet and rain, with -the thermometer standing at 45°, that, by the 14th, that which for the -last few days had been slightly in motion, with large spaces of water -intervening, suddenly and noiselessly opened around the vessel, leaving -her in a pond of forty yards; but seeing no possibility of getting -without its limits, we were compelled to secure to the floe which had -for ten months befriended us, and, with the whole of the pack, gradually -drifted to the southward, toward the Princess Royal Islands, which we -passed on the eastern side within half a mile. - -“Upon the 17th, at 10 A.M., being among loose ice, we cast off from the -floe and made sail, with the hope of getting upon the western shore -where the water appeared to be making, but without shipping the rudder, -in consequence of being in the vicinity of several large floes, and at -2 P.M. again secured to a floe between the Princess Royal and Baring -islands (we passed over a shoal having nineteen fathoms). On the 20th, at -half-past eleven A.M., a light air sprang up from the southwest, which, -slacking the ice, gave hopes of making progress to the northeast, in -which direction I was anxious to get for the purpose of entering Barrow -Strait, that, according to circumstances, I might be enabled to carry out -my original intentions of proceeding to the northward of Melville Island, -as detailed in my letter to the secretary of the Admiralty, of July 20, -1850; or, should such not be practicable, return to England through the -strait. After most persevering efforts to penetrate into Barrow Strait, -Captain M’Clure was obliged to abandon the attempt. On the 16th of August -he determined to coast round the western shores of the island and make -the passage, if possible, to the northward of Banks Land. - -“At 4 P.M. on the 18th,” he writes, “being off a very low spit of sand -(Point Kellet) which extended to the westward for about twelve miles, in -the form of a horseshoe, having a seaside thickly studded with grounded -ice, while the interior was exempt from any, I sent Mr. Court (second -master) to examine it, who reported an excellent and commodious harbour, -well sheltered from north-west to south, carrying five fathoms within -ten yards of the beach, which was shingle, and covered with driftwood. -A set of sights was obtained, and a cask, containing a notice, was -left there. Upon the morning of the 19th, we left this low coast, and -passed between two small islands lying at the entrance of what appeared -a deep inlet, running east-south-east, and then turning sharp to -north-east. It had a barrier of ice extending across, which prevented -any communication. Wishing to keep between the northernmost of these -islands and the mainland, to avoid the pack, which was very near it, we -narrowly escaped getting on shore, as a reef extended from the latter -to within half a mile of the island. Fortunately, the wind being light, -we rounded to with all the studding-sails set, and let go the anchor -in two and a half fathoms, having about four inches to spare under the -keel, and warped into four, while Mr. Court was sent to find a channel -in which he succeeded, carrying three fathoms, through which we ran for -one mile, and then continued our course in eight, having from three to -five miles between the ice and land. At 8 P.M., we neared two other -islands, the ice resting upon the westernmost, upon which the pressure -must have been excessive, as large masses were forced nearly over its -summit, which was upwards of forty feet. Between these and the main we -ran through a channel in from nine to fifteen fathoms, when an immediate -and marked change took place in the general appearance and formation of -the land: it became high, precipitous, sterile, and rugged; intersected -with deep ravines and water courses, having six-five fathoms at a quarter -of a mile, and fifteen fathoms one hundred yards from the cliffs, which -proved exceedingly fortunate as the whole pack, which had apparently -only just broken from the shore, was within half a mile, and, in many -places, so close to it, that to avoid getting beset, we had nearly to -touch the land; indeed, upon several occasions, the boats were compelled -to be topped-up, and poles used to keep the vessel off the grounded ice; -which extends all along this coast; nor could we round to, fearful of -carrying the jib-boom away against the cliffs, which here run nearly -east and west. The cape forming its western extreme I have called Prince -Alfred, in honour of his Royal Highness. On the morning of the 20th, our -further progress was impeded by finding the ice resting upon a point, -which formed a slight indentation of shore, and was the only place where -water could be seen. To prevent being carried away with the pack, which -was filling up its space, we secured to the inshore side of a small but -heavy piece of ice, grounded in twelve fathoms seventy-four yards from -the beach—the only protection against the tremendous Polar ice (setting -a knot per hour to the eastward before a fresh westerly wind), which at -9 P.M. placed us in a very critical position, by a large floe striking -the piece we were fast to, and causing it to oscillate so considerably, -that a tongue which happened to be under our bottom, lifted the vessel -six feet; but, by great attention to the anchors and warps, we succeeded -in holding on during the conflict, which was continued several minutes, -terminating by the floe being rent in pieces, and our being driven -nearer the beach. From this until the 29th, we lay perfectly secure, -but at 8 A.M. of that day, the ice began suddenly to move, when a large -floe, that must have caught the piece to which we were attached under -one of its overhanging ledges, raised it perpendicular by thirty feet, -presenting to all on board a most frightful aspect. As it ascended -above the foreyard, much apprehension was felt, that it might be thrown -completely over, when the ship must have been crushed beneath it. This -suspense was but for a few minutes, as the floe rent, carrying away with -it a large piece from the foundation of our asylum, when it gave several -fearful rolls, and resumed its former position; but, no longer capable -of resisting the pressure, it was hurried onward with the drifting mass. -Our proximity to the shore compelled, as our only hopes of safety, the -absolute necessity of holding to it; we consequently secured with a -chain, stream and hemp cable, three, six, and two five-inch hawsers, -three of which were passed round it. In this state we were forced along, -sinking large pieces beneath the bottom, and sustaining a heavy strain -against the stern and rudder; the latter was much damaged, but to unship -it at present was impossible. At 1 P.M., the pressure eased, from the ice -becoming stationary, when it was unhung and laid upon a large floe piece, -where, by 8 P.M., owing to the activity of Mr. Ford, the carpenter, who -is always ready to meet any emergency, it was repaired, just as the ice -began again to be in motion; but as the tackles were hooked, it was -run up to the davits without further damage.” Continuing his exciting -narrative, Captain M’Clure writes:— - -“We were now setting fast upon another large piece of a broken floe, -grounded in nine fathoms upon the débris formed at the mouth of a large -river. Feeling confident that, should we be caught between this and what -we were fast to, the ship must inevitably go to pieces, and yet being -aware that to cast off would certainly send us on the beach (from which -we were never distant eighty yards), upon which the smaller ice was -hurled as it came in contact with these grounded masses, I sent John -Kerr (gunner’s mate) under very difficult circumstances, to endeavor to -reach it and effect its destruction by blasting; he could not, however, -find a sufficient space of water to sink the charge, but remarking a -large cavity upon the sea face of the floe, he fixed it there, which so -far succeeded, that it slightly fractured it in three places, which, -at the moment was scarcely observable, from the heavy pressure it was -sustaining. By this time, the vessel was within a few feet of it, and -every one was on deck in anxious suspense, awaiting what was apparently -the crisis of our fate; most fortunately, the stern post took it so -fairly, that the pressure was fore and aft, bringing the whole strength -of the ship to bear, a heavy grind, which shook every mast, and caused -beams and decks to complain, as she trembled to the violence of the -shock, plainly indicated that the struggle would be but of short -duration. At this moment, the stream-cable was carried away, and several -anchors drew; thinking that we had now sufficiently risked the vessel, -orders were given to let go the warps, and with that order I had made -up my mind that in a few minutes she would be on the beach; but, as it -was sloping, conceived she might still prove an asylum for the winter, -and possibly be again got afloat; while, should she be crushed between -these large grounded pieces, she must inevitably go down in ten fathoms, -which would be certain destruction to all; but before the orders could -be obeyed, a merciful Providence interposed, causing the ice, which -had previously weakened, to separate into three pieces, and it floated -onward with the mass, our stern still tightly jammed against, but now -protected by it. The vessel, which had been thrown over fifteen degrees, -and risen bodily one foot eight inches, now righted and settled in the -water; the only damage sustained was several sheets of copper ripped off -and rolled up like a sheet of paper, but not a fastening had given way, -nor does any leakage indicate the slightest defect. By midnight, the ice -was stationary, and everything quiet, which continued until the 10th of -September; indeed, from the temperature having fallen to sixteen degrees, -with all appearance of the setting in of the winter, I considered our -farther progress stopped until next year.” - -Until the end of September, their course was one unvarying scene of -battling against difficulties similar to those just described. Having -reached the western extremity of Banks Land, “I determined,” writes -Captain M’Clure, “to make this our winter quarters, and, having -remarked upon the south side of the bank on which we had grounded, a -well-protected bay, Mr. Court was despatched to sound it; and, shortly -making the signal there was sufficient water, we bore up, and at -forty-five minutes past 7 A.M. we anchored in four and a half fathoms, -and that night were firmly frozen in, in what has since proved a most -safe and excellent harbor, which, in grateful remembrance of the many -perils that we had escaped during the passage of that terrible Polar -Sea, we have named the ‘Bay of Mercy’; thus finally terminating this -short season’s operations, having been actually only five entire days -under way.” From now on every preparation was made to spend the winter as -comfortably as conditions would admit. - -“As there appeared much game in the vicinity,” writes Captain M’Clure, -“and the weather continued mild, shooting parties were established in -different directions between the 9th and 23d of October; so that, with -what was killed from the ship, our supply of fresh provisions at the -commencement of the winter consisted of nine deer, fifty-three hares, and -forty-four ptarmigan, all in fine condition, the former having from two -to three inches of fat.” - -“In consequence of our favored position,” he continues, “the crew were -enabled to ramble over the hills almost daily in quest of game, and -their exertions happily supplied a fresh meal of venison three times a -fortnight, with the exception of about three weeks in January, when it -was too dark for shooting. The small game, such as ptarmigan and hares, -being scarce, were allowed to be retained by the sportsmen as private -property. This healthy and exhilarating exercise kept us all well and -in excellent spirits during another tedious winter, so that on the 1st -of April we had upwards of a thousand pounds of venison hanging at the -yard-arms.” - -The exciting experience of Sergeant Woon, a marine, while out hunting, is -interesting. While pursuing a wounded deer, he suddenly and unexpectedly -met a couple of musk-bulls, which he succeeded in wounding. Infuriated -with pain, one of the musk-oxen rushed towards him. Having expended his -shot, the sergeant fired his “worm” at the animal, but, this having -little or no effect, the bull, though weakened from the loss of blood, -when within six feet, put his head to the ground as if for a final rush. -With quick action the sergeant fired his iron ramrod, which, entering -behind the animal’s left shoulder, passed through the heart and out at -the right flank, dropping him lifeless. - -On another occasion, the presence of mind of Sergeant Woon saved the life -of a companion, a coloured man and member of the crew. It was in January -and bitterly cold; the coloured man had been out hunting and lost his -way. He began to fancy himself frozen to death, and from sheer terror -lost his wits. The sergeant met him, but could not induce the poor fellow -to follow him. The coloured man stood dazed and shivering, and finally -fell in a fit. Waiting until he was somewhat revived, the sergeant either -carried or rolled him down hills or hummocks for ten long hours, until -he got him within a mile of the ship. The sergeant was by this time -thoroughly exhausted and tried to persuade the negro to walk, but the -poor demented creature only begged to be “let alone to die.” Being unable -to persuade him, the only thing left was to place him in a bed of deep -snow, and then, with all his remaining strength, the sergeant hastened to -the ship for assistance. Returning as soon as possible to the spot where -the poor negro had been left, they found him with his arms stiff and -raised above his head, his eyes open, and his mouth so firmly frozen that -it required considerable force to open it and pour down restoratives. -He still lived, however, and eventually recovered, with no more serious -results than frost-bites to his hands, feet, and face. - -The second Christmas was passed cheerfully and with a bounteous supply -of good things. “As it was to be our last,” writes Captain M’Clure, “the -crew determined to make it memorable, and their exertions were completely -successful; each mess was gayly illuminated and decorated with original -paintings by our lower-deck artists, exhibiting the ship in her perilous -positions during the transit of the polar sea, and divers other subjects; -but the grand features of the day were the enormous plum puddings (some -weighing twenty-six pounds), haunches of venison, hares roasted, and soup -made of the same, with ptarmigan and sea pies. Such dainties in such -profusion I should imagine never before graced a ship’s lower deck; any -stranger, to have witnessed the scene, could but faintly imagine that -he saw a crew which had passed upwards of two years, in these dreary -regions, and three entirely upon their own resources, enjoying such -excellent health—so joyful, so happy; indeed, such a mirthful assemblage, -under any circumstances, would be most gratifying to any officer; but -in this lonely situation, I could not but feel deeply impressed as -I contemplated the gay and plenteous sight, with the many and great -mercies, which a kind and beneficent Providence had extended towards us, -to whom alone is due the heart-felt praises as thanksgivings of all for -the great blessings which we have hitherto experienced in positions the -most desolate which can be conceived.” - -In the autumn of 1852, Captain M’Clure had made known his intentions of -sending to England, the following spring, half of the officers and crew -_via_ Baffin Bay (taking the boat from Cape Spencer) and the Mackenzie. -The remainder of the crew were to stand by the ship in the hope of -releasing her in the summer of 1853, should they fail in this they would -proceed with sledges in 1854 by Port Leopold, “our provisions admitting -of no other arrangement.” In the despatch prepared by Captain M’Clure -which he sent home by the land party in 1853, occurs the following -passage:— - -“Should any of her Majesty’s ships be sent for our relief, and we have -quitted Port Leopold, a notice containing information of our route -will be left on the door of the house at Whaler’s Point, or on some -conspicuous position. If, however, no intimation should be found of -our having been there, it may at once be surmised that some fatal -catastrophe has happened, either from our being carried into the Polar -Sea, or smashed in Barrow’s Strait, and no survivors left. If such be -the case,—which, however, I will not anticipate,—it will then be quite -unnecessary to penetrate further to the westward for our relief, as, by -the period that any vessel could reach that port, we must, from want of -provisions, all have perished. In such a case, I would submit that the -officers may be directed to return, and by no means incur the danger of -losing other lives in quest of those who will then be no more.” - -The thrilling adventures in the American wilderness told by Franklin, -Richardson, Back, and others, foretold that this sledge journey proposed -by M’Clure would be long and hazardous in the extreme. The weaker ones -were to undertake it, thirty of the healthiest men being retained to -stand by the ships with the captain. - -The curse of scurvy had long since stricken many of the crew; these could -not hope to brave another Arctic winter, and their only chance was to -penetrate the wilderness to civilization, however difficult and dangerous -the undertaking. But while M’Clure and his gallant comrades were making -every preparation for this last attempt to communicate with England, -relief came unexpectedly to hand. - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN KELLET_] - -It will be remembered that Captain Kellett of Sir Edward Belcher’s -squadron had sailed the previous August to Melville Island with relief -supplies for the _Investigator_ and _Enterprise_, in case these vessels -or members of their crews should have succeeded in making their way from -Behring Strait to that place. Upon reaching Winter Harbour, they at once -discovered a notice deposited there the beginning of the year by Captain -M’Clure, conveying the assurance of the safety of the _Investigator_ -and its crew in Mercy Bay. It may be imagined with what enthusiasm such -news was received by Captain Kellett and his crew, and immediately -preparations were made for an expedition to let them know that aid was at -hand. - -The unique meeting of Captain M’Clure from the west, and Lieutenant Pim -from the east, with a party from the _Resolute_, is graphically described -in a private letter from Captain Kellett. - -“This is really a red-letter day in our voyage, and shall be kept as a -holiday by our heirs and successors forever. At nine o’clock of this day, -our lookout man made the signal for a party coming in from the westward; -all went out to meet them, and assist them in. A second party was then -seen. Dr. Domville was the first person I met. I cannot describe my -feelings when he told me that Captain M’Clure was among the next party. I -was not long in reaching him, and giving him many hearty shakes—no purer -were ever given by two men in this world. M’Clure looks well, but is very -hungry. His description of Pim’s making the Harbour of Mercy would have -been a fine subject for the pen of Captain Marryat, were he alive. - -“M’Clure and his first lieutenant were walking on the floe. Seeing a -person coming very fast towards them, they supposed he was chased by -a bear, or had seen a bear. Walking towards him, on getting onwards a -hundred yards, they could see from his proportions that he was not one -of them. Pim began to screech and throw up his hands (his face as black -as my hat); this brought the captain and lieutenant to a stand, as they -could not hear sufficiently to make out his language. - -“At length Pim reached the party, quite beside himself, and stammered -out, on M’Clure asking him,— - -“‘Who are you, and where are you come from?’ - -“‘Lieutenant Pim, _Herald_, Captain Kellett.’ - -“This was the more inexplicable to M’Clure, as I was the last person -he shook hands with in Behring’s Strait. He at length found that this -solitary stranger was a true Englishman—an angel of light. He says: ‘He -soon was seen from the ship; they had only one hatchway open, and the -crew were fairly jammed there, in their endeavor to get up. The sick -jumped out of their hammocks, and the crew forgot their despondency; in -fact, all was changed on board the _Investigator_.’ - -“M’Clure had thirty men and three officers fully prepared to leave for -the depot at Point Spencer. What a disappointment it would have been to -go there and find the miserable _Mary_ yacht, with four or five casks of -provisions, instead of a fine large depot! - -“Another party of seven men were to have gone by the Mackenzie, with -a request to the Admiralty to send out a ship to meet them at Point -Leopold, in 1854. The thirty men are on their way over to me now. I -shall, if possible, send them on to Beechey Island, and about ten men of -my own crew, to be taken home the first opportunity.” - -Captain Kellett was at first inclined to favour M’Clure’s efforts to save -the _Investigator_, but, on the 2d of May, Lieutenant Cresswell reported -to Captain Kellett that two more deaths had occurred. It was then deemed -advisable that Dr. Domville should go back with Captain M’Clure and -inspect the crew. Those unfitted to pass another winter in the Arctic -were to be ordered home, and the healthy should be given their option -of going or remaining. Only four of the crew were willing to remain, -although all of the officers volunteered to stand by the vessel. - -Preparations were therefore made to abandon the ship. A depot of -provisions and stores was landed for the use of Collinson, Franklin, or -any other person that might find them, and on June 3, 1853, the colours -were hoisted to the masthead, and officers and crew bade farewell to the -_Investigator_. Upon arriving at Dealy Island, they were accommodated on -board the _Resolute_ and _Intrepid_. - -[Sidenote: _DEATH OF BELLOT_] - -In connection with the glorious report of the discovery of the Northwest -Passage and the safety of M’Clure, Captain Inglefield brought home news -of a sad and tragic character; the death of that gallant Frenchman, -Lieutenant Bellot. He had returned to the north in the _Phœnix_ drawn -by the fatal lure of the Arctic which to his adventurous soul was -irresistible. In August, 1853, he had volunteered to lead a party to Sir -Edward Belcher’s squadron near Cape Beecher in Wellington Channel. They -started on a Friday, the 12th, from Beechey Island,—Harvey, Johnson, -Madden, and Hook, with Lieutenant Bellot in the lead,—carrying despatches -from Captain Pullen of the _North Star_. - -The rottenness of the ice at this season makes travel particularly -dangerous, and Bellot was cautioned to keep close to the eastern shore -of Wellington Channel. They were provided with a light India-rubber -boat, which was easily dragged upon the sledge. The evening of the 12th, -they encamped about three miles from Cape Innes. The following day they -made considerable progress, and that night encamped upon the broken ice, -over which they had been plodding all day, near Cape Bowden. On Sunday -they noticed a crack about four feet wide running across the channel. No -special concern was felt at this discovery, and Lieutenant Bellot cheered -and encouraged the men to make for a cape in the distance which he called -Grinnell Cape. Upon reaching this cape, a broad belt of water was found -between the ice and the shore. An unfortunate wind raised a rough sea, -but Lieutenant Bellot made an attempt to reach the shore alone in the -boat, intending to convey a line by which the remainder of the party and -provisions might be brought across. The violence of the gale drove him -back, and Harvey and Madden were ordered into the boat, and successfully -made the crossing. After this the boat was passed and repassed by means -of lines, and three loads from the sledge were landed in safety. The -party on shore were hauling off for a fourth when Madden, who had hold of -the shore-line and stood up to his middle in water, called out that the -ice was on the move, and driving offshore. - -Bellot saw that if Madden held on to the line much longer he would be -dragged into deep water, so he called to him to let go, which he did. -Lieutenant Bellot and his two men then hauled the boat on to the sledge -and ran it up to the windward side of the ice, intending to launch it -at once and make for the shore. Before this could be accomplished, the -ice had rapidly increased its motion and drifted so far from the shore -as to make it impossible for them to reach it. Madden and Harvey, with -indescribable feelings of alarm, hastened to an eminence, and for two -long hours watched their comrades drifting out to sea in the teeth of a -bitter breeze—amid the turbulent icebergs. As the mists and driving snow -finally closed upon their view, the two men were seen standing by the -sledge, Lieutenant Bellot on the top of a hummock. - -Madden and Harvey descended to the shore and at once began their return -journey to the ship. With very little provisions, they walked round -Criffen Bay and hence to Cape Bowden, where they remained to rest. While -there, great was their joy to recognize Johnson and Hook hastening -toward them. The party now made for the ship, which they reached with -considerable difficulty and privation. The fate of poor Lieutenant Bellot -is described by William Johnson, who was with him on the ice at the time -of his death. - -[Illustration: LANDING NEAR GRINNELL CAPE] - -“We got the provisions on shore on Wednesday, the 17th. After we had -done that, there remained on the ice David Hook, Lieutenant Bellot, and -myself, having with us the sledge, mackintosh awning, and little boat. -Commenced trying to draw the boat and sledge to the southward, but found -the ice driving so fast, that we left the sledge and took the boat only; -but the wind was so strong at the time that it blew the boat over and -over. We then took the boat with us, under shelter of a piece of ice, -and Mr. Bellot and ourselves commenced cutting an ice-house with our -knives for shelter. Mr. Bellot sat for half an hour in conversation with -us, talking on the danger of our position. I told him I was not afraid -and that the American Expedition was driven up and down this channel -by the ice. He replied, ‘I know they were; and when the Lord protects -us, not a hair of our heads shall be touched.’ I then asked Mr. Bellot -what time it was. He said, ‘About a quarter past 8 A.M.’ (Thursday, the -18th), and then lashed his hooks, and said he would go and see how the -ice was driving. He had only been gone about four minutes, when I went -round the same hummock, under which we were sheltered to look for him, -but could not see him; and on returning to our shelter, saw his stick on -the opposite side of a crack, about five fathoms wide, and the ice all -breaking up. I then called out, ‘Mr. Bellot,’ but no answer (at this time -blowing very heavy). After this I again searched round, but could see -nothing of him. I believe when he got from the shelter, the wind blew -him into the crack, and his south-wester being tied down, he could not -rise. Finding there was no hope of again seeing Lieutenant Bellot, I said -to Hook, ‘I’m not afraid: I know the Lord will always sustain us.’ We -commenced travelling, to try to get to Cape de Haven, or Port Phillips; -and, when we got within two miles of Cape de Haven, could not get on -shore, and returned for this side, endeavoring to get to the southward, -as the ice was driving to the northward. We were that night and the -following day in coming across, and came into the land on the eastern -shore, a long way to the northward of the place where we were driven -off. We got into the land at what Lieutenant Bellot told us was Point -Hogarth. - -“In drifting up the Straits towards the Polar Sea we saw an iceberg lying -close to the shore, and found it on the ground. We succeeded in getting -on it and remained for six hours. I said to David Hook, ‘Don’t be afraid, -we must make a boat of a piece of ice.’ Accordingly, we got on to a piece -passing, and I had a paddle belonging to the India-rubber boat. By this -piece of drift ice we managed to reach the shore, and then proceeded to -where the accident happened. Reached it on Friday. Could not find our -shipmates, or any provisions. Went on for Cape Bowden, and reached it on -Friday night.” - -Poor Bellot—too brave—too young to die—beloved by comrades, mourned by -the simple Eskimos he had befriended—cherished in tender memory by the -nation that gave him birth and by Great Britain for whom he gave his -life,—his honoured name is linked in immortality with those brave heroes -of the Arctic, whose sepulchre is the frozen deep, whose monuments are -the eternal snows of the Great White North. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER X - - Sledging parties of Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron.—Desertion of - the ships.—Return to England.—Story of the _Resolute_.—Traces - of Sir John Franklin discovered by Dr. Rae.—Anderson’s - journey.—The voyage of the _Fox_ under Commander - M’Clintock.—Sledge journeys.—Record and relics of Franklin’s - expedition.—_Fox_ returns to England. - - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN COLLINSON_] - -The sledge parties sent out by Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron, though -numerous and extended, had succeeded in finding no trace of Franklin -or his crews; thus the winter of 1853-1854 passed. The following -April, Lieutenant Mecham found in Prince of Wales Strait and, later -on, Ramsay Island, records bearing the date of August 27, 1852, giving -full intelligence of Captain Collinson, since his separation from the -_Investigator_. All that Collinson knew of the position of M’Clure after -parting with him in 1850 in the Pacific Ocean, was a report from the -_Plover_ that the _Investigator_ had been seen, steering northward, off -Wainwright Inlet. - -To verify certain rumours connected with this report, Captain Collinson -ordered a young officer, Lieutenant Barnard, and certain members of the -crew to land at a Russian settlement in northwest America. The result -was a sad tragedy; Barnard was brutally murdered by Indians in February, -1851, at a post called Darabin, near Norton Sound. - -By the last of July, 1851, Collinson had rounded Point Barrow, and -had steered up Prince of Wales Strait. On Princess Royal Island, -he discovered a depot deposited by M’Clure and a cairn containing -information of the _Investigator’s_ movements up until June 15, 1851. -Collinson proceeded in exactly the course taken by the _Investigator_, -and to his surprise found at Cape Kellett, on September 3, another -record of M’Clure placed there on August 18. - -Collinson now found it necessary to seek winter quarters. These he -secured toward the eastern side of the entrance to Prince of Wales Strait. - -As conditions would allow, he pursued his explorations in the vicinity of -Banks Land, Albert Land, Wollaston Land, and Victoria Land, gaining much -valuable geographical information, but no trace of Franklin, except for -the finding in the possession of the Eskimos a piece of an iron doorway -or hatch frame which might have belonged to the _Erebus_ or _Terror_. -This was found at Cambridge Bay, in Wollaston Land, where Collinson -wintered in 1852-1853. - -Collinson’s sledge parties explored the west side of Victoria Strait, -but, owing to lack of coal, Captain Collinson decided not to try to force -a passage through the channel, but to return the way he had come. He did -not get round Barrow Point, however, without passing a third winter in -the northern coast of America. - -The best part of the summer of 1853 was passed by the _Resolute_ and -_Intrepid_ with their crews and that of the _Investigator_ shut up in the -ice at Dealy Island. Every preparation was made to advance at a moment’s -notice should the ice favour the opportunity, and at last, on the 18th -of August, they got under way, a strong gale from offshore having -disruptured the ice. - -Hardly were officers and men congratulating themselves that at last they -were homeward bound, when they were arrested by the pack off Byam Martin -Channel, where they lay, unable to make Bathurst Island and thence to -Beechey Island. Winter was advancing; the situation was disheartening; -day after day passed without the prospect of escape. The men occupied -themselves with securing game, against the possible detention of -the ships for another gloomy winter. Ten thousand pounds of meat, -principally musk-ox, was obtained and frozen. By the 9th of September, -newly formed ice surrounded them in such quantities that they were fairly -beset and drifted at the mercy of the pack until the 12th of November, -when, to the joy of all, the ships were at rest at a point due east -of Winter Harbor, Melville Island, in longitude 101° W. Here the long -winter months passed slowly by, with no greater casualty than the death -of one officer, and the spring of 1854 found Captain Kellett planning to -continue the search, while M’Clure and his crew departed April 14, with -sledges, for Beechey Island. - -While engaged in preparations for his proposed sledge journeys, Captain -Kellett received a communication from Sir Edward Belcher, admiral of the -squadron, suggesting that rather than run the risk of passing another -winter in the Arctic, he should abandon his ships and meet Sir Edward at -Beechey on or before August 26. To this Captain Kellett remonstrated, -stating that his ships were in a favourable situation for escape, that -the health of the crew was excellent, and they had provisions in plenty, -and that those concerned in deserting ships under such circumstances -“would deserve to have the jackets taken off their backs.” To this strong -appeal came positive orders for the abandonment of the ships. - -Acting under these orders, Captain Kellett reluctantly prepared to desert -the _Resolute_ and _Intrepid_. Both ships were stored with provisions, -the engines of the _Intrepid_ put in such good order that she could be -got under steam in two hours, the hatches calked down, and notices placed -at proper points for the guidance of two sledging parties that were away -from the ships at this time. On the 15th of May, 1854, the captain and -crew said farewell to their trusty crafts and started, with sledges, for -Beechey Island, where M’Clure and his men were greatly surprised by their -arrival. - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN BELCHER_] - -Since Sir Edward Belcher had parted with Captain Kellett August 14, 1852, -parties from the _Assistance_ and _Pioneer_ had been diligently exploring -Wellington Channel. Having anchored near Cape Beecher, in latitude 76° -52´ and longitude 37° W., boat and sledge expeditions were sent northward -as early as the 23d of August. On the 25th remains of several well-built -Eskimo houses were discovered, of which, says Captain Belcher:— - -“They were not simply circles of small stones, but two lines of well-laid -wall in excavated grounds, filled in between by about two feet of fine -gravel, well paved, and, withal, presenting the appearance of great -care—more, indeed, than I am willing to attribute to the rude inhabitants -of migratory Eskimos. Bones of deer, wolves, seals, etc., were numerous, -and coal was found.” - -New lands discovered were given the names of North Cornwall, Victoria -Archipelago, and to an island of this group forming a channel to the -Polar Sea was given the name of North Kent. - -Other sledging parties intended for the search of the northeast -section left the ship May 2, 1853, and soon reached the limit of their -discoveries the previous year. - -Belcher reached Cape Disraeli, an elevation of six hundred and eighty -feet above the sea, and later made his way to the entrance of Jones -Channel, where he had an extended view of successive beetling headlands -on either side of the channel. The roughness of the frozen pack compelled -the party to take to the land, but progress was again impeded by an -abrupt glacier. Other attempts to continue the land journey proved -futile, and by the 20th of May the party could advance no farther. - -Of the return journey Belcher writes:— - -“Our progress was tantalizing and attended with deep interest and -excitement. In the first place, I discovered, on the brow of a mountain -about eight hundred feet above the sea, what appeared to be a recent and -a very workmanlike structure. This was a dome,—or rather, a double cone, -or ice-house,—built of very heavy and tubular slabs, which no single -person could carry. It consisted of about forty courses, eight feet in -diameter, and eight feet in depth, when cleared, but only five in height -from the base of the upper cone as we opened it. - -“Most carefully was every stone removed, every atom of moss or earth -scrutinized; the stones at the bottom also taken up; but without finding -a trace of any record, or of the structure having been used by any human -being. It was filled by drift snow, but did not in any respect bear the -appearance of having been built more than a season. This was named ‘Mount -Discovery.’” - -A little later he writes:— - -“Leaving our crew, pretty well fatigued, to pitch the tent and prepare -the customary pemmican meal, I ascended the mountain above us, and -discovered that we really were not far from our old position of last -year, on Cape Hogarth, and had Cape Majendie and Hamilton Island to the -west, about twenty miles. - -“My surprise, however, was checked suddenly by two structures rather in -European form, and apparently graves; each was similarly constructed; -and, like the dome, of large selected slabs, having at each end three -separate stones, laid as we should place head and foot stones. So -thoroughly satisfied was I that there was no delusion, I desisted -from disturbing a stone until it should be formally done by the party -assembled. - -“The evening following—for where the sun is so oppressive to the eyes by -day we travel by night—we ascended the hill, and removed the stones. Not -a trace of human beings!” - -[Sidenote: _DESERTION OF THE SHIPS_] - -After a second winter (1853-1854) spent at the southern horn of Baring -Bay, Sir Edward Belcher turned his entire exertions to getting his crews -safely back to England. The _Assistance_ and _Pioneer_ were released -from their winter quarters August 6, 1854, and proceeded slowly down -the channel. The ice had broken up in Barrow Strait, and by August 22 -the floe in Wellington Channel was open for fifteen miles north of the -strait. There was only a belt some twenty miles in extent, and this much -cracked, remaining between the ships and the water communicating with -the Atlantic Ocean. In spite of these favourable conditions, Sir Edward -Belcher and his crews deserted the _Assistance_ and _Pioneer_ on August -26, 1854, and made their way to the place of rendezvous at Beechey Island. - -The _North Star_ accordingly set sail with all the officers and men of -the _Assistance_, _Pioneer_, _Resolute_, _Intrepid_, and _Investigator_, -but meeting the _Phœnix_ and _Talbot_, under Captain Inglefield (who had -again returned to the search), a distribution of the crews was made among -the three vessels, and on the 28th of September, 1854, all were safely -landed in England. - -The report of five ships deserted in the Arctic regions, and no tidings -of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_, gave rise to the court-martial of Sir -Edward Belcher and his officers, all of whom, with the exception of Sir -Edward, were honourably acquitted, as a matter of course, in consequence -of their having acted under orders, and their swords were returned -to them with very flattering expressions of approbation. Sir Edward -Belcher was also acquitted, but was reproved for not having consulted -sufficiently with his officers, and his sword was returned to him in -significant silence. - -The British government now decided to abandon the search for Sir John -Franklin, and his name was erased from the books of the Admiralty,—a sad -token that all hope of his return was gone forever. - -A strange and romantic chapter in the history of Sir Edward Belcher’s -squadron was added in the month of September, 1855. The whaler, _George -Henry_, Captain Buddington, hailing from New London, Connecticut, was -beset by ice in Baffin Bay. On looking through his glass one morning, -Captain Buddington saw a large ship fifteen or twenty miles away, working -her way slowly toward him. For several days he watched her gradually -approach, and on the seventh day, the mate, Mr. Quail, and three men were -sent out to find out what she was. - -[Sidenote: _STORY OF THE RESOLUTE_] - -“After a hard day’s journey over the ice,—jumping from piece to piece, -and pushing themselves along on isolated cakes, they were near enough -to see that she was lying on her larboard side, firmly imbedded in the -ice. They shouted lustily as soon as they got within hailing distance; -but there was no answer. Not a soul was to be seen. For one moment, as -they came alongside, the men faltered, with a superstitious feeling, -and hesitated to go on board. A moment after, they had climbed over the -broken ice, and stood on deck. Everything was stowed away in order—spars -hauled up and lashed to one side, boats piled together, hatches calked -down. Over the helm, in letters of brass, was inscribed the motto, -‘England expects every man to do his duty.’ But there was no man to heed -the warning.” - -[Illustration: NIPPED IN THE ICE] - -The whalemen broke open the companionway, and descended into the cabin. -All was silence and darkness. Groping their way to the table, they -found matches and candles, and struck a light. There were decanters and -glasses on the table, chairs and lounges standing around, books scattered -about—everything just as it had been last used. Looking curiously from -one thing to another, wondering what this deserted ship might be, at -last they came upon the log-book. It was indorsed, “_Bark Resolute_, 1st -September, 1853, to April, 1854.” One entry was as follows: “H. M. S. -_Resolute_, 17th January, 1854, nine A.M. Mustered by divisions. People -taking exercise on deck. Five P.M. Mercury frozen.” - -At last the _Resolute_ had broken her icy bonds and was free. While the -Yankee whalemen were examining her, a gale started up and night came on; -for two days these four men remained aboard her. By the 19th of September -they had returned to their own ship and told their story. - -For ten days these two ships had gradually neared one another, and on -the 19th Captain Buddington was able to board the _Resolute_ himself and -carefully note her condition. Her hold was pretty well filled with ice, -and her tanks had burst from the extreme cold, filling her full of water -almost to the lower deck. - -“Everything that could move from its place had moved. Everything between -decks was wet; everything that would mould was mouldy. ‘A sort of -perspiration’ had settled on the beams and ceilings. The whalemen made -a fire in Kellett’s stove, and soon started a sort of shower from the -vapor with which it filled the air. The _Resolute_ had, however, four -force pumps. For three days the Captain and six men worked fourteen hours -a day on one of these, and had the pleasure of finding that they freed -her of water,—that she was tight still. They cut away upon the masses -of ice; and on the 23d of September, in the evening, she freed herself -from her encumbrances, and took an even keel. This was off the west shore -of Baffin’s Bay, in latitude 67°. On the shortest tack, she was twelve -hundred miles from where Kellett left her. - -“There was work enough still to be done. The rudder was to be shipped, -and rigging to be made taut, sail to be set.” - -In another week she was ready to make sail—and though both the whaler and -_Resolute_ still drifted in the ice-pack, Captain Buddington resolved -to bring her home; however, by October 21, after a gale, the _Resolute_ -was free. Ten men were selected from the _George Henry_, and with rough -tracings of the American coast, his lever watch and quadrant for his -instruments, Captain Buddington undertook a perilous and remarkable -journey. The ship’s ballast was gone, she was top-heavy and undermanned. -Heavy gales and head winds drove them as far as the Bermudas. The water -left in the ship’s tanks was brackish—and the men suffered from thirst. - -“For sixty hours at a time,” says Captain Buddington, “I frequently had -no sleep.” - -In the meantime, he had communicated with an English whaling bark, and by -her sent to Captain Kellett his epaulets and word to his owners that he -was coming. - -On Sunday morning, December 24, with the British ensign flying from her -shorn masts, the _Resolute_ anchored opposite New London. It will be -remembered that Great Britain generously released all claims in favour -of the sailors, and that Congress resolved to purchase the vessel and -restore it as a gift to England. The _Resolute_ was taken to a dry dock -in Brooklyn, and there put in complete repair. Everything on board, -even the smallest article, was placed in its original position, and at -last when this work was completed, she was manned and officered by the -United States Navy, and with sails all set and streamers all flying -started for England. On December 12, 1856, after a tempestuous voyage, -she anchored at Spithead, flying the British and United States ensigns. -After an enthusiastic welcome, the _Resolute_, with an escort of two -other steamers, was taken to Cowes, near Queen Victoria’s private palace. -December 16, the Queen, accompanied by Prince Albert, the Prince of -Wales, and a distinguished suite, paid an official visit to the American -officers on board ship. - -The next morning she was towed up to the harbour of Portsmouth, escorted -by the steam frigate _Retribution_, and, on arriving at her anchorage, -was received with a royal salute, and such an outburst of popular -applause as was never known before. - -On the 30th of December, 1856, the American flag was hauled down on board -the _Resolute_, amid a salute from the _Victory_ of twenty-one guns. The -Union Jack was hoisted up, and the formal transfer of the _Resolute_ to -the British authorities was completed. The following day the American -officers and crew left England for the United States. - -[Sidenote: _TRACES OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN_] - -Though the fate of Sir John Franklin was still a mystery, news of a -melancholy character had reached England through the _Montreal Herald_ -of October 21, 1854, in which a letter was published written by Dr. -Rae of York Factory, August 4 of the same year, and addressed to the -governor of the Hudson Bay Company. August 15, 1853, Rae had reached -his old quarters at Repulse Bay, where he wintered; the end of the -following March he undertook his spring journey. At Pelly Bay he fell in -with Eskimos from whom he secured several articles that he recognized -as belonging to various members of Sir John Franklin’s expedition. “On -the morning of the 20th” (April), he writes in his journal, “we were met -by a very intelligent Eskimo driving a dog-sledge laden with musk-ox -beef. This man at once consented to accompany us two days’ journey, and -in a few minutes had deposited his load on the snow, and was ready to -join us. Having explained to him my object, he said that the road by -which he had come was the best for us; and, having lightened the men’s -sledges, we travelled with more facility. We were now joined by another -of the natives, who had been absent seal-hunting yesterday; but, being -anxious to see us, had visited our snow-house early this morning, and -then followed up our track. This man was very communicative and, on -putting to him the usual questions as to his having seen ‘white man’ -before, or any ships or boats, he replied in the negative; but said that -a party of ‘Kabloomans’ had died of starvation a long distance to the -west of where we then were, and beyond a large river. He stated that he -did not know the exact place, that he never had been there, and that he -could not accompany us so far. The substance of the information then and -subsequently obtained from various sources was to the following effect:— - -“In the spring, four winters past (1850), while some Eskimo families -were killing seals near the north shore of a large island, named in -Arrowsmith’s charts King William’s Land, about forty white men were -seen travelling in company southward over the ice, and dragging a boat -and sledges with them. They were passing along the west shore of the -above-named island. None of the party could speak the Eskimo language so -well as to be understood, but by signs the natives were led to believe -that the ship or ships had been crushed by ice, and they were now going -to where they expected to find deer to shoot. From the appearance of the -men—all of whom, with the exception of an officer, were hauling on the -drag-ropes of the sledge, and looked thin—they were then supposed to be -getting short of provisions; and they purchased a small seal, or piece of -seal, from the natives. The officer was described as being a tall, stout, -middle-aged man. When their day’s journey terminated, they pitched tents -to rest in. - -“At a later date, the same season, but previous to the disruption of the -ice, the corpses of some thirty persons and some graves were discovered -on the continent, and five dead bodies on an island near it, about a -long day’s journey to the northwest of the mouth of a large stream, -which can be no other than Back’s Great Fish River (named by the Eskimos -Oot-doo-hi-ca-lik), as its description and that of the low shore in the -neighborhood of Point Ogle and Montreal Island agree exactly with that -of Sir George Back. Some of the bodies were in a tent, or tents; others -were under the boat, which had been turned over to form a shelter; and -some lay scattered about in different directions. Of those seen on the -island, it was supposed that one was that of an officer (chief), as he -had a telescope strapped over his shoulders, and a double-barrelled gun -lay underneath him. - -“From the mutilated state of many of the bodies and the contents of the -kettles, it is evident that our wretched countrymen had been driven to -the dread alternative of cannibalism as a means of sustaining life. A -few of the unfortunate men must have survived until the arrival of the -wild-fowl (say until the end of May), as shots were heard, and fresh -bones and feathers of geese were noticed near the scene of the sad event. - -“There appears to have been an abundant store of ammunition, as the -gunpowder was emptied by the natives in a heap on the ground out of the -kegs or cases containing it, and a quantity of shot and ball was found -below high-water mark, having probably been left on the ice close to -the beach before the spring commenced. There must have been a number of -telescopes, guns (several of them double-barrelled), watches, compasses, -etc., all of which seem to have been broken up, as I saw pieces of these -different articles with the natives, and I purchased as many as possible, -together with some silver spoons and forks, an Order of Merit in the form -of a star, and a small silver plate engraved ‘Sir John Franklin, K.C.B.’” - -Following closely upon the return of Dr. Rae to England, a land journey -was undertaken by Mr. James Anderson of the Hudson Bay Company to follow -up the trail. He descended the Great Fish River in June, 1855, and at -the rapids below Lake Franklin, three Eskimo huts were seen and various -articles were found which the Eskimos claimed were obtained from a boat -owned by white men who had died of starvation. These articles consisted -of tent-poles, paddles, copper and sheet-iron boilers, tin soup tureens, -and tools of various kinds. - -Anderson pushed on to Point Beaufort, and finally reached Montreal -Island. There other articles were found, such as chain, hooks, tools, -rope, bunting; the name “Mr. Stanley” (surgeon of the _Erebus_) was -rudely carved on a stick, and a piece of board had on it _Terror_. No -signs of human remains were found, however. After a search at Point Ogle, -where similar articles were found, Anderson’s party returned home. - -Though the British government no longer desired to pursue the search, -Lady Franklin, whose remarkable tenacity of purpose and loyal devotion -had awakened so much admiration and respect, decided to expend the last -remnant of her fortune to outfit the small screw steamer _Fox_ under the -able direction of the gallant M’Clintock, aided by Lieutenant Hobson, -and send it to solve the mystery that still clung about the fate of her -beloved husband. - -At first it seemed as if all the elements had conspired to make this -expedition a failure, for in the summer of 1857 the _Fox_ found herself -drifting at the mercy of the ice off Melville Bay, and after a dreary -winter the pack had carried her nearly twelve hundred geographical miles -in the Atlantic. Not until April 25, 1858, did the _Fox_ get free, and -then, securing such stores and provisions as could be procured at the -small Danish settlement of Holstenburg, she sailed into Barrow Strait. - -Early the following spring parties under M’Clintock and Lieutenant Hobson -undertook two sledge journeys. At Cape Victoria on the southwest coast -of Boothia, they fell in with Eskimos, who informed them that some years -back a large ship had been crushed in the ice out in the sea west of King -William Land. - -On April 20, they again met these same Eskimos, who informed them with -great reluctance that a second ship had been forced on shore, where they -supposed she still remained, but much broken. They added that it was in -the fall of the year, that is, August or September, when the ships were -destroyed; that all the white people landed safely and went away to the -Great Fish River, taking a boat or boats with them. The following year -their bones were found upon the trail. M’Clintock and Hobson separated -upon reaching Cape Victoria, and the former took up the search of the -east coast in a southerly direction, while Hobson made a diligent -examination of the western coast. - -[Sidenote: _THE FOX’S VOYAGE UNDER M’CLINTOCK_] - -On May 7, 1859, M’Clintock writes:— - -“To avoid snow-blindness, we commenced night marching. Crossing over from -Malty Island towards the King William Land shore, we continued our march -southward until midnight, when we had the good fortune to arrive at an -inhabited snow-village. We found here ten or twelve huts and thirty or -forty natives of King William Island; I do not think any of them had ever -seen white people alive before, but they evidently knew us to be friends. -We halted at a little distance, and pitched our tent, the better to -secure small articles from being stolen whilst we bartered with them. - -“I purchased from them six pieces of silver plate, bearing the crests or -initials of Franklin, Crozier, Fairholme, and McDonald; they also sold us -bows and arrows of English woods, uniform and other buttons, and offered -us a heavy sledge made of two short stout pieces of curved wood, which no -mere boat could have furnished them with, but this, of course, we could -not take away; the silver spoons and forks were readily sold for four -needles each. - -“Having obtained all the relics they possessed,” continues M’Clintock, “I -purchased some seal’s flesh, blubber, frozen venison, dried and frozen -salmon, and sold some of my puppies. They told us it was five days’ -journey to the wreck, one day up the inlet still in sight, and four days -overland; this would carry them to the western coast of King William -Land; they added that but little now remained of the wreck which was -accessible, their countrymen having carried almost everything away. In -answer to an inquiry, they said she was without masts; the question gave -rise to some laughter amongst them, and they spoke to each other about -fire, from which Peterson thought they had burnt the masts through close -to the deck in order to get them down. - -“There had been _many books_, they said, but all have long ago been -destroyed by the weather; the ship was forced on shore in the fall of -the year by the ice. She had not been visited during the past winter, -and an old woman and a boy were shown to us who were the last to visit -the wreck; they said they had been at it during the winter of 1857-1858. -Peterson questioned the woman closely, and she seemed anxious to give all -the information in her power. She said many of the white men dropped by -the way as they went to the Great River; that some were buried and some -were not; they did not themselves witness this; but discovered their -bodies during the winter following. - -“We could not arrive at any approximation of the numbers of the white -men nor of the years elapsed since they were lost. This was all the -information we could obtain.” - -Visiting the shore along which the retreating crews must have marched, he -came shortly after midnight May 24, when slowly walking along a gravel -ridge near the beach which the winds kept partially bare of snow, upon -a human skeleton, partly exposed, with here and there a few fragments -of clothing appearing through the snow. “The skeleton—now perfectly -bleached—was lying upon its face, the limbs and smaller bones either -dissevered or gnawed away by small animals.” - -“A most careful examination of the spot,” writes M’Clintock, “was, of -course, made, the snow removed, and every scrap of clothing gathered -up. A pocket-book afforded strong grounds of hope that some information -might be subsequently obtained respecting the unfortunate owner and the -calamitous march of the lost crews, but at the time it was frozen hard. -The substance of that which we gleaned upon the spot may thus be summed -up:— - -“This victim was a young man slightly built, and perhaps above the common -height; the dress appeared to be that of a steward or officer’s servant, -the loose bow-knot in which his neck-handkerchief was tied not being -used by seamen or officers. In every particular the dress confirmed our -conjectures as to his rank or office in the late expedition,—the blue -jacket with slashed sleeves and braided edging, and the pilot-cloth -great-coat with plain covered buttons. We found, also, a clothes-brush -near, and a horn pocket-comb. This poor man seems to have selected the -bare ridge top, as affording the least tiresome walking, and to have -fallen upon his face in the position in which we found him. It was a -melancholy truth that the old woman spoke when she said ‘they fell down -and died as they walked along.’” - -At Cape Herschel a cairn was found all but demolished by the natives, and -greatly to the disappointment of M’Clintock no record of any kind was -discovered. - -“I noticed with great care,” he writes, “the appearance of the stones, -and came to the conclusion that the cairn itself was of old date, and -had been erected many years ago, and that it was reduced to the state -in which we found it by people having broken down one side of it; the -displaced stones, from being turned over, looking far more fresh than -those in that portion of the cairn which had been left standing. It -was with a feeling of deep regret and much disappointment that I left -this spot without finding some certain record of those martyrs to their -country’s fame. Perhaps in all the wide world there will be few spots -more hallowed in the recollection of English seamen than this cairn on -Cape Herschel. - -“A few miles beyond Cape Herschel the land becomes very low; many -islets and shingle-ridges lie far off the coast; and as we advanced we -met with hummocks of unusually heavy ice, showing plainly that we were -now travelling upon a far more exposed part of the coast-line. We were -approaching a spot where a revelation of intense interest was awaiting me. - -“About twelve miles from Cape Herschel I found a small cairn built by -Hobson’s party, containing a note for me. He had reached this his extreme -point, six days previously, without having seen anything of the wreck, -or of natives, but he had found a record—the record so ardently sought -for—of the Franklin expedition—at Point Victory, on the northwest coast -of King William Land. That record is indeed a sad and touching relic -of our lost friends, and, to simplify its contents, I will point out -separately the double story it so briefly tells. - -“In the first place, the record paper was one of the printed forms -usually supplied to discovery ships for the purpose of being enclosed in -bottles and thrown overboard at sea, in order to ascertain the set of the -currents, blanks being left for the date and position; any person finding -one of these records is requested to forward it to the Secretary of the -Admiralty, with a note of time and place; and this request is printed -upon it in six different languages. Upon it was written, apparently by -Lieutenant Gore, as follows:— - - “‘28 of May, 1847 - - “‘H. M. ships _Erebus_ and _Terror_ wintered in the ice in lat. - 70° 05´ N.; long. 98° 23´ W. - - “‘Having wintered in 1846-7, at Beechey Island, in lat. 74° - 43´ 28´´ N., long. 91° 39´ 15´´ W., after having ascended - Wellington Channel to lat. 77° and returned by the west side of - Cornwallis Island. - - “‘Sir John Franklin commanding the expedition. - - “‘All well. - - “‘Party consisting of 2 officers and 6 men left the ships on - Monday, 24th May, 1847. - - “‘Gm. Gore, Lieut. - ”‘Chas. F. Des Vœux, Mate.’ - -“There is an error in the above document, namely, that the _Erebus_ and -_Terror_ wintered at Beechey Island in 1846-7, the correct dates should -have been 1845-6; a glance at the date at the top and bottom of the -record proves this, but in all other respects the tale is told in as few -words as possible, of their wonderful success up to that date, May, 1847. - -“We find that after the last intelligence of Sir John Franklin was -received by us (bearing date of July, 1845), from the whalers in Melville -Bay, that his expedition passed on to Lancaster Sound, and entered -Wellington Channel, of which the southern entrance had been discovered -by Sir Edward Parry in 1819. The _Erebus_ and _Terror_ sailed up that -strait for one hundred and fifty miles, and reached in the autumn of -1845 the same latitude as was attained eight years subsequently by H. M. -S. _Assistance_ and _Pioneer_. Whether Franklin intended to pursue this -northern course, and was only stopped by ice in that latitude of 77° -north, or purposely relinquished a route which seemed to lead away from -the known seas off the coast of America, must be a matter of opinion; -but this document assures us that Sir John Franklin’s expedition, -having accomplished this examination, returned southward from latitude -77° north, which is at the head of Wellington Channel, and re-entered -Barrow’s Strait by a new channel between Bathhurst and Cornwallis Islands. - -“Seldom has such success been accorded to an Arctic navigator in a single -season, and when the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ were secured at Beechey Island -for the coming winter of 1845-6, the results of their first year’s labor -must have been most cheering. These results were the exploration of -Wellington and Queen’s Channel, and the addition to our charts of the -extensive lands on either hand. In 1846, they proceeded to the southwest, -and eventually reached within twelve miles of the north extreme of King -William Land, when their progress was arrested by the approaching winter -of 1846-7. That winter appears to have passed without any serious loss -of life, and when in the spring, Lieutenant Gore leaves with a party -for some especial purpose, and very probably to connect the unknown -coast-line of King William Land between Point Victory and Cape Herschel, -those on board the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ were ‘all well,’ and the gallant -Franklin still commanded. - -[Illustration: SIR JOHN FRANKLIN’S RECORD] - -[Sidenote: _RECORD OF FRANKLIN’S EXPEDITION_] - -“But, alas! round the margin of the paper upon which Lieutenant Gore in -1847 wrote those words of hope and promise, another hand had subsequently -written the following words:— - - “‘April 25, 1848.—H. M. ships _Terror_ and _Erebus_ were - deserted on the 22d April, 5 leagues N.N.W. of this, having - been beset since 12th September, 1846. The officers and crews, - consisting of 105 souls, under the command of Captain F. R. - M. Crozier, landed here in lat. 69° 37´ 42´´ N., long. 98° - 41´ W. Sir John Franklin died on the 11th June, 1847; and the - total loss by deaths in the expedition has been to this date 9 - officers and 15 men. - - “‘(Signed) - - “‘F. R. M. Crozier, Captain and Senior Officer, - “‘James Fitzjames, Captain H. M. S. Erebus, - - “‘and start (on) tomorrow, 26th for Back’s Fish River.’ - -“This marginal information was evidently written by Captain Fitzjames, -excepting only the note stating when and where they were going, which was -added by Captain Crozier. - -“There is some additional marginal information relative to the transfer -of the document to its present position (viz. the site of Sir James -Ross’s pillar) from a spot four miles to the northward near Point -Victory, where it had been originally deposited by the _late_ Commander -Gore. This little word _late_ shows that he, too, within the twelvemonth -had passed away. - -“In the short space of twelve months, how mournful had become the history -of Franklin’s expedition; how changed from the cheerful ‘All well’ of -Graham Gore! The spring of 1847 found them within 90 miles of the known -sea off the coast of America; and to men who had already in two seasons -sailed over 500 miles of previously unexplored waters, how confident -must they have felt that that forthcoming navigable season of 1847 -would see their ships pass over so short an intervening space! It was -ruled otherwise. Within a month after Lieutenant Gore placed the record -on Point Victory, the much-loved leader of the expedition, Sir John -Franklin, was dead; and the following spring found Captain Crozier, upon -whom the command had devolved at King William Land, endeavoring to save -his starving men, 105 souls in all, from a terrible death by retreating -to Hudson Bay territories up the Back or Great Fish River. - -“A sadder tale was never told in fewer words. There is something deeply -touching in their extreme simplicity, and they show in the strongest -manner that both the leaders in this retreating party were actuated by -the loftiest sense of duty and met with calmness and decision the fearful -alternative of a last bold struggle for life, rather than perish without -effort on board their ships; for we well know that the _Erebus_ and -_Terror_ were only provisioned up to July, 1848.” - -M’Clintock’s party were now running short of provisions, but the finding -of such important relics determined the leader to pursue the search to -the uttermost limits of his powers. - -On May 30 he writes: “We encamped alongside a large boat—another -melancholy relic which Hobson had found and examined a few days before, -as his note left here informed me; but he had failed to discover record, -journal, pocket-book, or memorandum of any description. A vast quantity -of tattered clothing was lying in her, and this we first examined. Not a -single article bore the name of its former owner. The boat was cleared -out and carefully swept that nothing might escape us. The snow was then -removed from about her, but nothing whatever was found.” - -[Sidenote: _SLEDGE JOURNEYS_] - -After a detailed description of this boat, its weight, construction, and -marks, etc., M’Clintock continues:— - -“But all these were after observations; there was that in the boat which -transfixed us with awe. It was portions of two human skeletons. One was -that of a slight young person; the other of a large, strongly made, -middle-aged man. The former was found in the bow of the boat, but in too -much disturbed a state to enable Hobson to judge whether the sufferer had -died there; large and powerful animals, probably wolves, had destroyed -much of this skeleton, which may have been that of an officer. Near it -we found the fragments of a pair of worked slippers, of which I give the -pattern, as they may possibly be identified. The lines were white, with a -black margin; the spaces white, red, and yellow. They had originally been -11 inches long, lined with calf-skin with the hair left on, and the edges -bound with red silk ribbon. Besides these slippers there were a pair of -small strong shooting half-boots. - -“The other skeleton was in somewhat more perfect state, and was -enveloped with clothes and furs; it lay across the boat, under the -after-thwart. Close beside it were found five watches; and there were -two double-barrelled guns—one barrel in each loaded and cocked—standing -muzzle upwards against the boat’s side. It may be imagined with what -deep interest these sad relics were scrutinized, and how anxiously -every fragment of clothing was turned over in search of pockets and -pocket-books, journals, or even names. Five or six small books were -found, all of them scriptural or devotional works, except the ‘Vicar of -Wakefield.’ One little book, ‘Christian Melodies,’ bore an inscription -upon the title page from the donor to G. G. (Graham Gore?). A small Bible -contained numerous marginal notes, and whole passages underlined. Besides -these books, the covers of a New Testament and Prayerbook were found. - -“Quantities of clothing and other articles were of one description -and another truly astonishing in variety and such as, for the most -part, modern sledge-travellers in these regions would consider a mere -accumulation of dead weight.” - -The only provisions that were discovered were a little tea and nearly -forty pounds of chocolate; a small portion of tobacco was also found. - -The position of the abandoned boat was about fifty miles as a sledge -would travel from Point Victory, and therefore sixty-five miles from -the position of the ships, also seventy miles from the skeleton of the -steward, and one hundred and fifty miles from Montreal Island. “A little -reflection,” writes M’Clintock, “led me to satisfy my own mind at least, -that the boat was returning to the ships; and in no other way can I -account for two men having been left in her, than by supposing the party -were unable to drag the boat further, and that these two men, not being -able to keep pace with their shipmates, were therefore left by them -supplied with such provisions as could be spared to last until the return -of the others from the ship with a fresh stock. - -“Whether it was the intention of the retroceding party to await the -result of another season in the ships, or to follow the track of the -main body to the Great Fish River, is now a matter of conjecture. It -seems highly probable that they had purposed revisiting the boat, not -only on account of the two men left in charge of it, but also to obtain -the chocolate, the five watches, and many other articles which would -otherwise scarcely have been left in her. - -“The same reasons which may be assigned for the return of this detachment -from the main body, will also serve to account for their not having -come back to their boat. In both instances they appear to have greatly -overrated their strength, and the distance they could travel in a given -time. - -“Taking this view of the case, we can understand why their provisions -would not last them for anything like the distance they required to -travel, and why they would be obliged to send back to the ships for more, -first taking from the detached party all provisions they could possibly -spare. Whether all or any of the remainder of this detached party ever -reached their ships is uncertain; all we know is, that they did not -revisit the boat, which accounts for the absence of more skeletons in its -neighborhood; and the Esquimos report that there was no one alive in the -ship when she drifted on shore, and that but one human body was found by -them on board of her. - -“After leaving the boat we followed an irregular coast-line to the N. -and N.W., up to a very prominent cape, which is probably the extreme of -land seen from Point Victory by Sir James Ross, and named by him Point -Franklin, which name, as a cape, it still retains.” - -“I need hardly say,” concludes M’Clintock, “that throughout the whole of -my journey along the shores of King William Land I caused a most vigilant -lookout to be kept to seaward for any appearance of the stranded ship -spoken of by the natives; our search was, however, fruitless in that -respect.” - -Of Lieutenant Hobson’s most careful and thorough search, M’Clintock -writes: “He exercised his discretionary power with sound judgment, and -completed his search so well, that in coming over the same ground after -him, I could not discover any trace that had escaped him.” - -On the 19th of June, M’Clintock once more reached the _Fox_, where he -found Hobson, who had preceded him by five days, sick and unable to walk, -having been dragged upon the sledge for the best part of his return -journey. - -A third sledging party under Captain Young, which had left the 7th of -April, was still in the field, and M’Clintock began to feel so great -anxiety for their safety that by the 25th of June he set out with four -men to search for them. “On the 27th,” he writes, “I sent three of the -men back to the ship, and with Thompson and the dogs went on to Pemmican -Rock, where, to our great joy, we happily met Young and his party, who -had but just returned there, after a long and successful journey.” - -It may be briefly stated that Young was in the field seventy-eight days -under most trying circumstances. Crossing Franklin Strait to Prince of -Wales Land, he traced its shores to its southern termination at Cape -Swinburne. He failed in an attempt to cross M’Clintock Channel, owing to -the rough ice, but he completed the explorations of this coast beyond -Osborn’s farthest to nearly 73° N., also exploring both shores of -Franklin Strait between the _Fox_ and Ross’s farthest in 1849 and Brown’s -in 1851. - -The return of the _Fox_ to England was not accomplished without -difficulty, owing to the death of the engineer, which obliged M’Clintock -to stand by the engine no less than twenty-four consecutive hours, on one -occasion. However, they reached Portsmouth, September 24, 1859. - -“The relics we have brought home,” writes Captain M’Clintock, in -conclusion, “have been deposited by the Admiralty in the United Service -Institution, and now form a national memento—the most simple and most -touching—of those heroic men who perished in the path of duty, but not -until they had achieved the grand object of their voyage,—the Discovery -of the North-West Passage.” - - - - -CHAPTER XI - - The second Grinnell expedition. Commanded by Dr. Elisha - K. Kane.—Winter quarters in Rensseläer Harbour.—Sledging - trips.—To the rescue.—Effects of exhaustion and cold.—Dr. - Kane’s journey.—Great Glacier of Humboldt.—Return and illness - of Dr. Kane.—Second winter in the ice.—Privations and - suffering.—Abandonment of the _Advance_.—Retreat and rescue. - - -Mention has already been made of the second Grinnell expedition, -commanded by Dr. Kane and financed by Mr. Grinnell and Mr. Peabody of -London. Dr. Kane’s instructions from the Navy Department at Washington, -dated November 27, 1852, read as follows:— - - “SIR:—Lady Franklin having urged you to undertake a search - for her husband, Sir John Franklin, and his companions, and a - vessel, the _Advance_, having been placed at your disposition - by Mr. Grinnell, you are hereby assigned to special duty for - the purpose of conducting an overland journey from the upper - waters of Baffin’s Bay to the shores of the Polar Seas. - - “Relying upon your zeal and discretion, the Department sends - you forth upon an undertaking which will be attended with great - peril and exposure. Trusting that you will be sustained by the - laudable object in view, and wishing you success and a safe - return to your friends, I am, - - “Respectfully, your obedient servant, - - “JOHN P. KENNEDY. - - “Passed Assistant Surgeon E. K. Kane, - “United States Navy, Philadelphia.” - -The small brig _Advance_, one hundred and forty-tons’ burden, with -seventeen picked men besides the commander, sailed from New York on the -30th of May, 1853, “escorted by several noble steamers; and, passing -slowly on to the Narrows amid salutes and cheers of farewell.” - -At the end of eighteen days the _Advance_ had reached St. John’s, -Newfoundland, where Governor Hamilton, a brother to the secretary of the -British Admiralty, and other officials, combined with the inhabitants to -welcome the expedition. Upon sailing once more, Dr. Kane was presented -with a noble team of Newfoundland dogs, the gift of the governor. - -The _Advance_ reached Baffin Bay without incident, and a few days later -found her off the coast of Greenland, making her way to Fisdernaes, which -was reached the 1st of July,—“amid the clamor of its entire population, -assembled on the rock to greet us.” - -Here a native Eskimo, Hans Christiansen, was engaged as interpreter for -the expedition. The _Advance_ then proceeded across Melville Bay in -the wake of vast icebergs, dodging to the rear of these huge floating -masses, holding on to them when adverse winds became annoying, and -pressing forward as opportunity offered. The promontory of Swartehuk was -passed by the 16th. The following day the _Advance_ anchored at Proven, -where Dr. Kane was warmly welcomed by his old friend Christiansen, the -superintendent. Here he made necessary purchases of furs, and these were -speedily made into suitable garments by the superintendent’s wife and -her assistants. While the brig sailed leisurely up the coast, Kane set -out in the whale-boat to make purchases of dogs among the natives of the -different settlements. After a two days’ stay at Upernavik, the _Advance_ -proceeded on her course and passed in succession the Eskimo settlement of -Kingatok, the Kettle,—a mountain top so named from the resemblance of its -profile, and finally Zottik, the farthest point of colonization. - -[Sidenote: _THE SECOND GRINNELL EXPEDITION_] - -Inclining more directly to the north, she sighted the landmark known as -the Horse’s Head, and later Ducks Islands, and made for Wilcox Point, -which was passed on the 27th of July. The 2d of August found them well in -the ice and harassed by fogs, but the floes opened at intervals, allowing -the ship to make her slow progress through them. The north water was -comparatively free from obstructions, and by the 5th they had passed the -“Crimson Cliffs” described by Sir John Ross; two days later they doubled -Cape Alexander, and passed in to Smith Sound. At Littleton Island they -stopped to deposit a boat and supply of stores. On August 8 the ship -closed with the ice and bored her way through the loose stream ice some -forty miles beyond Life Boat Cove, when it became impossible to force -her way any farther, and, says Kane: “A dense fog gathering round us, we -were carried helplessly to the eastward. We should have been forced upon -the Greenland coast, but an eddy close in shore released us for a few -moments from direct pressure, and we were fortunate enough to get out a -whale-line to the rocks and warp into a protecting niche.” - -The following day he writes: “It may be noted among our little miseries -that we have more than fifty dogs on board, the majority of whom might -rather be characterized as ‘ravening wolves.’ To feed this family upon -whose strength our progress and success depend, is really a difficult -matter. The absence of shore or land ice to the south in Baffin Bay -has prevented our rifles from contributing any material aid to our -commissariat. Our two bears lasted the cormorants but eight days; and -to feed them upon the meagre allowance of two pounds of raw flesh every -other day is an almost impossible necessity. Only yesterday they were -ready to eat the caboose up, for I would not give them pemmican. Corn -meal or beans, which Penney’s dogs fed on, they disdain to touch; and -salt junk would kill them. - -“Accordingly, I started out this morning to hunt walrus, with which -the Sound is teeming. We saw at least fifty of these dusky monsters, -and approached many groups within twenty paces. But our rifle balls -reverberated from their hides like cork pellets from a pop-gun target, -and we could not get within harpoon distance of one. Later in the day, -however, Ohlsen, climbing a neighboring hill to scan the horizon and -see if the ice had slackened, found the dead carcass of a narwhale -or sea-unicorn; a happy discovery, which has secured for us at least -six hundred pounds of good, fetid, wholesome flesh. The length of the -narwhale was fourteen feet, and his process, or ‘horn,’ from the tip to -its bony encasement, four feet.... We built a fire on the rocks, and -melted down his blubber: he will yield readily two barrels of oil.” - -[Sidenote: _DR. ELISHA K. KANE_] - -The condition of the ice, furious gales, and the fast approaching winter -all combined to dishearten the crew, who with one exception desired to -return south and find winter quarters. Dr. Kane, however, determined to -push northward, and finally located in Rensseläer Harbour 78° 37´ N., -71° W. By the 10th of September, the long “night in which no man can -work” was close at hand; the thermometer stood at 14°; every preparation -was made for wintering; a storehouse was erected at Butler Island; an -astronomical observatory arranged at a short distance from the ship. - -“Besides preparing our winter quarters,” writes Dr. Kane, “I am -engaged in the preliminary arrangements for my provision depots along -the Greenland coast. Mr. Kennedy is, I believe, the only one of my -predecessors who has used October and November for Arctic field work; but -I deem it important to our movements during the winter and spring, that -depots in advance should be made before the darkness sets in. I purpose -arranging three of them at intervals,—pushing them as far forward as I -can,—to contain in all some twelve hundred pounds of provision, of which -eight hundred will be pemmican.” - -To this end one hundred and twenty-five miles of the Greenland coast was -traced to the north and east; the largest of the three depots was located -on an island in latitude 70° 12´ 6´´, and longitude 65° 25´. - -By the 20th of November, the darkness made field work impossible, and for -one hundred and twenty days the little band of Arctic explorers endured -the weariness and bitter cold of the long night. - -“On the 17th of January,” writes Dr. Kane, “our thermometers stood at -forty-nine degrees below zero; and on the 20th the range of those at -the observatory was at -64° to -67°. The temperature on the floes was -always somewhat higher than at the island; the difference being due, -as I suppose, to the heat conducted from the sea-water, which was at -a temperature of +29°; the suspended instruments being affected by -radiation. - -“On the 5th of February, our thermometers began to show unexampled -temperature. They ranged from 60° to 75° below zero, and one very -reliable instrument stood upon the taffrail of our brig at -65°. The -reduced mean of our best spirit-standards gave -67°, or 99° below the -freezing-point of water. - -“At these temperatures chloric ether became solid, and carefully prepared -chloroform exhibited a granular pellicle on its surface. Spirit of -naphtha froze at -54°, and oil of wintergreen was in a flocculent state -at -56°, and solid at -63° and -65°. - -“The exhalations from the surface of the body invested the exposed or -partially clad parts with a wreath of vapor. The air had a perceptible -pungency upon inspiration, but I could not perceive the painful sensation -which has been spoken of by some Siberian travellers. When breathed -for any length of time, it imparted a sensation of dryness to the -air-passages. I noticed that, as it were involuntarily, we all breathed -guardedly, with compressed lips.” - -The depressing influence of such low temperatures affected both man and -beast. The poor dogs suffered keenly, and many of them died of affections -of the brain, which began with the same symptoms of fits, lunacy, and -lockjaw. The loss of fifty-seven of these brave animals seriously -affected Dr. Kane’s plans. The crew were greatly depleted by scurvy and -almost unfit for the arduous work planned for the early spring. - -“An Arctic night and an Arctic day,” remarks Dr. Kane, “age a man more -rapidly and harshly than a year anywhere else in the world.” - -Early in March a sledging party was organized to ascertain whether it -were practicable to force a way over the crowded bergs and mountainous -ice to the north. An advance corps was sent out to place a depot of -provisions at a suitable distance from the brig. - -[Sidenote: _WINTER QUARTERS IN RENSSELÄER HARBOUR_] - -March 20, Dr. Kane writes as follows:— - -“I saw the depot party off yesterday. They gave the usual three cheers, -with three for myself. I gave them the whole of my brother’s great -wedding-cake and my last two bottles of Port, and they pulled the sledge -they were harnessed to famously. But I was not satisfied. I could see it -was hard work; and, besides, they were without the boat, or enough extra -pemmican to make their deposit of importance. I followed them, therefore, -and found that they encamped at 8 P.M. only five miles from the brig. - -“When I overtook them, I said nothing to discourage them, and gave no new -orders for the morning; but after laughing at good Ohlsen’s rueful face, -and listening to all Petersen’s assurances that the cold and nothing but -the cold retarded his Greenland sledge, and that no sledge of any other -construction could have been moved at all through -40° snow, I quietly -bade them good-night, leaving all hands under their buffaloes. - -“Once returned to the brig, all my tired remainder men were summoned; a -large sledge with board runners which I had built somewhat after the neat -Admiralty model sent me by Sir Francis Beaufort, was taken down, scraped, -polished, lashed, and fitted with track ropes and rue-raddies; the lines -arranged to draw as near as possible in a line with the centre of gravity. - -“We made an entire cover of canvas, with snugly adjusted fastenings; and -by one in the morning we had our discarded excess of pemmican and the -boat once more in stowage. Off we went for the camp of the sleepers. -It was very cold, but a thoroughly Arctic night; the snow just tinged -with the crimson stratus above the sun, which, equinoctial as it was, -glared beneath the northern horizon like a smelting-furnace. We found -the tent of the party by the bearings of the stranded bergs. Quietly and -stealthily we hauled away their Eskimo sledge, and placed her cargo upon -the _Faith_. - -“Five men were then rue-raddied to the track-lines, and with the -whispered word, ‘Now, boys, when Mr. Brooks gives his third snore, off -with you!’ off they went, and the _Faith_ after them, as free and nimble -as a volunteer. The trial was a triumph. We awakened the sleepers with -three cheers; and, giving them a second good-by, returned to the brig, -carrying the dishonored vehicle along with us. And now, bating mishaps -past anticipation, I shall have a depot for my long trip. - -“The party were seen by McGary from aloft, at noon to-day, moving easily, -and about twelve miles from the brig.” - -Eleven days later, March 31, Dr. Kane writes:— - -“We were at work cheerfully, sewing away at the skins of some moccasins -by the blaze of our lamps, when, toward midnight, we heard the noise of -steps above, and the next minute Sonntag, Ohlsen, and Petersen came down -into the cabin. Their manner startled me even more than their unexpected -appearance on board. They were swollen and haggard, and hardly able to -speak. - -“Their story was a fearful one. They had left their companions in the -ice, risking their own lives to bring us the news: Brooke, Baker, Wilson, -and Pierre were all lying frozen and disabled. Where? They could not -tell: somewhere in among the hummocks to the north and east; it was -drifting heavily round them when they parted. Irish Tom had stayed by to -feed and care for the others; but the chances were sorely against them. -It was in vain to question them further. They had evidently travelled a -great distance, for they were sinking with fatigue and hunger, and could -hardly be rallied enough to tell us the direction in which they had come.” - -“My first impulse,” continues Dr. Kane, “was to move on the instant with -an unencumbered party; a rescue to be effective or even hopeful, could -not be too prompt. What pressed on my mind most was, where the sufferers -were to be looked for among the drifts. Ohlsen seemed to have his -faculties rather more at command than his associates, and I thought that -he might assist us as a guide; but he was sinking with exhaustion, and if -he went we must carry him. - -[Sidenote: _SLEDGING TRIPS_] - -“There was not a moment to be lost. While some were still busy with -the newcomers and getting ready a hasty meal, others were rigging out -the _Little Willie_ with a buffalo cover, a small tent, and a package -of pemmican; and, as soon as we could hurry through our arrangements, -Ohlsen was strapped on in a fur bag, his legs wrapped in dog-skins and -eider-down, and we were off upon the ice. Our party consisted of nine -men and myself. We carried only the clothes on our backs. The thermometer -stood at -46°, 78° below the freezing-point. - -“A well-known peculiar tower of ice, called by the men the ‘Pinnacly -Berg,’ served as our first land-mark; other icebergs of colossal size, -which stretched in long beaded lines across the bay, helped to guide us -afterward; and it was not until we had travelled for sixteen hours that -we began to lose our way. - -“We knew that our lost companions must be somewhere in the area before -us, within a radius of forty miles. Mr. Ohlsen, who had been for fifty -hours without rest, fell asleep as soon as we began to move, and awoke -now with unequivocal signs of mental disturbance. It became evident -that he had lost the bearing of the icebergs, which in form and color -endlessly repeated themselves; and the uniformity of the vast field of -snow utterly forbade the hope of local landmarks. - -“Pushing ahead of the party, and clambering over some rugged ice piles, I -came to a long level floe, which I thought might probably have attracted -the eyes of weary men in circumstances like our own. It was a light -conjecture; but it was enough to turn the scale, for there was no other -to balance it. I gave orders to abandon the sledge, and disperse in -search of footmarks. - -“We raised our tent, placed our pemmican in cache, except a small -allowance for each man to carry on his person; and poor Ohlsen, now just -able to keep his legs, was liberated from his bag. The thermometer had -fallen by this time to -49° 3´, and the wind was setting in sharply from -the northwest. - -“It was out of the question to halt; it required brisk exercise to keep -us from freezing. I could not even melt ice for water; and, at these -temperatures, any resort to snow for the purpose of allaying thirst was -followed by bloody lips and tongue; it burnt like caustic. - -“It was indispensable then that we should move on, looking out for traces -as we went. Yet when the men were ordered to spread themselves, so as -to multiply the chances, though they all obeyed heartily, some painful -impress of solitary danger, or perhaps it may have been the varying -configuration of the ice-field, kept them closing up continually into -a single group. The strange manner in which some of us were affected I -now attribute as much to shattered nerves as to the direct influence of -the cold. Men like McGary and Bonsall, who had stood out our severest -marches, were seized with trembling-fits and short breath; and, in spite -of all my efforts to keep up an example of sound bearing, I fainted twice -on the snow. - -[Sidenote: _TO THE RESCUE_] - -“We had been nearly eighteen hours out without water or food, when a new -hope cheered us. I think it was Hans, our Eskimo hunter, who thought he -saw a broad sledge track. The drift had nearly effaced it, and we were -some of us doubtful at first whether it was not one of those accidental -rifts which the gales make in the surface-snow. But, as we traced it -on to the deep snow among the hummocks, we were led to footsteps; and, -following these with religious care, we at last came in sight of a small -American flag fluttering from a hummock, and lower down a little Masonic -banner hanging from a tent-pole hardly above the drift. It was the camp -of our disabled comrades; we reached it after an unbroken march of -twenty-one hours. - -[Illustration: A GALE IN THE ARCTIC SEA] - -“The little tent was nearly covered. I was not among the first to -come up; but, when I reached the tent-curtain, the men were standing -in silent file on each side of it. With more kindness and delicacy of -feeling than is often supposed to belong to sailors, but which is almost -characteristic, they intimated their wish that I should go in alone. As I -crawled in, and, coming upon the darkness, heard before me the burst of -welcome gladness that came from the four poor fellows stretched on their -backs, and then for the first time the cheer outside, my weakness and my -gratitude together almost overcame me. ‘They had expected me: they were -sure I would come!’ - -“We were now fifteen souls; the thermometer seventy-five degrees below -the freezing-point; and our sole accommodation a tent barely able to -contain eight persons; more than half our party were obliged to keep from -freezing by walking outside while the others slept. We could not halt -long. Each of us took a turn of two hours’ sleep; and we prepared for our -homeward march.” - -Continuing his spirited narrative, Dr. Kane describes the retreat:— - -“It was fortunate indeed that we were not inexperienced in sledging over -the ice. A great part of our track lay among a succession of hummocks; -some of them extending in long lines, fifteen and twenty feet high, and -so uniformly steep that we had to turn them by a considerable deviation -from our direct course; others that we forced our way through far above -our heads in height, lying in parallel ridges, with the space between -too narrow for the sledge to be lowered into it safely, and yet not wide -enough for the runners to cross without the aid of ropes to stay them. -These spaces, too, were generally chocked with light snow, hiding the -openings between the ice-fragments. They were fearful traps to disengage -a limb from, for every man knew that a fracture or a sprain even would -cost him his life. Besides all this, the sledge was top heavy with its -load; the maimed men could not bear to be lashed down tight enough to -secure them against falling off. - -“Notwithstanding our caution in rejecting every superfluous burden, the -weight, including bags and tent, was eleven hundred pounds. - -“And yet our march for the first six hours was very cheering. We made -by vigorous pulls and lifts nearly a mile an hour, and reached the new -floes before we were absolutely weary. Our sledge sustained the trial -admirably. Ohlsen, restored by hope, walked steadily at the leading belt -of the sledge lines; and I began to feel certain of reaching our halfway -station of the day before, where we had left our tent. But we were still -nine miles from it, when, almost without premonition, we all became aware -of an alarming failure of our energies. - -[Sidenote: _EFFECTS OF EXHAUSTION AND COLD_] - -“I was, of course, familiar with the benumbed and almost lethargic -sensation of extreme cold; and once, when exposed for some hours in the -midwinter of Baffin’s Bay, I had experienced symptoms which I compared to -the diffused paralysis of the electro-galvanic shock. But I had treated -the _sleepy comfort_ of freezing as something like the embellishment of -romance. I had evidence now to the contrary. - -“Bonsall and Morton, two of our stoutest men, came to me, begging -permission to sleep: ‘They were not cold; the wind did not enter them -now; a little sleep was all they wanted.’ Presently Hans was found nearly -stiff under a drift; and Thomas, bolt upright, had his eyes closed, and -could hardly articulate. At last, John Blake threw himself on the snow, -and refused to rise. They did not complain of feeling cold; but it was -in vain that I wrestled, boxed, ran, argued, jeered, or reprimanded; an -immediate halt could not be avoided. - -“We pitched our tent with much difficulty. Our hands were too powerless -to strike a fire; we were obliged to do without water or food. Even the -spirits (whiskey) had frozen at the men’s feet, under all the coverings. -We put Bonsall, Ohlsen, Thomas, and Hans, with the other sick men, -well inside the tent, and crowded in as many others as we could. Then, -leaving the party in charge of Mr. McGary, with orders to come on after -four hours’ rest, I pushed ahead with William Godfrey, who volunteered -to be my companion. My aim was to reach the halfway tent, and thaw -some ice and pemmican before the others arrived. The floe was of level -ice, and the walking excellent. I cannot tell how long it took us to -make the nine miles; for we were in a strange sort of stupor, and had -little apprehension of time. It was probably about four hours. We kept -ourselves awake by imposing on each other a continual articulation of -words; they must have been incoherent enough. I recall these hours as -among the most wretched I have ever gone through; we were neither of us -in our right senses, and retained a very confused recollection of what -preceded our arrival at the tent. We both of us, however, remember a -bear, who walked leisurely before us and tore up as he went a jumper that -Mr. McGary had improvidently thrown off the day before. He tore it into -shreds and rolled it into a ball, but never offered to interfere with -our progress. I remember this, and with it a confused sentiment that our -tent and buffalo robes might probably share the same fate. Godfrey, with -whom the memory of this day’s work may atone for many faults of a later -time, had a better eye than myself; and, looking some miles ahead, he -could see that our tent was undergoing the same unceremonious treatment. -I thought I saw it, too, but we were so drunken with cold that we strode -on steadily, and, for aught I know, without quickening our pace. Probably -our approach saved the contents of the tent; for when we reached it -the tent was uninjured, though the bear had overturned it, tossing the -buffalo robes and pemmican into the snow; we missed only a couple of -blanket-bags. What we recollect, however, and perhaps all we recollect, -is, that we had great difficulty in raising it. We crawled into our -reindeer sleeping-bags, without speaking, and for the next three hours -slept on in a dreamy and intense slumber. When I awoke, my long beard -was a mass of ice frozen fast to the buffalo-skin; Godfrey had to cut me -out with his jackknife. Four days after our escape, I found my woollen -comfortable with a goodly share of my beard still adhering to it. - -“We were able to melt water and get some soup cooked before the rest of -our party arrived: it took them but five hours to walk the nine miles. -They were doing well, and, considering the circumstances, in wonderful -spirits. The day was most providentially windless, with a clear sun. All -enjoyed the refreshment we had got ready. The crippled were repacked in -their robes; and we sped briskly toward the hummock-ridges which lay -between us and the Pinnacly Berg. - -“The hummocks we had now to meet came properly under the designation -of squeezed ice. A great chain of bergs stretching from northwest to -southeast, moving with the tides, had compressed the surface-floes; and, -rearing them up on their edges, produced an area more like the volcanic -pedregal of the basin of Mexico than anything else I can compare it to. - -“It required desperate efforts to work our way over it,—literally -desperate, for our strength failed us anew, and we began to lose our -self-control. We could not abstain any longer from eating snow; our -mouths swelled, and some of us became speechless. Happily the day was -warmed by a clear sunshine, and the thermometer rose to -4° in the shade: -otherwise we must have frozen. - -“Our halts multiplied, and we fell half-sleeping on the snow. I could -not prevent it. Strange to say, it refreshed us. I ventured upon the -experiment myself, making Riley wake me at the end of three minutes; and -I felt so much benefited by it that I timed the men in the same way. -They sat on the runners of the sledge, fell asleep instantly, and were -forced to wakefulness when their three minutes were out. By eight in -the evening we emerged from the floes. The sight of the Pinnacly Berg -revived us. Brandy, an invaluable resource in emergency, had already been -served out in tablespoonful doses. We now took a longer rest, and a last -but stouter dram, and reached the brig at 1 P.M., we believe without a -halt. I say _we believe_: and here perhaps is the most decided proof of -our sufferings: we were quite delirious, and had ceased to entertain a -sane apprehension of the circumstances about us. We moved on like men -in a dream. Our footmarks seen afterwards showed that we had steered a -bee-line for the brig. It must have been by a sort of instinct, for it -left no impress on the memory. Bonsall was sent staggering ahead, and -reached the brig, God knows how, for he had fallen repeatedly at the -track-lines; but he delivered with punctilious accuracy the messages I -had sent by him to Dr. Hayes. I thought myself the soundest of all, for -I went through all the formula of sanity, and can recall the muttering -delirium of my comrades when we got back into the cabin of our brig. -Yet I have been told since of some speeches and some orders, too, of -mine, which I should have remembered for their absurdity if my mind had -retained its balance. - -“Petersen and Whipple came out to meet us about two miles from the -brig. They brought my dog-team, with the restoratives I had sent for by -Bonsall. I do not remember their coming. Dr. Hayes entered with judicious -energy upon the treatment our condition called for, administering -morphine freely, after the usual frictions. He reported none of our -brain-symptoms as serious, referring them properly to the class of -those indications of exhausted power which yield to generous diet and -rest. Mr. Ohlsen suffered some time from strabismus and blindness: two -others underwent amputation of parts of the foot, without unpleasant -consequences; and two died in spite of all our efforts. This rescue -party had been out for seventy-two hours. We had halted in all eight -hours, half of our number sleeping at a time. We travelled between eighty -and ninety miles, most of the way dragging a heavy sledge. The mean -temperature of the whole time, including the warmest hours of three days, -was at -41° 2´. We had no water except at our two halts, and were at no -time able to intermit vigorous exercise without freezing.” - -Dr. Kane writes, April 4, Tuesday:— - -“Four days have passed, and I am again at my record of failures, sound, -but aching still in every joint. The rescued men are not out of danger, -but their gratitude is very touching. Pray God that they may live!” - -[Illustration: THE OUTLOOK FROM CAPE GEORGE RUSSELL] - -Shortly after these events, the ship was visited by Eskimos, a -good-natured, childlike company, who disdained such dainties offered -by the crew as wheat bread, corned pork, and lumps of white sugar, but -gorged themselves on beef and blubber, and took opportunity to steal -whatever they could lay their hands on. Dr. Kane purchased all the walrus -meat they had to spare and some of their dogs, enriching them in return -with needles and beads, and a treasure of old cask staves. Following his -experience with the Eskimos, Dr. Kane gives an amusing anecdote of a seal -hunt. - -“On one occasion,” he writes, “while working my way toward the Eskimo -huts, I saw a large _Usuk_ basking asleep upon the ice. Taking off my -shoes, I commenced a somewhat refrigerating process of stalking, lying -upon my belly and crawling along, step by step, behind the little knobs -of floe. At last, when I was within long rifle-shot, the animal gave a -sluggish roll to one side, and suddenly lifted his head. The movement -was evidently independent of me, for he strained his neck in nearly the -opposite direction. Then, for the first time, I found that I had a rival -seal-hunter in a large bear, who was on his belly like myself, waiting -with commendable patience and cold feet for a chance of nearer approach. -‘What should I do?—the bear was doubtless worth more to me than the -seal; but the seal was now within shot, and the bear a bird in the bush! -Besides, my bullet once invested in the seal would leave me defenceless. -I might be giving a dinner to a bear, and saving myself for his dessert.’ -These meditations were soon brought to a close; for a second movement -of the seal so aroused my hunter’s instincts that I pulled the trigger. -My cap alone exploded. Instantly with a floundering splash, the seal -descended into the deep, and the bear, with three or four rapid leaps, -stood disconsolately by the place of his descent. For a single moment -we stared each other in the face, and then, with that discretion which -is the better part of valor, the bear ran off in one direction, and I -followed his example in the other.” - -[Sidenote: _DR. KANE’S JOURNEY_] - -Toward the end of April, Dr. Kane had completed his preparations for his -grand sledge journey to the north. - -“It was,” he writes, “to be the crowning expedition of the campaign to -attain the _ultima thule_ of the Greenland shore, measure the waste that -lay between it and the unknown west, and seek round the furthest circle -of the ice for an outlet to the mysterious channels beyond.” - -“The worst thought I have now in setting out,” writes Dr. Kane, April 26, -“is that of the entire crew I can leave but two behind in able condition, -and the doctor and Bonsall are the only two officers who can help Ohlsen. -This is our force, four able-bodied and six disabled to keep the brig; -the commander and seven men, scarcely better upon the average, out upon -the ice. Eighteen souls, thank God! certainly not eighteen bodies! - -“I am going this time to follow the ice-belt (_Eis-fod_) to the Great -Glacier of Humboldt, and there load up with pemmican from our cache of -last October. From this point I expect to stretch along the face of the -glacier inclining to the west of north, and make an attempt to cross -the ice of the American side. Once on smooth ice, near this shore, I may -pass to the west, and enter the large indentation whose existence I can -infer with nearly positive certainty. In this I may find an outlet, and -determine the state of things beyond the ice-clogged area of this bay. - -“I take with me pemmican and bread and tea, a canvas tent, five by six, -and two sleeping-bags of reindeer skin. The sledge has been built on -board by Mr. Ohlsen. It is very light, of hickory, and but nine feet -long. Our kitchen is a soup kettle for melting snow and making tea, -arranged so as to boil with either lard or spirits. - -“For instruments I have a fine Gambey sextant, in addition to my ordinary -pocket-instrument, an artificial horizon, and a Barrow’s dip-circle. -These occupy little room upon the sledge. My telescope and chronometer I -carry on my person.” - -Ill equipped, enfeebled in health, discouraged by the failure of their -caches which had been broken into by bears, the little party struggled -on as long as strength and provisions lasted. “The most picturesque -portion of the North Greenland coast,” writes Dr. Kane, “is to be found -after leaving Cape George Russell and approaching Dallas Bay. The red -sandstones contrast most favorably with the blank whiteness, associating -the cold tints of the dreary Arctic landscape with the warm coloring -of more southern lands. The seasons have acted on the different layers -of the cliff so as to give them the appearance of jointed masonry, and -the narrow line of greenstone at the top caps them with well-simulated -battlements. One of these interesting freaks of nature became known to us -as the ‘Three Brother Turrets.’ - -“The sloping rubbish at the foot of the coast-wall led up, like an -artificial causeway, to a gorge that was streaming at noonday with the -southern sun; while everywhere else the rock stood out in the blackest -shadow. Just at the edge of the bright opening rose the dreamy semblance -of a castle, flanked with triple towers, completely isolated and defined. -These were the ‘Three Brother Turrets.’ - -“I was still more struck with another of the same sort, in the immediate -neighborhood of my halting ground beyond Sunny Gorge, to the north -of latitude 79°. A single cliff of green stone, marked by the slaty -limestone that once encased it, rears itself from a crumbled base of -sandstones, like the boldly chiselled rampart of an ancient city. At its -northern extremity, on the brink of a deep ravine which has worn its way -among the ruins, there stands a solitary column or minaret-tower, as -sharply finished as if it had been cast for the Place Vendome. Yet the -length of the shaft alone is four hundred and eighty feet; and it rises -on a plinth or pedestal itself two hundred and eighty feet high.” - -[Sidenote: _GREAT GLACIER OF HUMBOLDT_] - -But by far the most remarkable feature of the Great White North visited -by Dr. Kane was the “Great Glacier of Humboldt.” “I will not attempt to -do better by florid description,” he writes. “Men only rhapsodize about -Niagara and the ocean. My notes speak simply of the ‘long evershining -line of cliff diminished to a well-pointed wedge in the perspective’; and -again, of ‘the face of glistening ice, sweeping in a long curve from the -low interior, the facets in front intensely illuminated by the sun.’ But -this line of cliff rose in solid glassy wall three hundred feet above the -water-level, with an unknown, unfathomable depth below it; and its curved -face, sixty miles in length from Cape Agassiz to Cape Forbes, vanished -into unknown space at not more than a single day’s railroad travel from -the Pole. The interior with which it communicated, and from which it -issued, was an unsurveyed _mer de glace_, an ice-ocean, to the eye of -boundless dimensions. - -“It was in full sight—the mighty crystal bridge which connects the two -continents of America and Greenland. I say continents, for Greenland, -however insulated it may ultimately prove to be, is in mass strictly -continental. Its last possible axis, measured from Cape Farewell to the -line of this glacier, in the neighborhood of the eightieth parallel, -gives a length of more than twelve hundred miles,—not materially less -than that of Australia from its northern to its southern cape. Imagine -now the centre of such a continent, occupied through nearly its whole -extent by a deep unbroken sea of ice, that gathers perennial increase -from the water-shed of vast snow-covered mountains, and all the -precipitation of the atmosphere upon its own surface. Imagine this moving -onward like a great glacial river, seeking outlets at every fiord and -valley, rolling icy cataracts and having at last reached the northern -limit of the land that has borne it up, pouring out a mighty frozen -torrent into unknown Arctic space. - -“It is thus, and only thus, that we must form a just conception of a -phenomenon like this Great Glacier. I had looked in my own mind for such -an appearance, should I ever be fortunate enough to reach the northern -coast of Greenland. But, now that it was before me, I could hardly -realize it. I had recognized in my quiet library at home, the beautiful -analogies which Forbes and Studen have developed between the glacier and -the river. But I could not comprehend at first this complete substitution -of ice for water. - -[Illustration: HUMBOLDT GLACIER] - -“It was slowly that the conviction dawned on me that I was looking upon -the counterpart of the great river system of Arctic Asia and America. Yet -here were no water-feeders from the south. Every particle of moisture -had its origin within the polar circle, and had been converted into -ice. There were no vast alluvions, no forest or animal traces borne -down by liquid torrents. Here was a plastic, moving, semi-solid mass, -obliterating life, swallowing rocks and islands, and ploughing its way -with irresistible march through the crust of an investing sea.” - -[Sidenote: _RETURN AND ILLNESS OF DR. KANE_] - -By May 5, Dr. Kane became delirious and fainted every time he was taken -from the tent. “My comrades would kindly persuade me that, even had I -continued sound, we could not have proceeded on our journey. The snows -were very heavy, and increasing as we went; some of the drifts perfectly -impassable, and the level floes often four feet deep in yielding snow. -The scurvy had already broken out among the men, with symptoms like my -own; and Morton, our strongest man, was beginning to give way. - -“It is the reverse of comfort to me that they shared my weakness. All -that I could remember with pleasurable feeling is, that to five brave -men, Morton, Riley, Hickey, Stephenson, and Hans, themselves scarcely -able to travel, I owe my preservation. They carried me back by forced -marches, after caching our stores and India-rubber boat near Dallas Bay, -in lat. 79° 5´, long. 66°.” - -Such was the “failure” of the Grand Expedition! - -The gentle hand of summer now extended much-needed relief to the stricken -crew. Seals began to appear and in such large numbers that there was no -want of fresh meat, which worked wonders in the health of those suffering -with scurvy. Snow-buntings and gulls and eider-ducks came winging their -way to their northern breeding places—and the warm sun brought out the -welcome verdure with marvellous rapidity. - -Dr. Kane’s health improved, but he was obliged to give up further sledge -journeys. To Dr. Hayes was intrusted a journey in which he reached the -opposite coast of Grinnell Land, which he surveyed as far as Cape Frazer. -On June 1, Morton left the brig with Hans, the Eskimo, for the purpose of -surveying the Greenland coast beyond the Humboldt Glacier. The lateness -of the season rendered much of the ice extremely unsafe. - -On June 26, 1854, Morton reached the bold headland of Cape Constitution, -where the surf dashed so furiously against the high, overhanging cliffs, -that further progress was impossible. Climbing from rock to rock, in the -hope of finding a pass, he stood at last at a height of three hundred -feet and looked out upon a great waste of waters, stretching as far as -the eye could reach into the unknown north. About him the flocks of -sea-swallows, kittiwakes, and brent-geese blended their discordant notes -with the thunderous roll of the sea. From Cape Constitution the coast of -Washington Land trended to the east, but far to the northwest, beyond the -open waters of the channel, a peak terminating a range of mountains was -seen towering at a height of from twenty-five hundred to three thousand -feet, and this remote landmark received the name of Mount Parry. On the -25th of June, Morton commenced his return and reached the brig on the -10th of July, “staggering by the side of the limping dogs, one of which -was riding as a passenger upon the sledge.” - -Meanwhile, the brief summer was rapidly waning; there seemed no promise -of the ice breaking up, and the alarming prospect of passing a second -winter in the ice forced itself upon the gallant commander and his brave -and suffering crew. - -“We have no coal for a second winter here,” he writes; “our stock of -fresh provisions is utterly exhausted; and our sick need change, as -essential to their recovery.” - -An unsuccessful attempt was made to reach Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron -at Beechey Island. - -“The season travels on,” writes Dr. Kane on August 15; “the young ice -grows thicker, and my messmates’ faces grow longer every day. I have -again to play buffoon to keep up the spirits of the party. A raven! The -snowbirds begin to fly to the south in groups; coming at night to our -brig to hover on the rigging. Winter is hurrying upon us. The poppies are -quite wilted.” - -Two days later we find the entry:— - -“In five days the spring tides come back: should we fail in passing -with them, I think our fortunes are fixed. The young ice bore a man -this morning: it had a bad look, this man-supporting August ice! The -temperature never falls below 28°; but it is cold o’ nights with no fire.” - -“August 18, Friday,” he writes, “reduced our allowance of wood to six -pounds a meal. This, among eighteen mouths, is one-third of a pound of -fuel each. It allows us coffee twice a day, and soup once. Our fare -besides this is cold pork boiled in quantity and eaten as required. This -sort of thing works badly; but I must save coal for other emergencies. I -see ‘darkness ahead’! - -“I inspected the ice again to-day. Bad! Bad!—I must look another winter -in the face. I do not shrink from the thought, but, while we have a -chance ahead, it is my first duty to have all things in readiness to meet -it. It is _horrible_—yes, that is the word—to look forward to another -year of disease and darkness to be met without fresh food and without -fuel. I should meet it with a more tempered sadness if I had no comrades -to think for and protect.” - -“August 20, Sunday.—Rest for all hands. The daily prayer is no longer -‘Lord, accept our gratitude and bless our undertaking,’ but, ‘Lord, -accept our gratitude and restore us to our homes.’ The ice shows no -change; after a boat and foot journey around the entire southeastern -curve of the bay, no signs!” - -The future looked so gloomy, and Dr. Kane’s apprehension for the ultimate -safety of his party was so grave, that he determined to erect a cairn in -a conspicuous spot upon a cliff looking out upon the icy desert, and on a -broad face of rock the words— - - “Advance - - “A.D. 1853-54” - -were painted in letters which could be read at a distance. A pyramid -of heavy stones perched above it, was marked with the Christian symbol -of the cross. “It was not without a holier sentiment than that of mere -utility that I placed under this the coffins of our two poor comrades. It -was our beacon and their gravestone. Near this a hole was worked into the -rock, and a paper, enclosed in glass, sealed in with melted lead. This -paper contained a careful record of the expedition up to date. - -“The memory of the first winter quarters of Sir John Franklin, and the -painful feelings with which, while standing by the graves of his dead, I -had five years before sought for written signs pointing to the fate of -the living, made me careful to avoid a similar neglect.” - -On August 24, the last hope of liberating the vessel vanished, and, -calling his officers and crew together, Dr. Kane explained to them the -full gravity of the situation, and though he was fully determined to -stand by the brig and felt that an attempted retreat to the settlement -of Upernavik so late in the season would certainly fail, he nevertheless -gave his full permission to those desiring to leave, and the promise -of a brother’s welcome, should they be driven back. The roll was then -called, and eight of the men out of the seventeen survivors of the party -volunteered to remain in the ship. The rest made ready to abandon her, -and with a generous division of stores and appliances left the ship on -the 28th, “The party moved off with the elastic step of men confident in -their purpose, and were out of sight in a few hours.” - -Reduced in numbers, many of them helpless, the waning efficiency of all, -combined with the impending winter darkness and the scant supply of fuel -and stores, tended sadly to depress the isolated group of despairing -men. But their intrepid commander, realizing the necessity of immediate -action, put all hands, sick and well, to work according to their -strength, in preparation for the approaching of winter. - -[Sidenote: _SECOND WINTER IN THE ICE_] - -Dr. Kane had made a careful study of the Eskimos, and had come to the -wise conclusion that their form of habitations and their peculiar -diet, minus their unthrift and filth, was the safest and best method -of existence under the unusual circumstances of an Arctic winter. He -therefore determined to borrow a lesson from the natives and, as far as -possible, turn the brig into an _igloë_. The quarter-deck was padded -down with moss and turf, so as to form a nearly cold-proof covering. -Below a space some eighteen feet square was packed from floor to ceiling -with inner walls of the same material. The floor was carefully calked -with plaster-of-Paris and common paste, covered a couple of inches deep -with Manila oakum, and carpeted with canvas. A low moss-lined tunnel was -arranged to connect with the hold, and divided with as many doors and -curtains as possible to keep out the cold draughts. - -Large banks of snow were also thrown up along the brig’s sides to keep -off the cold wind. These arduous labours in the open air greatly improved -the health and spirits of the men. - -Intercourse with the Eskimos at the winter settlements of Etah and -Anoatok, distant some thirty and seventy miles, led to a treaty by which -the Eskimos, for such presents as needles, pins, and knives, engaged to -furnish walrus and fresh seal meat, to the ship. Common hunting parties -were organized, and the white men were directed by the natives where to -find the game. To these supplies of fresh meat, Kane and his companions -owed their salvation, and the Eskimos on their part learned to regard the -white men as their benefactors, and sincerely mourned their departure. - -[Sidenote: _PRIVATIONS AND SUFFERINGS_] - -Before the darkness came on, Dr. Kane again nearly lost his life in an -attempt to secure a seal—while out in the ice, Hans had just cried out, -“_Pusey! pusey mut!_ seal! seal!” “At the same instant,” writes Dr. Kane, -“the dogs bounded forward, and, as I looked up, I saw crowds of gray -netsik, the rough or hispid seal of the whalers disporting in an open -sea of water.” - -“I had hardly welcomed the spectacle when I saw that we had passed upon -a new belt of ice that was obviously unsafe. To the right and left and -front was one great expanse of snow-flowered ice. The nearest solid floe -was a mere lump, which stood like an island in the white level. To turn -was impossible; we had to keep up our gait. We urged on the dogs with -whip and voice, the ice rolling like leather beneath the sledge-runners; -it was more than a mile to the lump of solid ice. Fear gave to the poor -beasts their utmost speed, and our voices were soon hushed to silence. - -“This suspense, unrelieved by action or efforts, was intolerable; we -knew that there was no remedy but to reach the floe, and that everything -depended upon our dogs, and our dogs alone. A moment’s check would -plunge the whole concern into the rapid tideway; no presence of mind or -resource, bodily or mental, could avail us. The seals—for we were now -near enough to see their expressive faces—were looking at us with that -strange curiosity which seems to be their characteristic expression; we -must have passed some fifty of them, breast-high out of water, mocking us -by their self-complacency. - -“This desperate race against fate could not last: the rolling of the -tough salt-water ice terrified our dogs; and when within fifty paces from -the floe, they paused. The left-hand runner went through: our leader -‘Toodlamick’ followed, and in one second the entire left of the sledge -was submerged. My first thought was to liberate the dogs. I leaned -forward to cut poor ‘Tood’s’ traces, and the next minute was swimming in -a little circle of pasty ice and water alongside him. Hans, dear good -fellow, drew near to help me, uttering piteous expressions in broken -English; but I ordered him to throw himself on his belly with his hands -and legs extended, and to make for the island by cogging himself forward -with his jack-knife. In the meantime—a mere instant—I was floundering -about with sledge, dogs, and lines, in a confused puddle around me. - -[Illustration: I. I. HAYES] - -“I succeeded in cutting poor Tood’s lines and letting him scramble to -the ice, for the poor fellow was drowning me with his piteous caresses, -and made my way for the sledge; but I found that it would not buoy me, -and that I had no resource but to try the circumference of the hole. -Around this I paddled faithfully, the miserable ice always yielding when -my hopes of a lodgment were greatest. During this process, I enlarged my -circle of operations to a very uncomfortable diameter, and was beginning -to feel weaker after every effort. Hans, meanwhile, had reached the firm -ice, and was on his knees, like a good Moravian, praying incoherently -in English and Eskimo; at every fresh crushing-in of the ice he would -ejaculate ‘God!’ and when I recommenced my paddling he recommenced his -prayers. - -“I was nearly gone. My knife had been lost in cutting out the dogs; and a -spare one which I carried in my trousers-pocket was so enveloped in the -wet skins that I could not reach it. I owed my extrication at last to a -newly broken team-dog, who was still fast to the sledge and in struggling -carried one of the runners chock against the edge of the circle. All my -previous attempts to use the sledge as a bridge had failed, for it broke -through, to the much greater injury of the ice. I felt it was a last -chance. I threw myself on my back, so as to lessen as much as possible -my weight, and placed the nape of my neck against the run or edge of -the ice; then with caution slowly bent my leg, and, placing the ball of -my moccasined foot against the sledge, I pressed steadily against the -runner, listening to the half-yielding crunch of the ice beneath. - -“Presently I felt that my head was pillowed by the ice, and that my wet -fur jumper was sliding up the surface. Next came my shoulders; they were -fairly on. One more decided push and I was launched up on the ice and -safe. I reached the ice-floe, and was frictioned by Hans with frightful -zeal. We saved all the dogs, but the sledge, kayack, tents, guns, -snow-shoes, and everything besides, were left behind. The thermometer at -8° will keep them frozen fast in the sledge till we can come and cut them -out. - -“On reaching the ship, after a twelve-mile trot, I found so much of -comfort and warm welcome that I forgot my failure. The fire was lit up, -and one of our few birds slaughtered forthwith. It is with real gratitude -that I look back upon my escape, and bless the great presiding Goodness -for the very many resources which remain to us.” - -On December 12, the party which had deserted the ship returned; they had -had a bitter experience struggling for more than four months among the -hummocks and snow-drifts, and were in a pitiable condition. - -“The thermometer was at -50°”, writes Dr. Kane; “they were covered with -rime and snow, and were fainting with hunger. It was necessary to use -caution in taking them below; for after an exposure of such fearful -intensity and duration as they had gone through, the warmth of the -cabin would have prostrated them completely. They had journeyed three -hundred and fifty miles; and their last run from the bay near Etah, some -seventy miles in a right line, was through the hummocks at this appalling -temperature. Poor fellows! as they threw open their Eskimo garments by -the stove, how they relished the scanty luxuries which we had to offer -them. The coffee, and the meat-biscuit soup, and the molasses, and the -wheat bread, even the salt pork, which our scurvy forbade the rest of -us to touch—how they relished it all! For more than two months they had -lived on frozen seal and walrus-meat.” - -To Dr. Kane’s determination to stand by the brig was due the preservation -of the entire party, for had he been less firm in his resolution, the -entire expedition would undoubtedly have perished on the ice. - -“February closes,” writes the heroic leader; “thank God the lapse of its -twenty-eight days! Should the thirty-one of the coming March not drag -us further downward, we may hope for a successful close to this dreary -drama. By April 10 we should have seals; and when they come, if we remain -to welcome them, we can call ourselves saved. But a fair review of our -prospects tells me that I must look the lion in the face. The scurvy is -steadily gaining on us. I do my best to sustain the more desperate cases, -but as fast as I partially build up one, another is stricken down. Of the -six workers of our party, as I counted them a month ago, two are unable -to do out-door work, and the remaining four divide the duty of the ship -among them. Hans musters his remaining energies to conduct the hunt. -Petersen is his disheartened, moping assistant. The other two, Bonsall -and myself, have all the daily offices of household and hospital. - -“We chop five large sacks of ice, cut six fathoms of eight-inch hawser -into junks of a foot each, serve out the meat when we have it, hack -at the molasses, and hew out with crow-bar and axe the pork and dried -apples; pass up the foul slop and cleansings of our dormitory, and in a -word, cook, _scullionize_, and attend the sick. - -“Added to this, for five nights running, I have kept watch from 8 P.M. -to 4 A.M., catching such naps as I could in the day without changing my -clothes, but carefully waking every hour to note thermometers.” - -The sufferings endured during the month of March are painfully -interesting. Had Dr. Kane’s strength given way at this juncture, the -whole party, deprived of their leading spirit, must have perished. He -attributes his comparative immunity from scurvy to “rat-soup.” These -rodents, surviving the bleak winter, had overrun the ship; but he was the -only man who would eat them. Having no fuel, the only method of heating -was the Eskimo method of lamps; the soot and fatty carbon blacking -everything on which it rested. - -Heroic methods were made to keep in touch with the friendly natives, and -Hans, on more than one occasion, saved the life of the party by securing -fresh meat from them. - -To add to their troubles, two men attempted to desert at this critical -juncture; only one succeeded—Godfrey—who joined the Eskimos. But strange -as it may seem, this man returned with a supply of meat for his desperate -comrades, while refusing to return on board ship. Fearing Godfrey might -have done bodily harm to Hans, who was absent, Dr. Kane determined to -follow the man and bring him back. To this end he made a journey along -with a dog sledge of over eighty miles to the Eskimo settlement, and -returned with his man. - -[Sidenote: _ABANDONMENT OF THE “ADVANCE”_] - -There was no other alternative but to prepare for abandoning the -_Advance_, as early in the spring as the weather would permit, and hope -to reach the Danish settlements at Upernavik. Before the boats could -be transferred to the open water, much labour in preparation must be -expended, and the most of the party were bedridden and unable to move. - -Not until May 20, 1855, were they able to bid farewell to the brig, and -the retreat was started under the most trying experiences of sickness and -famine. By June 17, they stood beside open sea, but not for fifty-six -more days did they reach Upernavik. - -Before the open water was reached, a sad and tragic accident had befallen -one of the ablest men. “I had left the party on the floe,” writes Dr. -Kane, “with many apprehensions for their safety, and the result proved -they were not without cause. While crossing a ‘tide-hole’ one of the -runners of the _Hope’s_ sledge broke through, and, but for the strength -and presence of mind of Ohlsen, the boat would have gone under. He saw -the ice give way, and, by a violent exercise of strength, passed a -capstan-bar under the sledge, and thus bore the load till it was hauled -on to safer ice. He was a very powerful man, and might have done this -without injuring himself, but it would seem his footing gave way under -him, forcing him to make a still more desperate effort to extricate -himself. It cost him his life; he died three days afterwards. - -“I was bringing down George Stephenson from the sick-station, and, my -sledge being heavily laden, I had just crossed, with some anxiety, near -the spot at which the accident occurred. A little way beyond we met Mr. -Ohlsen, seated upon a lump of ice and very pale. He pointed to the camp -about three miles farther on, and told us in a faint voice, that he had -not detained the party: he ‘had a little cramp in the small of his back,’ -but would soon be better. - -“I put him at once in Stephenson’s place, and drove him on to the -_Faith_. There he was placed in the stern sheets of the boat, and well -muffled up in our best buffalo robes. During all that night he was -assiduously attended by Dr. Hayes; but he sank rapidly. His symptoms had -from the first a certain obscure but fatal resemblance to our winter’s -tetanus and filled us with forebodings.” - -The strength of the stricken band was gradually reaching its minimum. The -exertion of bailing the unseaworthy boats required all the strength left -to the enfeebled party. They breathed heavily, their limbs swelled, and -they suffered from insomnia, so that each day rendered their weakened -efforts less promising. At this crisis of their fortunes, they saw a -large seal floating on a small patch of ice, and seemingly asleep. - -“Trembling with anxiety,” writes Dr. Kane, “we prepared to crawl down -upon him. Petersen, with a large English rifle, was stationed in the -bow, and stockings were drawn over the oars as mufflers. As we neared -the animal, our excitement became so intense that the men could hardly -keep stroke. He was not asleep; for he reared his head when we were -almost within rifle-shot; and to this day I can remember the hard, -careworn, almost despairing expression of the men’s thin faces as they -saw him move; their thin lives depended on his capture. I depressed -my hand nervously, as a signal for Petersen to fire. McGary hung upon -his oar, and the boat seemed to me within certain range. Looking at -Petersen, I saw that the poor fellow was paralysed by his anxiety, -trying vainly to obtain a rest for his gun against the cut-water of the -boat. The seal rose on his fore flipper, gazed at us for a moment with -frightened curiosity, and coiled himself for a plunge. At that instant, -simultaneously with the crack of our rifle, he relaxed his long length -on the ice, and, at the very brink of the water, his head fell helpless -to one side. I would have ordered another shot, but no discipline could -have controlled the men. With a wild yell, each vociferating according to -his own impulse, they urged their boats upon the floes. A crowd of hands -seized the seal, and bore him up to safer ice. The men seemed half crazy. -I had not realized how much we were reduced by absolute famine. They ran -over the floe, crying and laughing, and brandishing their knives. It was -not five minutes before every man was sucking his bloody fingers, or -mouthing long strips of raw blubber. Not an ounce of this seal was lost.” - -A few days later the familiar cadence of a “halloo” fell upon the ears. - -“Listen, Petersen! oars, men!” “What is it?”—and he listened quietly at -first and then, trembling said, in a half whisper, “Danne markers!” - -“I remember this,” writes Kane, “the first tone of Christian voice which -had greeted our return to the world. How we all stood up and peered into -the distant nooks; and how the cry came to us again, just as, having -seen nothing, we were doubting whether the whole was not a dream; and -then how, with long sweeps, the white ash cracking under the spring of -the rowers, we stood for the cape that the sound proceeded from, and how -nervously we scanned the green spots which our experience, grown now -into instinct, told us would be the likely camping ground of wayfarer. -By-and-by—for we must have been pulling a good half hour—the single mast -of a small shallop showed itself; and Petersen, who had been very quiet -and grave, burst out into an incoherent fit of crying, only relieved by -broken exclamations of mingled Danish and English. ‘’Tis the Upernavik -oil-boat! the Fräulein Flaischer! Carlie Mossyn, the assistant cooper, -must be on his road to Kingatok for blubber. The _Mariane_ (the one -animal ship) has come, and Carlie Mossyn—’ and here he did it all over -again, gulping down his words and wringing his hands.” - -Another halt, a night’s rest, and the settlement was reached, where a -generous welcome awaited the weary explorers. - -[Illustration: FIVE MEMBERS OF THE GRINNELL EXPEDITION - -BONSALL BROOKS DR. KANE DR. HAYES OHLSEN] - -“For eighty-four days,” says Kane, “we had lived in the open air. Our -habits were hard and weather-worn. We could not remain within the four -walls of a house without a distressing sense of suffocation. But we drank -coffee that night before many a hospitable threshold, and listened again -and again to the hymn of welcome, which, sung by many voices, greeted our -deliverance.” - -The Danish vessel was not ready for her homeward journey till the 4th -of September. On the 6th, Dr. Kane and his party left Upernavik, in the -_Mariane_, whose captain had promised to convey them to the Shetland -Islands; on the 11th they touched at Godhaven, the inspectorate of North -Greenland, and later at Disco, where the _Mariane_ remained a few days. - -As early as February 3, 1855, a resolution had passed Congress -authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to despatch a suitable steamer -and tender for the relief of Dr. Kane. The _Release_ and _Arctic_ -were accordingly equipped and put in command of Lieutenant Hartstein, -accompanied by a brother of Dr. Kane. By July 5, the relief expedition -had reached Lievely, Isle of Disco, Greenland, and from this point -Lieutenant Hartstein says in a letter to the Secretary of the Navy: “To -avoid further risk of human life, in a search so extremely hazardous, I -would suggest the impropriety of making any efforts to relieve us if we -should not return; feeling confident that we shall be able to accomplish -all necessary for our own release, under the most extraordinary -circumstances.” - -Having forced a passage through the closely packed ice into the north -water, they proceeded to examine the coast from Cape York to Wolstenholme -Island, also Cape Alexander and Sutherland Island. - -A few stones heaped together near Point Pellam gave assurance of Kane’s -having been there, but no other clew was secured. Taking a retrograde -course, they examined Cape Hatherton and Littleton Island, finally -reaching a point some fifteen miles northwest of Cape Alexander. Here -they were surprised to fall in with some Eskimos, in whose possession -were found certain articles known to have belonged to Dr. Kane. After -diligent inquiries, they learned of the abandonment of the ship and the -retreat to the south of Dr. Kane’s party. - -[Sidenote: _RETREAT AND RESCUE_] - -After some further reconnoitring in the hope of finding the party should -they be in the vicinity, Lieutenant Hartstein decided to make for -Upernavik. A furious gale drove them out of their course adrift in the -ice pack. - -“After this gale,” writes Dr. Kane’s brother, “we had little or no more -troubles with the ice; one or two trifling detentions of a few days -brought us to open water. We had drifted so far to the south that -Lievely was nearer than Upernavik, and Captain Hartstein determined to -put in there. We had a heavy gale the night after we left the ice; but -so glad were we all to get clear of it, that I heard no complaints about -rough weather. It cleared away beautifully towards morning, and we were -all on the deck, admiring the clear water, and the fantastic shapes of -the water-washed icebergs. All hands were in high spirits; the gale -had blown in the right direction, and in a few hours we should be in -Lievely. The rocks of its land-locked harbor were already in sight. We -were discussing our news by anticipation, when the man in the crow’s nest -cried out: ‘A brig in the harbor!’ and the next minute, before we had -time to congratulate each other on the chance of sending letters home, -that she had hoisted American colors—a delicate compliment, we thought, -on the part of our friends, the Danes. I believe our captain was about to -return it, when to our surprise, she hoisted another flag, the veritable -one which had gone out with the _Advance_, bearing the name of Mr. Henry -Grinnell. At the same moment, two boats were seen rounding the point, and -pulling towards us. Did they contain our lost friends? Yes, the sailors -had settled that. ‘Those are Yankees, sir; no Danes ever feathered their -oars that way.’ - -“For those who had friends among the missing party, the few minutes -that followed were of bitter anxiety; for the men in the boats were -long-bearded and weather-beaten; they had strange wild costumes; there -was no possibility of recognition.” - -In Dr. Kane’s own words, let us conclude the chapter:— - -“Presently we were alongside. An officer whom I shall ever remember as -a cherished friend, Captain Hartstein, hailed a little man in a ragged -flannel shirt. ‘Is this Dr. Kane?’ and with the ‘Yes!’ that followed, the -rigging was manned by our countrymen, and cheers welcomed us back to the -social world of love which they represented.” - -Dr. Kane and his party reached New York, October 11, 1855, and received -an enthusiastic welcome, after an absence of thirty months. Honours of -the most flattering kind awaited him on both sides of the Atlantic, but -his health was completely broken by the trials of his wonderful journey. -On February 16, 1857, he died at Havana, in the thirty-seventh year of -his age. - -[Illustration: “TENNYSON MONUMENT” - -The tall shaft, of pale green granite, was discovered by Dr. Kane] - - - - -CHAPTER XII - - Dr. Hayes’s expedition. Winter quarters at Port - Foulke.—Greenland coast.—Death of Sonntag.—Dr. Hayes’s - journey.—Attempt to cross Smith Sound.—Hayes’s farthest.—“Open - Polar Sea.”—Homeward bound. - - -[Sidenote: _DR. HAYES’S EXPEDITION_] - -In 1860, Dr. Hayes, who had accompanied the second Grinnell expedition -and rendered much valuable service to Dr. Kane and his party, once more -sailed from America for the purpose of completing the survey of the north -coasts of Greenland and Grinnell Land and to make such explorations as he -might find practicable in the direction of the North Pole. - -“My proposed base of operations,” writes Dr. Hayes, “was Grinnell Land, -which I had discovered on my former voyage, and had personally traced -beyond latitude 80°, far enough to satisfy that it was available for my -design.” - -On the morning of July 8, 1860, the _United States_ was fairly on her -way, and, by July 30, Dr. Hayes had the satisfaction of being once more -within the Arctic Circle. - -“We had some rough handling in Davis’ Strait,” he writes. “Once I thought -we had surely come ingloriously to grief. We were running before the wind -and fighting a wretched cross-sea under reefed fore and mainsail and -jib, when the fore-rail was carried away;—down came everything to the -deck; and there was left not a stitch of canvas on the schooner but the -lumbering mainsail. It was a miracle that we did not broach to and go to -the bottom. Nothing saved us but a steady hand at the helm.” - -After several narrow escapes in the ice field, the _United States_ was -at length compelled to take up her winter quarters at Port Foulke, -on the Greenland coast, about twenty miles to the south of Rensseläer -harbour. An abundant commissariat, amply supplied by fresh meat, kept up -the general health of the party during the long night, and they escaped -scurvy, which had proved so fatal to Dr. Kane’s crew. - -A great catastrophe was the death by freezing of Sonntag, the astronomer, -who had been a valuable member of Dr. Kane’s expedition, and a -much-beloved friend of Dr. Hayes. Accompanied by Hans Hendrik, he had -started on a sledge journey to the Etah Eskimo. On February 1, Dr. Hayes -writes:— - -“Hans has given me the story of his journey, and I sit down to record -it with very painful emotions. The travellers rounded Cape Alexander -without difficulty, finding the ice solid; they did not halt until they -had reached Sutherland Island, where they built a snow hut and rested for -a few hours. Continuing thence down the coast, they sought the Esquimaux -at Sorfalik without success. The native hut at that place being in ruins, -they made for their shelter another house of snow; and, after being well -rested, they set out directly for Northumberland Island, having concluded -that it was useless to seek longer for natives on the north side of -the Sound. They had proceeded on their course about four or five miles -as nearly as I can judge from Hans’ description, when Sonntag, growing -a little chilled, sprang off the sledge and ran ahead of the dogs to -warm himself with the exercise. The tangling of a trace obliging Hans -to halt the team for a few minutes, he fell some distance behind, and -was hurrying to catch up, when he suddenly observed Sonntag sinking. He -had come upon the thin ice, covering a recently open tide-crack, and, -probably not observing his footing, he stepped upon it unawares. Hans -hastened to his rescue, and aided him out of the water, and then turned -back for the shelter which they had recently abandoned. A light wind -was blowing at the time from the northeast, and this, according to -Hans, caused Sonntag to seek the hut without stopping to change his wet -clothing. At first he ran beside the sledge, and thus guarded against -danger; but after a while he rode, and when they halted at Sorfalik, -Hans discovered that his companion was stiff and speechless. Assisting -him into the hut with all possible despatch, Hans states that he removed -the wet and frozen clothing, and placed Sonntag in the sleeping-bag. -He next gave him some brandy which he found in a flask on the sledge; -and, having tightly closed the hut, he lighted the alcohol lamp, for the -double purpose of elevating the temperature and making some coffee; but -all of his efforts were unavailing, and, after remaining for nearly a day -unconscious, Sonntag died. He did not speak after reaching the hut, and -left no message of any kind. After closing up the mouth of the hut, so -that the body might not be disturbed by bears or foxes, Hans again set -out southward, and reached Northumberland Island without inconvenience.” - -Early in April, 1861, Dr. Hayes left the ship “to plunge into the -wilderness.” Having previously ascertained that an advance along the -Greenland shore was utterly impossible, he resolved to cross the sound, -and to try his fortunes along the coast of Grinnell Land. - -“By winding to the right and left,” he writes, “and by occasionally -retracing our steps, we managed to get over the first few miles without -much embarrassment, but further on the track was rough, past description. -I can compare it to nothing but a promiscuous accumulation of rocks piled -up over a vast plain in great heaps and endless ridges. The interstices -between these closely accumulated ice-masses are filled up to some extent -with drifted snow.” - -It is not surprising that after such difficult travel, at the end of -twenty-five days they had not yet reached halfway across the sound. - -“My party are in a very sorry condition,” writes Dr. Hayes. “One of the -men has sprained his back from lifting; another has sprained his ankle; -another has gastritis; another a frosted toe; and all are thoroughly -overwhelmed with fatigue. The men do not stand it as well as the dogs.” - -And the next day, April 26, he writes:— - -“I feel to-night that I am getting rapidly to the end of my rope. Each -day strengthens the conviction, not only that we can never reach Grinnell -Land, with provisions for a journey up the coast to the Polar Sea, but -that it cannot be done at all. I have talked to the officers, and they -are all of this opinion. They say the thing is hopeless. Dodge put it -thus: ‘You might as well try to cross the city of New York over the -house-tops.’” - -Though disheartened, their bold leader was not discouraged, and, sending -the main party back to the schooner, he continued to plunge into the -hummocks. After fourteen days of almost superhuman exertion, he reached -the coast, May 11, when he writes:— - -“In camp at last, close under the land; and as happy as men can be who -have achieved success and await supper. As we rounded to in a convenient -place for our camp, McDonald looked up at the tall Cape, which rose -above our heads; and, as he turned away to get our furnace to prepare a -much-needed meal, he was heard to grumble in a serio-comic tone: ‘Well, I -wonder if that is land, or only “Cape Fly-away” after all?’” - -But though land was reached, the trials of the journey along the coast -were none the less harassing. With untiring energy, Dr. Hayes pushed -on until the 18th of May, when further progress became impossible, -owing to a deep bay, mottled with a white sheet and dark patches, these -latter being either soft decaying ice or places where the ice had wholly -disappeared. - -“And now,” writes Dr. Hayes, “my journey was ended, and I had nothing -to do but make my way back to Port Foulke. The advancing season, the -rapidity with which the thaw was taking place, the certainty that the -open water was eating into Smith Sound as well as through Baffin Bay from -the south, as through Kennedy Channel from the north, thus endangering my -return across to the Greenland shore, warned me that I had lingered long -enough. - -“It now only remained for us to plant our flag in token of our discovery, -and to deposit a record proof of our presence. The flags were tied to -the whip-lash, and suspended between two tall rocks, and while we were -building a cairn, they were allowed to flutter in the breeze; then, -tearing a leaf from my note-book, I wrote on it as follows:— - -“‘This point, the most northern land that has ever been reached, was -visited by the undersigned, May 18th, 19th, 1861, accompanied by George -T. Knorr, travelling dog-sledge. We arrived here after a toilsome march -of forty-six days from my winter harbor near Cape Alexander, at the mouth -of Smith Sound. My observations place us in latitude 81° 35´, longitude -70° 30´ W. Our further progress was stopped by rotten ice and cracks. -Kennedy Channel appears to expand into the Polar Basin; and, satisfied -that it is navigable at least during the months of July, August, and -September, I go hence to my winter harbor, to make another trial to get -through Smith Sound with my vessel, after the ice breaks up this summer. - - “‘I. I. HAYES. - - “‘May 19, 1861.’” - -“I quit the place with reluctance,” he writes. “It possessed a -fascination for me, and it was with no ordinary sensations that I -contemplated my situation, with one solitary companion, in that -hitherto untrodden desert; while my nearness to the earth’s axis, the -consciousness of standing upon land beyond the limits of previous -observations, the reflections which crossed my mind respecting the vast -ocean which lay spread out before me, the thought that these ice-girdled -waters where dwell human beings of an unknown race, were circumstances -calculated to invest the very air with mystery, to deepen the curiosity, -and to strengthen the resolution to persevere in my determination to -sail upon this sea and to explore its furthest limits; and as I recalled -the struggles which had been made to reach this sea,—through the ice -and across the ice,—by generations of brave men, it seemed as if the -spirits of these Old Worthies came to encourage me, as their experience -had already guided me; and I felt that I had within my grasp ‘the great -and notable thing’ which had inspired the zeal of sturdy Frobisher, and -that I had achieved the hope of matchless Parry.” The much-discussed -“open polar sea,” in which Dr. Hayes had implicit faith, has since been -found to be only the south half of Kennedy Channel, which freezes late -and opens early, owing to the very high tides, that sometimes rise thirty -feet. Dr. Hayes reached the schooner, June 3, after an absence of two -months, in which he travelled not less than 1300 miles. After careful -examination of his ship, Dr. Hayes found she had greatly suffered from -her experience in the ice, and that, for the safety of his party, great -care had to be exercised in her navigation. - -“By dint of much earnest exertion,” he writes, “and the use of bolts and -spikes,—by replacing the torn cut-water, careful calking, and renewal -of the iron plates,—it seemed probable that the schooner would be -sea-worthy; but I was forced to agree with my sailing master, that to -strike the ice again was sure to sink her.” - -Dr. Hayes awaited with some anxiety the breaking up of the ice, and the -liberation of the schooner. Not until July 14, 1861, did the _United -States_ glide out to sea under full sail, and by August 10 she was in -latitude 74° 19´, longitude 66°. By the 12th they made land which proved -to be Horse’s Head, and three days later found the schooner at anchor in -Upernavik harbour. - -“While the chain was yet clinking in the hawse-hole,” writes Dr. Hayes, -“an old Dane, dressed in seal-skins, and possessing a small stock of -English and a large stock of articles to trade, pulled off to us with an -Eskimo crew, and with little ceremony, clambered over the gangway. Knorr -met him, and, without any ceremony at all, demanded the news. - -“‘Oh! dere’s plenty news!’ - -“‘Out with it, man! What is it?’ - -“‘Oh! de Sout States dey go agin de Nort’ States, and dere’s plenty -fight!’ - -“I heard the answer, and wondering what strange complication of European -politics had kindled another Continental war, called this Polar Emmæus to -the quarter deck. Had he any news from America? - -“‘Oh! ’tis ’merica me speak! De Sout’ States, you see? and dere’s plenty -fight!’ - -“Yes, I did see! but I did not believe that he told the truth, and -awaited letters which I knew must have come out with the Danish vessel, -and which were immediately sent for to the Government House.” - -The condition of the schooner necessitated putting in at Halifax for -repairs, and, four days after leaving, they made the Boston Lights. “We -picked up a pilot,” writes Dr. Hayes, “out of the thickest fog that I -have ever seen south of the Arctic Circle, and with a light wind stood -into harbor. As the night wore on the wind fell away almost to calm; -the fog thickened more and more, if that were possible, as we sagged -along over the dead waters toward the anchorage. The night was filled -with an oppressive gloom. The lights hanging at the mast-heads of the -vessels which we passed had the ghastly glimmer of tapers burning in a -charnel-house. We saw no vessel moving but our own, and even those which -lay at anchor seemed like phantom ships floating in the murky air. I -never saw the ship’s company so lifeless, or so depressed, even in times -of real danger.” - -“I landed on Long Wharf,” he continues, “and found my way into State -Street. Two or three figures were moving through the thick vapors, and -their solemn foot-fall broke the worse than Arctic stillness. I reached -Washington Street, and walked anxiously westward. A newsboy passed me. I -seized a paper, and the first thing which caught my eye was the account -of the Ball’s Bluff battle, in which had fallen many of the noblest -sons of Boston; and it seemed as if the very air had shrouded itself in -mourning for them, and that the heavens wept tears for the city’s slain. -I was wending my way to the house of a friend, but I thought it likely -that he was not there. I felt like a stranger in a strange land, and yet -every object which I passed was familiar. Friends, country, everything -seemed swallowed up in some vast calamity, and, doubtful and irresolute, -I turned back sad and dejected, and found my way on board again through -the dull, dull fog.” - -Dr. Hayes made another journey beyond the Arctic Circle in 1869, in the -_Panther_, as the guest of the artist Bradford. Over a thousand miles of -the Greenland coast was visited, terminating a good way beyond the last -outpost of civilization on the globe, in the midst of the much-dreaded -“ice-pack” of Melville Bay. - -[Illustration: FROBISHER’S MAP OF META INCOGNITA] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - - Charles Francis Hall.—Early life.—Interest in fate of Sir - John Franklin.—First journey to Greenland.—Discovery of - Frobisher relics.—Experiences and study of the Eskimos.—Second - journey.—Delays and disappointments.—Sledging trips.—King - William’s Land at last.—Franklin relics.—Return of Hall - to United States.—_Polaris_ expedition.—Reaches high - northing.—Hall’s sledge journey.—Return and death.—_Polaris_ - winters. No escape.—_Polaris_ is wrecked.—Part of crew adrift - on the ice-floe.—Remainder build winter hut.—Final rescue and - return to United States. - - -[Sidenote: _CHARLES FRANCIS HALL_] - -The personality of Charles Francis Hall is singularly interesting. -Born in Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1821, he received a common school -education and pursued the vocation of blacksmith, journalist, stationer, -and engraver. - -In 1850, while living in Cincinnati, Ohio, he became deeply interested -in the fate of Sir John Franklin, and for over nine years made a -thorough study of Arctic history and, especially, of the Franklin search -expeditions. Unconvinced by the admirable report of Captain M’Clintock -in 1859 of the death of Franklin and the fate of his companions, Hall -maintained the opinion that survivors of the unfortunate expedition must -still be living among the Eskimos, and could be found. By the aid of -public subscriptions and the liberal patronage of Mr. Henry Grinnell, -Hall undertook a journey, May 29, 1860, sailing from New London, on the -whaler, _George Henry_, commanded by Captain S. O. Buddington. - -Forty days later (7th of July, 1860), the _George Henry_ dropped anchor -at Holsteinborg, Greenland. Hall was unsuccessful in the main object of -his undertaking (his proposed journey to King William Land) and spent -the best part of two years near Frobisher Bay, where he acquired much -knowledge of the speech, habits, and life of the Eskimos, and discovered -a quantity of relics left by Frobisher’s expedition of 1577-1578. - -Of the first traditionary history gained from the Eskimos relative to -Frobisher’s expedition, Hall says in notes under date of April 9, 1861:— - -“Among the traditions handed down from one generation to another, there -is this: that many—very many years ago, some white men built a ship on -one of the islands of Frobisher Bay and went away. - -“I think I can see through this in this way: Frobisher, in 1578, -assembled a large part of his fleet in what he called ‘Countess of -Warwick Sound’ (said to be in that bay below us), when a council was held -on the 1st of August, at which it was determined to send all persons -and things on shore upon ‘Countess of Warwick Island’; and on August 2d -orders were proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, for the guidance of the -company during their abode thereon. For reasons stated in the history, -the company did not tarry here long, but departed for ‘_Meta Incognita_,’ -and thence to England, how may not the fact of timbers, chips, etc., -etc., having been found on one of the islands (within a day’s journey -of here) many years ago, prove that the said materials were of this -Frobisher’s company, and that hence the Innuit tradition? In a few days I -hope to be exploring Frobisher Bay.” - -Describing the circumstances of his interesting discovery on Countess of -Warwick Island, Hall writes:— - -“We continued on around the island, finding, every few fathoms in our -progress, numerous Innuit relics. At length we arrived at a plain that -extended back a considerable distance from the coast. Here we recognized, -at our right, about sixty rods distant, the point to which we first -directed our steps on reaching the high land after leaving the boat. - -“I was several fathoms in advance of Koo-ou-le-arng, hastening on, being -desirous to make as extended a search as the brief remaining daylight -would allow, when, lifting my eyes from the ground near me, I discovered, -a considerable distance ahead, an object of an unusual appearance. But -a second look satisfied me that what I saw were simply stones scattered -about and covered with black moss. I continued my course, keeping as -near the coast as possible. I was now nearing the spot where I had first -descried the black object. It again met my view; and my original thought -on first seeing it resumed at once the ascendency in my mind. I hastened -to the spot. ‘Great God! Thou hast rewarded me in my search!’ was the -sentiment that came overwhelmingly into my thankful soul. On casting my -eyes all around, seeing and feeling the character (moss-aged, for some -of the pieces I saw had pellicles of black moss on them) of the relics -before and under me, I felt as—I cannot tell what my feelings were—what I -saw before me was _sea-coal_ of Frobisher’s expedition of 1578, left here -near three centuries ago!” - -A more thorough search in the vicinity undertaken at a later period -resulted in the finding of flint-stone; fragments of tile, glass, -pottery, an excavation which Hall called an abandoned mine, the ruins -of three stone houses, one of which was twelve feet in diameter, with -palpable evidence of its having been erected on a foundation of stone -cemented together with lime and sand; large pieces of iron time-eaten and -weather-worn, which “the rust of three centuries had firmly cemented to -the sand and stones in which it had lain.” - -It will be remembered that of the one hundred men sent out from England -with Frobisher in 1578, the majority were miners sent for the express -purpose of digging for the rich ore of which Frobisher had carried -specimens home on his return from his second voyage, and which was -supposed to be very valuable. The miners made “proofs,” as they are -called, in various parts of the regions discovered by him. Some of these -“proofs” are doubtless what Captain Hall found, and, in connection -with other circumstances, evidenced the exact location of Frobisher’s -“Countess of Warwick Mine.” Captain Hall presented many of the relics he -brought home to the British government through the Royal Geographical -Society of London. - -[Sidenote: _HALL’S SECOND JOURNEY_] - -Upon his return to New London (September 13, 1862), Hall immediately -endeavoured, through lectures and personal appeals, to equip another -expedition to the Arctic. The unsettled state of the nation, plunged -into the horrors of a great civil war, made his efforts practically -futile; undaunted by the discouraging response, he nevertheless sailed -July 1, 1864, and in August was landed, with his meagre equipment, boat -and provisions, on Depot Island, Hudson Bay, 64° N., 90° W. Adopting the -habits and life of the Eskimos, Hall spent five years in pursuing his -researches, receiving occasionally supplies from whalers. - -The first year was spent in unsuccessful efforts to secure Eskimo aid. -The winter of 1865-1866, Hall had his headquarters at Fort Hope, Repulse -Bay, and in the spring reached Cape Weyton, 68° N., 89° W. The Eskimos -refused to accompany him farther, but he had the good fortune to meet -with natives who had visited the deserted ships, and had seen Franklin. -Hall secured from these Eskimos considerable silver bearing the crest of -Franklin and other officers. - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN HALL AND ESKIMOS] - -In February, 1867, Hall visited Igloolik, the winter quarters of Parry in -1822. He improved the next year by following up the west side of Melville -Peninsula, completing and surveying the short gap between Rae’s farthest, -1846, and Parry’s farthest in Fury Strait, 1825. The winter of 1868-1869 -was spent at Fort Hope, where he at last succeeded in securing Eskimo aid -for the final attempt to reach King William Land. He started in March, -1869, in company with ten Eskimos and dog sledges. - -Crossing Rae Peninsula to Committee Bay and _via_ Boothia Isthmus, -the party reached James Ross Strait, distant some sixty miles from -King William Land. Here he had difficulty in persuading the natives to -continue, but at Simpson Island the success of a musk-ox hunt restored -their good humour, and they consented to proceed. On the 12th of May, -1869, Hall reached the mainland; his stay was necessarily very brief, as -his native companions could not be persuaded to linger in such a desolate -country. - -[Sidenote: _RELICS OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN_] - -Upon his return to Repulse Bay, Captain Hall, in a letter to Mr. Henry -Grinnell, dated June 20, 1869, writes in part:— - -“The result of my sledge journey to King William’s Land may be summed -up thus: None of Sir John Franklin’s companions ever reached or died on -Montreal Island. It was late in July, 1848, that Crozier and his party of -about forty or forty-five passed down the west coast of King William’s -Land in the vicinity of Cape Herschel. The party was dragging two sledges -on the sea-ice, which was nearly in its last stage of dissolution; one a -large sledge laden with an awning-covered boat, and the other a small one -laden with provisions and camp material. Just before Crozier and party -arrived at Cape Herschel, they were met by four families of natives, and -both parties went into camp near each other. Two Eskimo men, who were of -the native party, gave me much sad, but deeply interesting, information. -Some of it stirred my heart with sadness, intermingled with rage, for -it was a confession that they, with their companions, did secretly and -hastily abandon Crozier and his party to suffer and die for need of -fresh provisions, when in truth it was in the power of the natives to -save every man alive. The next trace of Crozier and his party is to be -found in the skeleton which M’Clintock discovered a little below, to -the southward and eastward of Cape Herschel. This was never found by -the natives. The next trace is a camping place on the sea-shore of King -William’s Land, about three miles eastward of Pfeffer River, where two -men died and received Christian (?) burial. At this place fish-bones -were found by the natives, which showed them that Crozier and his party -had caught while there a species of fish excellent for food, with which -the sea there abounds. The next trace of this party occurs about five or -six miles eastward, on a long point of King William’s Land, where one -man died and was buried. Then about south-southeast two and a half miles -further, the next trace occurs on Todd’s Islet, where the remains of five -men lie. The next certain trace of this party is on the west side of -the islet, west of Point Richardson, on some low land that is an island -or part of the mainland, as the tide may be. Here the awning-covered -boat and the remains of about thirty or thirty-five of Crozier’s party -were found by the native Poo-yet-ta, of whom Sir John Ross has given a -description in the account of his voyage in the _Victory_ in 1829-’34. In -the spring of 1849, a large tent was found by the natives whom I saw, the -floor of which was completely covered with the remains of white men. - -“Close by were two graves. This tent was a little way inland from the -head of Terror Bay. In the spring of 1861, when the snow was nearly all -gone, an Eskimo party, conducted by a native well known throughout the -northern regions, found two boats, with many skeletons in and about -them. One of these boats had been previously found by M’Clintock; the -other was found lying from a quarter to a half mile distant, and must -have been completely entombed in snow at the time M’Clintock’s parties -were there, or they most assuredly would have seen it. In and about this -boat, beside the skeletons alluded to, were found many relics, most of -them similar in character to those M’Clintock has enumerated as having -been found in the boat he discovered. I tried hard to accomplish far more -than I did, but not one of the company would on any account whatever -consent to remain with me in that country and make a summer search over -that island, which, from information I had gained from the natives, I had -reason to suppose would be rewarded by the discovery of the whole of the -manuscript records that had been accumulated in that great expedition, -and had been deposited in a vault, a little way inland or eastward of -Cape Victory. Knowing as I now do the character of the Eskimos in that -part of the country in which King William’s Land is situated, I cannot -wonder at nor blame the Repulse Bay natives for their refusal to remain -there as I desired. It is quite probable that, had we remained there as -I wished, no one of us would ever have got out of the country alive. How -could we expect, if we got into straitened circumstances, that we would -receive better treatment from the Eskimos of that country than the 105 -souls who were under the command of the heroic Crozier some time after -landing on King William’s Land? _Could_ I and my party with reasonable -safety have remained to make a summer search on King William’s Land, -it is not only probable that we should have recovered the logs and -journals of Sir John Franklin’s Expedition, but have gathered up and -entombed the remains of nearly 100 of his companions; for they lie about -the places where the three boats have even been found and at the large -camping-place at the head of Terror Bay and the three other places that -I have already mentioned. In the cove, west side of Point Richardson, -however, nature herself has opened her bosom and given sepulture to the -bones of the immortal heroes who died there. Wherever the Eskimos have -found the graves of Franklin’s companions, they have dug them open and -robbed the dead, leaving them exposed to the ravages of wild beasts. On -Todd’s Island, the remains of five men were _not_ buried; but, after the -savages had robbed them of every article that could be turned to account -for their use, their dogs were allowed to finish the disgusting work. The -native who conducted my native party in its search over King William’s -Land is the same individual who gave Dr. Rae the first information about -white men having died to the westward of where he (Dr. Rae) then was -(Pelly Bay) in the spring of 1854. His name is In-nook-poo-zhe-jook, -and he is a native of Neitchille, a very great traveller and very -intelligent. He is, in fact, a walking history of the fate of Sir John -Franklin’s Expedition. This native I met when within one day’s sledge -journey of King William’s Land—off Point Dryden; and after stopping a few -days among his people, he accompanied me to the places I visited on and -about King William’s Land. - -“I could have readily gathered quantities—a very great variety of relics -of Sir John Franklin’s expedition, for they are now possessed by natives -all over the Arctic Regions that I visited or heard of—from Pond’s Bay -to Mackenzie River. As it was, I had to be satisfied with taking upon -our sledges about 125 pounds total weight of relics from natives about -King William’s Land. Some of these I will enumerate: 1. A portion of one -side (several planks and ribs fast together) of a boat, clinker-built -and copper-fastened. This part of a boat is of the one found near the -boat found by M’Clintock’s party. 2. A small oak sledge-runner, reduced -from the sledge on which the boat rested. 3. Part of the mast of the -Northwest Passage ship. 4. Chronometer-box, with its number, name of the -maker, and the Queen’s broad arrow engraved upon it. 5. Two long heavy -sheets of copper, three and four inches wide, with countersunk holes for -screw-nails. On these sheets, as well as on most everything else that -came from the Northwest Passage ship, are numerous stamps of the Queen’s -broad arrow. 6. Mahogany writing-desk, elaborately finished and bound in -brass. 7. Many pieces of silver-plate, forks, and spoons, bearing crests -and initial of the owners. 8. Parts of watches. 9. Knives and very many -other things which you, Mr. Grinnell, and others interested in the fate -of the Franklin Expedition, will take a sad interest in inspecting on -their arrival in the States. One entire skeleton I have brought to the -United States.” - -Hall, some time after his return, placed the carefully preserved remains -in charge of Mr. Brevoort, of Brooklyn, who transferred them to Admiral -Inglefield, R. N., to be forwarded to England. Subsequently (by the plug -of a tooth) the skeleton was identified as the remains of Lieutenant -Veconte, of the _Erebus_. - -The same year that the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ were abandoned, one of -them consummated the Great Northwest Passage, having five men aboard. -The evidence of the exact number is circumstantial. Everything about -this Northwest Passage ship was in complete order. It was found by the -Ood-joo-lik natives near O’Reilly Island, latitude 68° 30´ N., longitude -99° W., early in the spring of 1849, frozen in the midst of a floe of -only one winter’s formation. - -[Sidenote: _HALL’S RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES_] - -With the unwilling consciousness that he could accomplish nothing further -of research in the Frozen Regions, Captain Hall had now to think of a -return to the United States; purposing there to collate and publish -the result of his protracted Arctic experience, then to make his long -meditated voyage to the Pole, and, if possible, afterward revisit King -William’s Land. - -In regard to his plans he writes:— - -“I hope to start next spring with a vessel for Jones’ Sound, and thence -toward the North Pole as far as navigation will permit. The following -spring, by sledge journey, I will make for the goal of my ambition, the -North Pole. I do hope to be able to resume snow-hut and tent encampment -very near the Pole by the latter part of 1870, and much nearer, indeed -at the very Pole, in the spring following, to wit, in 1871. There is no -use in man’s saying, it cannot be done—that the North Pole is beyond our -reach. By judicious plans, and by having a carefully selected company, -I trust with a Heaven-protecting care to reach it in less time, and -with far less mental anxieties, than I have experienced to get to King -William’s Land. I have always held to the opinion that whoever would -lead the way there should first have years of experience among the wild -natives of the North: and this is one of my reasons for submitting to -searching so long for the lost ones of Franklin’s Expedition.” - -The expression of such purposes, including that of a subsequent return to -King William’s Land, is certainly remarkable, as coming from one whose -sledge journeys only, during the five years which now closed upon him, -exceeded the aggregate of four thousand miles. A willingness “to resume -snow-hut and tent” would seem explicable only by supposing that next to -the lofty ideas with which his mind enthusiastically invested everything -Arctic, was the extreme of a strange fascination with the uncouth life he -had been leading. He says himself, at about this same date, that there -was nothing in the way of food in which the natives delighted that he did -not delight in, and that this may appear strange to some, but was _true_. -He had that day “a grand good feast on the kind of meat he had been -longing for—the deer killed last fall; rotten, strong, and stinking, and -for these qualities, excellent for Innuits and for the writer.” - -Hall, accompanied by his faithful Eskimo friends, Joe, Hannah, and her -adopted child Pun-na, returned to New Bedford, Massachusetts, September -26, 1869. When off the lighthouse of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Hannah and -her child dropped their native dresses and put on those of a civilized -land. - -Immediately upon his return to the States, Captain Hall endeavoured to -arouse public interest in his long-cherished plan for an expedition to -the Pole. By untiring personal efforts and the support of enthusiastic -friends, he succeeded in engaging the attention of Congress, which -authorized “An Expedition to the North Pole, the only one in the history -of the nation.” Fifty thousand dollars was appropriated for expenses and -a vessel selected from the navy, which was thoroughly fitted out at an -expense of ninety thousand more. - -“Never was an Arctic expedition more completely fitted out,” wrote Hall, -at Godhaven, in a letter home August 22. - -The _Polaris_, in command of Captain Hall, with S. O. Buddington as -sailing-master, Dr. Emil Bessels in charge of the scientific work, and -twenty-four others, sailed from New London, Connecticut, July 3, 1871. -At Proven, Hans, the dog driver, who had served with Kane and Hayes, -accompanied by his wife and three children, was taken aboard. - -The _Polaris_ encountered a great deal of ice at the entrance of -Wolstenholme Sound, so that the passage through it was effected with much -difficulty. Steaming through the leads, she was compelled to stop for the -first time off the western shore of Hakluyt Island on August 27. - -By August 29, she stood in latitude 82° 11´ N., having successfully -navigated Kane Basin, Kennedy Channel, Hall Basin, and Robeson Channel, -and into the Polar Sea. Unable to retain her position by the force of the -current, she returned southward and went into winter quarters in 81° 38´ -north latitude at Thank God Harbor, Greenland. - -Captain Hall was very desirous of making a sledge journey before the -winter set in, for the purpose of reconnoitring and selecting the best -route for his great journey in the spring toward the Pole. - -[Illustration: FUNERAL OF CAPTAIN HALL] - -By the 28th of September, the final preparations for this journey were -complete. The dogs were selected and carefully fed. The Eskimos had put -the sledge in order, and those selected to accompany Captain Hall were -busy making their personal preparations. Not until the 10th of October -was the start finally made, Hall being accompanied by Mr. Chester and the -Eskimos, Joe and Hans. - -[Sidenote: _DEATH OF HALL_] - -On the 24th of October, the sledge party returned, having reached as far -north as Cape Brevoort, 82° N. They had all been well, during their two -weeks’ absence, with the exception of Captain Hall, who had complained -that he did not feel his wonted vigour and endurance; and for the last -three days had not felt at all well. - -He had frequently expressed his surprise during the journey that he was -not able to run before the sleds and encourage the dogs, as on former -expeditions, but had been compelled to keep on the sled. Captain Hall had -not been aboard half an hour before he was taken violently ill, and by 8 -P.M. his entire left side was paralyzed as the result of an apoplectic -attack. By the evening of the 25th, he was delirious; on November 7, -he sank into a comatose state, breathing heavily; he remained in this -condition until 3:25 A.M. of the 8th, when he died. - -The sad news was broken to the ship’s company, and none felt his loss -more than the Eskimos, Joe and Hannah, who had been his constant -companions for nearly ten years. These faithful friends had looked upon -him as a father, and were now heart-broken. - -On November 11, Captain George Tyson, assistant navigator of the -expedition, wrote in his diary:— - -“As we went to the grave this morning, the coffin hauled on a sledge, -over which was spread, instead of a pall, the American flag, we walked in -procession. I walked on with my lantern a little in advance; then came -the captain and officers, the engineer, Dr. Bessel, and Meyers; and -then the crew, hauling the body by a rope attached to the sledge, one of -the men on the right holding another lantern. Nearly all are dressed in -skins, and, were there other eyes to see us, we should look like anything -but a funeral cortège. The Eskimos followed the crew. There is a weird -sort of light in the air, partly boreal or electric, through which the -stars shone brightly at 11 A.M., while on our way to the grave. - -“Thus end poor Hall’s ambitious projects; thus is stilled the -effervescing enthusiasm of as ardent a nature as I ever knew. Wise he -might not always have been, but his soul was in this work, and had he -lived till spring, I think he would have gone as far as mortal man could -go to accomplish his mission. But with his death I fear that all hopes of -further progress will have to be abandoned.” - -The death of Captain Hall proved to be fatal to the main object of the -expedition—the attainment of the Pole; if possible—or the absolute proof -of its inaccessibility. The command of the expedition now devolved upon -Captain Buddington. - -Several unsuccessful boat journeys to the north were followed by a sledge -journey under Dr. Bessels, to Petermann Fiord. Another boat journey by -Mr. Chester reached Newman Bay, but it was left to Sergeant F. Meyer, -Signal Corps, U. S. Army, to reach on foot the most northerly land at -that time ever reached by civilized man, near Repulse Harbor, 82° 09´ N. - -[Sidenote: _“POLARIS” ADRIFT AMONG THE ICEBERGS_] - -On the 11th of August, 1872, the ice of the straits was observed to be -in motion, drifting to the south. With the hope of releasing the ship -and returning home, Captain Buddington, after an examination of the ice, -decided it would be safe to force the vessel through. At 4:30 P.M. the -engines were started, and the _Polaris_ left Thank God Harbor; with great -care the vessel was piloted between the heavy floes, changing her course -frequently, but always gaining ground. By the 18th, she stood 79° 44´ -30´´ N. - -On the 27th, every preparation was made for a possible abandonment of -the vessel. A house was built on the floe, as a retreat in case the -ship should be destroyed. For nearly two months the _Polaris_ drifted -southward at the mercy of the ice-pack, and was nipped near Little Island -by October 13. - -“At 5 A.M. of the 15th (October),” writes Admiral Davis in his “Narrative -of the North Polar Expedition,” “a very heavy snow began to fall, and -continued until 8 A.M., when the wind blew so hard that it was impossible -to distinguish between the falling and drifting snow. The gale increased -all day, driving the vessel with its surrounding ice with great rapidity. -It commenced to blow from the S. E., but shifted to the S., and finally -to the S. W. During its prevalence, the air was so completely filled with -the flying snow that one could not see more than 20 or 30 feet. The ship -had remained fast to the floe so long, and drifted with it so far, that -no particular anxiety was felt as to the result. - -“The captain had, however, always said that if the vessel passed through -Smith Strait, he would not feel easy until the ice in which she lay, had -joined the regular Baffin’s Bay pack. - -“The ‘north-water,’ as it is called by whalemen, is always found in the -northern part of Baffin Bay, and he knew that, were this safely crossed, -the ship would float quietly down with the pack all winter, and be -released in the spring far to the south. - -“The direction in which the vessel was moving was a matter of -speculation; the fact of her moving was admitted. The daily work being -done, after dinner the men settled themselves down as usual for the -enjoyments of the evening. At 6 P.M., it was reported that the starboard -side of the vessel was free from ice. The captain turned out the crew, -and secured the ship by an additional hawser to the floe. This extra -hawser was over the stern and led from a large ice-anchor, sunk in the -floe to the main-mast. Two hawsers had served during the whole of the -drift to hold the _Polaris_ to the floe, one over the bows and one over -the stern. Final preparations were made to abandon the vessel, nearly -everything had been got ready on deck; the seamen still had their clothes -and personal effects to look after. - -“The _Polaris_ was driven along at a very rapid rate. Many eager faces -looked over the rail and peered into the darkness and the gloom, -wondering what would happen next. The sky was threatening. The moon -struggled in vain to break through the clouds. Two icebergs were passed -in close proximity. Some judgment could be formed by means of them as to -the rapidity with which the vessel was moving. One could scarcely help -shuddering as he thought of the consequences of running into one of those -gigantic ice-mountains. One or two persons thought the land was visible, -but it was very uncertain. - -[Sidenote: _THE WRECK OF THE “POLARIS”_] - -“At 7:30 the vessel ran among some icebergs, which brought up the floe -to which she was attached; at the same time, the pack closed up, jamming -her heavily; it was then the vessel secured her severest nip. It is hard -to describe the effect of that pressure. She shook and trembled. She was -raised up bodily and thrown over on her port side. Her timbers cracked -with loud report, especially about the stern. The sides seemed to be -breaking in. The cleat to which one of the after hawsers was attached -snapped off, and the hawser was secured to the mast. One of the firemen, -hurrying on deck, reported that a piece of ice had been driven through -the sides. Escape from destruction seemed to be impossible. The pressure -and the noise increased together. The violence of the night, and the -grinding of the ice, added to the horror of the situation. Feeling it -was extremely doubtful whether the ship would stand, Captain Buddington -ordered provisions and stores to be thrown upon the ice. Then followed -a busy scene. Each one was deeply impressed with the exigency of the -moment, and exerted himself to the utmost. Boxes, barrels, cans, etc., -were thrown over the side with extraordinary rapidity. Men performed -gigantic feats of strength, tossing with apparent ease, in the excitement -of the moment, boxes which at other times they would not have essayed to -lift. Forward, coal and more substantial provisions and bags of clothing -were thrown overboard; abaft, the lighter boxes of canned meats and -tobacco, with all the musk-ox skins and fresh seal-meat, were transported -to and fro. The cabin was entirely emptied, beds and bedding, clothes and -even ornaments, were carried out. Messrs. Bryan and Meyer placed upon the -floe the boxes containing all their note-books, observations, etc. This -was done deliberately and after mutual consultation. The boxes were too -large to be carried about, and, in the actual condition of things, the -floe appeared to be decidedly the best place. - -“The Eskimo women and children took refuge on the ice, and two boats were -lowered and with a scow placed on the floe. - -“The pressure had now become so great that the great floe itself had -cracked in several places, and the vessel was gradually breaking its edge -and bearing down the pieces. Many articles had been thrown in a heap near -the ship, and it was found that some of the lower things in the pile -were dropping through between the vessel and the ice. It was also seen -that should the ship be cut through and sink, many, if not all these -articles, would sink with her. A call was therefore made for these men to -carry these articles to a safer place on the floe. There was no special -designation for that duty; but Captain Tyson, taking several persons with -him, at once entered on it. After laboring about one hour and a half, -the decks were cleared and the men on board ship had finished their work. -At 9:30 P.M., by some change in the ice, the starboard side was again -clear; the vessel was free from pressure, and the cracks in the floe -began to open. - -[Sidenote: _THE SEPARATION OF THE CREW_] - -“Unfortunately, two of these cracks ran through the places where the -stern anchors had been planted, breaking their hold. The wind, still -strong, now drove the vessel from the floe, and, the anchors dragging -under the strain, she swung round to the forward hawser. The latter -slipped, and the vessel was carried rapidly away from the ice. The night -was black and stormy, and in a few moments the floe and its precious -freight could no longer be seen through the drifting snow. Before the -separation, it had been noticed that the floe was much broken on its -edge; that the provisions and stores were separated from each other by -rapidly widening cracks; that the men also were on different pieces of -ice; that active efforts were being made to launch boats in order to -bring the scattered people together. Several men were seen rushing toward -the ship as she was leaving, but they failed to reach her. The voice of -the steward, John Herron, was heard calling out, ‘Good-by, _Polaris_!’ - -“Nineteen persons were thus separated from the ship, including eight -Eskimos and the baby of Hans and Hannah—fourteen men remained on -board—‘This remnant of a crew, so suddenly reduced, gazed on each other -for a few moments in silence—when the order was given to station the -lookouts; the duties of the ship were resumed.’ - -“A few moments after the separation, a fireman who was below getting up -steam reported that the vessel was leaking badly. Upon examination it was -found that the water was pouring in so rapidly that it was feared that -the fires would be put out before steam could be raised to work the pumps. - -“All hands were immediately ordered to the large deck pumps, and a few -pails of hot water started the four pumps. The captain called out, ‘Work -for your lives, boys,’ and the crew set to work with a will. In spite -of their utmost efforts, the leak still gained upon them. The engineers -and firemen were urged to their utmost. Everything of a combustible -character, including seal blubber, was thrown upon the fire, and at the -end of an hour and ten minutes of the severest labor, the steam pumps -were at last in working order. Nor was this a moment too soon, for at the -moment the pumps began to work, the water was lapping over the floor of -the fire-room.” - -Captain Buddington awaited a favourable opportunity to beach the -_Polaris_, and this was accomplished a few days later near Life-Boat -Cove, where a comfortable house was built of the vessel for the winter. - -Some Eskimos rendered them considerable assistance, and received suitable -gifts in return. - -“We have taken stock of our ammunition,” writes Captain Buddington in -his journal, “and find that we can avail ourselves of about eight pounds -of powder, which some of the men had stored away in their chests and -powder-flasks. This is all we have on board, the powder-can having been -also put off on the ice during the fearful night of the 15th; also all -our Sharp’s cartridges, except some open (loose) ones which were found -amongst the men’s things. One box of musket-cartridges we have, and -plenty of shot and lead; also several shot guns. In fact, we are not -altogether as bad off as we first supposed, and the only thing that we -are short of is clothing. This, if we cannot get any game, we may feel -considerably before spring comes on.” - -The Eskimos from Etah made frequent visits, but could give them no -information of the lost members of the party. The general opinion with -Captain Buddington and his men was that Tyson had been able to effect a -landing with his men, somewhere to the south, and that he would probably -use his dogs, sleds, and boats to travel up the coast and rejoin the -main party. - -In the spring of 1873 two boats were carefully constructed from the -material of the _Polaris_, and the party made preparations to reach -Upernavik. On June 3, the boats, having been freighted and manned, got -under way, and after an exciting journey of two hundred miles were picked -up near Cape York by the Scotch whaler _Ravenscraig_. - -One of the boats used on this retreat was brought back to civilization -and presented to the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. It was -exhibited at the International Exhibition, Philadelphia, May 10, 1876, by -the side of Kane’s boat _Faith_, and formed part of the Arctic Collection -furnished for the Centennial by the United States Naval Observatory. - -[Sidenote: _THE HARDSHIP OF THE CREW_] - -To return to the nineteen souls adrift on the ice-floe; of the moment of -parting from the _Polaris_, Captain Tyson writes:— - -“The ice exploded and broke in many places, and the ship broke away in -the darkness, and we lost sight of her in a moment. - - “Gone! - But an ice-bound horror - Seemed to cling to air. - -“It was snowing at the time also; it was a terrible night. On the -15th of, October it may be said that the Arctic night commences; but -in addition to this the wind was blowing strong from the south-east; -it was snowing and drifting, and was fearfully dark; and the wind was -exceedingly heavy, and so bad was the snow and sleet that one could not -even look to the windward. We did not know who was on the ice or who was -on the ship; but I knew some of the children were on the ice, because -almost the last thing I had pulled away from the crushing heel of the -ship were some musk-ox skins; they were lying across a wide crack in the -ice, and as I pulled them toward me to save them, I saw that there were -two or three of Hans’ children rolled up in one of the skins; a slight -motion of the ice, and in a moment more they would either have been in -the water and drowned in the darkness, or crushed between the ice. - -“It was nearly ten o’clock when the ship broke away, and we had been at -work since six; the time seemed long, for we were working all the time. -Hannah was working, but I did not see Joe or Hans. We worked till we -could scarcely stand. They were throwing things constantly over to us -till the vessel parted. - -“Some of the men were on small pieces of ice. I took the ‘little -donkey’—a small scow—and went for them; but the scow was almost instantly -swamped; then I shoved off one of the whale-boats, and took off what men -I could see, and some of the men took the other boat and helped their -companions, so that we were all on firm ice at last. - -“We did not dare to move about much after that, for we could not see the -size of the ice we were on, on account of the storm and darkness. All the -rest but myself, the men, women and children, sought what shelter they -could from the storm by wrapping themselves in the musk-ox skins, and so -laid down to rest. I alone walked the floe all night.” - -The following morning an inventory was taken of the stores on the floe, -and they were found to be: fourteen cans of pemmican, eleven and a half -bags of bread, one can of dried apples, and fourteen hams. “If the ship -did not come for us,” writes Tyson, “we might have to support ourselves -all winter, or die of starvation. Fortunately, we had the boats.” - -Captain Tyson made an effort to reach Little Island, in order to secure -the assistance of the Eskimos living in the neighbourhood in procuring -food and shelter for his party during the winter. This he was unable -to accomplish, and soon after the _Polaris_ was seen rounding a point. -Signals were made by hoisting the colours and showing an India-rubber -cloth, but neither the signals nor the men were seen by the _Polaris_. - -Another futile attempt was made to attract the attention of those on the -ship, and Captain Tyson endeavoured to launch the boats and reach her, -but without success. Gales now forced the floe out of sight of the ship, -and the forlorn men set to work to make the best of a desperate situation. - -By late November, the effects of exposure and want of food began to -show themselves; some of the men trembled when they tried to walk; -the children often cried with hunger, although all was given to them -that could possibly be spared. The seals brought in were received with -gratitude; the invaluable success of Joe and Hans was fully appreciated; -without them, the chances of life would have been very much diminished. -So keen had the appetites of the party become that the seal-meat was -eaten uncooked with the skin and hair on. - -December 25, Captain Tyson records:— - -“Our Christmas dinner was gorgeous. We had each a small piece of frozen -ham, two whole biscuits of hard bread, a few mouthfuls of dried apples, -and also a few swallows of seal’s blood! The last of the ham, the last of -the apples, and the last of our present supply of seal’s blood! So ends -our Christmas feast!” - -“New Year’s dinner. I have dined to-day on about two feet of _frozen -entrails_ and a little blubber; and I only wish we had plenty even of -that, but we have not.” - -On January 23, 1873, Captain Tyson makes the following observation:— - -“I was thinking the other evening how strange it would sound to hear a -good hearty laugh; but I think there never was a party so destitute of -every element of merriment as this. I cannot remember ever having seen -a smile on the countenance of any one on this floe, except when Herron -came out of his hut and saw the sun shining for the first time.” - -The months of February and March passed dismally enough, with varying -fortune with the hunters. Toward the end of March, the condition of -the party was growing rapidly worse. On March 3, Joe shot a monster -_oogjook_—a large kind of seal. - -It was, indeed, a great deliverance to those who had been reduced to one -meal of a few ounces a day. - -“Hannah had but two small pieces of blubber left,” continues Captain -Tyson, “enough for the lamp for two days; the men had but little, and -Hans had only enough for one day—and now, just on the verge of absolute -destitution, comes along this monstrous _oogjook_, the only one of the -seal species seen to-day; and the fellow, I have no doubt, weighs six or -seven hundred pounds, and will furnish, I should think, thirty gallons of -oil. Truly we are rich indeed!” - -“April 1st. We have been the ‘fools of fortune’ now for five months and a -half.” - -On this day it was found necessary to abandon the floe, which had now -become wasted to such an extent that it was no longer safe; at 8 A.M., -therefore, the party took to their boat. This boat, intended to carry six -or eight men, was crowded with twelve men, two women, and five children, -with the tent and skins and some provisions. There was so little room -that it was difficult to handle the oars and yoke-ropes. After making -fifteen or twenty miles to the south and west in the pack, a landing was -effected, the tent pitched with the intention of remaining all night. -For the next twenty-eight days the party advanced to the south by boat, -camping upon the ice at night, undergoing the most perilous hardships -from the upheavals of the ice, through gales and storms. - -[Sidenote: _THE RESCUE AND RETURN TO UNITED STATES_] - -At 4:30 P.M. of April 28, a steamer hove in sight, right ahead, and -at one time appeared to be bearing down upon the boat. The American -colours were hoisted, and the boat pulled for her. She was recognized as -a sealer returning southwest, and apparently working through the ice. -For a few moments the hearts of the shipwrecked party were thrilled with -joy, but the steamer failed to see them, and night coming on, she soon -disappeared. That night the boat was again hauled upon the ice and fires -lighted to attract the attention of passing vessels. - -At daylight, a steamer was seen eight miles off. The boat was launched -and headed for the ship,—but after two hours’ pulling, she was so beset -by ice that she could make no headway. The party landed on a small piece -of ice, hoisted their colours, mounted the highest point of the floe, -collected all the rifles and pistols, and fired them together to attract -attention. After three rounds, the steamer fired three shots, and, -changing her course, headed toward the floe. The party gave a shout of -delight, but soon after the steamer again changed her course, and steamed -away. - -“Again in the morning of the 30th, when the fog opened, a steamer was -seen close to the floe; the guns were fired, the colors were set on the -boat’s mast, and loud shouts were uttered. Hans shoved off in his kayak, -of his own accord, to intercept her, if possible; the morning was foggy, -but the steamer’s head soon turned towards them and in a few moments, she -was alongside of the floe.” - -The three cheers given by the shipwrecked people were returned by a -hundred men on deck and aloft. The vessel proved to be the barkentine -_Tigress_, sealer, Captain Bartlett, of Conception Bay, Newfoundland. -Her small seal boats were very soon in the water; but the shipwrecked -party did not wait for them. They threw everything out of their own boat, -launched her, and in a few moments were on board the _Tigress_, where -they became objects of extreme curiosity, as well as of the most devoted -attention. When the time during which they had been on the ice was -mentioned, they were regarded with astonishment, and warmly congratulated -upon their miraculous escape. They were picked up in latitude 53° 35´ N., -off Grady Harbor, Labrador. - -Thus ended one of the most remarkable escapes on record. For five months -the little band of shipwrecked men and women had drifted at the mercy of -the Arctic ice-pack, a distance of 1300 miles. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - - Captain Thomas Long.—Discovery of Wrangell Land.—Captain - Carlsen and Captain Palliser sail across the Sea of - Kara.—Captain Johannsen circumnavigates Nova Zembla.—First - German expedition.—Second German expedition.—_Germania_, - Captain Koldewey commanding.—_Hansa_, Captain - Hegemann.—Departure from Bremen.—Crossing the Arctic - Circle.—Island of Jan Mayen.—The ice line.—Separation - from the _Hansa_.—Adrift on the ice-floe.—Winter.—Final - rescue.—_Germania_ beset.—Winter.—Sledging parties.—Lieutenant - Payer’s remarkable journey.—77° 1´ north latitude.—Return of - the _Germania_. - - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN THOMAS LONG_] - -Other important discoveries followed the journeys of Dr. Hayes and -Captain Hall, including that of Captain Thomas Long, an American whaler, -who in 1867 discovered “a mountainous country of considerable extent in -the Polar Ocean, beyond Behring Strait,” supposed at that time to be the -western prolongation of Plover Island. - -The same year Captain Carlsen and Captain Palliser sailed across the -generally inaccessible Sea of Kara to the mouths of the Obi,—and Captain -Johannsen succeeded in circumnavigating the whole archipelago of Nova -Zembla. In 1868 the first German north polar expedition was fitted out -through the exertions of the scientist Dr. A. Peterman of Gotha. The -yacht _Greenland_, commanded by Captain Koldewey, sailed to Spitzbergen, -reaching 84° 05´ N. off the north coast, and, passing down Henlopen -Strait, sighted Wiche Land, returning home the fall of the same year. - -[Sidenote: _SECOND GERMAN EXPEDITION_] - -In 1869 and 1870, the Germans made a more successful attempt to enter -the lists of Arctic discovery by exploring a considerable part of the -previously unvisited coast of East Greenland. The ship _Germania_ was -chosen for this purpose, being expressly adapted for ice navigation; -the _Hansa_ of nearly the same size was to accompany her. Captain Karl -Koldewey and Captain Fr. Hegemann were first and second in command -respectively. - -“The departure of the expedition from Bremerhaven,” writes Captain -Koldewey, “took place on the 15th of June, 1869, in the presence of his -Majesty, the King of Prussia, whose warm interest in this great national -undertaking showed itself in this solemn hour in a manner never to be -forgotten. Amongst the numerous gentlemen in attendance on his Majesty -were his Royal Highness, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin, Count -Bismarck, the Minister of War and Marine, von Roon, General von Moltke, -and Vice-Admiral Jackman. The ships lay at the entrance of the new -harbour just outside the sluice. The king, having been introduced to the -scientific gentlemen and the commander of the expedition, and having -greeted them with a hearty shake of the hand, the President of the Bremen -Committee, Herr A. G. Mosle, requested his Majesty’s permission to speak -a few parting words; and in an earnest and impressive manner the speaker -referred to the greatness and importance of the object, the self-denial, -difficulties, and dangers which lay before them, but which they all -willingly braved for the honour of their native land, for the honour of -the German navy, and of German science.” - -July 1 found the expedition in 61° north latitude, passing the entrance -between Norway and the Shetland Isles. “With that the German Ocean was -left behind and the open sea reached, which already made itself felt by -the peculiar ‘Atlantic swell.’” - -On the 5th of July, at fifty minutes past eleven, the _Germania_ passed -the Arctic Circle, nearly under the meridian of Greenwich. - -“A violent wind was blowing,” writes Captain Koldewey, “and with a speed -of nine knots we entered the Arctic Ocean, which was to be our quarters -for a whole year. The _Hansa_ was some miles in advance of us, and was -the first to unfurl the North German flag; at the same time firing one -gun. We followed. Conformably to the custom, as on crossing the equator, -Neptune came on board to welcome us, and wish us success on our voyage; -of course not without all those who had not yet crossed the Arctic Circle -having to undergo the rather rough shaving and christening customary on -such occasions. The ceremony closed (as is usual on such occasions) with -a good glass of wine, to wash away the evil effects of the cold water.” - -On board the _Hansa_ the proceeding was carried out much more -scrupulously. Describing the frolic, Dr. Laube writes thus:— - -“We entered into the spirit of the fun willingly, knowing that our -sailors were decent fellows, and would not carry things too far, even -had we not entered on the ship’s books with them in Breman, and become -seamen. Our carpenter went about the whole day with a sly, laughing face, -and towards evening had quite lost his usual chattiness. We ourselves -kept in the cabin, so as not to witness the preparations. At midnight we -were called on deck. A gun was fired, and as its thunder died away, we -heard the well-known cry, ‘Ship ahoy!’ Three wonderful figures climbed -over the bowsprit; Neptune first, in an Eskimo’s dress, with a great -white cotton beard, a seven-pronged dolphin harpoon for a trident in one -hand, and a speaking-trumpet in the other. A tarpaulin was spread on -the quarter-deck, and a stool placed upon it. It looked like a judge’s -bench. Here each of us was seated with eyes bound, while the masked -followers of the northern Ruler went through the customary proceedings. -I was soaped and shaved; god Neptune was most favorable to me; he knows -what good cigars are, and has great respect for those to whom they -belong. Then came the christening, which in this case was not applied to -the head (as is usual) but to the throat and stomach. Neptune put some -questions to me through his speaking-trumpet, desiring me to answer. I -saw his object, answered with a short ‘Yes’ and then closed my lips. The -mischievous waterfall rattled over me, causing universal merriment. They -then took the bandage from my eyes, that I might see my handsome face -in the glass; but instead of a looking glass, it was the combing of the -wooden hatchway, which with great gravity was held before my face by the -barber’s assistant. I was now absolved, and could laugh with the others, -whilst seeing my comrades obliged to go through the same course one after -the other.” - -By the 9th of July, the expedition came in sight of the island of Jan -Mayen. The midnight hours had now become perceptibly lighter; even in the -cabin a lamp was no longer needed, and at twelve o’clock at night it was -possible to read and write without difficulty. Fog and snow had already -begun their rule of terror, and Captain Koldewey records three hundred -and sixty-eight hours of fog from the 10th of July to the 1st of August. - -The island of Jan Mayen lies in the middle of the wide, deep sea between -Norway and Greenland, Iceland and Spitzbergen; and is distant about -sixty geographical miles from the coast of Greenland. It was discovered -and named after a Dutchman who visited it in the year 1611. It is nine -miles in length and one mile in breadth, rocky and mountainous, with -only two spots of flat beach suitable for landing-places. The northeast -part rises to a height of six thousand eight hundred sixty-three feet, -in the lofty Beerenberg, which has a large crater. In the year 1732, -Burgomaster Anderson, of Hamburg, reported a decided eruption from a -small side crater, and in 1818, Scoresby and another captain saw great -pillars of smoke rising from the same place. Of this wonderful isolated, -snow-covered peak, Lord Dufferin, in “Letters from High Latitudes,” -wrote,— - -“My delight was of an anchorite catching a glimpse of the seventh heaven.” - -Jan Mayen lies so near the edge of the ice-fields, that from 1612 to 1640 -it afforded the English and Dutch whale-fishers a comfortable station for -their train-oil preparation. One ship is reported to have brought home -one hundred and ninety-six thousand gallons of oil in a single year. - -The ice line was reached July 15. “After a foggy day, a light southerly -breeze got up, the sails filled, the ship answered the helm once more, -and we moved in a north-westerly course between small floes and brashes. -A practised ear might now notice a peculiar distant roar, which seemed to -come nearer by degrees. It was the sea singing against the still hidden -ice. - -“Nearer and nearer comes the rushing noise. Every man is on deck; when, -as with the touch of a magic wand, the mist divides, and a few hundred -yards before us lies the ice, in long lines like a deep indented rocky -coast, with walls glittering blue in the sun, and the foaming of the -waves mounting high, with the top covered with blinding white snow. -The eyes of all rested with amazement on this grand panorama; it was -a glorious but serious moment, stirred as we were by new thoughts and -feelings, by hopes and doubts, by bold and far-reaching expectations.” - -[Sidenote: _ADRIFT ON THE ICE FLOE_] - -Up to this time the _Germania_ and _Hansa_ had stood well together with -occasional separation in the fogs, and on the 18th of July the officers -of the two ships exchanged hospitalities. The next day, through a fatal -misunderstanding of signals, the _Hansa_ separated from the _Germania_, -and they never met again. - -[Illustration: JAN MAYEN ISLAND] - -On the 28th of July, the _Hansa_ stood in 72° 56´ north latitude and 16° -54´ west latitude. The dark rock coast of East Greenland was visible for -the first time from Cape Broer Ruys to Cape James. - -By sailing, towing, and warping, the _Hansa_ made slow progress through -the ice. The captain and two officers and two sailors made an attempt -to land on August 24, but were obliged to return to the ship without -having accomplished their mission. On the 25th of August the _Hansa_ -reached within thirty-five nautical miles of Sabine Island. The ship -was continually subjected to dangerous ice pressure, and often forced -southward by the drifting ice-fields. By the 6th of September, she lay -between two promontories of a large ice-field, which eventually proved a -raft of deliverance. By the 14th of September, she was completely frozen -up in 73° 25.7´ north latitude and 18° 39.5´ west latitude. At the mercy -of the drifting currents, the _Hansa_ stood in imminent peril of total -destruction. Between October 5 and 14 the drift had carried the ship -seventy-two nautical miles to the south-southwest. The nights were cold, -sometimes 4° F. below zero. The only sign of animal life to be seen were -ravens, which were doubtless wintering on the coast; once a gull and a -falcon made the ship a visit. A severe storm from the north-northwest on -the 19th brought disastrous pressure upon, the _Hansa_. - -“Shortly before one o’clock, the deck seams sprang, but still she seemed -tight. Mighty blocks of ice pushed themselves under the bow, and, -although they were crushed by it, they forced the ship up no less than -seventeen feet. The rising of the ship was an extraordinary and awful, -yet splendid spectacle, of which the whole crew were witnesses from the -ice.” - -Realizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Hegemann at once ordered -clothing, nautical instruments, and stores to be removed from the ship to -a safe distance. The pumps were put in action to free her from water, -but to the horror of all, it was discovered before many hours that the -_Hansa_ was doomed. - -“Calmly, though much moved, we faced this hard fact.” - -There was not a minute’s time to lose; while one-half of the men stayed -by the pumps, the others were busily engaged bringing the most necessary -articles from the vessel to the floe. Gradually the ship filled with -water, and by eight in the morning the men who were busy in the fore-peak -getting out firewood came with anxious faces to say that the wood was -already floating below. At three o’clock the water in the cabin had -reached the table, and all movable articles were floating. - -“Round about the ship lay a chaotic mass of heterogeneous articles, and -groups of feeble rats struggling with death, and trembling with cold.” - -On the morning of the 21st, a last trip was made to the _Hansa_ for fuel -and her masts sacrificed to the stress of need. She was then cut away -from the ice that she might not endanger the lives of those on the floe -when she sank. - -[Sidenote: _WINTER_] - -The shipwrecked crew, in the miserable shelter of the coal house, settled -themselves to meet the exigencies of their frightful position. In the far -distance Halloway Bay and Glasgow Island were distinctly visible, but -nowhere a way through the icy labyrinth. Slowly, steadily, the ice-field -drifted to the south. By November 3 the Liverpool coast had been passed, -and the picturesque formation of the coast surrounding Scoresby Sound was -distinctly visible. - -The health of the party remained good; a monotonous routine of daily -duties occupied officers and men. The capture of a walrus and bear gave -a welcome supply of fresh meat. Christmas was cheerfully celebrated by -these shipwrecked mariners in the coal-hut on their Greenland floe. A -tree artistically manufactured of pine wood and birch broom was gayly -decorated with paper rings and candles,—nor were gifts wanting, and -finally, wrote Dr. Laube in his day-book:— - -“In quiet devotion the festival passed by; the thoughts which passed -through our minds (they were much alike with all) I will not put down. If -this should be the last Christmas we were to see, it was at least bright -enough. If, however, we were destined for a happy return home, the next -will be a brighter one; may God grant it!” - -The months of January and February were fraught with many anxious hours, -owing to the numerous and severe storms which threatened destruction to -the floe. The horrors of such an experience are vividly described as -follows:— - -On the 11th of January, “At six in the morning, Hildebrandt, who happened -to have the watch, burst in with the alarm, ‘All hands turn out.’ An -indescribable tumult was heard without. With furs and knapsacks all -rushed out. But the outer entrance was snowed up; so to gain the outside -quickly, we broke through the snow-roof of the front hall. The tumult -of the elements which met us there was beyond anything we had already -experienced. Scarcely able to leave the spot, we stood huddled together -for protection from the bad weather. Suddenly we heard, ‘Water on the -floe close by.’ The floe surrounding us split up; a heavy sea arose. Our -field began to break on all sides. On the spot between our house and the -piled-up store of wood which was about twenty-five paces distant, there -suddenly opened a huge gap. Washed by the powerful waves, it seemed as -if the piece just broken off was about to fall upon us; and at the same -time we felt the rising and falling of our now greatly reduced floe. All -seemed lost. From our split-up ice-field all the firewood was drifting -into the raging sea. And in like manner we had nearly lost our boat -_Bismarck_; even the whale-boat was obliged to be brought for safety into -the middle of the floe. The large boat, being too heavy to handle, we -were obliged to give up entirely. All this in a temperature of -9½°, and -a heavy storm, was an arduous piece of work. The community were divided -into two parts. We bade each other good-by with a farewell shake of the -hands, for the next moment we might go down. Deep despondency had taken -hold of our scientific friends; the crew were still and quiet. Thus we -stood or cowered by our boats the whole day, the fine pricking snow -penetrating through the clothes to the skin. It was a miracle that just -that part of the floe on which we stood should from its soundness keep -together. Our floe, now only 150 feet in diameter, was the 35 to 40 feet -nucleus of the formerly extensive field to which we had entrusted our -preservation. Towards evening the masses of ice became closely packed -again. At the same time the heavy sea had subsided and immediate danger -seemed past. Relieved, we partook of something in the house and lay down, -after setting a good watch. It was past midnight, when we were roused -from our sleep by the cry of terror; the voice of the sailor on watch, -exclaiming, ‘Turn out, we are drifting on to a high iceberg!’ All rushed -to the entrance; dressed as we always were; we had no time to run through -the long snow passage, but burst open the roof, climbed on to the door -and so out. What a sight! Close upon us, as if hanging over our heads, -towered a huge mass of ice, of giant proportions. ‘It is past,’ said the -captain. Was it really an iceberg, or the mirage of one, or the high -coast? We could not decide the question. Owing to the swiftness of the -drift, the ghastly object had disappeared the next moment.” - -Again on the evening of the 14th a frightful storm raged, which set the -ice once more in motion. - -“In the immediate neighbourhood of the house, our floe burst; and the -broken ice flew high around us. It was high time to bring the boat -_Bismarck_ and the whale-boat more into the middle. This we did; but -they were far too heavily laden to bring further. On this account, -furs, sacks of bread, and clothing were taken out and packed on two -sledges, which were, however, soon completely snowed up. All our labour -was rendered heavier by the storm, which made it almost impossible to -breathe. About eleven, we experienced a sudden fissure which threatened -to tear our house asunder; with a thundering noise an event took -place, the consequences of which, in the first moments, deranged all -calculations. God only knows how it happened that, in our flight into -the open, none came to harm. But there in the most fearful weather we -all stood roofless on the ice, waiting for daylight, which was still -ten hours off. The boat _King William_ lay on the edge of the floe, and -might have floated away at any moment. Fortunately the fissure did not -get larger. As it was somewhat quieter at midnight, most of the men crept -into the Captain’s boat, when the thickest sail we had was drawn over -them; some took refuge in the house. But there, as the door had fallen -in, they entered by the skylight, and in the hurry broke the panes of -glass, so that it was soon full of snow. This night was the most dreadful -one of our adventurous voyage on the floe.” - -For five nights the men slept in the boats; the days were employed in -raising their settlement from its ruins. A wooden kitchen was built and -a dwelling house, exactly like the one destroyed, but half as large (14 -feet long by 10 broad and 1½ high in the middle). - -In spite of such frightful experiences, the men kept cheerful, undaunted, -and exalted; in fact, the cook kept a right seaman-like humour, having -exclaimed while repairing the coffee kettle, during the frightful -pressure of the ice which destroyed the floe, “if the floe would only -hold together until he had finished his kettle! he wished so to make the -evening tea in it, so that, before our departure, we might have something -warm.” - -February and March found them helplessly drifting to the southward, and -by Easter (17th of April) they lay floating backwards and forwards in the -Bay of Unbarbik. Linnets and snow-buntings soon made their appearance, -so fearless and confiding that, “Some of them,” so says Bade’s day-book, -“will almost perch upon our noses, and in five minutes allowed themselves -to be caught three times.” - -On the 7th of May the agreeable sight of open water in the direction -of land cheered both officers and men. The captain now decided that an -attempt would be made to leave the floe and reach the coast. The little -community, divided amid three boats, bade farewell to the ice-floe which -had been their home for two hundred days. - -During several days of bad weather, small progress was made. The men -suffered considerably from exhaustion, snow-blindness, and want of proper -shelter and food—the latter problem was occasioning considerable concern, -and already the men were “almost looking their eyes out after a seal.” -There was but six weeks’ short provisions on hand and a long distance to -travel over a barren and uninhabited coast before the settlement could be -reached. - -The ice remaining unnavigable, it was decided to make the island of -Illuidlek, dragging the heavy boat-loads over the all but impassable ice -hummocks. - -By the 24th of May, Mr. Hildebrandt and the sailors Philipp and Paul, -set foot on firm ground. Their encouraging report cheered the others to -similar exertions, but the progress was slow and exhausting. Not until -the 4th of June were the entire party landed at Illuidlek. The island -proved of rocky formation, naked, and bare of vegetation. - -“Everywhere we find nothing,” writes one of the party, “but bare barren -cliffs, the higher the wilder, sparingly clothed with moss and stunted -willows. But no trace of human inhabitants.” - -Two days later (June 6) they started once more; their object was to -make for Friedricksthal, the nearest colony on the southwest coast -of Greenland. On June 13, 1870, after passing through the Straits of -Torsudatik, and skirting the coast, the longed-for bay was reached. “A -few hundred steps from the shore on the green ground, stood a rather -spacious red house, topped by a small tower. It was the mission house. -Groups of natives from the shore speedily welcomed the wanderers and the -cheerful greeting of the Moravian missionaries: ‘That is the German flag! -They are our people! Welcome, welcome to Greenland!’ fell like music in -their ears. After partaking of the generous hospitality extended by the -missionaries, and taking a much-needed rest, they pushed on in the hopes -of reaching the settlement of Julianeshaab, distant some eighty miles, -where the Danish _Constance_ was expected at any moment, and would be -their only means of reaching Europe that year.” - -By the 25th of July, the officers and crew of the _Hansa_ weighed anchor -for the homeward voyage. By the 31st of July they were on the high sea in -Davis Strait. “No more ice! Set southwards, and—O heavenly music of the -word—homewards!” - -[Sidenote: _“GERMANIA” BESET_] - -It will be remembered that on July 20, 1869, the two ships had parted -company, the _Germania_ proceeding on her course with officers and crew, -under the impression that the _Hansa_ would rejoin her within a short -time. When this did not take place, much concern was felt for her fate. -By the 27th of July, the _Germania_ stood 73° 7´ north latitude, and 16° -4´ west longitude. Two days later an interesting note is made of the -peculiar condition of the atmosphere. - -“The weather was clear and still, and we had a good opportunity of -observing the refraction of light and the mirage. The whole atmosphere -was quivering with a kind of wavy motion, so that the exact outline of -the object was often so distorted as to be unrecognizable. It may be -imagined that pictures of things far beyond our range of sight could thus -be seen. Scoresby relates, and it afterwards proved true, that he once -saw and recognized his father’s ship perfectly in the mirage when it was -thirty miles distant. The effects of this phenomenon on the distant ice -was wonderful; sometimes it appeared like a mighty wall, and sometimes -like a town rich in towers and castles.” - -Carefully pushing a way between the floes, the _Germania_ stood within -thirty miles of Sabine Island by August 4. Sailing straight for Griper -Roads, she at last anchored in a small bay which was afterward her winter -harbour. - -On the 5th of August, anchor was dropped, and the German flag hoisted on -Greenland soil, amid loud cheers. Sabine Island forms a part of the group -known as Pendulum Islands, discovered by Clavering in 1823. Sabine’s -observatory was carefully searched for, but no indications of its remains -were found. Traces of Eskimo summer huts were discovered, however, giving -evidence of long habitation. - -On the 15th of August, the _Germania_ sailed as far as 75° 31´ north -latitude, some distance beyond Shannon Island, the extreme point -discovered by Clavering and Sabine. At Shannon Island, First Lieutenant -Payer, accompanied by seven companions, and provisioned for six days, -made a try of investigation. Lieutenant Payer’s description of the -plateau to the southwest of Shannon is interesting. Tell-platte, as it -is called, is six hundred and seventy feet above the sea. “Here on the -broad mountain top were masses of rubbish of gneiss formation resembling -those on Pendulum Island. We were also astonished by the sight of a large -flat promontory (south of Haystack) which is not distinctly marked on -Clavering’s charts. The view of the front coast of Greenland was full of -majestic beauty.” - -Having taken up winter quarters at Sabine Island, September 13, Captain -Koldewey and Lieutenant Payer undertook a sledge journey to Flegely -Fiord. They returned to the ship September 21, after an absence of seven -days, having travelled 133½ miles. The long winter passed in the usual -monotonous fashion, and in preparation for the spring sledge journeys. -A thrilling incident, however, occurred early in March, which is almost -unprecedented in Arctic adventure. - -“We were sitting,” writes Lieutenant Payer, “fortunately silent in -the cabin, when Koldewey suddenly heard a faint cry for help. We -all hurriedly tumbled up the companion-ladder to the deck, when an -exclamation from Borgen, ‘A bear is carrying me off!’ struck painfully -on our ears. It was dark; we could scarcely see anything, but we made -directly for the quarter whence the cry proceeded, armed with poles, -weapons, etc., over hummocks and drifts, when an alarm-shot, which we -fired in the air, seemed to make some little impression, as the bear -dropped his prey, and ran forward a few paces. He turned again, however, -dragging his victim over the broken shore-ice, close to a field which -stretched in a southerly direction. All depended upon our coming up with -him before he should reach this field, as he would carry his prey over -the open plain with the speed of a horse, and thus escape. We succeeded. -The bear turned upon us for a moment, and then, scared by our continuous -fire, let fall his prey. We lifted our poor comrade up on to the ice, -to bear him to his cabin,—a task which was rendered somewhat difficult -by the slippery and uneven surface of the ice. But after we had gone a -little way, Borgen implored us to make as much haste as possible. On -procuring a light, the coldest nature would have been shocked at the -spectacle which poor Borgen presented. The bear had torn his scalp in -several places, and he had received injuries in other parts of his body. -His clothes and hair were saturated with blood. We improvised a couch for -him in the rear of our cabin, as his own was not large enough. The first -operation was performed upon him on the cabin table. And here we may -briefly notice the singular fact that, although he had been carried more -than 100 paces with his skull almost laid bare, at a temperature of -13° -Fahrenheit, his scalp healed so perfectly that not a single portion was -missing.” - -Borgen describes the sudden attack of the bear as follows: “About a -quarter before nine P.M. I had gone out to observe the occultation of -a star, which was to take place about that time, and also to take the -meteorological readings. As I was in the act of getting on shore, Captain -Koldewey came on to the ice. We spoke for a few moments, when I went on -shore, while he returned to the cabin. On my return from the observatory, -about fifty steps from the vessel, I heard a rustling noise to the left, -and became aware of the proximity of a bear. There was no time to think, -or use my gun. The grip was so sudden and rapid, that I am unable to -say how it was done; whether the bear rose and struck me down with his -fore-paws, or whether he ran me down. But from the character of the -injuries I have received (contusions and a deep cut on the left ear), I -conclude that the former must have been the case. The next thing I felt -was the tearing of my scalp, which was only protected by a skull cap. -This is their mode of attacking seals, but, owing to the slipperiness -of their skulls, the teeth glide off. The cry for help which I uttered -frightened the animal for a moment; but he turned again and bit me -several times on the head. The alarm had meanwhile been heard by the -Captain, who had not yet reached the cabin. He hurried on deck, convinced -himself that it was really an alarm, roused up the crew and hastened on -to the ice, bringing assistance to his struggling comrade. The noise -evidently frightened the bear, and he trotted off with his prey, which he -dragged by the head. A shot fired to frighten the creature effected its -purpose, inasmuch as he dropped me, and sprang a few steps aside; but he -immediately seized me by the arm, and, his hold proving insufficient, -he seized me by the right hand, on which was a fur glove, and this gave -the pursuers time to come up with the brute, which had by its great -speed left them far behind. He was now making for the shore, and would -certainly have escaped with his prey, had he succeeded in climbing -the bank. However, as he came to the edge of the ice, he turned along -the coast side, continuing on the rough and broken ice, which greatly -retarded his speed, and thus allowed his pursuers upon the ice to gain -rapidly upon him. After being dragged in this way for about 300 paces, -almost strangled by my shawl, which the bear had seized at the same time, -he dropped me, and immediately afterwards Koldewey was bending over me, -with the words ‘Thank God! he is still alive.’ The bear stood a few paces -on one side evidently undecided what course to pursue, until a bullet -gave him a hint that it was high time to take himself off.” - -[Sidenote: _LIEUT. PAYER’S REMARKABLE JOURNEY_] - -Preparations having been completed for an extended sledge journey to -examine the bays and inlets of the mainland, the party started March 8, -1870, and were absent until April 27 after twenty-three days of most -arduous labours. Lieutenant Payer had the satisfaction of reaching 77° 1´ -north latitude, at that time the most northerly point ever reached on the -east coast of Greenland. From an elevated sight the sea appeared covered -with an unbroken field of hummocks, and land was seen to stretch out in a -northerly direction as far as the eye could reach. - -Other journeys which followed at close intervals greatly added to the -geographical knowledge of the coast. On the return from one of these, -they discovered (9th of August) the entrance to a magnificent fiord to -the south of Cape Franklin (73° 10´ north latitude), into which they -penetrated to a distance of seventy-two nautical miles. As they advanced -into the interior, a decided change in the temperature was noticed, the -atmosphere and water became warmer, and herds of reindeer and musk-oxen -were seen; butterflies, bees, and other insects fluttered over the green -earth. Nothing could exceed the grandeur of the scenery. - -“Numerous glaciers and cascades descended from the mountains, which rose -higher and higher as they advanced towards the west. Lieutenant Payer -and Doctor Copeland having climbed a peak 7000 feet high saw the fiord -still branching out in the distance, and towards the west a remote chain -of mountains, situated about 32° W. long., rising to an altitude of at -least 14,000 feet, terminated the magnificent prospect. The interior of -Greenland thus proved itself to be not a mere naked plateau covered with -perpetual ice-fields, but in some parts at least a country of Alpine -grandeur.” - -[Sidenote: _RETURN OF THE “GERMANIA”_] - -On the 24th of August, the _Germania_ steered her course for home; as the -ship cleared the last of the Greenland ice, Captain Koldewey quoted the -words of old Scoresby under similar conditions. “My watch is over!” he -used to say—and turning to Mr. Sengstache, Captain Koldewey exclaimed, -“My watch is over!” and retired to his cabin with a feeling of security -that he had not enjoyed for many a day. - -Pursuing a course past Iceland between the Faroe and Shetland isles, -they stood off Heligoland, September 10. “At daybreak, though we had -seen no pilot, we recognized Wangerooge, and steered along the South -wall to the mouth of the Weser. No sign of a ship! The Weser seemed to -have died out. Where are the pilots hidden? Are they lying _perdu_ on -account of yesterday’s storm? Well, then, we must run into the Weser -without them, the wind is favorable, the weather clear, the outer buoy -will be easy to find; there is the church-tower of Wangerooge. Suspecting -nothing, we steered on; the tower bears south-southwest, southwest by -south, southwest, but no buoy in sight. The Captain and steersman look -at each other in astonishment. Can we have been so mistaken and out of -our reckoning? But, no! That is certainly Wangerooge; the depth of water -agrees, our compass is correct. No doubt about it, we are in the Weser; -something unusual must have happened! Still no sail in sight! But what -is that? Yonder are the roads. There are several large vessels under -steam; they at least can give us some information. So we make for them. -We saluted the German flag, and soon the cry was heard, ‘War, war with -France; Napoleon a prisoner! France has declared a Republic; our armies -are before Paris!’ And then, ‘_Hansa_ destroyed in the ice, crew saved.’ -We thought we were dreaming, and stood stiff with astonishment at such -grand and heart-stirring news. Not until a loud hurrah for King William -sounded from a hundred German throats did we regain our speech, and -answer with another ‘Hurrah!’” - - - - -CHAPTER XV - - Austrian expedition, 1871.—Payer and Weyprecht.—The - _Tegetthoff_ adrift in the Polar pack.—Discovery of Franz - Josef Land.—Payer’s sledge journeys.—Payer’s farthest - 82° 5´ north latitude.—Cape Fligely.—Abandonment of the - _Tegetthoff_.—Retreat of officers and crew.—Picked up by - Russian fishermen.—“Home.” - - -[Sidenote: _AUSTRIAN ARCTIC VOYAGES_] - -Having gained much distinction for his valuable services in the second -German expedition, Lieutenant Payer was resolved to continue in the path -of polar discovery. The following year, in company with his colleague and -friend, Lieutenant Weyprecht of the Austrian-Hungarian Navy, he equipped -the Norwegian schooner _Isbjorn_ and examined the edge of the ice between -Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, reaching 78° 43´ north latitude, and 42° 30´ -east longitude, on the 1st of September, 1871. - -The zealous endeavours of Payer and Weyprecht succeeded in calling into -existence a still larger Austrian expedition in 1872. Their plan was to -select a route by the north end of Nova Zembla with a view to making the -Northeast Passage. - -“Weyprecht was to command the ship, _Tegetthoff_, while Lieutenant -Payer was to conduct the sledge parties. The _Tegetthoff_ sailed from -Bremerhaven June 13, 1872, bearing in her course to Tromsoe. Her -equipment was liberal and carefully selected, the total expense of -the expedition amounting to £18,333. The officers and crew numbered -twenty-four souls. - -“Delayed by storms among the Loffoden Isles, they did not reach Tromsoe -until July 3. Ten days later the _Tegetthoff_ turned her prow to the -north; the Norwegian coast with its many glaciers was in full view on -July 16, North Cape loomed in the blue distance. By July 25, while -in lat. 74° 0´ 15´´ N., the ice was sighted; proceeding with careful -navigation through opens in the frozen ocean, the ship moved in her -course until the end of August, when she became beset near Cape Nassan, -at the northern end of Nova Zembla, having just parted with the _Isbjorn_ -near Barentz Isle, where Count Wilczek was placing supplies for their -possible retreat.” - -“Ominous were the events of that day,” writes Payer, “for immediately -after we had made fast the _Tegetthoff_ to that floe, the ice closed in -upon us from all sides and we became close prisoners in its grasp. No -water was to be seen around us, and _never again were we destined to see -our vessel in water_. Happy is it for men that inextinguishable hope -enables them to endure all the vicissitudes of fate, which are to test -their powers of endurance, and that they can never see, at a glance, -the long series of disappointments in store for them! We must have been -filled with despair, had we known that evening that we were henceforward -doomed to obey the caprices of the ice, that the ship would never again -float on the waters of the sea, that all the expectations with which our -friends, but a few hours before, saw the _Tegetthoff_ steam away to the -north, were now crushed; _that we were in fact no longer discoverers, but -passengers against our will on the ice_. From day to day, we hoped for -the hour of our deliverance! At first we expected it hourly, then daily, -then from week to week; then at the seasons of the year and changes of -the weather, then in the chances of new years! _But that hour never -came_, yet the light of hope, which supports man in all his suffering, -and raises him above them all, never forsook us, amid all the depressing -influence of expectations cherished only to be disappointed.” - -To reach the coast of Siberia under these circumstances had become an -impossibility, and even in case the ship became liberated, the search for -a winter harbour in Nova Zembla would be a matter of peril and difficulty. - -Drifting, not with the current, but in the direction of the prevailing -wind, the land of Nova Zembla receded until it faded out of sight and -only a desert of ice surrounded them. The frightful ice convulsions which -frequently threatened their destruction, determined the men to build a -house on the main floe, where supplies of coal, fuel, and provisions were -stored. Lieutenant Payer comments on the terrible conditions under which -they existed. - -“One of us, to-day, remarked very truly, that he saw perfectly well -how one might lose his reason with the continuance of these sudden and -incessant assaults. It is not dangers that we fear, but worse far; we -are kept in a constant state of readiness to meet destruction, and know -not whether it will come to-day or to-morrow, or in a year. Every night -we are startled out of sleep, and, like hunted animals, up we spring -to await amid an awful darkness, the end of an enterprise from which -all hope of success has departed. It becomes at last a mere mechanical -process to seize our rifles and our bag of necessaries and rush on -deck. In the daytime, leaning over the bulwarks of the ship, which -trembles, yea, almost quivers the while, we look out on a continual work -of destruction going on, and at night, as we listen to the loud and -ever-increasing noises of the ice, we gather that the forces of our enemy -are increasing.” - -The hours of these dark and disheartening days were passed in taking -observations, exercise, and occasional bear and sledge journeys. In spite -of this the time crept away with indescribable monotony. During February -the ship drifted first northwest and then north, the greatest longitude -attained being 71° E., in 79° N.; and the summer of 1873 advanced without -any signs of freeing them. - -[Illustration: A. E. NORDENSKJÖLD - -_From “The Voyage of the Vega,” Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London_] - -With sad resignation the officers and crew looked forward to passing -another winter in the ice, although plenty of birds, seal, and bears -insured them fresh meat, so essential for the preservation of health in -high latitudes. - -[Sidenote: _DISCOVERY OF FRANZ JOSEF LAND_] - -“A memorable day,” writes Payer, “was the 31st of August, 1873, in 79° -43´ Lat., and 59° 33´ E. Long. That day brought a surprise, such as only -the awakening to a new life can produce. About midday, as we were leaning -on the bulwarks of the ship and scanning the gliding mists, through which -the rays of the sun broke ever and anon, a wall of mist, lifting itself -up suddenly, revealed to us, afar off in the northwest, the outlines of -bold rocks, which in a few minutes seemed to grow into a radiant Alpine -land! At first we all stood transfixed and hardly believing what we saw. -Then, carried away by the reality of our good fortune, we burst forth -into shouts of joy—‘Land, land, land at last!’ There was now not a sick -man on board the _Tegetthoff_. The news of the discovery spread in an -instant. Every one rushed on deck, to convince himself with his own eyes, -that the expedition was not after all a failure,—there before us lay the -prize that could not be snatched from us. Yet not by our own action, -but through the happy caprice of our floe and as in a dream had we won -it, but when we thought of the floe, drifting without intermission, we -felt with redoubled pain, that we were at the mercy of its movements. -As yet we had secured no winter harbour, from which the exploration of -the strange land could be successfully undertaken. For the present, -too, it was not within the verge of possibility to reach and visit it. -If we had left our floe, we should have been cut off and lost. It was -only under the influence of the first excitement that we made a rush -over our ice-field, although we knew that numberless fissures made it -impossible to reach the land. But, difficulties notwithstanding, when we -ran to the edge of our floe, we beheld from a ridge of ice the mountains -and glaciers of the mysterious land. Its valleys seemed to our fond -imagination clothed with green pastures, over which herds of reindeer -roamed in undisturbed enjoyment of their liberty, and far from all floes. - -“For thousands of years this land had lain buried from the knowledge -of men, and now its discovery had fallen into the lap of a small band, -themselves almost lost to the world, who far from their home remembered -the homage due their sovereign, and gave to the newly discovered -territory the name Kaiser Franz Josef Land. With loud hurrahs we drank -to the health of our Emperor in grog hastily made on deck in an iron -coffee-pot, and then dressed the _Tegetthoff_ with flags. All cares, for -the present, at least, disappeared, and with them the passive monotony of -our lives. There was not a day, there was hardly an hour, in which this -mysterious land did not henceforth occupy our thoughts and attention.” - -In October the vessel drifted within three miles of an island lying off -the main mass of land. Lieutenant Payer landed on it, and found it to -be in latitude 79° 54´ N. It was named after Count Wilczek, whose deep -interest in the expedition had won for him the affection of all. - -[Sidenote: _PAYER’S SLEDGE JOURNEYS_] - -A second winter settled upon the _Tegetthoff_ and her crew at this -point, the chief diversion being bear hunts, in which no less than -sixty-seven bears were killed. On the 10th of March, 1874, Payer made -a preliminary sledge journey, the object of which was to determine the -position and general relations of the new land. A large sledge was used -and was equipped for a week; it carried an extra quantity of provisions, -which were intended to form depots, for the more extended sledge journey -contemplated for later on. Thirty-nine pounds of hard bread, five pounds -of pemmican, sixteen pounds of boiled beef, one pound of pea-sausage, -one-half pound of salt and pepper, six pounds of rice, two pounds of -grits, five pounds of chocolate, five gallons of rum, one pound of -extract of meat, two pounds of condensed milk, and eight gallons of -alcohol. The party consisted of Payer and six men, with three dogs. - -Intense cold and violent snow-storms, the thermometer falling as low as --59°, caused great suffering to the men from frost bites. This frightful -temperature was experienced March 14. On that day Payer with a Tyrolese -mountain climber stood on the summit of the precipitous face of the -Sonklar-Glacier, whose broad terminal front overhangs the frozen bay of -Nordenskjöld Fiord. - -After making deposits of provisions, the party were obliged to return to -the ship, after an absence of five days. - -On March 26, Lieutenant Payer with ten men and three dogs started on a -more extended journey of thirty days. The equipment for this second trip -consisted of:— - - lbs. - the large sledge 150 - the provisions, including packing 620 - the dog sledge 37 - the tent, sleeping bags, tent-poles, and Alpine stock 320 - alcohol and rum 128 - fur coats and fur gloves 140 - instruments, rifles, ammunition 170 - shovel, 2 cooking-machines, drag-ropes, dog-tent, etc. 1565 - -Each of the four sacks of provisions—calculated for seven days and seven -men—contained fifty-one pounds of boiled beef, forty-eight pounds of -bread, eight pounds of pemmican, seven pounds of bacon, two pounds of -extract of meat, four pounds of condensed milk, two pounds of coffee, -four pounds of chocolate, seven pounds of rice, three pounds of grits, -one pound of salt and pepper, two pounds of pea-sausage, four pounds of -sugar, besides a reserve bag with twenty pounds of bread. Boiled beef was -taken as food for the dogs, and it was hoped that game would supplement -the general rations. - -From almost the first hour violent blizzards, intense cold, and the -uneven condition of the ice made the journey disheartening and laborious. -By April 1 they penetrated by Cape Hausa into a newly discovered passage, -covered with heavy ice, to which Payer gave the name of Austria Sound. By -the 7th of April they advanced into Rawlinson Sound, over a track between -hummocks some of which were forty feet high, the depressions between them -filled with deep layers of snow. - -The noble mountain forms and mighty glaciers of Crown Prince Rudolf -Land could be seen in the distance. Pursuing their course in a westerly -direction they reached Hohenlohe Island the next day, where the -expedition encamped, and the party divided, the smaller continuing to the -north for the purpose of examining the glaciers of Rudolf Land. - -A disaster occurred the first day after their departure which nearly -proved fatal to the success of their undertaking. While crossing -the Middendorf glacier, the snow gave way beneath a sledge, which -precipitated one of the men, Zaninovich by name, the dogs and sledge, -into a crevasse. “From an unknown depth,” writes Payer, “I heard a man’s -voice mingled with the howling of dogs. All this was the impression of -a moment, while I felt myself dragged backwards by the rope. Staggering -back, and seeing the dark abyss beneath me, I could not doubt that I -should be precipitated into it the next instant. A wonderful Providence -arrested the fall of the sledge; at a depth of about thirty feet it stuck -fast between the sides of the crevasse, just as I was being dragged to -the edge of the abyss by its weight. The sledge having jammed itself in, -I lay on my stomach close to the awful brink, the rope which attached -me to the sledge tightly strained, and cutting deep into the snow. -The situation was all the more dreadful as I, the only person present -accustomed to the dangers of glaciers, lay there unable to stir. When -I cried down to Zaninovich that I would cut the rope, he implored me -not to do it, for if I did, the sledge would turn over, and he would be -killed. For a time I lay quiet, considering what was to be done. By and -by it flashed into my memory, how I and my guide had once fallen down -a wall of ice in the Irtler Mountains, eight hundred feet high, and -had escaped. This inspired me with confidence to venture on a rescue, -desperate as it seemed under the circumstances. Orel had now come up, -and, although he had never been on a glacier before, this gallant officer -dauntlessly advanced to the edge of the crevasse, and laying himself on -his stomach, looked down into the abyss, and cried to me, ‘Zaninovich is -lying on a ledge of snow in the crevasse, with precipices all round him -and the dogs are still attached to the traces of the sledge, which has -stuck fast.’ I called to him to throw me his knife, which he did with -such dexterity, that I was able to lay hold of it without difficulty, -and as the only means of rescue, I severed the trace which was fastened -round my waist. The sledge made a short turn, and then stuck fast again. -I immediately sprang to my feet, drew off my canvas boots, and sprang -over the crevasse, which was about ten feet broad. I now caught sight of -Zaninovich and the dogs, and shouted to him, that I would run back to -Hohenlohe Island to fetch men and ropes for his rescue, and that rescued -he would be, if he could contrive for four hours to keep himself from -being frozen. I heard his answer: ‘Fate, Signore, fate pure!’ and then -Orel and I disappeared. Heedless of the crevasses which lay in our path, -or of the bears which might attack us, we ran down the glacier back to -Cape Schrotter, six miles off. Only one thought possessed us—the rescue -of Zaninovich, the jewel and pride of our party, and the recovery of our -invaluable store of provisions, and of the book containing our journals, -which, if lost, could never be replaced. But even apart from my personal -feeling for Zaninovich, I keenly felt the reproaches to which I should be -exposed of incautious travelling on glaciers; and it gave me no comfort -to think that my previous experiences in this kind of travelling over -the glaciers of Greenland appeared to justify my proceedings. Stung -with these reflections, I pressed on at the top of my speed, leaving -Orel far behind me. Bathed with perspiration, I threw off my bird-skin -garments, my boots, my gloves, and my shawl, and ran in my stockings -through the deep snow. After passing the labyrinth of icebergs I saw the -rocky pyramid of Cape Schrotter before me in the distance. The success -of my venture depended on the weather. If snow driving should set in, -and the footprints should be obliterated, it would be impossible to find -Hohenlohe Island. All around me it was fearfully lonely. Encompassed by -glaciers, I was absolutely alone. At last I saw Klotz emerge from behind -an iceberg at some distance off, and though I continued to shout his name -till I almost reached him, I failed to rouse him from his usual reverie. -When at last he saw me breathlessly pushing on, scarcely clothed, and -constantly calling, his sack slipped from his back, and he stared at me -as if he had lost his senses. When the hardy son of the mountains came to -understand that Zaninovich with the sledge was buried in the crevasse, -he began to weep, in his simplicity of heart taking the blame of what -had happened on himself. He was so agitated and disturbed, that I made -him promise that he would do himself no mischief, and then, leaving him -to his moody silence, I ran on again towards the island. It seemed as if -I should never reach Cape Schrotter; with head bent down I trudged on, -counting my steps through the deep snow; when I raised it again, after a -little time, it was always the same black spot that I saw on the distant -horizon. At last I came near it, saw the tent, saw some dark spots creep -out of it, saw them gather together, and then run down the snow-slope. -These were the friends we had left behind. A few words of explanation, -with an exhortation to abstain from idle lamentations, were enough. They -at once detached a second rope from the large sledge, and got hold of a -long tent-pole. Meanwhile I had rushed upon the cooking-machine, quickly -melted a little snow to quench my raging thirst, and then we all set off -again—Haller, Sussick, Lukinovich, and myself—to the Middendorf glacier. -Tent and provisions were left unwatched; we ran back for three hours -and a half; fears for Zaninovich gave such wings to my steps, that my -companions were scarcely able to keep up with me. Ever and anon, I had -to stop to drink some rum. At the outset, we met Orel, and rather later -Klotz, both making for Cape Schrotter, Klotz to remain behind there, and -Orel to return with us at once to Middendorf glacier. When we came among -the icebergs under Cape Habermann, I picked up, one by one, the clothes -I had thrown away. Reaching the glacier, we tied ourselves together -with a rope. Going before the rest I approached with beating heart the -place, where the sledge had disappeared four hours and a half ago. A -dark abyss yawned before us; not a sound issued from its depths, not -even when I lay on the ground and shouted. At last I heard the whining -of a dog, and then an unintelligible answer from Zaninovich. Haller was -quickly let down by a rope; he found him still living, but almost frozen, -on a ledge of snow forty feet down the crevasse. Fastening himself and -Zaninovich to the rope, they were drawn up after great exertion. A storm -of greetings saluted Zaninovich, stiff and speechless though he was, when -he appeared on the surface of the glacier. I need not add that we gave -him some rum to stimulate his vital energies. It was a noble proof how -duty and discipline assert themselves, even in such situations, that the -first word of this sailor, saved from being frozen to death, was not a -complaint, but thanks, accompanied with a request that I would pardon -him if he, in order to save himself from being frozen, had ventured to -drink a portion of the rum, which had fallen down in its case with the -sledge to his ledge of snow. Haller again descended, and fastened the -dogs to a rope. The clever animals had freed themselves from their traces -in some inexplicable way, and had sprung to a narrow ledge, where Haller -found them, close to where Zaninovich had lain. It was astonishing how -quickly they discerned the danger of the position and how great was their -confidence in us. They had slept the whole time, as Zaninovich afterwards -told us, and he had carefully avoided touching them lest they should fall -down deeper into the abyss. We drew them up with some difficulty, and -they gave expression to their joy, first by rolling themselves vigorously -in the snow, and then by licking our hands. We then raised Haller by the -rope some ten feet higher than the ledge on which Zaninovich had lain, so -that he might be able to cut the ropes which fastened the loading of the -firmly wedged in sledge. At this moment, Orel arrived, and with his help -we raised one by one the articles with which the sledge was loaded. It -was ten o’clock before we were convinced that we had lost nothing of any -importance in the crevasse.” - -[Sidenote: _CAPE FLIGELY_] - -On April 12, 1874, Payer and his companions attained their farthest -north, 82° 5´ north latitude; on that day they stood on a promontory -about one thousand feet high, to which the name of Cape Fligely was given. - -“Rudolf Land still stretched in a northeasterly direction,” writes Payer, -“to wards a Cape, Cape Sherard Osborne—though it was impossible to -determine its further course and connection.” - -In the distant north, blue mountain ranges indicated masses of land and -to these the names of King Oscar Land and Petermann Land were given. -“Proudly we planted the Austro-Hungarian flag,” continues Payer, “for the -first time in the high North. A document we enclosed in a bottle and -deposited in a cleft of rock.” The return to the ship was rendered doubly -hazardous by the insecurity of the ice, and the increasing water holes. - -The results of the journey may be summed up as follows—Payer found -the newly discovered country to be about the size of Spitzbergen, and -consisting of two large masses, Wilczek Land to the East, and Zichy Land -to the west, intersected by numerous fjords and skirted by many islands. -Austria Sound divides the two main masses of land and extends to 82° N., -where Rawlinson Sound forks off to the northeast. The mountains reach a -height of two thousand to three thousand feet; glaciers abound in the -ravines, and even the islands are covered with a glacial cap. - -A third sledge journey was undertaken by Lieutenant Payer on April 29 to -explore a large island named after M’Clintock. - -[Sidenote: _HOME_] - -The momentous day, May 20, on which the _Tegetthoff_ was abandoned, came -at last. Three boats were selected by the return expedition. Two of these -were Norwegian whale-boats, twenty feet long, five feet broad, and two -and one-half deep; the third was somewhat smaller. - -The hummocks rendered their advance discouragingly slow. It was necessary -to pass over the same short distance many times in the course of a day, -and after two months of indescribable efforts, the distance reached by -the party was not more than two German miles. An occasional bear, shot by -the men, restored the waning strength and courage, but not until August -14, did the welcome sound of the open water reach their ears, and in 77° -40´ north latitude, they launched their boats. Nine days later they were -picked up by Russian fishermen off the coast of Nova Zembla. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - - Baron A. E. von Nordenskjöld.—First voyage 1858.—Accompanies - succeeding Swedish expeditions.—Spitzbergen.—Voyage of - _Sofia_.—1868.—Nordenskjöld’s journey to Greenland.—Voyage - of the _Polhem_.—Attempt to reach the Pole by reindeer - sledge.—Unexpected discouragements and disasters.—Voyage of the - _Proven_.—1875.—The Kara Sea.—Journey repeated the following - year.—In the _Ymer_.—Voyage of the _Vega_. - - -The career of Baron A. E. von Nordenskjöld is one of the most -distinguished in Arctic history. Born in Helsingfors, Finland, November -18, 1832, he learned at an early age the thrill of adventure and -the joys of research while accompanying his distinguished father on -his mineralogical tours in the Ural Mountains. After graduating at -Helsingfors in 1857, Nordenskjöld was himself appointed a professor of -mineralogy at Stockholm. Baron Nordenskjöld’s scientific interest in -polar research began as early as 1858, when he accompanied Otto Torell, -chief geologist of Sweden, who sailed on the _Frithrop_ for Spitzbergen. -This was the beginning of a series of Swedish expeditions that covered -a quarter of a century, in which Nordenskjöld had a most valuable and -active part. Two months were spent on the west coast of Spitzbergen, -in dredging the sea, studying the land formation and its botanical and -glacial conditions. - -Nordenskjöld’s chief contribution to science on this expedition was the -discovery of a fossil-bearing rock in carboniferous formations. - -[Sidenote: _SPITZBERGEN_] - -Another journey beyond the Arctic circle was undertaken by Torell in -1861, for a more thorough survey and study of the natural history and -geology of Spitzbergen. On this journey, Torell, Nordenskjöld and -Petersen undertook a boat journey to Hinlopen Strait and later visited -the coast of Northeast Land. Passing North Cape and visiting Seven -Islands, they reached their farthest, 80° 42´ N., August 5, at Phipps -Island. - -Prince Oscar Land was reached a week later, and from a mountain two -thousand feet high near Cape Wrede, two islands could be seen in the -distance, to which were given the names of Charles XII and Drabanten. -Pushing their way east of Cape Platen, the ice conditions forced their -return. - -In 1863 Nordenskjöld again visited Spitzbergen, and again in 1864, when -he was placed in charge of the Swedish expedition, and was accompanied -by Dunér and Malmgren. In a small boat of twenty-six tons burden, and -provisioned for less than six months, they entered Safe Harbor at the -entrance of the magnificent Ice Fiord. After rounding the southern cape -of Spitzbergen, they entered Store Fiord, and visited Edges Land and -Barentz Land. After entering Helis Sound and ascending White Mountain, -they again rounded South Cape with the intention of following the west -coast as far north as the ice would permit. On this journey while off -Charles Foreland, they rescued some shipwrecked sailors, whose vessels -had become beset off Seven Islands, and who had journeyed in open boats -some two hundred miles in fourteen days. An immediate return was thus -made necessary, but the results of the summer’s work was a map, executed -by Nordenskjöld and Dunér, which delineates Spitzbergen with great -accuracy. - -In 1868 the Swedish expedition had for its objective point the Pole. The -_Sofia_ was chosen for this purpose and commanded by Captain (Count) F. -W. von Otter, with Nordenskjöld as scientific chief. Smeerenberg Bay at -the north end of Spitzbergen was decided upon as a place of rendezvous -and from this point the _Sofia_ made two attempts for a high northing. -In the second she was rewarded by reaching on September 19, 1868, 81° -42´ N., and 17° 30´ E., at that time the farthest north attained by any -ship. A third attempt to push the _Sofia_ through the impenetrable pack -resulted in her becoming disabled and necessitated the return of the -expedition to Sweden. - -In 1870 Nordenskjöld made a journey to Greenland, accompanied by Dr. -Berggren, the noted professor of botany at Lund. The object of the -expedition was to penetrate the unexplored interior from a point at the -northern arm of a deep inlet called Aulaitsivik Fiord, some sixty miles -south of the discharging glacier at Jakobshaven and two hundred and forty -north of the glacier at Godthaab. He commenced his inland journey on -the 19th of July. Besides Dr. Berggren, he was assisted by two Eskimos, -but the disheartening difficulties of travel over the inland ice of -Greenland, caused by the slow movement of the glaciers, which produce -chasms and clefts of almost bottomless depth, soon caused the party to -abandon their sledge, and later the two natives refused to proceed. -Undaunted by their desertion, Nordenskjöld and Dr. Berggren continued -their explorations alone and advanced thirty miles over the glaciers -to a height of twenty-two hundred feet above the sea. One of the most -important results of this remarkable journey was the discovery of two -meteorites, the largest ever known. - -[Sidenote: _VOYAGE OF THE “POLHEM”_] - -In 1871 Nordenskjöld again set out for Spitzbergen. His object was -to reach the Pole by reindeer-sledging. Sailing in the ship _Polhem_ -commanded by Lieutenant Palander of the Swedish Navy, and accompanied by -two convoys, the _Gladen_ and _Onkle Adam_, they reached Mussel Bay, and -there established winter quarters. In an attempt to return, the convoys -were beset in a violent storm. Unable to extricate themselves and not -being provisioned for winter the crews, numbering forty-three men, were -suddenly forced upon Nordenskjöld’s party for fuel and supplies. - -To distribute food intended for twenty-four persons among a party of -sixty-seven was a serious problem, and was only accomplished by reducing -the rations of all one-third. Hardly had this blow fallen upon the -prospects of the expedition, when they were visited by four men with the -overwhelming news that six walrus-vessels had been frozen in at Point -Grey and Cape Welcome. By hunting it was hoped that the fifty-eight -unfortunate men would manage to avoid starvation until the first of -December, after that their only salvation rested with the generosity -of Nordenskjöld. The only relief to the appalling situation was in the -fact that a Swedish colony had that year worked a phosphatic deposit -at Cape Thorsden, Ice Fiord, and the manager after abandoning the work -had returned to Norway, leaving behind him a considerable amount of -stores. Cape Thorsden was distant two hundred miles, but seventeen of -the walrus-hunters determined to undertake it. These men succeeded in -reaching the depot, where an ample supply of all the necessaries of life -awaited them—including a house, fuel, preserved and dried vegetables, -and fresh potatoes. Huddling in one room, living on salt-beef and pork, -rather than go to the exertion of availing themselves of the ample diet -at hand—these men were attacked by scurvy and not one survived the -rigours of the winter. At Mussel Bay the food conditions were deplorable, -but were eked out by the utilization of reindeer moss mixed with rye -flour, which produced a very bitter bread. - -This sacrifice of the food of the reindeer greatly crippled -Nordenskjöld’s cherished plans for his spring journeys, and to add to -his disappointments, the reindeer themselves were carelessly allowed to -escape by the Lapps during a violent snow-storm. A fortunate opening -of the ice early in November allowed two vessels to escape, and these -vessels took the crews of the four others. - -The Arctic night was passed by the expedition in making scientific -observations, dredging under the ice, and in mental and physical -exercise. In spite of every precaution against the dreaded foe, scurvy -broke out among the men, but was overcome under a strict diet régime. - -In spite of the disastrous loss of his reindeer and the depleted state of -his stores and provisions, Nordenskjöld attempted his northern journey -the following spring. At Seven Islands he was stopped by the ice, but -in spite of this disappointment he concluded to visit North East Land -for the purpose of geographical research. A journey of five days over -impassable hummocks resulted in his making Cape Platen—and later Otter -Island. - -The increased dangers of travel and the presence of water holes -determined him to abandon the coast route and strike across the inland -ice. This arduous journey was over hard-packed blinding white snow, -“glazed and polished,” he writes, “so that we might have thought -ourselves to be advancing over an unsurpassably faultless and spotless -floor of white marble.” Blinding storms, blizzards, or ice fogs, -marked each step of their fifteen days’ journey. Snow bridges covered -treacherous chasms, some of which were forty feet in depth. On June 15, -they descended into Hinlopen Strait at Wahlenberg Bay, and finally the -party reached Mussel Bay after an absence of sixty days. - -In the early summer, they had the good fortune to be visited by Mr. Leigh -Smith, the veteran Arctic navigator and scientist, in his private yacht -_Diana_, through whose generosity the expedition was liberally supplied -with fresh provisions, which removed the pending anxiety for the future. - -[Sidenote: _VOYAGE OF THE “PROVEN”_] - -In 1875 Nordenskjöld turned his attention to the possibility of -navigating the seas along the northern coast of Siberia. This route had -already been opened by Captain Wiggins of Sunderland, who in 1874, 1875, -and 1876, opened the way to trade between Europe and the mouth of the -Yenisei River. Nordenskjöld sailed from Tromsoe, in the _Proven_, June, -1875, and successfully navigating the Kara Sea reached an excellent -harbour on the eastern side of the mouth of the Yenisei, to which he gave -the name of Port Dickson, in honour of Mr. Oscar Dickson, of Gothenburg, -for many years the liberal supporter of the Swedish expeditions. - -To demonstrate that the Kara Sea had not been more free of ice than usual -in the summer of 1875 and that the route would be practicable another -season, Nordenskjöld repeated his voyage in the _Ymer_ the following year. - -His long Arctic experience had by this time convinced him of the -feasibility of the northeast passage. To demonstrate this conviction, he -enlisted the patronage of the king of Sweden, Mr. Oscar Dickson, and Mr. -Sibiriakoff, a Siberian proprietor of vast wealth, and the result was the -purchase of the _Vega_, which was liberally equipped for a successful -expedition. - -The Vega had been used for whale-fishing in the north polar sea, her -register was three hundred and fifty-seven tons gross, or two hundred and -ninety-nine net. Her dimensions were as follows:— - - metres - Length of keel 37.6 - Length over deck 43.4 - Beam extreme 8.4 - Depth of hold 4.6 - -She had a sixty horse-power engine, which required ten cubic feet of coal -per hour, developing an average speed of six or seven knots per hour. The -vessel was a full-rigged bark, with pitch pine masts, iron wire rigging -and patent reefing top sails; under sail alone she was able to attain a -speed of nine or ten knots. She carried the Swedish man-of-war flag with -a crowned “O” in the middle, and bore this triumphantly throughout a -voyage which stands in history as the first circumnavigation of Asia and -Europe. - -[Sidenote: _VOYAGE OF THE “VEGA”_] - -With Nordenskjöld as leader, Lieutenant Palander commander of the ship, -and an efficient staff of officers and scientists, which included such -men as Lieutenant Horgaard of the Royal Danish Navy, for superintendent -of the magnetical and meteorological work, F. R. Kjellman, Ph.D., Docent -in Botany in the University of Upsala, and Lieutenant G. Bore, of the -Royal Italian Navy, superintendent of the hydrographical work, the _Vega_ -sailed from Gothenburg July 4, 1878, in company with her convoy, the -_Lena_. Port Dickson was reached on the morning of August 10, and nine -days later Cape Serero or Chelyuskin in 77° 41´ north latitude. Of this, -the most northern point of Siberia, Nordenskjöld writes:— - -“We had now reached a great goal, which for centuries had been the -object of unsuccessful struggles. For the first time a vessel lay at -anchor off the northernmost cape of the old world. No wonder then that -the occurrence was celebrated by a display of flags and the firing of -salutes, and when we returned from our excursion on land, by festivities -on board, by wine and toast.” - -“The north point of Asia forms a low promontory, which a bay divides -into two, the eastern arm projecting a little farther to the north than -the western. A ridge of hills with gently sloping sides runs into the -land from the eastern point, and appears within sight of the western to -reach a height of three hundred metres. Like the plain lying below, the -summits of this range were nearly free of snow. Only on the hillsides or -in deep furrows excavated by the streams of melted snow, and in dales -in the plains, were large white snow-fields to be seen. A low ice-foot -still remained at most places along the shore. But no glacier rolled its -bluish-white ice-masses down the mountain sides, and no inland lakes, no -perpendicular cliffs, no high mountain summits, gave any natural beauty -to the landscape, which was the most monotonous and the most desolate I -have seen in the High North.” - -[Illustration: FOUL BAY, ON THE COAST OF SPITZBERGEN - -_From “The Voyage of the Vega,” Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London_] - -On the 23d the _Vega_ was again steaming forward among the fields of -drift-ice. The difficulties of voyaging through unknown waters overhung -with fogs and mists may better be understood by an anecdote described by -Nordenskjöld, which illustrates how completely a person may be deceived -by size and distance of objects:— - -“One can scarcely, without having experienced it,” he writes, “form any -idea of the optical illusions, which are produced by mist, in regions -where the size of the objects which are visible through fog is not known -beforehand, and thus does not give the spectator an idea of the distance. -Our estimate of the distance and size in such cases depends wholly on -accident. The obscure contours of the fog-concealed objects themselves, -besides, are often by the ignorance of the spectator converted into -whimsical fantastic forms. During a boat journey in Hinlopen Strait I -once intended to row among drift-ice to an island at a distance of some -few kilometres. When the boat started, the air was clear, but while we -were employed, as best we could, in shooting sea-fowl for dinner, all was -wrapt in a thick mist, and that so unexpectedly, that we had not time to -take the bearings of the island. This led to a not altogether pleasant -row by guess among the pieces of ice that were drifting about in rapid -motion in the sound. All exerted themselves as much as possible to get -sight of the island, whose beach would afford us a safe resting-place. -While thus occupied, a dark border was seen through the mist at the -horizon. It was taken for the island which we were bound for, and it was -not at first considered remarkable that the dark border rose rapidly, -for we thought that the mist was dispersing and in consequence of that -more of the land was visible. Soon two white snow-fields that we had not -observed before, were seen on both sides of the land, and immediately -after this was changed to a sea monster, resembling a walrus-head as -large as a mountain. This got life and motion, and finally sank all at -once to the head of a common walrus, which lay on a piece of ice in the -neighbourhood of the boat; the white tusks formed the snow-fields and the -dark brown round head the mountain. Scarce was this illusion gone when -one of the men cried out, ‘Land right ahead—high land!’ We now all saw -before us a high Alpine region, with mountain peaks and glaciers, but -this too sank a moment afterwards all at once to a common ice-border, -blackened with earth. In the spring of 1873 Phelander and I with nine men -made a sledge journey round Northeast Land. In the course of this journey -a great many bears were seen and killed. When a bear was seen while we -were dragging our sledge forward, the train commonly stood still, and, -not to frighten the bear, all the men concealed themselves behind the -sledges, with the exception of the marksman, who, squatting down in some -convenient place, waited till his prey should come sufficiently in range -to be killed with certainty. - -“It happened once during foggy weather on the ice at Wahlenberg Bay -that the bear that was expected and had been clearly seen by all of -us, instead of approaching with his usual supple zigzag movements, and -with his ordinary attempts to nose himself to a sure insight into the -fitness of the foreigners for food, just as the marksman took aim, spread -out gigantic wings and flew away in the form of a small ivory gull. -Another time during the same sledge journey we heard from the tent in -which we rested the cook, who was employed outside, cry out, ‘A bear! a -great bear! No! a reindeer, a very little reindeer!’ The same instant a -well-directed shot was fired, and the bear-reindeer was found to be a -very small fox, which thus paid with its life for the honour of having -for some moments played the part of a big animal. From these accounts it -may be seen how difficult navigation among drift-ice must be in unknown -waters.” - -It had been understood that the _Lena_ would accompany the _Vega_ as far -as one of the mouth-arms of the Lena River. But on the night of the 27th -of August, while off Tumat Islands, all conditions being favourable, -the ships parted company, after Captain Johannesen had received orders, -passports and letters for home. “As a parting salute to our trusty little -attendant during our voyage round the north point of Asia some rockets -were fired, on which we steamed or sailed on, each to his destination.” - -Following an easterly course, through shallow open water the _Vega_ -all but made the Northeast Passage in one season. Toward the end of -September, however, she was frozen in off the shore of a low plain or -tundra in 67° 71´ N., and 173° 20´ W., near the settlements of the -Chuckches, numbering about three hundred souls. The open water which to a -late date in the season had favoured the progress of the expedition, was -accounted for by the volumes of warm water discharged into the Polar Sea -during the summer by the great Siberian river systems. During the voyage, -valuable natural history collections were made, and the sea bottom was -found to abound in animal and vegetable life. - -“When we were beset,” writes Nordenskjöld, “the ice next the shore was -too weak to carry a foot passenger, and the difficulty of reaching the -vessel from the land with the means which the Chuckches had at their -disposal was thus very great. When the natives observed us, there was in -any case immediately a great commotion among them. Men, women, children, -and dogs were seen running up and down the beach in eager confusion; some -were seen driving in dog-sledges on the ice street next the sea. They -evidently feared that the splendid opportunity which here lay before them -of purchasing brandy and tobacco would be lost. From the vessel we could -see with glasses how several attempts were made to put out boats, but -they were again given up, until at last a boat was got to a lane, clear -of ice or only covered with a thin sheet, that ran from the shore to the -neighbourhood of the vessel. In this a large skin boat was put out, which -was filled brimful of men and women, regardless of the evident danger of -navigating such a boat, heavily laden, through sharp, newly formed ice. -They rowed immediately to the vessel, and on reaching it most of them -climbed without the least hesitation over the gunwale with jests and -laughter, and the cry ‘_anoaj, anoaj_’ (good day, good day). - -“Our first meeting with the inhabitants of this region, where we -afterwards passed ten long months, was on both sides very hearty, and -formed the starting-point of a very friendly relation between the -Chuckches and ourselves, which remained unaltered during the whole of our -stay.” - -“On the 5th of October,” continues Nordenskjöld, “the openings between -the drift-ice fields next the vessel were covered with splendid skating -ice, of which we availed ourselves by celebrating a gay and joyous -festival. The Chuckche women and children were now seen fishing for -winter roach along the shore. In this sort of fishing a man, who always -accompanies the fishing women, with an iron-shod lance cuts a hole in -the ice so near the shore that the distance between the under corner of -the hole and the bottom is only half a metre. Each hole is used only by -one woman, and that only for a short time. Stooping down at the hole, in -which the surface of the water is kept quite clear of pieces of ice by -means of an ice-sieve, she endeavours to attract the fish by means of a -peculiar, wonderfully clattering cry. First, when a fish is seen in the -water, an angling line, provided with a hook of bone, iron, or copper, -is thrown down, strips of the entrails of fish being employed as bait. A -small metre-long staff with a single or double crook in the end was also -used as a fishing implement. With this little leister the men cast up -fish on the ice with incredible dexterity.” - -[Illustration: THE “VEGA” IN KONYAM BAY - -_From “The Voyage of the Vega,” Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London_] - -Hunting and exploring excursions were sent out from the _Vega_ with -varying success; as the seasons advanced the natives were threatened with -the usual scarcity of food, which was largely relieved by the generosity -of the Europeans. A most careful and thorough study was made of these -natives, their characteristics, mode of life, manners, speech, and -customs. - -[Sidenote: _RETURN OF THE “VEGA”_] - -On July 18, the _Vega_ was liberated from the ice, after having been -imprisoned two hundred and ninety-four days. - -After a lapse of three hundred and twenty-six years, when Sir Hugh -Willoughby made the first attempt at a northeast passage, the _Vega_ -sailed through Behring Strait, July 20, 1879, being the first vessel to -penetrate by the north from one of the great world oceans to another. The -_Vega_ anchored at Yokohama on the evening of the 2d of September. - -“On our arrival off Yokohama,” writes Nordenskjöld, “we were all in -good health and the _Vega_ in excellent condition, though, after the -long voyage, in want of some minor repair, of docking, and possibly of -coppering. Naturally among thirty men some mild attacks of illness could -not be avoided in the course of a year, but no disease had been generally -prevalent, and our state of health had constantly been excellent. Of -scurvy we had not seen a trace.” - -From Yokohama the news of the _Vega’s_ success was telegraphed throughout -the world, and the homeward journey of the expedition, _via_ Hong Kong, -Singapore, Suez, Naples, Lisbon, Copenhagen, to Stockholm was one of -triumphant progress; each country trying to outdo the others in giving -a royal welcome to the gallant explorers. The _Vega_ reached Stockholm -April 24, 1880, after a journey of twenty-two thousand one hundred -eighty-nine miles. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - - British expedition of 1875.—The _Alert_ and - _Discovery_.—Captain George S. Nares, F. R. S., Albert - H. Markham, F. R. G. S.—Two voyages of the _Pandora_, - 1875-1876.—Schwatka’s search for the Franklin records, - 1878-1879. - - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN G. S. NARES, F. R. S. - -_By permission of The Illustrated London News._] - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN GEORGE S. NARES, F. R. S._] - -The British north polar expedition of 1875 comprised the _Alert_, a -seventeen-gun sloop, and the _Discovery_, originally a Dundee whaler. -Under the supervision of the Admiral Superintendent of the Dockyard -at Portsmouth (Sir Leopold M’Clintock) these ships were completely -overhauled, reënforced, and admirably outfitted for the service expected -of them. Each vessel was supplied with nine boats of various sizes, -especially constructed for service in Arctic waters. Great care was -exercised in selection of officers and men; and their social, moral, and -physical qualifications were strictly inquired into. To Captain George -S. Nares, F. R. S., was intrusted the command of the expedition, and -Commander Albert H. Markham was placed second in command. - -[Illustration: COMMANDER A. H. MARKHAM - -_By permission of The Illustrated London News._] - -On the afternoon of May 29, 1875, the vessels steamed out of Portsmouth -harbour. At Spithead the squadron was joined by the _Valorous_, which -accompanied the ships as far as Disco. After a stormy but uneventful -voyage the expedition stood off some distance from Cape Farewell June 25. -On the 27th, a falling temperature and a peculiar light blink along the -horizon gave due notice of the immediate proximity of the ice. - -The weather being thick and foggy, extra precautions were taken to avoid -collision with any icebergs. The following morning, the high, bold, -snow-capped hills near Cape Desolation were sighted. Seals were now seen -basking lazily on the ice, and birds common to these regions hovered -round the ships, awakening the echoes with their gladsome cries. On -July 1, the little Danish settlement of Fiskernaes was passed, and later -that of Godthaab. On July 4, the Arctic circle was crossed, and two days -afterwards the expedition was safely landed in the bay of Lievely, off -Godhaven; the Inspector and inhabitants giving a warm and hearty welcome. -Stores were now taken aboard from the _Valorous_, and every preparation -made to plunge into the frozen north, and meet the experiences of a long -period of enforced isolation. - -A dense fog soon necessitated making the ships fast to icebergs to await -a more favourable opportunity of advancing. - -[Sidenote: _ALBERT H. MARKHAM, F. R. G. S._] - -“Whilst attempting to secure the ships,” continues Markham, “an alarming -catastrophe occurred. The boat had been despatched containing three men -with the necessary implements, such as an ice drill and anchor for making -the vessel fast. As soon as the first blow of the drill was delivered, -the berg, to our horror, split in two with a loud report, one half with -one of our men on it toppling over, whilst the other half swayed rapidly -backwards and forwards. On this latter piece was another of our men, who -was observed with his heels in the air, the violent agitation of the berg -having precipitated him head foremost into a rent or crevasse. The water -alongside was a mass of seething foam and spray, but curious to relate, -the boat with the third man in it was in no way injured. They were all -speedily rescued from their perilous position and brought on board, -sustaining no further harm than that inflicted by a cold bath. Their -escape appeared miraculous.” - -On the 19th of July, the ships came to anchor off the Danish settlement -of Proven, and here Hans Hendrik, the Eskimo, dog-driver and hunter, who -had accompanied so many expeditions to Smith Sound, was engaged. Putting -to sea once more, they passed the headland of “Sanderson, his hope,” the -21st of July, anchoring off Upernavik the following morning. - -Pushing boldly through the middle ice, the passage through Melville Bay -was safely accomplished and the North Water reached without incident. -Arriving off the Gary Islands on the morning of the 27th, a cache of -provisions was landed sufficient to sustain sixty men for two months. -Other depots were cached at Cape Hawkes and Cape Lincoln. By the 28th -of July both ships came to anchor at Port Foulke, the winter quarters -of Dr. Hayes in 1860. An excursion from this point was taken by Captain -Nares and Commander Markham to Life-boat Cove, the winter quarters of the -remnant of the _Polaris_ crew in 1872-1873. Traces of that expedition -were immediately found upon landing; various relics such as a trunk, an -old basket lined with tin, boxes, stores, pieces of wood, gun-barrels, -and odds and ends lay strewn about. A collection was made of such -articles as were of any value for the purpose of returning them to the -United States. Nares and Markham now proceeded to Littleton Island in the -hopes of finding an iron boat left there by Dr. Hayes in 1860. Though a -careful search was made, no traces of it were discovered. - -After erecting a cairn at the southwest end of the island on a hill some -five or six hundred feet above sea level, from which point Cape Sabine -and Cape Fraser could be seen, the intervening distance navigable open -water, Captain Nares and Commander Markham congratulated themselves on -the prospect of rapid progress. - -A few hours after the return to the ship the favourable conditions -suddenly changed, and from that time on the two ships battled with the -ice-pack. Hugging the west shore, and keeping free from the main pack -after leaving Cape Sabine, Captain Nares hardly left the crow’s-nest in -his heroic efforts to take advantage of every lead and opening. - -“Little rest was enjoyed by any on these days during which we were -subjected to the wayward will of the pack,” writes Commander Markham. On -the 19th of August, he says, “During the last three weeks we had advanced -exactly ninety miles, or at the rate of about four and a quarter a day. -This cannot be considered a rapid rate of travelling, yet to accomplish -even this necessitated a constant and vigilant lookout.” - -Pushing their way steadily onward, they passed Cape Lieber and crossed -Lady Franklin Bay. On the 25th of August, while threading among the -ice-floes that bordered the coast, a herd of musk-oxen were seen browsing -on an adjacent hill. A shooting party was sent ashore, which separated -into three parties upon landing and advanced cautiously toward the spot -where the animals were seen grazing. So successful was the hunt that -twenty-one hundred and twenty-four pounds of fresh meat was the result of -the “morning’s bag.” - -The harbour in which the ships were anchored possessed all the necessary -qualifications for comfortable winter quarters, so that Captain Nares -decided to leave the _Discovery_ and proceed with the _Alert_. Everything -having been satisfactorily arranged, the _Alert_ steamed away from -Discovery Harbor on the morning of the 26th, pushing her cautious way -along the west shore of Kennedy Channel. “September 1st (1875),” writes -Commander Markham, “must always be regarded at least by all those -connected with, or interested in, Arctic research, as a red letter day -in the annals of naval enterprise, and indeed in English history, for on -this day a British man-of-war reached a higher northern latitude than had -ever yet been reached by any ship (82° 25´ N., 62° W.), and we had the -extreme gratification of hoisting the colours at noon to celebrate the -event.” - -After rounding Cape Union, the coast trended away to the westward of -north, further advance became impossible, and the _Alert_ found herself -on the bleak shores of the Polar Ocean. A more desolate position in which -to pass the winter could hardly be imagined. - -“Without a harbour,” writes Markham, “or projecting headland of any -description to protect our good ship from the furious gusts that we must -naturally expect, the _Alert_ lay, apparently, in a vast frozen ocean, -having land on one side, but bounded on the other by the chaotic and -illimitable polar pack.” - -After a preliminary sledge journey to ascertain if a more sheltered -harbour might be sought, it was decided to winter in their present -position. Preparations were immediately made to secure the ship to -“Floe-berg Beach,” and plans were laid out for autumn sledge journeys -to deposit caches of provisions for the following spring. On the 11th -of September, Markham, Parr, and Egerton, accompanied by eighteen men, -made a journey northward along the proposed route of exploration, for -the purpose of advancing two boats to be used during future sledging -operations. On September 25, Commander Markham, with Lieutenants Parr -and May, assisted by members of the crew, set out upon another journey; -they reached, October 4, 82° 50´ N., off Cape Joseph Henry, and a depot -was established. The return journey became most irksome and laborious. -The snow had accumulated to such a depth as to render some of the ravines -and promontories almost impassable. A sudden fall in temperature produced -severe frost-bites. On the 14th of October, in a temperature of 25° below -zero, the exhausted party reached the ship. - -Preparations for the winter having been finished and the sledging parties -all having returned, there was little left to do but await the coming of -the sun, which was absent one hundred and forty-five days, during which -officers and crew united in keeping up cheerful spirits and good health -by the usual exercise, amusements, and routine of daily duties. - -Early in March, 1876, an attempt was made to communicate with the -_Discovery_. Lieutenants Egerton and Rawson were selected for this -journey and were accompanied by Petersen, the Danish interpreter and -sledge-driver. On the 12th of March, in a temperature of 30° below zero, -the party left the _Alert_, carrying messages, letters, and instructions -to those aboard the sister ship. The temperature fell very low soon after -their departure, and on the third day they unexpectedly returned with the -poor Dane utterly prostrate and helpless on the sledge. - -“I cannot do better than relate the sad story in Lieutenant Egerton’s own -words,” writes Markham. “We read in his official report, that not five -hours after they had left the ship ‘frost-bites became so numerous, that -I thought it advisable to encamp.’ This was only the beginning of the -story, for they appear to have passed a comparatively comfortable night. -At any rate they were up early the next morning and again under weigh; -at about one o’clock, when they halted for lunch, Petersen complained of -cramp in his stomach, and was given some hot tea. He had no appetite, -which perhaps was as well, for we read of the bacon, which is always used -for lunch: ‘We were unable to eat it, being frozen so hard that we could -not get our teeth through the lean.’ They still continued their journey, -encountering some very rough travelling, which necessitated severe -physical labour on the part of the two officers. ‘The dogs were of little -or no use in getting across these slopes, as it was impossible to get -them to go up the cliff, and Petersen being unable to work, Lieutenant -Rawson and I had to get the sledge along as best we could.’ Towards the -end of the day we read: ‘Petersen began to get rather worse, and was -shivering all over, his nose being constantly frost-bitten, and at times -taking five or ten minutes before the circulation could be thoroughly -restored. Lieutenant Rawson had several small frost-bites, and I escaped -with only one.’ - -[Illustration: THE CREW OF THE “VEGA” - -_From “The Voyage of the Vega,” Macmillan & Co., Ltd., London_] - -“On halting for the night,” continues Markham, “directly the tent was -pitched, they sent Petersen inside with strict injunctions to shift his -foot gear and get into his sleeping bag, whilst they busied themselves in -preparing supper and attending, to the dogs; but when they entered the -tent they found ‘that he had turned in without shifting his foot gear, -was groaning a good deal, and complaining of cramp in the stomach and -legs.’ - -“Having made him change, they gave him some tea, and then administered -a few drops of sal volatile, which appeared to give the poor fellow a -little ease. The next morning, the wind was so high and their patient in -such a weak state that they did not think it prudent to attempt a start. -He had passed a very restless night, and still complained very much of -cramp. Later in the day he appeared to get worse, ‘shaking and shivering -all over and breathing in short gasps. His face, hands, and feet were all -frost-bitten, the latter severely, and he had pains in his side as well.’ - -“After restoring the circulation they rubbed him with warm flannels and -placed one of their comforters round his stomach. In such a wretched -state was the poor fellow that they agreed it would endanger his life if -they proceeded on their journey, and that when the weather moderated, the -only course they could pursue was to return with all haste to their ship. - -“As it was impossible to keep their patient warm in the tent, these two -young officers burrowed a hole in a snow-drift, and into this cavity they -transported the sick man, themselves, and all their tent robes, closing -the aperture by placing over it the tent and sledge. They deprived -themselves of their own clothing for the benefit of the invalid, whose -frozen feet they actually placed inside their clothes in direct contact -with their bodies, until their own heat was extracted and they were -themselves severely frost-bitten in various parts. The poor fellow was -now in a very low state; he could retain neither food nor liquid. About -6 P.M. he was very bad; this time worse than before. There appeared -to be no heat in him of any kind whatever, and he had acute pains in -the stomach and back. ‘We chafed him on the stomach, hands, face, and -feet, and when he got better wrapped him up in everything warm we could -lay our hands upon,’ namely their own clothing, which they could ill -afford to lose; but they entirely forgot their own condition in their -endeavours to ameliorate that of their comrade. Lighting their spirit -lamp and carefully closing every crevice by which the cold air could -enter, they succeeded in raising the temperature of the interior to 7°; -but ‘the atmosphere in the hut became somewhat thick.’ This was, however, -preferable to the intense cold. Let us follow the story out, and learn -how nobly these two officers tended their sick and suffering companion. -‘We were constantly asking if he was warm in his feet and hands to which -he replied in the affirmative; but before making him comfortable’ (fancy -being _comfortable_ under such circumstances) ‘for the night, we examined -his feet, and found them both perfectly gelid and hard from the toes to -the ankle, his hands nearly as bad. So each taking a foot we set to work -to warm them with our hands and flannels, as each hand and flannel got -cold _warming them about our persons_, and also lit up the spirit lamp. -In about two hours we got his feet to, and put them in warm foot gear, -cut his bag down to allow him more room to move in, and then wrapped him -up in the spare coverlet. His hands we also brought round and bound them -up in flannel wrappers, with mitts over all. Gave him some warm tea and -a little rum and water, which he threw up. Shortly after I found him -eating snow, which we had strictly forbidden once or twice before. In -endeavouring to do this again during the night, he dragged his feet out -of the covering; but only a few minutes could have elapsed before this -was detected by Lieutenant Rawson, who, upon examining his feet found -them in much the same state as before. We rubbed and chafed them again -for over an hour, and when circulation was restored wrapped him up again, -and so passed the third night.’ - -[Sidenote: _RETURN TO THE SHIP_] - -“On the following morning Petersen appeared to be slightly better, so -thinking it was preferable to run the risk of taking him back as he was, -rather than to pass another such night as the last, they put him on -the sledge; and, having hurriedly eaten their breakfast, they started -for the ship with all despatch. They had a rough journey before them -of eighteen miles; but they knew it was a case of life and death, and -they encouraged the dogs to their utmost speed. The dogs, being homeward -bound, were willing enough and needed little persuasion, so that, for a -time, they rattled along at a good pace. But actual progress could not -have been very rapid, for we read in Egerton’s report that the patient’s -‘circulation was so feeble that his face and hands were constantly -frost-bitten, entailing frequent stoppages whilst we endeavoured to -restore the affected parts.’ The difficulties of the homeward journey -may be gathered from the following extracts: ‘On arriving at the Black -Cape we had to take the patient off the sledge, and while one assisted -him round, the other kept the dogs back, for by this time they knew they -were homeward bound, and required no small amount of trouble to hold in. -After getting the sledge round and restoring Petersen’s hands and nose -(which were almost as bad again a few minutes after), and securing him -on the sledge, we again set off. At the cape the same difficulties were -experienced, in fact, rather more, for the sledge took a charge down a -“ditch,” about twenty-five feet deep, turning right over three times -in its descent, and out of which we had to drag it, and while clearing -harness (which employed us both, one to stand in front of the dogs with -the whip, while the other cleared the lines), the dogs made a sudden bolt -past Lieutenant Rawson, who was in front with the whip, and dragged me -more than a hundred yards before we could stop them. At length, after -the usual process with Petersen (that of thawing his hands and nose, -which we did every time we cleared harness, or it was actually necessary -to stop), we got away, thankful that our troubles were over. The dogs -got their harness into a dreadful entanglement in their excitement to -get home, but we were afraid to clear them lest they should break away -from us, or cause us any delay, as we were both naturally anxious to -return with the utmost speed to the ship, and so relieve ourselves of the -serious responsibility occasioned by the very precarious state in which -our patient was lying. Upon arriving alongside at 6:30 P.M., we were very -thankful that Petersen was able to answer us when we informed him he was -at home.’ - -“In conclusion Lieutenant Egerton says:— - -“‘I regret exceedingly that I have been compelled to return to the ship -without having accomplished my journey to H. M. S. _Discovery_; but I -trust that what I have done will meet with your approval, and that the -course I adopted may be the means of having lessened the very serious and -distressing condition of Petersen.’” - -Poor Petersen never recovered from the effects of his terrible -experience. He gradually sank and died peacefully, on the 14th of May. - -The work of these two brave young officers on this occasion stands out -conspicuously amongst the many deeds of daring and devotion with which -the annals of Arctic adventure abound. Five days after their return to -the ship (20th of March) the same two officers, accompanied by a couple -of sailors and a sledge drawn by seven dogs, started once more for the -_Discovery_. After five days of a toilsome journey rendered all the more -severe by intense cold, they reached the ship and were warmly welcomed by -her officers and crew. - -[Illustration: DISCO ISLAND] - -The serious sledging work of the expedition was undertaken as early -in the season as April 3, in a temperature of 33° below zero. Seven -sledges under the command of Markham and Aldrich and manned by a force of -fifty-three officers and men started on that day for the long-cherished -object of reaching the Pole and of exploring the northern shores of -Grinnell Land. “On the second day out,” writes Markham, “the temperature -fell to 45° below zero, or 77° below freezing point. The cold then was so -intense as to deprive us of sleep, the temperature inside the tent being -as low as -25°, the whole period of resting being occupied in attempting -to keep the blood in circulation. Several frost-bites were sustained, but -they were all attended to in time, and resulted in nothing worse than -severe and very uncomfortable blisters.” - -By the 10th of April the depot of provisions established near Cape -Joseph Henry during the autumn was found undisturbed. At this point the -supporting sledges returned to the ship and the two divisions separated -and advanced on their solitary missions. The northern division under -Markham, with two heavily laden sledges and seventeen men, leaving land -pushed straight out into the rugged polar pack. Handicapped by the -two boats which they carried, and in dread of an open polar sea, they -advanced, after abandoning one of the boats, seventy-three miles, but the -advance being made with divided loads, more than two hundred seventy-six -miles was actually covered. Reaching the farthest north up to that time, -83° 20´ N., 64° W., May 12, 1876, the depleted condition of the party and -the rugged conditions of the ice-floes, forced the gallant Markham to -retreat. - -“It is unnecessary to describe,” writes Markham, “the incidents that -occurred on each successive day during the return journey. Snow fell -heavily, during the greater part of the return journey, and fogs were -very prevalent. Gales of wind had to be endured, for to halt was out of -the question—rest there was none—onward was the order of the day. As -the disease gradually assumed the mastery over the party, so did the -appetites decrease, and in a very alarming manner, until it was with the -greatest difficulty that anybody could be induced to eat at all. Instead -of each man disposing of one pound of pemmican a day, the same quantity -sufficed for the entire party in one tent; and even this, occasionally, -was not consumed. Nor was the subject of eating and drinking so often -discussed. During the outward journey, beefsteaks and onions, mutton -chops and new potatoes, and Bass’s beer, formed the chief topics of -conversation. On the return journey they were scarcely alluded to. Hunger -was never felt; but we were all assailed by an intolerable thirst, which -could only be appeased at meal times, or after the temperature was -sufficiently high to admit of quenching our thirst by putting icicles -into our mouths.” - -On the 27th of May the condition of the party was so critical that it -became evident that to insure their reaching the ship alive the sledges -must be considerably lightened. Five men were utterly unable to move, -and were consequently carried on the sledges, five more were almost as -helpless, but insisted on hobbling after the sledges. Three others were -showing decided scorbutic symptoms, leaving only two officers and two -men, who could be considered effective. - -Terra firma was reached on May 5, but the party were in such a deplorable -condition that though only forty miles remained between them and the ship -their progress was so slow that it would take them fully three weeks to -cover the distance, and by that time who would be left alive? Assistance -had, therefore, to be obtained. - -“To procure it,” writes Commander Markham, “one amongst us was ready and -willing to set out on this lonely and solitary mission with the firm -reliance of being able to accomplish what he had undertaken, and with -the knowledge that he possessed the full confidence of those for whose -relief he was about to start on a long and hazardous walk. On the 7th -of June, Lieutenant Parr started on his arduous march to the ship. Deep -and heartfelt were the God-speeds uttered as he took his departure, and -anxiously was his retreating form watched until it was gradually lost to -sight amidst the interminable hummocks.” - -The following day one of their number died, and was buried near by. The -saddened and suffering party now left this desolate spot and made an -attempt to push on toward the ship. - -“On the morning of the 9th,” writes Markham, “a rainbow was seen, which, -being an unusual sight, afforded much interest. On the same day, shortly -after the march had been commenced, a moving object was suddenly seen -amidst the hummocks to the southward. At first it was regarded as an -optical illusion, for we could scarcely realize the fact that it could -be anybody from the _Alert_. With what intense anxiety this object was -regarded is beyond description. Gradually emerging from the hummocks, a -hearty cheer put an end to the suspense that was almost agonizing, as a -dog-sledge with three men was seen to be approaching. A cheer in return -was attempted, but so full were our hearts that it resembled more a wail -than a cheer. It is impossible to describe our feelings as May and Moss -came up, and we received from them a warm and hearty welcome. We felt -that we were saved, and a feeling of thankfulness and gratitude was -uppermost in our minds, as we shook the hands of those who had hurried -out to our relief the moment that Parr had conveyed to them intelligence -of our distress. Those who a few short moments before were in the lowest -depths of despondency appeared now in the most exuberant spirits. Pain -was disregarded and hardships were forgotten as numerous and varied -questions were asked and answered. - -“We heard with delight that they were only the vanguard of a larger -party, headed by Captain Nares himself, that was coming out to our -relief, and which we should probably meet on the following day. A halt -was immediately ordered, cooking utensils lighted up, ice made into -water, and we were soon all enjoying a good pannikin full of lime-juice, -with the prospect of mutton for supper!” - -On the 14th of June, after seventy-two days of travel and hardship, -Commander Markham’s party reached the _Alert_. Out of fifteen men, one -had gone to his long home, eleven others were carried alongside the ship -on sledges, the remaining three barely able to hobble aboard. - -“A more thorough break-up of a healthy and strong body of men it would be -difficult to conceive,” comments Markham. “Not only had the men engaged -in the extended party under my command been attacked with scurvy, but -also those who had been absent from the ship only for short periods, -and some who may be said never to have left the ship at all, or if they -did, only for two or three days! The seeds must have been sown during -the time, nearly five months, that the sun was absent, and we were in -darkness.” - -The serious condition of the crew of the _Alert_ determined Captain Nares -to publicly announce on the 16th of June that immediately upon the return -of the other sledge parties he would rejoin the _Discovery_, transfer all -the invalids, and send the ship home. The _Alert_ would remain a second -winter at Port Foulke, and in the spring sledge parties would endeavour -to explore Hayes Sound and the adjacent lands, after which the _Alert_ -would return to England. This cheerful news did much to restore the -invalids to convalescence, and immediately a change for the better was -noticed among all hands. - -Considerable anxiety was felt, however, for Lieutenant Aldrich’s party. -Although his route was along the coast-line, and it was hoped that -a supply of hares, geese, and perhaps musk-oxen might occasionally -be secured, every one knew that his supply of provisions was all but -exhausted, and for the purpose of his relief a party of three men under -Lieutenant May left the ship June 18. - -The intervening time until Sunday, June 25, was one of great concern to -all on board; on that day the wanderers were seen struggling through the -hummocks some six or seven miles off. A relief party immediately left -the ship and brought the men on board. All but two were suffering from -scurvy. Only Lieutenant Aldrich and two men were able to walk alongside -the ship, and one of these was in a critical condition for many weeks -after. They had been absent from the ship eighty-four days, having -explored two hundred twenty miles of new coast. Passing Cape Columbia, -83° 07´ N., Lieutenant Aldrich reached his farthest point on the 18th of -May, 1876, in 82° 16´ N., 86° W., at Cape Alfred Ernst. - -It now became the arduous work of the few members of the ship’s company -who were in good health to minister to the numerous invalids, prepare the -ship for leaving winter quarters as soon as the ice would permit, and -make hunting trips in search of fresh meat, so essential to the cure of -scurvy patients. - -On the 31st of July, a fresh southwesterly wind had blown the pack off -the shore, a clear channel of open water to the southward was hailed with -delight, the throbbing of the engines told the men that liberation was at -hand, and the _Alert_ bade farewell to her northern home. Progress was -slow, and threatened “nips” in the short journey to the _Discovery_ tried -the patience of the crew, but on August 5, while yet twenty miles distant -from the sister ship, Rawson and two of the men of the _Discovery_ came -on board. - -“We were, of course, delighted to see them and to hear news of our -consort,” writes Commander Markham. “From them we learnt that poor -Egerton had lost his way, and did not arrive on board their ship until -after he had been wandering about for eighteen hours! The news from the -_Discovery_ was what we feared. Notwithstanding the large amount of -musk-ox flesh procured by them during the autumn and following summer, -scurvy had attacked her crew in almost the same virulent manner as it had -ours. The return journeys of some of their sledge parties were simply -a repetition of our own. Beaumont’s division—the one exploring the -northwestern coast of Greenland—had suffered very severely, and we heard -with extreme regret that two of his small party had succumbed to this -terrible disease. The rest of his men, with himself and Dr. Coppinger, -had not yet returned to the _Discovery_, having remained in Polaris Bay -to recruit their healths. This was, indeed, a bitter ending to our spring -campaign, on which we had all set out so full of enthusiasm and hope. It -had the effect, however, of confirming Captain Nares in his resolution to -proceed to England.” - -The excellent work done by the sledging parties from the _Discovery_ may -be summed up as follows: Lieutenant Archer had made a thorough survey of -Archer Fiord; Dr. Coppinger had visited Petermann Fiord, and Lieutenant -L. A. Beaumont made extensive explorations of the Greenland coast. He -had travelled to Repulse Harbour, following the coast to Cape Bryant, -pushing his way across Sherard Osborn Fiord, he had left all but one -man to recuperate and travelled with his single companion as far on the -eastern shore as 82° 20´ N., 51° W., which he reached May 20, 1876. The -return journey was a fight for life against the encroachments of scurvy; -a relief party under Lieutenant Rawson and Dr. Coppinger saved the party, -but two men died at Hall’s old quarters at Thank God Harbor. - -The two ships now fought the good fight against the ice on their homeward -journey, boring, charging, and towing as occasion required. “It was -with no small amount of thankfulness,” writes Markham, “that on the 9th -of September we emerged from the cold grim clutches that seemed only too -ready to detain us for another winter in the realms of the Ice King, -and that we felt our ship rise and fall once more on the bosom of an -undoubted ocean swell.” - -[Sidenote: _TWO VOYAGES OF THE “PANDORA”_] - -On the 29th of October, 1876, the two ships reached Queenstown, having -passed the _Pandora_ in mid-ocean. The two voyages of this gallant little -ship will now be taken up. - -“The objects of the first voyage of the _Pandora_ in 1875,” writes Sir -Allen Young, “were to visit the western coast of Greenland, thence to -proceed through Baffin Sea, Lancaster Sound, and Barrow Strait, towards -the Magnetic Pole, and if practicable to navigate through the Northwest -Passage to the Pacific Ocean in one season. As, in following this -route, the _Pandora_ would pass King William Island, it was proposed, -if successful in reaching that locality, in the summer season when the -snow was off the land, to make a search for further records and for the -journals of the ships _Erebus_ and _Terror_.” - -The _Pandora_ was rigged as a barkentine, and carried eight boats, -including a steam cutter and three whale-boats. Her officers and crew -numbered thirty-one men, with Captain Young in command. The expenses -of the expedition, and the purchase and equipment of the _Pandora_, -were undertaken by Sir Allen Young, assisted by contributions from Lady -Franklin and Mr. James Gordon Bennett, who was second in command. - -On the 27th of June, 1875, the _Pandora_ sailed from Plymouth, and by -July 19, stood in latitude 58° 58´ N., longitude 31° 33´ W.; by the 28th -of July the first icebergs were encountered. The following day they saw -the first Spitzbergen ice. At noon the same day the land about Cape -Desolation could be plainly seen whenever the fog lifted. - -Soon after they stood off the entrance of Arsuk Fiord; this coast is the -_West Bygd_ of the ancient Norse colonizers of Greenland, and near Arsuk -was the old Norse church of Steinnals. “The whole coast,” writes Captain -Young, “from S. E. to N. N. E. stood before us like a panorama, and the -sea so calm, and everything so still and peaceful, excepting now and then -the rumbling of an overturning berg, or the distant echo of the floes -as they pressed together to seaward of us, that it almost seemed like a -transition to some other world.” - -At Irigtut, where the _Pandora_ put in to coal, Captain Young had the -pleasure of visiting his old ship, the _Fox_. At Irigtut also are located -the famous cryolite mines, discovered by the Danish missionaries who -first sent specimens to Copenhagen as ethnographical curiosities. The -cryolite is found near the shore, resting immediately upon gneiss. The -purest is of snow-white colour, the grayish white variety being second in -quality. It much resembles ice which has been curved and grooved by the -action of the sun’s rays; its component parts are double hydrofluate of -soda and alumina. It melts like ice in the flame of a candle, and it is -used principally for making soda, also for preparing aluminum. - -The _Pandora_ was highly favoured by the singularly open condition of -Melville Bay; bergs proved plentiful, but no dreaded ice-floe impeded -her progress. A change in the ice conditions was first noticeable while -off the Gary Islands. And upon leaving the islands and proceeding toward -Lancaster Sound, the _Pandora_ fell in with the ice the 20th of August -while lying about thirty miles east of Cape Horsburgh. - -“Three bears being seen on the ice,” writes Captain Young, “I went away -in the second cutter with Pirie and Beynen, and after shooting the old -she-bear and one cub we succeeded in getting a rope around the larger -cub and towing him to the ship. Now began a most lively scene. The -bear was almost full grown, and it was with some difficulty we got him -on board and tied down the ring-bolts with his hind legs secured; and -notwithstanding this rough treatment he showed most wonderful energy in -trying to attack any one who came within reach, and especially our dogs, -who seemed to delight in trying his temper. He was at last secured on -the quarter deck with a chain round his neck and under his fore arms, -and soon began to feed ravenously on—I am sorry to have to write it—his -own mother, who was speedily cut up and pieces of her flesh thrown to my -new shipmate. I hope that he was only an adopted child, and the great -difference between him and the other cub warranted this supposition, as, -being three times the size of the other, he could not have been of the -same litter.” A few days later we read, “Our new shipmate, the bear, made -desperate struggles to get over the rail into the sea, but the chain was -tightened, and at last he went to sleep.” - -On the 23d of August, a barrier of ice across Lancaster Sound obliged -Captain Young to retrace his steps. Snow, sleet, and wind prevailed as -they scudded onward, an ice blink frequently ahead; then the inevitable -floe in streams and loose pieces, with the sea dashing over them as they -flew between. - -“While we were in this situation,” Captain Young observes, “our bear -gradually worked himself into a state of frantic excitement—getting up -to the rail,—watching the floe-ice rapidly dashing past our side—and -in his attempts to get over the bulwarks, he released his chain until -it was evident that in a few moments he would be free, whether to dive -overboard or to run amuck among the watch appeared a question of doubt. -The alarm being given by Pirie, who was writing up the deck log, the -watch was called to secure the bear, and I fear that during the half -hour which elapsed the ship was left, more or less, to take care of -herself. The whole watch, besides Pirie with a revolver and myself with -a crowbar, assaulted the unfortunate Bruin, whose frantic struggles and -endeavours to attack every one within reach were quite as much as we -could control. He was loose, but by a fortunate event a running noose -was passed round his neck, and the poor brute was hauled down to a -ring-bolt until we could secure the chain round his neck and body. I had -hitherto no conception of the strength of these animals, and especially -of the power of their jaws. Fearing that the iron crowbar might injure -his teeth, I jammed a mop handle into his mouth while the others were -securing his chain, and he bit it completely through. At last Bruin gave -in, and beyond an occasional struggle to get loose, and a constant low -growling, he gave us no further trouble. I ought to mention that in the -midst of the scrimmage the Doctor was called up to give him a dose of -opium, in the hope of subduing him by this means; but having succeeded -in getting him to swallow a piece of blubber saturated with chloroform -and opium sufficient to kill a dozen men, our Bruin did not appear to -have experienced the slightest effect, and the Doctor, who volunteered -to remain up, and expressed some anxiety as to the bear’s fate, retired -below somewhat disappointed.” - -Making Barrow Strait for the purpose of reaching Beechey Island, the -_Pandora_ pursued her course, in fog and snow; Beechey Island was reached -on the 25th. Going on shore, Captain Young and two officers inspected -the state of provisions and boats at Northumberland House. It will be -remembered that Northumberland House was built by Commander Pullen of the -_North Star_, which wintered there in 1852-1853 and 1853-1854, as a depot -for Sir Edward Belcher’s expedition. The house was built in the fall of -1852, of the lower masts and spars from the American whaler _McLellan_, -which had been crushed in the ice in Melville Bay in 1852. - -Captain Young found that the house had been stove in at the door and -sides, by the wind and by bears, and almost everything light and -movable had been blown out or dragged out by the bears, which had also -torn up all the tops of the bales, and scattered the contents in all -directions. The house was nearly full of ice and snow frozen so hard as -to necessitate the use of pick-axe and crowbar before anything could be -moved. Tea-chests and beef casks had been broken open and the contents -scattered or devoured. The place presented a scene of ruin and confusion, -although there were no traces of the place having been visited by human -beings since the departure of Sir Leopold M’Clintock in the _Fox_, the -14th of August, 1853. - -A cask of rum had remained intact, “a conclusive proof to my mind,” -writes Captain Young, “that neither Eskimo nor British sailor had entered -that way.” The boats, however, were found in good condition, and had -escaped the ravages of time and wild animals. - -Weighing anchor the _Pandora_ stood to the southward for Peel Strait. -Captain Young visited a cairn in which a record had been placed by -Captain James C. Ross, 7th of June, 1849. - -An attempt was made to push through to Bellot Strait, but the fast -closing in of the ice determined Captain Young to retreat and abandon his -cherished hope of making the Northwest Passage this year. A race with the -ice to Cape Rennell and a second visit to the Cary Islands resulted in -finding a record left there by the _Alert_ and _Discovery_, which brought -glad tidings to friends at home. By the 11th of September, the _Pandora_ -sighted Cape Dudley Digges, about ten miles distant, “the wind freshening -to a gale, with a high flowing sea, which froze as it lapped our sides.” - -Cape York was passed the next day. A stormy passage continued to harass -them until the 19th, when the _Pandora_ reached the harbour of Godhaven. -After a four days’ stay at Godhaven, she continued in her course; on the -1st of October she stood southward of the cape, steering direct for the -English Channel, and anchored at Spithead, the 16th of October, 1875. - -The _Pandora_ put to sea on her second voyage from the Southampton -Docks, May 17, 1876, for the double purpose of making another attempt -to sail through Peel and Franklin straits, and navigate the coast of -North America to Behring Strait, and to carry out the instructions of -the British Admiralty in an attempt to communicate with the _Alert_ and -_Discovery_, at Littleton Island or Cape Isabella. Proceeding under sail, -she reached Godhaven by the 7th of July. - -Here desolation and gloom seemed to overwhelm the little settlement, -owing to the storehouse having burned and consumed the entire winter’s -production of oil and blubber, some two hundred barrels, as well as all -the store belonging to the United States _Polaris_ expedition. Such a -disaster to the poor Greenlanders was quite as great a catastrophe as the -burning of half of London would be to a Britisher. However, a cordial -welcome awaited Captain Young from the hospitable natives, and, “In -fact,” he writes, “we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in port, and all made -great friends with the Greenlanders. The only drawback was caused by -the quantities of the most venomous mosquitoes I ever saw, and they did -their very best thoroughly to torment us. I never in any climate knew -such a pest as we found these Greenland mosquitoes, for wherever we went, -either on shore or in a boat, and even on board ship, they followed us -persistently, and at whatever hour, night or day, it was always the same. -I was this time more bitten than I ever was before. My head and hands -were completely swollen, and one of my eyes shut up.” - -On the 11th of July, the _Pandora_ steamed out of Godhaven, in the -direction of Waigat, making a brief stop at Njaragsugssuk, and putting -in for coal at Kudliest. By the 16th, she stood off Hare Island, and two -days later was running under canvas towards Upernavik. Leaving on the -19th, the ship proceeded slowly through a dense fog toward Brown Island. -The Duck Islands were passed on the 21st, the fog again made progress -extremely difficult, and the complications of thousands of icebergs, of -every conceivable form and shape, intermingled with the drifting floes of -ice, almost blocked the way to the north. - -The following days were passed in the greatest anxiety by Captain Young. -The _Pandora_ was beset in the ice-pack of Melville Bay, and in spite of -blasting with gunpowder all around her, where the pressure was greatest, -the enormous icebergs driving through towards her position threatened her -destruction at any moment. - -On the 29th of July, a frightful storm disrupted the pack, and, after -twenty-four hours of uncertainty and danger, the _Pandora_ steamed -her way, inch by inch, yard by yard, into the open sea. “Cheers burst -spontaneously from the crew as we launched out into the ocean and made -all sail to a fair wind from the S. W.” - -The “North Water” at last, with the whole season ahead and a straight -course for Cape York and the Cary Islands; a brief stop to examine the -_Pandora’s_ depot of the previous year, and by August 2 the ship was -passing west of Hakluyt Island. A stop was made at Sutherland Island for -the purpose of finding any despatches from Captain Nares that may have -been left there, but only Captain Hartstein’s record was found, left -there August 16, 1855, when he touched at this point in his search for -Dr. Kane. - -At Littleton Island, which was reached August 3, Captain Young was more -successful, and a record written July 28, 1875, and left there by Captain -Nares, gave full information of the British expedition up to that date. -As it was evident that no sledging party had touched at that point in the -spring, Captain Young’s mission was over, and he turned his attention to -the main object of his voyage, that of attempting the Northwest Passage -_via_ Peel Strait, previous to which, however, he made an examination of -the bays and inlets between Littleton Island and Cape Alexander. - -Touching at Cape Isabella, Lieutenants Arbuthnot and Becker landed -and found a second communication from Captain Nares, left there July -29, 1875. Letters for the _Alert_ and _Discovery_ and a record of the -_Pandora’s_ visit were deposited at this point. A second attempt to reach -Cape Isabella for the purpose of a more thorough examination of a cask, -described by the first landing party, and supposed by Captain Young to -contain letters or despatches, resulted in the _Pandora’s_ spending three -weeks in a struggle with the ice for an approach. When Cape Isabella was -finally reached, after days of delay and disappointment, the cask which -had caused so much anxiety and interest was found to be empty. - -So much time had been lost in the disappointing effort to reach Cape -Isabella, that the season was far advanced, and the _Pandora_ found -herself in a most critical position in the ice-pack. To proceed northward -had become out of the question by the 27th of August, and furious storms -literally drove the ship out of Smith Strait to the southward. Captain -Young’s personal disappointment at the turn of affairs was only surpassed -by the disappointment of the crew, who, after the buffeting and danger -of their recent experience, showed an eagerness to risk passing a winter -in some snug harbour. The pack gradually receded as the _Pandora_ made -her way toward Hakluyt Island, and the way was clear for an immediate -return to England. The only important incident of the return voyage was -the meeting with the _Alert_ and _Discovery_ in latitude 54° 38´ N., -longitude 44° 30´ W. The gallant little _Pandora_, continuing in her -course, made Portsmouth harbour on the 3d of November, 1876. - -[Sidenote: _SCHWATKA’S SEARCH FOR FRANKLIN RECORDS_] - -Following in chronological order the interesting voyages of the -_Pandora_, but of a totally different character was the remarkable -land journey of over two thousand eight hundred nineteen geographical -miles by Lieutenant Schwatka, U. S. A., with W. H. Gilder, in the years -of 1878-1879, undertaken for the purpose of discovering the Franklin -records, should they still exist on King William Land, or in the vicinity -of the route taken by the survivors of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_. - -Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka was of Polish descent, American by birth, -and had served with distinction in the Third Cavalry. His daring and -courage led him to a desire for Arctic adventure, and, having secured -leave of absence from the government and the support of the National -Geographic Society, he left New York on the 19th of June, 1878, in the -_Esther_, with four companions, under the following instructions:— - -“Upon your arrival at Repulse Bay, you will prepare for your inland -journey by building your sledges and taking such provisions as are -necessary. As soon as sufficient snow is on the ground, you will start -for King William Land and the Gulf of Boothia. Take daily observations, -and whenever you discover any error in any of the charts, you will -correct the same. Whenever you shall make any new discoveries, you will -mark the same on the charts; and important discoveries I desire to -be named after the Hon. Charles P. Daly and his estimable wife, Mrs. -Maria Daly. Any records you may think necessary for you to leave on the -trip, at such places as you think best, you will mark ‘Esther Franklin -Arctic Search Party, Frederick Schwatka in command; date, longitude, and -latitude; to be directed to the President of the National Geographic -Society, New York, United States of America. Should you be fortunate -in finding the records, remains, or relics of Sir John Franklin or his -unfortunate party, as I have hopes you will, you will keep them in your -or Joe’s control, and the contents thereof shall be kept secret, and -no part thereof destroyed, tampered with, or lost. Should you find the -remains of Sir John Franklin or any of his party, you will take the -same, have them properly taken care of, and bring them with you. The -carpenter of the _Esther_ will, before you start on your sledge journey, -prepare boxes necessary for the care of relics, remains, or records, -should you discover the same. Whatever you may discover or obtain, you -will deliver to Captain Thomas F. Barry, or whoever shall be in command -of the schooner _Esther_ or such vessel as may be despatched for you. -You are now provisioned for eighteen months for twelve men. I shall next -spring send more provisions to you, so that in the event of your trip -being prolonged, you shall not want for any of the necessaries of life. -You will be careful and economical with your provisions, and will not let -anything be wasted or destroyed. Should the expedition for which it is -intended prove a failure, make it a geographical success, as you will be -compelled to travel over a great deal of unexplored country.” - -Winter quarters were established at Camp Daly on the shore ice of Hudson -Bay, and intercourse kept up among the natives of Chesterfield Inlet, for -the purpose of enlisting their support on the sledge journeys planned for -the spring and to secure all available information regarding Sir John -Franklin or his unfortunate crew. - -[Illustration: LIEUTENANT FREDERICK SCHWATKA - -_From a portrait in the possession of A. Operti, Esq._] - -By the 1st of April, the sledge party started on the long march towards -King William Land. Lieutenant Schwatka was accompanied by the original -party of four white men and fourteen Eskimos. The sleds were drawn by -forty-two dogs; the loads aggregated about five thousand pounds on the -day of starting, consisting largely of walrus meat for the dogs, a -liberal equipment of guns, ammunition, and articles of trade, besides the -following list of provisions:— - - lbs. - Hard bread 500 - Pork 200 - Compressed corned beef 200 - Corn starch 80 - Oleomargarine 40 - Cheese 40 - Coffee 40 - Tea 5 - Molasses 20 - -This, it will be seen, was only about one month’s rations for seventeen -people, and was, in fact, nearly exhausted by the time the party reached -King William Land. Dependence was placed on the hunting and abundance -of game; five hundred and twenty-two reindeer, besides musk-oxen, polar -bears, and seals were secured in the course of the entire journey. - -Travelling overland to the Back River, the party experienced all the -fatigues incident to sledge progress, especially the Americans, who, -unaccustomed to long marches, suffered greatly from blistered feet and -muscular soreness. The country seemed alive with game, and on the 11th of -May seven reindeer were killed and on the 13th as many as nine. - -The northern shore of the Back River is bounded by high hills, almost -a mountain range, and inland could be seen rocky hills piled together, -barren and forbidding. About noon on the 14th, the party came upon some -freshly cut blocks of snow turned up on end,—a sure sign of natives -in the vicinity,—and farther on footprints in the snow as well as a -cache of musk-ox meat. Following the tracks after breaking camp the -next day, the party soon reached several igloos, and communication was -immediately established with the inhabitants. The chief spokesman was -an Okjoolik, who with his family comprised all that was left of the -tribe which formerly occupied the western coast of Adelaide Peninsula -and King William Land. From this interesting and important witness much -information about the Franklin party was gained. When quite a little boy -he had seen some white men alive, and from the description it might have -been Lieutenant Back and his party. Years later, he saw a white man dead -in the bunk of a big ship, which was frozen in near an island about five -miles west of Grant Point on Adelaide Peninsula. He and his son had seen -the tracks of white men on the mainland. The natives had boarded the ship -at intervals, and, not knowing how to use the doors, had cut a hole in -the side on a level with the ice and entered for the purpose of stealing -wood and iron. In the following spring, the ship had filled with water -and sunk. There were evidences that people had lived aboard the ship, as -some cans of fresh meat mixed with tallow were found. There were knives, -forks, spoons, pans, cups, and plates aboard, and afterwards a few -articles were found on shore after the vessel had gone down. - -Another native described seeing two boats on the Back River containing -white men, and he also saw a stone monument on Montreal Island containing -a pocket knife, a pair of scissors, and some fish hooks, but no papers of -any description. - -After an encampment of two days and a half, Lieutenant Schwatka continued -his journey accompanied by some of these natives as guides. - -In native encampments beyond Ogle Point and Richardson Point, an old -woman was found who proved an interesting witness; she had been one of -a party who had met some of the survivors of the _Erebus_ and _Terror_ -on Washington Bay. She described seeing ten white men dragging a sledge -with a boat on it. The Innuits encamped near the white men and stayed in -their company about five days. The natives had killed some seals which -they shared with the white men. In return, the old woman’s husband had -been given a knife and other articles now lost. The white men looked very -thin, and their mouths were dry and hard and black. The natives moved on, -but the white men could not keep up with them, and remained behind. The -following spring, the old woman had seen a tent standing on the shore at -the head of Terror Bay. In it were dead bodies, and outside were others -covered with sand. There was no flesh on them,—nothing but bones and -clothes. About the tent were knives, forks, spoons, watches, and many -books, besides clothing and other personal articles. - -Lieutenant Schwatka visited the cairn erected by Captain Hall over the -bones of two of Franklin’s men, near the Pfeffer River; a few relics were -gathered up in the vicinity of Adelaide Peninsula, one a bunk fixture -with the initials “L. F.” in brass tacks upon it. - -Cape Herschel, on King William Island, was reached in June. Lieutenant -Schwatka made a thorough examination of the western shore of the island -as far as Cape Felix. At Cape Jane Franklin, Captain Crozier’s camp was -found, where the entire company of the two abandoned ships had remained -some time; strewn about were many relics of the party and the grave of -Lieutenant Irving. Gilt buttons were found among the rotting cloth and -mould at the bottom of the grave, and upon one of the stones at the foot -of the grave was found a silver medal, two and a half inches in diameter, -with a bas-relief portrait of George IV surrounded by the words— - - Georgius IIII, D. G. Brittanniarum - Rex, 1820 - -and on the reverse a laurel wreath surrounded by - - Second Mathematical Prize, Royal - Naval College - -and inclosing - - Awarded to John Irving, - Midsummer, 1830. - -The remains of Lieutenant Irving were brought home for burial in -Edinburgh. - -The record deposited by M’Clintock on the 3d of June, 1859, was also -found; much of it was illegible, and the cairn in which it had been -deposited had been destroyed by natives. - -The return from King William Land was started September 19. It will be -remembered that for months the party had subsisted entirely on game found -in the locality, that their original supply of provisions had lasted a -little more than thirty days, and that the return was in the face of the -fast approaching winter. Fortunately, reindeer were seen daily in immense -herds. - -“We cut quantities of reindeer tallow with our meat,” remarks Gilder, -“probably about half our daily food. Breakfast is eaten raw and frozen, -but we generally have a warm meal in the evening. Fuel is hard to -obtain, and consists entirely of a vine-like moss called ik-shoot-ik. -Reindeer tallow is also used for a light. A small flat stone serves for -candle-stick, on which a lump of tallow is placed, close to a piece of -fibrous moss called mun-ne, which is used for a wick. The tallow melting -runs down upon the stone and is immediately absorbed by the moss. This -makes a very cheerful and pleasant light, but is most exasperating to a -hungry man, as it smells exactly like frying meat. Eating such quantities -of tallow is a great benefit in this climate, and we can easily see the -effect of it in the comfort with which we meet the cold.” - -Directing his course toward the Great Fish-Back River, Lieutenant -Schwatka began its ascent in November. The cold was intense, from 20° to -70° below zero. - -“We found the travelling on Back’s River much more tedious than we had -anticipated,” writes Gilder, “owing to the bare ice in the vicinity of -the open-water rapids and the intense cold which kept the air filled with -minute particles of ice from the freezing of the steam of the open water.” - -On December 28, 1878, Lieutenant Schwatka decided to abandon travel -on the Great Fish-Back River, owing to the scarcity of game in the -vicinity. The Innuit hunters having reported the land sledging in -good condition toward the southeast,—indeed, much better than upon -the river,—and indications pointing to an abundance of game in that -direction, the party immediately struck out for Depot Island. - -The extreme cold experienced at this period of the journey was trying -beyond expression, and had a serious effect upon man and beast. Even iron -and wood were affected, strong oak and hickory breaking to the touch like -icicles. It was a matter of great difficulty to keep the guns in working -order, and the wary game would hear the sound of the crunching of the -hunters’ tread on the snow at long distances. - -“I have frequently heard,” remarks Gilder, “the crunching of the sled -runners on the brittle snow—a ringing sound like striking bars of steel—a -distance of over two miles.” - -The mean temperature for December was -50.4° Fahrenheit, the lowest -69°; -on January 3 the thermometer fell to the lowest point experienced by -Lieutenant Schwatka’s party, and stood at -70° in the morning and -91° at -five o’clock in the afternoon. The party had long been without the fatty -food so essential to retain bodily warmth in these fearful temperatures, -and the dogs, although fed upon frozen reindeer meat, which, however, has -but little nourishment in it in that state for cold weather, began to -sicken and die. The small amount of blubber now remaining only served for -lighting the igloos at night, and a cooked meal could only be indulged -in on days when the party remained in camp and could gather moss for -fuel. To add to the general misery under which the return journey was -continued, wolves were frequently met with, so ravenous and bold that -they attacked the dogs for the purpose of eating the meat thrown out to -them. On another occasion:— - -“Toolooah was out hunting on the 23d of February,” writes Gilder, “when -a pack of about twenty wolves attacked him. He jumped upon a big rock, -which was soon surrounded, and there he fought the savage beasts off with -the butt of his gun until he got a sure shot, when he killed one, and -while the others fought over and devoured the carcass, he made the best -of the opportunity to get back into camp. It was a most fortunate escape, -as he fully realized.” - -Two days later, the same hunter, while following a reindeer not far -from camp, was surprised to meet another Innuit, whom he found to be an -acquaintance; from this man he learned that Depot Island was about three -days’ journey off. Returning to camp with this happy intelligence, it was -decided to push on and lighten the sledges at the igloo of this native -the following day, and then by forced marches reach Depot Island as soon -as possible. - -The prospect of finding ships in the harbour, with news from home and -friends, did much to revive the hope and spirits of the jaded party, -and when, as they approached their destination, friendly natives were -encountered, their joy and emotion knew no bounds. But though their -reception among the Innuits had been warm and hearty, their joy was -tempered with disappointment to find that the only ship in the bay was -at Marble Island, and that Captain Barry of the _Esther_ had failed to -deposit at Depot Island a thousand pounds of bread and other provisions -belonging to Lieutenant Schwatka upon which he had depended. This -failure to keep a promise resulted in the party of twenty-two hungry -travellers and nineteen starving dogs being forced upon the hospitality -of the natives, and in less than a week famine existed in camp, and the -situation became desperate. Storms had prevented the hunting of walrus -and seal, until the eighth day after their arrival. In the meantime, -Lieutenant Schwatka with two companions had pushed on to Marble Island -for assistance. All they had to eat was a little walrus blubber, and in a -forced march of twenty-four hours they covered seventy-five miles. The -desperate situation in the settlement at Depot Island is described by -Gilder as follows:— - -“People spoke to each other in whispers, and everything was quiet, save -the never-ceasing and piteous cries of the hungry children begging for -food which their parents could not give them. Most of the time I stayed -in bed, trying to keep warm and to avoid exercise that would only make me -all the more hungry.” - -Four days later, the hunters were successful in killing a walrus, and -this timely relief enabled the members of Schwatka’s party to continue -their journey to Marble Island. On the first day out, they met a native -with relief for the camp. On Saturday, March 21, 1880, the ship _George -and Mary_ was reached, where a warm welcome awaited them from Captain -Baker. When freed from the ice in the spring, this ship carried the -explorers back to civilization. - -It will be remembered that, during the entire journey, the reliance for -food for man and beast was solely upon the resources of the country, that -the white men lived exclusively upon the same fare as the Eskimos, and -that the return sledge journey was accomplished during an Arctic winter -acknowledged to be of exceptional severity by the natives. To Lieutenant -Schwatka’s excellent management, and thorough fitness for his position as -commander, was due the success of the expedition. - -“All our movements were conducted in the dull, methodical, business-like -manner of an army on the march,” writes Gilder. “Every contingency was -calculated upon and provided for beforehand, so that personal adventures -were almost unknown or too trivial to mention.” - -The results of this remarkable journey are summed up in a leading English -newspaper published September 25, 1880. - -“Lieutenant Schwatka has now dissolved the last doubts that could have -been felt about the fate of the Franklin expedition. He has traced -the one untraced ship to its grave beyond the ocean, and cleared the -reputation of a harmless people from an undeserved reproach. He has given -to the unburied bones of the crews probably the only safeguard against -desecration by wandering wild beasts and heedless Eskimos, which that -frozen land allowed. He has brought home for reverent sepulture, in a -kindlier soil, the one body which bore transport. Over the rest he has -set up monuments to emphasize the undying memory of their sufferings and -their exploits. He has gathered tokens by which friends and relatives -may identify their dead, and revisit in imagination the spots in which -the ashes lie. Lastly, he has carried home with him material evidence to -complete the annals of Arctic exploration.” - -[Illustration: W. H. GILDER - -_From a portrait in the possession of A. Operti, Esq._] - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - - The _Jeannette_ expedition, 1879-1881.—In command of Captain - George W. De Long.—Leaves San Francisco, touches at Ounalaska, - August 2, reaches Lawrence Bay, East Siberia, August 15.—Last - seen by whale bark _Sea Breeze_ near Herald Island, September - 2.—The _Jeannette_ beset in ice-pack, September 5, never - again released.—Daily routine of officers and crew.—Ship - springs a leak.—A frozen summer.—Sight of new land.—A second - winter in the pack.—The _Jeannette_ crushed.—Abandonment.—The - retreat.—The fate of the three boats.—Death of De Long’s - party.—Melville’s search. - - -The American Arctic expedition of 1879, commanded by Lieutenant George W. -De Long of the United States Navy, was equipped and financed by Mr. James -Gordon Bennett, proprietor of the _New York Herald_. The object of the -expedition was to reach the North Pole by way of Behring Strait. - -[Sidenote: _THE “JEANNETTE” EXPEDITION, 1879-1881_] - -The bark-rigged steam yacht of four hundred twenty tons, _Pandora_, which -had already seen considerable service in Arctic water, was purchased from -Sir Allen Young. By special act of Congress she was allowed to sail under -American colours, be navigated by officers of the United States Navy, and -to change her name from _Pandora_ to _Jeannette_. The _Jeannette_ was -reënforced and refitted for the arduous service expected of her, and her -officers and crew, thirty-three in number, carefully selected for their -especial fitness for the undertaking. - -Among the number, Lieutenant De Long and Lieutenant Chipp, the executive -officer, had seen Arctic service while attached to the U. S. steamer -_Juanita_, which had been sent by the government in search of the -_Polaris_ in 1873; Engineer Melville had been attached to the _Tigress_, -while that ship had been on the same errand, and Seaman Wm. F. C. -Nindemann had sailed on the _Polaris_ and been a member of the ice-drift -party. - -Lieutenant John W. Danenhower, U. S. N., was appointed navigator; Dr. J. -M. Ambler, surgeon; Jerome J. Collins, meteorologist; Raymond L. Newcomb, -naturalist; and William M. Dunbar, ice pilot. - -The _Jeannette_ left San Francisco July 8, and moved slowly toward the -Golden Gate amid the cheers and waving of handkerchiefs from thousands -of spectators on the wharves and on Telegraph Hill. A salute of ten guns -was fired from Fort Point, while a convoy of white-sailed craft of the -San Francisco Yacht Club escorted her out to the broad Pacific. Pursuing -her course, the _Jeannette_ made for Ounalaska, one of the Aleutian -Islands, which she reached August 2. There additional stores were taken -aboard, and four days later she pursued her course, to St. Michaels, -Alaska, where she anchored the 12th of August. Dogs and fur clothing were -purchased, and two Alaskans, Anequin and Alexai, were hired to accompany -the expedition as dog drivers. By the 25th of August, she had reached St. -Lawrence Bay, East Siberia, where Lieutenant De Long learned that a ship -supposed to be the _Vega_ had gone south in June. She then rounded East -Cape and touched at Cape Serdze, from which point Lieutenant De Long sent -his last letter home. - -Captain Barnes of the American whale bark _Sea Breeze_ saw the -_Jeannette_ under full sail and steam, on the 2d of September, 1879, -about fifty miles south of Herald Island; on the 3d of September she was -sighted by Captain Kelley of the bark _Dawn_; and at about the same time -Captain Bauldry of the _Helen Mar_ and several other whalers saw smoke -from the _Jeannette’s_ smoke-stack in range of Herald Island. She was -standing north. These were the last tidings heard of the expedition by -the outside world for over two years. - -On the 5th of September, the _Jeannette_, having boldly entered the ice -in an attempt to push through and winter at Herald Island or Wrangell -Land, was beset and never again left the ice-pack, but drifted at the -mercy of this formidable foe, until she was crushed, and finally sank -many months afterward. - -Hoping against hope that a release would come, first in the fall with -the promise of Indian summer, then in the spring with the breaking up -of the ice-pack, Captain De Long saw the weeks and months glide by, and -followed the complicated drift of the _Jeannette_, as she coquetted with -her jailer, turning and twisting in her course, suffering the constant -pressure of her enemy, that hourly threatened her destruction and -pursuing an uneven drift north and eastward. - -The daily routine during the long imprisonment was practically as -follows:— - - 6 A.M. Call executive officer. - 7 A.M. Call ship’s cook. - 8:30 A.M. Call all hands. - 9 A.M. Breakfast by watches. - 10 A.M. Turn to, clear fire-hole of ice, fill barrels with snow, - clean up decks. - 11 A.M. Clear forecastle. All hands take exercise on the ice. - 11:30 A.M. Inspection by executive officer. - 12 M. Get soundings. - 1 P.M. One watch may go below. - 2 P.M. Fill barrels with snow. Clear fire-hole of ice. - 3 P.M. Dinner by watches. - 4 P.M. Galley fires out. Carpenter and boatswain report - departments to executive officer. - 7:30 P.M. Supper by watches. - 10 P.M. Pipe down. Noise and smoking to cease in forecastle, - and all lights to be put out, except one burner of - bulkhead lantern. Man on watch report to the - executive. - During the night the anchor watch will examine the - fires and lights every half hour, and see that there - is no danger from fire. All buckets will be kept on - the starboard side of the quarter-deck, ready for use - in case of fire. - -This programme was varied only as contingencies arose; by threatening -disaster from ice pressure; by the chase of bears; the capture of walrus -and seals; or by hunting parties who travelled over the ice in search of -game, or took a daily run with the dogs. - -[Sidenote: _CAPTAIN GEORGE W. DE LONG_] - -“Wintering in the pack,” comments De Long, “may be a thrilling thing to -read about alongside a warm fire in a comfortable home, but the actual -thing is sufficient to make any man prematurely old.” - -On January 19, 1880, owing to serious convulsions of the ice, the -_Jeannette_ sprung a leak. The deck pumps were at once rigged and manned, -and steam raised on the port boiler to run the steam pumps. This last -caused great difficulty and delay, owing to the temperature in the -fire-room being -29°, the sea-cocks being frozen, which necessitated -pouring buckets of water through the man-hole plates, before the pumps -could be operated. Through Melville’s indomitable energy, the pumps -were effective by afternoon. Though all hands worked until midnight, -the serious situation was only partially controlled, the men working -knee-deep in ice water, Nindemann standing down in the fore-peak, -stuffing oakum and tallow in every place from which water came. Under -the direction of Lieutenant Chipp, a bulkhead was built forward of the -foremast, which partially confined the water. In the meantime, Melville, -working night and day, rigged an economical pump with the Baxter boiler, -with which the ship was pumped for nearly eighteen months. - -Lieutenant Danenhower, who had been suffering for some time with his -eyes, had become totally incapacitated for service, and on the 22d of -January submitted to an operation performed by Dr. Ambler. Two days -later, De Long comments on the gravity of his own responsibilities:— - -“My anxieties are beginning to crowd on me. A disabled and leaking -ship, a seriously sick officer, and an uneasy and terrible pack, with -constantly diminishing coal pile, and at a distance of 200 miles to the -nearest Siberian settlement—these are enough to think of for a lifetime.” - -The drift of the _Jeannette_ for the first five months had covered -an immense area; she had approached and receded from the one hundred -eightieth meridian, drifting back to within fifty miles from where she -had entered the pack. By the 3d of May, however, fresh southeast winds -began, and the ship took up a rapid and uniform drift to the northwest. -Hope for release, which had been buoyant in May, was deferred until June, -and when that month glided by with no signs of liberation, it passed -to July and gradually faded with the brief passage of a frozen summer. -The _Jeannette_, again uncertain in her drift, added to the general -disappointment of the commander. The ring of despair and realization of -failure are voiced in an entry August 12:— - -“Observations to-day show a drift since the 9th of five and a half miles -to S. 38° E. The irony of fate! How long, O Lord, how long?” - -On September 1, the _Jeannette_ for the first time since her imprisonment -stood on an even keel; but four days later, one year from the time she -flung her fortunes to the enemy, she was again held fast in its frozen -grip. During the month she was put in winter quarters for the second -time. The approach of the long night with its added anxieties brought -little change to the members of the expedition. The question of fuel was -the most serious problem, and the amount used was figured to the most -economical basis. Weary days dragged along without novelty or change. “So -far as I know,” writes De Long in January, 1881, “never has an Arctic -expedition been so unprofitable as this. People beset in the pack before -have always drifted somewhere to some land, but we are drifting about -like modern Flying Dutchmen, never getting anywhere, but always restless -and on the move. Coals are burning up, food being consumed, the pumps are -still going, and thirty-three people are wearing out their hearts and -souls like men doomed to imprisonment for life. If this next summer comes -and goes like the last without any result, what reasonable mind can be -patient in contemplation of the future?” - -Four long weary months were to elapse before a relief came to break -the monotonous situation. On May 16, 1881, the _Jeannette_ stood in -latitude 76° 43´ 20´´ N., longitude 161° 53´ 45´´ E., land was sighted -to the westward, which proved to be an island (later named Jeannette -Island), the first that had greeted the weary eyes of officers and men -since March 24, 1880, when the ship had been in sight of Wrangell Land. -On May 24, a second island was seen. On the 31st, Melville, Dunbar, -Nindemann, and three others started with a dog sledge and provisions, -for an investigation of the newly discovered island. The party landed -on June 3, hoisted the American flag, and formally took possession of -the land in the name of the United States and giving it the name of -Henrietta Island. They built a cairn and deposited a record. The journey -had been fraught with great danger and hardship. “The ice between the -ship and the island had been something frightful,” writes De Long. “After -digging, ferrying and its attendant loading and unloading, arm-breaking -hauls, and panic-stricken dogs made their journey a terribly severe one. -Near the island the ice was all alive, and Melville left his boat and -supplies, and, carrying only a day’s provisions and his instruments, at -the risk of his life went through the terrible mass, actually dragging -the dogs, which from fear refused to follow their human leaders. If this -persistence in landing upon this island, in spite of the superhuman -difficulties he encountered, is not reckoned a brave and meritorious -action, it will not be from any failure on my part to make it known.” - -The approach of spring had revealed to Dr. Ambler a pale and stricken -crew. Danenhower had long been a sufferer; Lieutenant Chipp was ill; -Mr. Collins was recuperating slowly from a severe illness; Alexai, -the Alaskan, was suffering from ulcers, and others of the crew showed -incipient signs of scurvy. - -[Sidenote: _THE “JEANNETTE” SINKS_] - -On the 12th of June, 1881, while in 77° 15´ north latitude, and 155° east -longitude, the _Jeannette_ experienced a final pressure from the ice, -from which she sank within a few hours. As soon as it was realized that -her fate was sealed, orders were issued that all provisions, boats, etc., -should be transported to a safe distance upon the ice; this was done -without confusion or excitement. “When the order was given to abandon the -ship,” writes one of the officers, “her hold was full of water, and as -she was keeling twenty-three degrees to starboard at the time the watch -was on the lower side of the spar deck.” - -The men encamped upon the ice, and by four o’clock on the morning of the -13th, “amid the rattling and banging of her timbers and iron work, the -ship righted and stood almost upright, the floes that had come in and -crushed her slowly backed off, and she sank with slightly accelerated -velocity; the yard arms were stripped and broken upward parallel to the -masts; and so, like a great, gaunt skeleton clapping its hands above its -head, she plunged out of sight. Those of us who saw her go down,” adds -Chief Engineer Melville, “did so with mingled feelings of sadness and -relief. We were now utterly isolated, beyond any rational hope of aid; -with our proper means of escape, to which so many pleasant associations -attached, destroyed before our eyes; and hence it was no wonder we felt -lonely, and in a sense that few can appreciate. But we were satisfied, -since we knew full well that the ship’s usefulness had long ago passed -away, and we could now start at once, the sooner the better, on our long -march to the south.” - -The following week was spent in preparations for the retreat; the route -was laid due south, it being the intention of Captain De Long to make -for the Lena River, after a brief stop at the New Siberian Island. The -day’s march was accomplished under the most trying circumstances, the -lateness of the season and the ruggedness of the ice necessitating -road-making, bridging, and rafting, or dragging the loads through slush -and water that lay knee-deep in the path. The foot-gear of the men became -practically useless as a result of constant wettings, and every device -was resorted to to keep the bare feet from contact with the ice. “A large -number,” writes Melville, “marched with their toes protruding through -their moccasins; some with the ‘uppers’ full of holes, out of which the -water and slush spurted at every step. Yet no one murmured so long as his -feet were clear of ice, and I have here to say that no ship’s company -ever endured such severe toil with such little complaint. Another crew, -perhaps, may be found to do as well; but _better_, never!” - -[Illustration: CAPTAIN G. W. DE LONG - -_From a portrait in the possession of A. Operti, Esq._] - -[Sidenote: _DAILY ROUTINE OF OFFICERS AND CREW_] - -Nine loaded sledges and five boats carrying sixty days’ provisions, had -to be hauled across the moving floes in the course of the day. The road -had to be travelled no less than thirteen times, seven times with loads -and six times empty handed, thus walking twenty-six miles in making -an advance of two. The sick, with the hospital stores and tents, were -under the care of Dr. Ambler. Thus the march over the frozen ocean was -continued for several weeks when, to the consternation and dismay of -Captain De Long, he found upon taking observations, that by the northerly -drift of the pack they were losing ground daily and had drifted some -twenty-four miles to the northwest. This disheartening intelligence -was kept from the men, with the exception of Melville and Dr. Ambler. -Changing their course to south-southwest, the party continued their -slow and wearisome progress until the 11th or 12th of July, when the -mountainous peaks of an island gladdened the eyes of the shipwrecked -crew. Inspired to renewed effort, the men pushed on, finally landed, and -Captain De Long took possession in the name of God and the United States, -naming this new territory Bennett Island. Nine days were spent on this -island, during which the boats were repaired. A cairn was built and a -record left. The final departure from Bennett Island took place August -6. In the meantime, the brief summer had gone; already young ice was -forming, and the streams and rivulets that had gladdened the men’s eyes -upon their arrival had disappeared as the cold grasp of winter prepared -to hold them fast. - -It had been decided by Captain De Long to divide the party into three -sections, and to proceed by boats; to this end Lieutenant Chipp was -assigned to the second cutter in command of nine men; Chief Engineer -Melville to the whale-boat in command of nine men, De Long reserving the -command of the first cutter and twelve men. Instructions to Chipp and -Melville directed that they should keep close to the captain’s boat, but -if through accident they should become separated, to make their way south -to the coast of Siberia and follow it to the Lena River, then ascend the -Lena to a Russian settlement. - -For the next eighteen days, the retreat was made by working through -leads, hauling the boats out, and making portages across floe pieces -that barred their progress; and occasionally as much as ten miles was -made a day to the southwest. Vexatious delays were caused by the fast -approaching winter, and, upon reaching Thadeouiski, one of the New -Siberian Islands, the pinch of diminishing rations began sorely to be -felt. Game, which had been occasionally secured during the early part of -the retreat, had been scarce of late, and the outlook began to take on -the gray aspect of a desperate future. - -[Sidenote: _CHIEF ENGINEER MELVILLE_] - -From now on, the retreat was one long, desperate struggle against famine -and gales and piercing cold. Describing the experiences of September 7, -Melville writes:— - -“Standing to the southward, we shortly came up with a large floe alive -with small running hummocks and stream ice. It was blowing stiffly, -the sea was lumpy, and our boats careering at a lively rate. Pumping -and bailing to keep afloat, we suddenly came unawares upon the weather -side of a great floe piece, over which the sea was breaking so terribly -that for us to come in contact with it meant certain destruction. -It was floating from four to six feet above water, its sides either -perpendicular or undershot by the action of the waves, which dashed -madly over it, the surf flying in the air to a height of twenty feet; -and, where the sea had honeycombed it and eaten holes upward through -its thickness, a thousand waterspouts cast forth spray like a school of -whales. Round about, down sail, and away we pulled for our lives. De -Long, being fifty or a hundred yards in advance of me, and so much nearer -danger, hailed me to take him in tow, which I did, and together we barely -managed to hold our precarious position. The second cutter was away -behind again, but upon coming up seized the whale-boat’s painter; and -so we struggled in line, and at last succeeded in clearing the weather -edge of the floe. It was a long pull and a hard pull. The sea roared and -thundered against the cold, bleak mass of ice, flying away from it like -snowflakes and freezing as it flew; the sailors, blinded by the wind -and spray, pulled manfully at the oars, their bare hands frozen and -bleeding; and the boats tossed capriciously about with the wild waves and -the unequal strain of the tow-line. Drenched to the skin by the cruel icy -seas which poured in and nigh filled the boats, the overtaxed men, as -they faced the dreadful, death-dealing sea and murderous ice-edge, found -new life and strength and performed wonders.... - -“Our boats were well bunched together, and although it was now pitch -dark, we could yet for a while discern each other looming up out of the -black water like spectres, and plunging over the crests of the waves. -Presently the second cutter faded away, but as mine was the fastest boat -of the three, I experienced no difficulty in following De Long. Indeed, -in my anxiety to obey the order ‘Keep within hail,’ I at times barely -escaped running the first cutter down....” - -“Toward midnight,” continues Melville, “we approached the weather edge of -the pack, the roar of the surf reaching our ears long before we could see -the ice. I involuntarily hauled the whale-boat closer on the wind, and -by so doing lost sight of the first cutter, but the terrible noise and -confusion of the sea warned me beyond doubt of the death that lay under -our lee. Presently out of the darkness there appeared the horrid white -wall of ice and foam. Not a second too soon. ‘Ready about, and out with -the two lee oars if she misses stays.’ This, of course, from the heavy -sea, she did; and quick as thought my orders were obeyed. As we turned -slowly round, a wave swept across our starboard quarter filling the boats -to the seats. Ye Gods! what a cold bath! And now we were in the midst -of small streaming ice, broken and triturated into posh by the sea and -grinding floes, and this was hurled back upon us by the reflex water and -eddying current in the rear of the pack, which was rapidly moving before -the wind. With bailers, buckets, and pumps doing their utmost, the two -lee oars brought us around in good time, and we filed away on the other -tack, the waves still leaping playfully in as though to keep us busy and -spice our misery with the zest of danger. - -“When day broke, neither of our companion boats was in sight. The wind -had moderated greatly, and we were now in quiet water among the loose -pack,—perhaps the most miserable looking collection of mortals that ever -crowded shivering together in a heap. We looked, indeed, so utterly -forlorn and wretched that just to revive and thaw, as it were, my drowned -and frozen wits, I burst forth into frenzied song. Of a truth, as we -sat shaking there, our situation was nigh desperate; we were down to an -allowance of a pint of water to each man per day, now that De Long was -separated from us; but upon the suggestion of some one in the boat, I -set up the fire-pot and made hot tea. We were thus breakfasting when the -first cutter hove in view. I at once joined company, and shortly after -the second cutter made her appearance and we were again together. The sea -soon calmed, _les misérables_ thawed out, the morning became as pleasant -as the memorable May mornings at home, and we again were bright and alive -with hope.” - -[Sidenote: _A SECOND WINTER IN THE PACK_] - -The following day, September 12, after a night’s encampment upon a floe, -the party landed in Semenovski, and the hunters had the good fortune to -secure a deer, which provided them for the first time in many months a -full and delicious meal. Cape Barkin, the point of destination, was found -to be only ninety miles distant, and, after a day’s rest and depositing -a record at Semenovski Island, the party embarked once more full of hope -and courage that Cape Barkin might be reached after one more night at sea. - -The three boats sped forward to the southwest in a rising sea, the -gale increased, and the heavy seas grew hourly more formidable and -threatening. De Long and Chipp were experiencing great difficulty in the -management of their overloaded boats. Melville, in his endeavour to obey -the order to keep within hail, was all but swamped by the fury of the -waves as they broke over the whale-boat. - -In an endeavour to answer signals from De Long, Melville shouted down -the wind that he must run or swamp—De Long waved back, motioning him -onward. Melville hoisted sail, shook out one reef, and the whale-boat -shot forward like an arrow. De Long then signalled Chipp; for an instant -the second cutter was seen in the dim twilight to rise on the crest of a -wave, then sink out of sight; once more she appeared; a tremendous sea -broke over her; a man was seen striving to free the sail; she sank again -from view, and, though seas rose and fell, one after another, the second -cutter with all on board was never seen again. - -The whale-boat plunged on at a spanking rate and was soon out of sight of -De Long. The question now was whether she would outlive the gale—and to -insure greater safety Melville ordered a drag anchor to be made of tent -poles weighted with such available material as came to hand. - -What a night, lying anchored at the mercy of the gale, bailing out with -pumps, buckets, and pans the heavy seas as they broke over the boat; -hungry and thirsty men, soaked to the skin with repeated ice-cold baths, -half frozen from exposure to the icy blasts. A little whiskey was all -they had during that fearful night, and in the morning a quarter of a -pound of pemmican served as breakfast to the wretched crew. The gale -still raged about them with unabated fury. But by afternoon it had abated -sufficiently for them to get under way, and the morning of the 14th found -them sailing through young ice, and in shoal waters, which they avoided -by steering to the eastward all day. Short rations of a quarter of a -pound of pemmican three times a day, without water, was all they had, -and another miserable night settled upon the toilers, as they bailed the -water-logged whale-boat, the water turning to slush the minute it was in -the boat. - -The men were now undergoing severe sufferings from thirst. The following -day they were fortunate in reaching one mouth of the Lena River, and, -proceeding up this stream, they disembarked for the first time, after -five days of misery. Taking shelter in a deserted hut, lately vacated -by natives, they thawed their aching bodies around a cheering camp -fire, brewed a pot of tea, and ate of a stew made of a few birds shot -at Semenovski Island. But their swollen limbs, blistered and cracked -hands, gave them excruciating pain, and another sleepless night added to -their misery. Two more toilsome days were spent pulling up the river and -encamping at night under a cold and cheerless sky. - -On the 19th of September, 1881, Melville’s party had the good fortune to -fall in with natives, who treated the forlorn men with great kindness -and generosity, and on the 26th of September they reached the Russian -village of Geemovialocke, where they subsisted until they were able to -communicate with the commandant at Belun. - -Upon the separation of the boats already described, De Long experienced -the same threatened destruction of the first cutter that had caused -Melville so much anxiety in the whale-boat. After three miserable -days and nights of exposure to the merciless seas, he decided to make -a landing by wading ashore September 17, at a point 73° 25´ north -latitude, 26° 30´ east longitude. Owing to the shallow water, it was -found necessary to abandon the boat, and the wretched, enfeebled party, -destitute, save for four days’ scant provisions, began their fatal march -on the inhospitable tundra of northern Siberia, in search of a settlement -ninety-five miles distant. De Long’s record of this weary tramp is one -long agony of a slowly perishing party. Everything was abandoned that -was not absolutely necessary, but in spite of lightened loads, the -half-frozen men limped and hobbled slowly along, falling in their tracks, -the weaker assisted by the stronger, but even then the ground covered -was inconsiderable, so that on September 21, upon reaching some deserted -huts, De Long records:— - -“According to my accounts we are now thirty-seven miles away from the -next station! and eighty-seven from a probable settlement. We have two -days’ rations after to-morrow morning’s breakfast, and we have three -lame men who cannot make more than five or six miles a day; of course, -I cannot leave them, and they certainly cannot keep up with the pace -necessary to take.” - -The hunters were fortunate in securing occasional deer, but the -unfortunate condition of Erickson, whose frozen feet necessitated the -amputation of his toes, retarded their progress, and October came in -cold and blustery to find the miserable party still far away from human -aid. For nine days more they struggled along the barren shores of the -Lena; game failed, and their food was exhausted. Erickson died and was -buried in the river. Nindemann and Noros started on a forced march for -assistance from the nearest settlement at Ku Mark Surka; they carried -their blankets, one rifle, forty rounds of ammunition, and two ounces of -alcohol—but no food! - -On October 10, De Long makes the following entry:— - -“One hundred and twentieth day. Last half ounce alcohol at 5.30; at 6.30 -send Alexey off to look for ptarmigan. Eat deerskin scraps. Yesterday -morning ate my deerskin foot-nips. Light S.S.E. airs. Not very cold. -Under way at eight. In crossing creek three of us got wet. Built fire and -dried out. Ahead again until eleven. Used up. Built fire. Made a drink -out of the tea-leaves from alcohol bottle. On again at noon. Fresh S.S.W. -wind, drifting snow. Very hard going. Lee begging to be left. Some little -beach, and then long stretches of high bank. Ptarmigan tracks plentiful. -Following Nindemann’s tracks. At three halted, used up; crawled into a -hole in the bank, collected wood, and built fire. Alexey away in quest of -game. Nothing for supper except a spoonful of glycerine. All hands weak -and feeble but cheerful—God help us.” - -Three days later there is an entry, “We are in the hands of God, and -unless He intervenes we are lost.” - -On October 16, the faithful hunter, Alexey, broke down, and the next day -he died. On the 21st Kaack was found dead between the captain and Dr. -Ambler, and about noon Lee died, and on October 22 De Long writes:— - -“One hundred and thirty-second day. Too weak to carry the bodies of Lee -and Kaack out on the ice. The doctor, Collins, and I carried them around -the corner out of sight; then my eye closed up.” - -On Monday, October 24, there is the simple entry: “One hundred and -thirty-fourth day. A hard night.” And three days later, “Iversen broken -down,” and the next day, “Iversen died during early morning.” On October -29, “One hundred and thirty-ninth day, Dressler died during night.” On -October 30, Sunday, the last record of the brave De Long was written: -“One hundred and fortieth day. Boyd and Görtz died during night. Mr. -Collins dying.” - -The forced march of Nindemann and Noros is one of the most remarkable -tests of human suffering and endurance in the annals of Arctic history. -It is a record of travelling across the wilderness without food except -as they brought down an occasional ptarmigan and lemming; sighting with -the eyes of starving men a herd of deer which fled before they could -approach sufficiently near to fire at them; struggling through wretched -days to crawl into a snow hole at night, where they lay the night through -wet to the waist, alternately sleeping for five-minute intervals, one -man rousing the other that he might knock his feet together to keep them -from freezing and taking up the march upon the strength of an infusion -of Arctic willow tea and boot-sole. Crossing a couple of streams they -sought shelter from a raging gale in a wretched hut where a refuse pile -of deer bones were burned and eaten. Near another hut was found a little -rotten fish—this eked out with strips cut from seal-skin clothing was all -that stayed the pangs of hunger as they marched on. The 16th of October -found their strength fast waning. Noros was complaining of illness and -spitting blood. Two days later they reached a place set down on later -maps as Bulcour; it consisted of three deserted huts. - -“Near by was a half kayak with something in it. Noros tasted it. It was -blue moulded and tasteless to them, but it was fish, and they took it -with them to the other huts. They found nothing more, and after gathering -some drift-wood they made a fire and tried to find some food in the -mouldy fish.” - -On Friday, October 21, they were too weak to push on, but spent the day -in careful husbanding of their resources. Measuring their fish, they -found that by taking each two tin cupfuls a day they had enough for ten -days. Sewing up the fish in their foot-nips and skull caps, they arranged -straps to these bundles for carrying. - -The next day, while still too weak to proceed, they heard a noise outside -the hut, like a flock of geese sweeping by, and Nindemann, seizing his -gun looked through the crack of the door. Seeing something moving which -he thought were reindeer, Nindemann advanced, when the door suddenly -opened and a man stood on the threshold. Seeing the rifle, the man fell -upon his knees, but when Nindemann reassured him by throwing the weapon -to one side, friendly communication was established between the stranger -and the forlorn men. Sympathizing with their desperate plight, he let -them know by signs that he would return in three or four hours, or days, -they could not tell which. - -About six o’clock the same evening, the stranger, accompanied by two -other natives, returned, bringing with them a frozen fish, which they -skinned and sliced, and while Nindemann and Noros were devouring the -first real food that they had had for many a day, the men brought in -deer-skin coats and boots for them. Assisting them into the sleighs, -they drove off with them along the river to the westward for a distance -of about fifteen miles to where some other natives were located in two -tents. These treated the sailors with great kindness. By signs and -pantomime Noros and Nindemann tried in every possible way to explain -to these natives about De Long and the remainder of the first cutter’s -party, but they failed to understand, and two days later, after reaching -Ku Mark Surka, the same efforts were renewed without success. In despair -of securing assistance, the men implored to be conveyed to Belun, which -they reached October 26. - -[Sidenote: _ABANDONMENT_] - -An interview with the commandant at Belun left the men still uncertain if -they were understood, or the plight of De Long’s forlorn party made clear -to the official, who, however, repeated that he would take a paper to the -“Captain,” who Nindemann supposed to be his superior officer. Sick and -weak from dysentery, scantily clothed, and insufficiently fed, the men -were located in a miserable hut which had been assigned to them, when on -the evening of November 2, 1881, the door opened and a man dressed in fur -entered. As he came forward, Noros exclaimed, “My God! Mr. Melville! Are -you alive? We thought that the whale-boats were all dead!” - -The official, having already knowledge of the safety of the whale-boat’s -party, had immediately communicated with Melville, who in all haste came -to Belun. The whale-boat party were now on their road from Geemovialocke -to Belun. The intrepid Melville was now determined upon an immediate -search for De Long’s party, and to this end hastened back, meeting -Danenhower at Burulak, where he gave him instructions to proceed with -the entire party to Yakutsk, a distance of twelve hundred miles, and to -communicate with the Russian government and the United States minister. - -Melville was by no means recovered from his long exposure, and his frozen -limbs caused him great suffering, but nevertheless he went back over the -track of Nindemann and Noros step by step. On November 10, the natives -who had accompanied him announced they must return as the provisions -were exhausted, but Melville commanded them to go on, declaring they -would eat dog as long as the twenty-two lasted, and when these gave out -he should eat them. Such determination won the day, and they proceeded -to the settlement of North Belun. Here a native brought him one of De -Long’s records, left on the march. From these natives he learned in which -direction the records had been found, and pressing on, in spite of his -frozen feet, which were in such a condition he could no longer wear his -moccasins, he reached, November 13, the hut where De Long’s first record -had been left, a distance from North Belun of thirty-three miles. Could -De Long’s chart but have shown the native settlement of North Belun, the -whole party would doubtless have been saved. - -On November 14 following the northeast bank of the river he came to the -shores of the Arctic Ocean and found the flag-staff where articles from -the first cutter had been cached. Loading his sled with all the articles -found there, including logbook, chronometer and navigation box, he -returned to North Belun. With fresh dog teams he set out again November -17, in an endeavour to find the hut where Erickson died. Fierce storms -and lack of food forced Melville to take refuge in a snow-hole dug about -six feet square and three or four feet deep. - -“The storm continued to blow,” writes Melville, “the whole of that night, -the next day and the next night. It was impossible to move until the -next day morning, when it cleared up a little, but in the mean time, we -had nothing to eat. It was too stormy to make a fire to make tea, and -the venison bones which the natives had dug out were full of maggots. We -chopped this up in little cubes and swallowed it whole, which made me so -sick after it warmed up in my stomach that I vomited it all out again.” - -Melville reached Ku Mark Surka November 24, and at Belun three days -later, after an absence of twenty-three days, in which he travelled no -less than six hundred and sixty-three miles over the tundra of Northern -Siberia in the face of an Arctic winter. Upon reaching Yakutsk December -30, 1881, where Danenhower and his party had preceded him, Melville -retained Nindemann and Bartlett to assist him in the spring search, and -instructed Danenhower to proceed with the other nine men to Irkutsk, -distant over nineteen hundred miles, from thence to America. - -The spring search was made under the following instructions from the Navy -Department at Washington:— - -“Omit no effort, spare no expense in securing safety of men in second -cutter. Let the sick and the frozen of those already rescued have every -attention, and as soon as practicable have them transferred to a milder -climate. Department will supply necessary funds.” - -In the meantime J. P. Jackson, special correspondent of the _New York -Herald_, had arrived at Irkutsk, on his way to the Lena Delta. The Navy -Department detailed L. P. Noros to accompany him. Lieutenant Giles B. -Harber, U. S. N., accompanied by Master W. H. Schuetze, had been sent to -search for Lieutenant Chipp and his party. - -[Sidenote: _MELVILLE’S SEARCH_] - -Melville, with Nindemann and Bartlett as assistants, engaged three -interpreters and reached Belun the second week in February. A month -was spent in collecting dogs and provisions and establishing depots of -supplies at Mat Vai and Kas Karta. On March 16, 1882, accompanied by -Nindemann, Melville proceeded to a place called Usterda, where Captain -De Long had crossed the river to the westward. A search was now made for -the hut where Erickson had died. - -Snow covered the country and effectively obliterated all traces of -previous travellers. Storms forced their return to Kas Karta, and a fresh -start was made. The party divided to insure a more thorough search. - -“We followed the bay,” says Mr. Melville in his narrative, “until late -in the evening, having visited all the headlands; finally we came up to -the large river with the broken ice. I jumped upon the headland or point -of land making down in the bay and found where an immense fire had been -made. The fire bed was probably six feet in diameter, large drift-logs -hove into it, and a large fire made, such as a signal fire. I then hailed -Nindemann and the natives, saying ‘Here they are!’ They thought that I -had found the place where the De Long party had been. Nindemann came upon -the point of land, and said that neither he nor Noros had made a fire of -that kind, only a small fire in the cleft of a bank; but he was sure that -this was the point of land they had turned going to the westward, and -that this was the river along which he and Noros had come....” - -“It is the custom of the people here,” continues Melville, “in making -a search to go facing the river and when they see anything to attract -them, drop off the sled and examine it, or pick it up and go on. In -this manner, about five hundred yards from the point where the fire had -been, I saw the points of four sticks standing up out of the snow about -eighteen inches, and lashed together with a piece of rope. Seeing this, -I dropped off the sled, and going up to the place on the snow bank, I -found a Remington rifle slung across the points of the sticks, and the -muzzle about eight inches out of the snow. The dog-driver, seeing I had -found something, came back with the sled, and I sent him to Nindemann -to tell him to come back, he having gone as far up the river as the -flat-boat. When they returned I started the natives to digging out the -snow-bank underneath the tent-poles. I supposed that the party had got -tired of carrying their books and papers, and had made a deposit of them -at this place, and erected these poles over the papers and books as a -landmark, that they might return and secure them in case they arrived -at a place of safety. Nindemann and I stood around a little while, got -upon the bank, and took a look at the river. Nindemann said he would go -to the northward, and see if he could discover anything of the track and -find the way to Erickson’s hut. I took the compass and proceeded to the -southward to get the bearings of Stolbovoi and Mat Vai, so I might return -there that night in case it came on to blow. - -“In proceeding to a point to set up the compass, I saw a tea-kettle -partially buried in the snow. One of the natives had followed me, and I -pointed out to him the kettle, and advancing to pick it up, I came upon -the bodies of three men, partially buried in the snow, one hand reaching -out with the left arm of the man raised way above the surface of the -snow—his whole left arm. I immediately recognized them as Captain De -Long, Dr. Ambler, and Ah Sam, the cook. The captain and the doctor were -lying with their heads to the northward, face to the west, and Ah Sam was -lying at right angles to the other two, with his head about the Doctor’s -middle, and feet in the fire, or where the fire had been. This fireplace -was surrounded by drift-wood, immense trunks of trees, and they had their -fire in the crotch of a large tree. They had carried the tea-kettle up -there, and got a lot of Arctic willow which they used for tea, and some -ice to make water for their tea, and had a fire. They apparently had -attempted to carry their books and papers up there on this high point, -because they carried the chart case up there, and I suppose the fatigue -of going up on the high land prevented their returning to get the rest of -their books and papers. No doubt they saw that if they died on the river -bed, where the water runs, the spring freshets would carry them off to -sea. - -“I gathered up all the small articles lying around in the vicinity of the -dead. I found the ice journal about three or four feet in the rear of -De Long; that is, it looked as though he had been lying down, and with -his left hand tossed the book over his shoulder to the rear, or to the -eastward of him.” - -“Referring to the journal,” continues Melville, “I found that the whole -of the people were now in the lee of the bank, in a distance of about -five hundred yards. In the meantime, the native that had gone for -Nindemann had brought him back.” - -“The three bodies were all frozen fast to the snow, so fast that it -was necessary to pry them loose with a stick of timber. In turning -over Dr. Ambler, I was surprised to find De Long’s pistol in his right -hand, and then, observing the blood-stained mouth, beard, and snow, I -at first thought that he had put a violent end to his misery. A careful -examination, however, of the mouth and head revealed no wound, and, -releasing the pistol from its tenacious death-grasp, I saw that only -three of its chambers contained cartridges, which were _all loaded_, and -then knew, of course, that he could not have harmed himself, else one or -more of the capsules would be empty.... I believe him to have been the -last of the unfortunate party to perish. When Ah Sam had been stretched -out and his hands crossed upon his breast, De Long apparently crawled -away and died. Then, solitary and famishing, in that desolate scene of -death, Dr. Ambler seems to have taken the pistol from the corpse of De -Long, doubtless in the hope that some bird or beast might come to prey -upon the bodies and afford him food,—perhaps alone to protect his dead -comrades from molestation,—in either case, or both, there he kept his -lone watch to the last, on duty, on guard, under arms.” - -It now remained but to find the other bodies and bury the dead. In -due time this was accomplished. Melville writes of the spot chosen as -follows:— - -“The burial ground is on a bold promontory with a perpendicular face -overlooking the frozen polar sea. The rocky head of the mountain, -cold, austere as the Sphinx, frowns upon the spot where the party -perished; and considering its weather-beaten and time-worn aspect, it is -altogether fitting that here they should rest. I attained the crest of -the promontory by making a detour of several miles to the southward of -its majestic front, and then toiling slowly to the top. Here I laid out -by compass a due north and south line, and one due east and west, and -where they intersected, I planted the cross which marks the tomb of my -comrades.” - -“There in sight of the spot where they fell, the scene of their suffering -and heroic endeavor, where the everlasting snows would be their winding -sheet and the fierce polar blasts which pierced their poor unclad bodies -in life, would wail their wild dirge through all time,—there we buried -them, and surely heroes never found a fitter resting place.” - -Lieutenant Harber was also in the field, as was Mr. Jackson, -correspondent of the _New York Herald_. A thorough search was made of the -Delta for Chipp’s party, without avail. - -Congress having appropriated $25,000 for the expense of bringing home -to America the bodies of De Long and his unfortunate party, Lieutenant -Harber and Master Schuetze of the relief ship _Rogers_, which had been -burned off the coast of Siberia in December, 1881, left the Lena in 1883 -after a year’s search, bringing with them the remains. - -[Illustration: REAR ADMIRAL GEORGE W. MELVILLE, U.S.N. - -_By permission of Clinedinst, Washington, D.C._] - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - - International circumpolar stations.—Failure of Dutch - expedition.—Greely expedition reaches Lady Franklin - Bay.—Life at Fort Conger.—Sledge journey of Brainard and - Lockwood.—Farthest north.—Greely’s journey to interior of - Grinnell Land.—Lake Hazen.—Failure of relief ship _Neptune_ to - reach Conger in 1882.—Official plans for Greely’s relief in - 1883.—_Proteus_ crushed in ice.—Garlington’s retreat.—Greely’s - abandonment of Fort Conger.—Greely reaches Cape Sabine.—The - beginning of a hard winter.—Death of members of the party from - starvation and cold.—Schley’s brilliant rescue of the remnant - of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition in 1884. - - -The plan for establishing International Circumpolar Stations within or -near the Arctic Circle, for the purpose of recording a complete series -of synchronous meteorological and magnetic observations, was outlined in -a well-thought-out paper delivered by Lieutenant Karl Weyprecht, A. H. -Navy, before the German Scientific and Medical Association of Gratz in -September, 1875, soon after the return from his remarkable journey in the -_Tegetthof_. - -Though Lieutenant Weyprecht did not live to see his splendid scheme -carried into effect, the coöperation of Prince Bismarck and the hearty -indorsement of the plan by a commission of eminent scientists, as well as -the decision of the International Meteorological Congress, which reported -“that these observations will be of the highest importance in developing -meteorology and in extending our knowledge of terrestrial magnetism,” -resulted in the International Polar Conference, at Hamburg, October 1, -1879, in which eleven nations were represented, and a second conference -at Berne, August 7, 1880, at which it was decided that each nation should -establish one or more stations where synchronous observations should be -taken from August, 1882. - -With the exception of the Dutch expedition, the scheme was successfully -carried out and the stations established without accident. - - Norwegians—Bosekof, Allen Fjord, Norway, under direction of M. Aksel - S. Steen. - - Swedes— Ice Fjord, Spitzbergen, under direction of Mr. Ekholm. - - Russians— Sagastyr Island, mouth of Lena, Siberia, under Lieutenant - Jürgens. - Möller Bay, Nova Zembla, under Lieutenant Andreief. - - Americans— Point Barrow, North America, under Lieutenant Ray, U. S. A. - Lady Franklin Bay, 81° 44´ N., under Lieutenant A. W. - Greely, U. S. A. - - English— Great Slave Lake, Dominion of Canada, under Lieutenant - Dawson. - - German— Cumberland Bay—west side of Davis Strait, under Dr. Giese. - - Danes— Godthaab, Greenland, under A. Paulsen. - - Austrian— Jan Mayen, North Atlantic, 71° N., under Lieutenant - Wohlgemuth, A. H. Navy. - -[Sidenote: _FAILURE OF DUTCH EXPEDITION_] - -As to the unsuccessful Dutch expedition, the Varna sailed from Amsterdam -July 5, 1882, bound for Dickson Harbor, but was beset in the Kara Sea in -September; she was crushed in December, 1882, when the crew took refuge -on board Lieutenant Hovgaard’s vessel, the _Dymphna_, which had also -been forced to winter in the pack. Nevertheless, Dr. Snellen did his -utmost to procure regular observations from their besetment until the -following August, when they started by boat and sledge for the coast of -Nova Zembla. By August 25, they reached the south point of Waigat Island, -where they met the _Nordenskjöld_ and were safely landed in Hammerfest, -September 1, 1883. - -The inestimable value of the combined and systematic record of the -scientific observations secured by the International Circumpolar Stations -is a matter of public record. The success was complete, and all but the -American nation might well be proud of the management and protection -offered to the fearless men detailed to the splendid work. - -The unparalleled disaster which overtook the Lady Franklin Bay expedition -under Lieutenant Greely and his brave companions, through no fault of -their own, but by a series of mismanaged accidents for which there was -neither excuse nor condonation, leaves a blot upon the American records -which the centuries cannot obliterate. - -“If the simple and necessary precaution had been taken,” writes Markham, -brother of the famous explorer, “of stationing a depot-ship in a good -harbour at the entrance of Smith Sound, in annual communication with -Greely on one side and with America on the other, there would have been -no disaster”; and he continues, “If precautions proved to be necessary -by experience are taken, there is no undue risk or danger in polar -enterprises. There is no question as to the value and importance of -polar discovery, and as to the principles on which expeditions should be -sent out. Their objects are explorations for scientific purposes and the -encouragement of maritime enterprise.” - -Lieutenant Greely’s party consisted of three officers besides the -commander, nineteen men of the army, including an astronomer, a -photographer, and meteorologist, and two Eskimos. Sailing from St. -John’s, Newfoundland, July 7, 1881, they were conveyed in the sealer, -_Proteus_, to Littleton Island, where they hunted up the mail of the -_Alert_ and _Discovery_, then proceeded in open water to Cape Lieber, -81° 37´ N. There the ship was delayed by encountering ice in Hall -Basin. By August 11, she had pushed through and safely landed the party -at the old winter quarters of the _Discovery_ in 1875-1876. Immediate -preparations were made for building a house, and after all supplies were -landed, the _Proteus_ sailed home, leaving Lieutenant Greely and his -party at “Fort Conger.” Indications of approaching winter appeared as -early as August 27, and the season proved one of unusual severity. Sledge -journeys, hunting parties, and exploring trips, combined with regular -duties, scientific observations, exercise and moderate amusements, -insured the party a season of successful labour and good health. - -Travelling in one instance a week, in another ten days, in frightful -temperatures averaging 73° below freezing, Lieutenant Lockwood and Dr. -O. Pavy, surgeon of the expedition, with their companions, endured the -severity with surprising energy. The ice conditions of Robeson Channel -were ascertained and depots established at Cape Sumner for use in the -following spring. - -[Illustration: COLONEL DAVID LEGGE BRAINARD, U.S.A. - -_From a painting in the possession of A. Operti, Esq._] - -The sun left on October 15, and was absent one hundred and thirty-five -days. The curious effect upon the mind produced by the long Arctic night -is recorded in December. “About the 10th,” writes Lieutenant Greely in -his Report, “a few of the men gave indications of being affected by the -continual darkness, but such signs soon disappeared and cheerful spirits -returned. The Eskimos appeared to be the most affected. On the 13th, Jens -Edward disappeared, leaving the station in early morning, without mittens -and without breakfast. Sending two parties with lanterns to describe a -half-mile circle around the station, his tracks were soon found, leading -towards the straits. He was at once pursued, and was overtaken about ten -miles from the station, near Cape Murchison. He returned to the station -without objection, and in time recovered his spirits. No cause for his -action in this respect could be ascertained.” - -Dr. Pavy, who had spent the previous year among the Eskimos, said -that this state of mind was not infrequent among the natives of lower -Greenland, and often resulted in the wandering off of the subjects of it, -and, if not followed, by their perishing in the cold. - -[Sidenote: _SLEDGE JOURNEY OF BRAINARD AND LOCKWOOD_] - -As early as February 19, 1882, Lockwood and Brainard made a dog-sledge -trip to one of the depots, deposited the previous autumn, a journey -over the foot-ice of twenty miles. On the 29th of February, Lieutenant -Lockwood, accompanied by Brainard, four other men, and two dog teams, -made an experimental trip to Thank God Harbor preparatory to his proposed -grand expedition along the coast to northern Greenland. Visiting the -grave of Charles Francis Hall, Lockwood wrote in his journal the -following touching tribute:— - -“The head-board erected by his comrades, as also the metallic one left by -the English, still stands. How mournful to me the scene, made more so by -the howling of the winds and the thick atmosphere! It was doubtless best -that he died where he did. I have come to regard him as a visionary and -an enthusiast, who was indebted more to fortune than to those practical -abilities which Kane possessed. Yet he gave his life to the cause, and -that must always go far toward redeeming the shortcomings of any man. The -concluding lines of the inscription on the English tablet, I think good. -‘To Captain Hall, who sacrificed his life in the advancement of science, -November 8, 1871. This tablet has been erected by the British polar -expedition of 1875, which followed in his footsteps and profited by his -experience.’” - -Dr. Pavy, accompanied by Sergeant Rice and Eskimo Jens with a dog-sledge, -started March 19, 1882, for the north of Grinnell Land. A supporting -sledge under Sergeant Jewell accompanied him as far as Lincoln Bay. On -April 1, an unfortunate accident to a sledge runner caused a five days’ -delay at Cape Union. Sergeant Rice and Eskimo Jens made a forced march -back to Fort Conger and secured a new runner. Storms retarded their -advance, but in spite of the rough condition of the ice, all supplies -were brought up to Cape Joseph Henry and left there April 20. Two days -later a violent storm set in, and after it subsided, the party pushed on -toward Cape Hecla. A lane of open water was seen extending from Crozier -Island round Cape Hecla. As this channel rapidly increased in width, a -retreat was decided on, but to his consternation, before land could be -reached, Dr. Pavy found himself adrift on a floe in the Polar Ocean. -Fortunately the floe was driven against the land near Cape Henry, and -after abandoning all articles not absolutely indispensable, he escaped to -the mainland, but was obliged to give up further explorations. - -In the meantime, Lieutenant Lockwood had completed his preparations, and -the advance party, consisting of Sergeant Brainard and nine men dragging -four Hudson Bay sledges, left Fort Conger April 3, 1882, to be followed -the next day by Lieutenant Lockwood with two men and one dog-sledge, -under instructions to explore the coast of Greenland near Cape Britannia -“in such direction as (he) thought best to carry out the objects of the -(main) expedition,—the extension of knowledge regarding lands within the -Arctic Circle.” - -The 5th of April, Lockwood joined the advance party at Depot A. On the -afternoon of the 8th, they reached Cape Sumner. Bags of pemmican were -added to the sledge loads for dog food. The parties encountered violent -gales and extreme cold (81° below freezing) as they pushed on to Newman -Bay. The hard experience of sledge travel was already telling upon the -men, and at this point four were sent back, being unfit for continued -field work. Pushing on for Repulse Harbor, with three hundred rations and -eight men, Lockwood advanced in the face of storms, rough ice, and broken -sledges, at the average rate of nine miles per day. The men suffered -much from snow-blindness, and the unwonted fatigue of dragging the heavy -sledges through areas of soft, deep snow. At Cape Bryant, which was -reached April 27, a rest of two days was taken, during which Brainard, -with two companions, visited the highest point of Cape Tulford. - -On the 29th of May, Lieutenant Lockwood sent back the supporting -sledge-men and, with Brainard and the Eskimo Christensen, the dog-sledge -and twenty-five days’ rations, pursued his journey north across the Polar -Ocean to Cape Britannia, which was reached May 5, after six journeys, the -last a very short one. - -“From the top of the mountain, 2050 feet,” writes Lockwood, “which forms -Cape Britannia, I got a good view all around. Towards the northeast lay -a succession of headlands and inlets as far as I could see—some 15 or 20 -miles—and this was the character of the coast beyond as far as I got.” - -[Sidenote: _FARTHEST NORTH_] - -They had followed out the letter of their instructions and had reached -the destination mentioned therein, but finding it possible to continue -their explorations, they pushed on over land never before explored by -man, crossing the frozen ocean and reaching Mary Murray Island the 10th -of May. The party were now suffering from cold and insufficient food. To -husband their rations, they had eaten very little of late. - -“The dogs were ravenous for food, and when feeding time came, it was amid -blows from the men and fights among the dogs that the distribution was -made.” - -In spite of serious delays by violent wind and storms, by floes so -high that the sledge was lowered by dog-traces; by ice so rough as to -necessitate the use of the axe before they could advance, and by widening -water cracks which delayed their progress, these men pushed boldly -on, and on May 15, 1882, made a world’s record, reaching on that day -Lockwood Island, 83° 24´ north latitude, 42° 46´ west longitude. Gaining -a considerable elevation, Lockwood unfurled Mrs. Greely’s pretty little -silken flag and “for the first time in two hundred and seventy-five years -another nation than England claimed the honors of the farthest north, and -the Union Jack gave way to the Stars and Stripes.” - -From this point the most northerly land seen was Cape Washington; beyond -to the north “lay an unbroken expanse of ice, interrupted only by the -horizon.” Haven Coast trended to the northeast, in a succession of high, -rocky, and precipitous promontories. - -Evidences of vegetation and game were found in this high latitude. -Lemmings, ptarmigan, foxes, and hares found their way to these desolate -shores, and small plants struggled for a foothold in the uncongenial soil. - -“As we think of Lockwood,” writes Charles Lanman, his biographer, “at -the end of his journey, with only two companions, in that land of utter -desolation, we are struck with admiration at the courage and manly spirit -by which he was inspired. Biting cold, fearful storms, gloomy darkness, -the dangers of starvation and sickness, all combined to block his ice -pathway, and yet he persevered and accomplished his heroic purpose, -thereby winning a place in history of which his countrymen may well, and -will, be proud to the end of time.”[1] - -The return was even more arduous than the advance, and as they pursued -their weary trail, thoughts wandered to home and creature comforts. -“What thoughts one has when thus plodding along!” writes Lockwood in his -journal. “Home and everything there, and the scenes and incidents of -early youth! Home again, when this Arctic experience shall be a thing -of the past! But it must be confessed, and lamentable it is, as well -as true, that the reminiscences to which my thoughts oftenest recur on -these occasions are connected with eating,—the favourite dishes I have -enjoyed,—while in dreams of the future, my thoughts turn from other -contemplations to the discussion of beefsteak, and, equally absurd, to -whether the stew and tea at our next supper will be hot or cold.” - -[Sidenote: _LAKE HAZEN_] - -Joining the supporting party at Cape Sumner, the entire party, suffering -from exhaustion and snow-blindness, reached Fort Conger, June 1, 1882. -During the absence of Lockwood, Lieutenant Greely had left Fort Conger, -April 26, 1882, and penetrated Grinnell Land, reaching Lake Hazen, a -glacial lake, some five hundred square miles in area. Lake Hazen was -again visited by Greely in June. “Following up Very River to its source, -the farthest reached was 175 miles from the home station, between Mount -C. A. Arthur and Mount C. S. Smith, which evidently form the divide of -Grinnell Land,—between Kennedy Channel to the east and the Polar Ocean -to the west.” Ascending Mount C. A. Arthur, the highest peak of Grinnell -Land, Greely stood 4500 feet above the sea, and saw to the north of -Lake Hazen snow-clad mountains, and distant country to the southwest -was also covered with eternal snows. Lieutenant Lockwood subsequently -supplemented Greely’s discoveries of the interior of Grinnell Land with -the result that jointly 6000 square miles of territory was examined, an -accomplishment which “determines the remarkable physical conditions of -North Grinnell Land. It brought to light fertile valleys, supporting -herds of musk-oxen, an extensive ice-cap, rivers of considerable size, -and a glacial lake (Hazen) of extensive area....” - -Traces of Eskimos having wintered at Lake Hazen, as shown by permanent -huts, were a source of surprise to the explorers. - -“Successful to such a degree as were these geographical explorations,” -writes Greely, “they were strictly subordinated to the obligatory -observations in the interests of the physical sciences. Systematic and -unremitting magnetic observations served to round out knowledge by -enabling scientists to calculate the secular variation of the magnetic -declination of the Smith Sound region. Apart from the general value of -the meteorological series, it has most fully determined the climatic -conditions of Grinnell Land. - -“The tidal observations were so complete at the station and so amply -supplemented by outlying stations, that scientists have determined not -only the co-tidal lines of the Polar Ocean with satisfactory results, -but also learned from them that the diurnal inequality of the tidal wave -conforms at Fort Conger to the sidereal day. The pendulum observations -have been classed as ‘far the best that have ever been made within the -Arctic Circle’ and the ‘determination of gravity (therefrom) has been -singularly successful.’ Botanical, zoölogical, and anthropological -researches were pursued with similar unremitting attention, so that the -scientific work of the expedition may be considered as satisfactory and -complete,—especially in view of the high latitude of the station.” - -Summer had passed, and though the men had scanned the horizon long and -earnestly for promised relief, no ship reached them. A second winter -passed in the slow monotony characteristic of the Arctic night. - -In order to facilitate his retreat in case the relief vessel of 1883 -failed to reach him, Greely laid down stores at Cape Baird before the sun -returned in February, 1883. Under his orders, Lieutenant Greely was to -abandon Fort Conger not later than September 1 and retreat southward by -boat, until he met the relief vessel, or Littleton Island was reached, -where he would find a fresh party with fresh stores awaiting him. - -[Sidenote: _FAILURE OF RELIEF SHIP “NEPTUNE”_] - -As early as December 2, 1881, active steps were taken at the War -Department in Washington for the relief vessel of 1882, estimates for an -appropriation of $33,000 asked for, and negotiations for supplies opened -with firms at St. John’s and with the Danish government for stores to be -delivered in Greenland. In May, 1882, a board of officers attached to -the Signal Service met at Washington to consider plans for the relief -expedition. And the ultimate result was the sailing from St. John’s, -Newfoundland, on July 8, 1882, of the sealing vessel _Neptune_, with -Mr. William M. Beebe, Jr., a private in general service, and formerly -Secretary to the Chief Signal Officer, in charge of the relief work. - -The _Neptune_ touched at Godhaven on the 17th and took on supplies; then -directing her course slowly and with difficulty across Melville Bay, she -came in sight of Cape York on the 25th; Littleton Island was reached on -the 29th, where she was blocked by ice and obliged to return and anchor -in Pandora Harbor. The next forty days the _Neptune_ made fruitless -efforts to enter Kane Sea. In the course of her many failures to -penetrate to the north, she found anchorage between Cape Sabine, Brevoort -Island, where Beebe examined the English cache made by the _Discovery_ in -1875. This cache, of so much importance to Greely’s men later, was found -to contain one barrel of canned beef, two tins (forty pounds each) of -bacon, one barrel (one hundred and ten pounds) dog-biscuit, two barrels -(one hundred and twenty rations each) biscuit, all in good condition; -two hundred and forty rations, consisting of chocolate and sugar, tea -and sugar, potatoes, wicks, tobacco, salt, stearin, onion powder, and -matches, in fairly good condition. Beebe failed to leave any provisions -of his own. - -On August 25, after a fourth trial to penetrate the pack, the _Neptune_ -returned to Littleton Island with the intention of making depots. Natives -being in the vicinity, who in all probability would steal any deposits -left, Beebe concluded to postpone making the cache and proceeded to Cape -Sabine. Here he deposited, according to his orders, two hundred and -fifty rations, one-eighth of a cord of birch wood, and a whale-boat. The -_Neptune_ then made a fifth attempt to penetrate the pack, and again -on September 2, her sixth and final effort. Finding it impossible to -advance, she returned to Littleton Island, and a second depot of two -hundred and fifty rations was cached. She now started on her homeward -voyage, September 5, 1882. Beebe, having carried out to the letter his -instructions from the signal office, for the relief of the Lady Franklin -Bay expedition, and left two depots of two hundred and fifty rations, or -ten days’ supply, returned to St. John’s, carrying safely from the barren -shores of the Arctic two thousand rations, or a full supply for three -months. - -[Sidenote: _OFFICIAL PLANS FOR GREELY’S RELIEF IN 1883_] - -The return of the relief party of 1882 made the expedition that was -to follow the next summer one of grave importance. In the course of -official communication on the subject between the Chief Signal Officer -and the Secretary of War, General Hazen stated that “it is most desirable -that the officer and the enlisted men who are to go next year, be -detailed as early as practicable, in order that they may be trained and -have experience in rowing and managing boats, and in the use of boat -compasses.... It is desirable that men be selected whose service has been -in the northwest, and it is also important that the entire party, before -going, should be familiar with boats and their management under all -conditions.” - -[Illustration: LIEUTENANT JAMES B. LOCKWOOD, U.S.A. - -_From a portrait in the possession of A. Operti, Esq._] - -In the Secretary’s reply, the suggestion is volunteered, “It seems that -it would be much more desirable to endeavour to procure from the Navy the -persons who are needed for this relief party.” To this General Hazen made -answer:— - -“To change the full control of this duty now would be swapping horses -while crossing the stream, and when in the middle of the stream. To -manage it with mixed control, or even with mixed arms of the service -under a single control, would be hazardous, and such action is strongly -advised against by the many persons of both Army and Navy I have -discussed the subject with. The ready knowledge of boats and instruments -is but a very small part of the indispensable requisites in this case. -This whole work has required a great deal of attention and study from -the first, and I have not a doubt but any transfer of control now would -result in failure to convey all the threads of this half-finished work, -and that it would work disastrously in many ways. In view of these facts, -I would consider the transfer now of any part of this work to any other -control as very hazardous and without any apparent promise of advantage.” - -First Lieutenant Ernest A. Garlington of the 7th Cavalry, having -volunteered his services, was ordered, February 6, 1883, to report at -Washington. Since his graduation from the Military Academy in 1876, he -had served with his regiment at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory. Four -enlisted men who had volunteered were also ordered from Dakota. - -The _Proteus_ was chartered and made ready for her voyage. A request was -made by the Chief Signal Officer on the 14th of May that a Navy vessel -should be detailed for service in connection with the expedition, “as -escort to bring back information, render assistance, and take such other -steps as might be necessary in case of unforeseen emergencies.” The -_Yantic_, under Commander Frank Wildes, was selected, and underwent such -preparation as the limited time permitted. - -Garlington was instructed to examine, if possible, all depots of -provisions and replace any damaged articles of food, and if the _Proteus_ -could not get through, the party and stores should be landed at Life-Boat -Cove, the vessel sent back, and the party should remain. The _Yantic_ -was to accompany the _Proteus_ as far as Littleton Island and render -such assistance as might become necessary. Lieutenant J. C. Colwell of -the Navy, having volunteered his services, was detailed to accompany -Garlington. The _Proteus_ and the _Yantic_ left St. John’s the 29th of -June, 1883, and were soon out of sight of each other. - -[Sidenote: _“PROTEUS” CRUSHED IN ICE_] - -The _Proteus_ encountered ice in Melville Bay. Garlington examined the -Nares cache of eighteen hundred rations on Southeast Gary Island, 60 per -cent of the rations proving to be in good condition. There is no record -that the 40 per cent were replaced from the _Proteus’s_ stores. - -Littleton Island was passed without a cache being left there. The -ice prevented an advance, and Garlington thereupon decided to go to -Cape Sabine “to examine cache there, leave records, and await further -developments.” “At half-past three the _Proteus_ came to anchor at -Payer Harbor,” writes Schley. “She remained at her anchorage from 3:30 -to 8 P.M. This stay of four hours and a half at Cape Sabine was a -turning-point in the history of the relief expedition. It was made up of -golden moments. It is true that no one could predict that by that time -next day the _Proteus_ would be at the bottom of the Kane Sea. It is -also true that Garlington’s instructions had been officially construed -as not including the formation of depots on the way north, and that the -importance of reaching Lady Franklin Bay had been impressed upon his -mind as the main purpose of his enterprise. At the same time it was -known with tolerable certainty that two months later Greely would be at -that point, if he carried out his intentions; and the commander of the -relief expedition, although not expressly directed to land anywhere, had -been instructed that if landings should be made at points where caches -of provisions were located, he was, if possible, to examine them, and -replace any damaged articles of food. - -“Now there were two caches at or near Cape Sabine. One of them, left -by Beebe the year before, was around the point of the cape. The other, -left by Nares in 1875, was on Stalknecht Island, a long, low rock in -the harbour itself, due west from Brevoort Island, and close to it. -The position of the cache was well known. Beebe had visited it in 1882. -The _Proteus_ was now at Payer Harbor, probably within half a mile of -Stalknecht Island; and on board the vessel were the four depots of -provisions, of two hundred and fifty rations each, that had been arranged -at Disco to be in readiness for landing at some tune and at any time.” - -Garlington ordered two privates to land and take a set of observations, -while he went with a party of men to examine the caches. The repair of -a cache and the set of observations are all the work reported as having -been done at Cape Sabine on the way north. - -Garlington then put to sea, and followed the open leads of water to the -northward. After an advance of twenty miles, the ship was stopped by the -pack near Cape Albert. The following day she was crushed, and the crew -and relief party took to the floe, throwing overboard such stores and -provisions as came to hand. Lieutenant Colwell was the last man to leave -the ship. Garlington and his party of fifteen men, two whale-boats, and -provisions for forty days reached Cape Sabine in safety. He now followed -the “Wildes-Garlington agreement,” which said “Should _Proteus_ be lost, -push a boat with party south to _Yantic_.” - -[Sidenote: _GARLINGTON’S RETREAT_] - -Garlington’s record left by him on Brevoort Island read in part:— - -“Depot landed ... 500 rations of bread, tea, and a lot of canned goods. -Cache of 250 rations; left by expedition of 1882, visited by me, and -found in good condition. English depot in damaged condition, not visited -by me. Cache on Littleton Island; boat at Isabella. U.S.S. _Yantic_ on -her way to Littleton Island, with orders not to enter ice ... I will -endeavour to communicate with these vessels at once. Everything in power -of man will be done to rescue the (Greely’s) brave men.” - -“It transpired,” writes Greely, “that there was no boat at Isabella; -that Garlington’s orders to replace damaged caches were imperative and -disobeyed; that he had no knowledge that the Littleton Island cache was -safe; that at Sabine he took every pound of food he could reach, though -told that Greely was provisioned only to August, 1883; and that after -Colwell’s skill had brought Garlington safe to the _Yantic_, he did not -even ask Wilde to go north and lay down food for Greely, otherwise doomed -to starvation.” - -On September 13, 1883, Garlington wrote from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to -the Chief Signal Officer, U.S.A., Washington:— - -“It is my painful duty to report total failure of the expedition. The -_Proteus_ was crushed in pack in latitude 70° 52´, longitude 74° 25´, -and sunk on the afternoon of the 23d July. My party and crew all saved. -Made my way across Smith Sound and along eastern shore of Cape York; -thence across Melville Bay to Upernavik, arriving there on 24th Aug. The -_Yantic_ reached Upernavik 2d Sept. and left same day, bringing entire -party here to-day. All well.” - -To telegraphic inquiries from the Signal Office asking what stores had -been left for Greely, came answer:— - -“No stores landed before sinking of ship. About five hundred rations from -those saved, cached at Cape Sabine; also large cache of clothing. By the -time suitable vessels could be procured, filled, provisioned, etc., it -would be too late in the season to accomplish anything this year.” - -We leave to the imagination the alarm aroused by the sudden realization -of what this failure meant to our fellow-countrymen at Fort Conger. -From July, 1882, to August, 1883, not less than 50,000 rations were -taken in the steamers _Neptune_, _Yantic_, and _Proteus_, up to or -beyond Littleton Island, and of that number about 1000 were left in that -vicinity, the remainder being returned to the United States or sunk with -the _Proteus_. - -[Illustration: GENERAL A. W. GREELY, U.S.A. - -_Courtesy of Clinedinst_] - -The date of Garlington’s letter read “September 13.” With what horror did -it dawn upon the public mind that the abandonment of the well-supplied -station at Fort Conger was ordered “not later than” September 1. Even -now Greely and his men, leaving behind them a scant year’s army rations, -and carrying with them every pound of food possible, were making their -hazardous retreat in “heavily laden boats through water-ways crowded -with ice, acted on by strong currents and high winds, the recurring -heavy gales, keeping the pack in constant motion, to and fro against the -precipitous and rockbound coast.” - -“Time and again,” writes Greely, “only the most desperate efforts and -measures secured the safety of the specially strengthened launch, -while the whale-boat escaped destruction only by speedy unloading and -drawing-up on floes. Every cache, however small, was taken up, ending -with damaged, mouldy bread, etc., at Cape Hawks.” - -[Sidenote: _GREELY’S ABANDONMENT OF FORT CONGER_] - -Fort Conger had been abandoned August 9, 1883; on September 13, the -whale-boat had been left behind (afterward recovered), and the men were -fighting their desperate way across the pack to the shore. The following -day Greely made this entry in his journal:— - -“The absence of sufficient light to cast a shadow has had very -unfortunate results, as several of the men in the past few days have been -sadly bruised or strained. When no shadows form and the light is feeble -and blended, there is the same uncertainty about one’s walk as if the -deepest darkness prevailed. The most careful observation fails to advise -you as to whether the next step is to be on a level, up an incline, -or over a precipice. These conditions are perhaps the most trying to -Sergeant Brainard, who, being in advance selecting our road, finds -it necessary to travel as rapidly as possible. A few bad falls quite -demoralize a man, and make him more than ever doubtful of his senses. -Travelling slowly, with our heavily laden sledges, we rarely suffer much -from this trouble, as our steps are slow and uncertain at the best, but -when a jar does come on a man pulling his best, it gives his system a -great shock and strain.” - -On September 17, all articles that were not of vital importance were -abandoned, and yet the men were hauling about six thousand pounds. At the -end of a weary day Sergeant Brainard wrote in his journal:— - -“Turned in at 11 P.M., after ten hours of the severest physical strain. -As the sleeping-bags (of those of us in the tepee) are protected from the -ice by only one thickness of canvas, our comfort can be imagined.” - -Three days later he adds:— - -“We are now carrying burdens which would crush ordinary men, but the -texture of the party is of the right sort, and adversity will have very -little effect on our spirits.” - -On September 29, 1883, Greely made a landing at a point midway between -Cape Sabine and Isabella, after fifty-one days of the most arduous travel. - -“The retreat from Conger to Cape Sabine,” writes Greely, “involved over -four hundred miles’ travel by boats, and fully a hundred with sledge and -boat; the greater part of which was made under circumstances of such -great peril or imminence of danger as to test to the utmost the courage, -coolness, and endurance of any party, and the capacity of any commander. -As to my officers and men, it is but scant justice to say that they -faced resolutely every danger, endured cheerfully every hardship, and -were fully equal to every emergency (and they were many) of our eventful -retreat.” - -On October 5, Lieutenant Lockwood says:— - -“We have now three chances for our lives: First, finding American cache -sufficient at Sabine or at Isabella; second, of crossing the straits -when our present rations are gone; third, of shooting sufficient seal -and walrus near by here to last during the winter. Our situation is -certainly alarming in the extreme.” - -These men were shelterless, with but a small food supply, with impassable -barriers of ice north and south. “Some hunted on land, others on ice; -some put up stone huts, others searched for cairns and records.” The -Arctic night had settled upon them before their huts were barely -finished, these huts of heavy granite stones, dug from the snow and ice, -lifted with swollen and bleeding hands, put in place with back-breaking -efforts, by enfeebled, weary men, and into them they crawled with torn -clothing, hand and footgear in holes, covering shivering, aching bodies. - -[Sidenote: _GREELY REACHES CAPE SABINE_] - -In this desperate plight, scouts returned with news of the sinking of -the _Proteus_ and with the notice from Lieutenant Garlington, describing -the disaster, his plans and his retreat, and the caches of provisions at -Cape Sabine. Relying on the expressed promise that “everything within the -power of man will be done to rescue the brave men at Fort Conger from -their perilous position,” Greely at once endeavoured to move his party -near that point. “Camp Clay” was established on Bedford Pim Island, which -was reached October 15, with forty days’ rations to tide over two hundred -and fifty days of darkness and misery until help could come. Another hut -was erected by the same arduous methods employed in building former huts. -The rock walls were about two feet thick and three feet high; outside -this wall was an embankment of snow at first four feet thick, but as the -season advanced the winter gales buried the hut entirely in snow. - -“The whale-boat just caught on the end walls, and under that boat was the -only place in which a man could even get on his knees and hold himself -erect. Sitting in our bags, the heads of the tall men touched the roof.” -“Compared to our previous quarters,” writes Greely, “the house is warm, -but we are so huddled and crowded together that the confinement is -almost intolerable. The men, though wretched from cold, hard work, and -hunger, yet retain their spirits wonderfully.” - -It now behooved the party to gather in the stores from all the caches, -and this was done under the most trying conditions. The news of the loss -of the _Jeannette_ was learned by a newspaper found among the stores -and brought in with other articles. Records and instruments of the Lady -Franklin Bay expedition were safely cached early in October on Stalknecht -Island. - -During the few remaining days of light, the hunter, Long, with the -Eskimo, remained out of the floe in the intense cold, ill fed, without -shelter, for the purpose of securing seals or other game that might be -seen. A seal was all that was secured under the most trying circumstances. - -When certain of the stores were examined to ascertain their condition, -the dog biscuits were evidently bad, but “When this bread, thoroughly -rotten and covered with green mould, was thrown on the ground, the -half-famished men sprang to it as wild animals would.” October 26, 1883, -marked the last day of sunlight for one hundred and ten days. The hunters -still pursued their labours, but without success. However, on the last -day of the month, “Bender was fortunate enough to kill a blue fox with -his fist; it was caught with its head in a meat-can.” - -All rations had been collected except one hundred and forty-four pounds -of beef cached by Nares in 1875, forty miles distant at Cape Isabella. -A further reduction of the quantity of food served to each man was -inaugurated November 1. The following day Rice, Frederick, Elison, and -Lynn started in the Arctic night for Cape Isabella; on the fifth day -out they reached their destination after the most hazardous travel in -temperatures ranging from -20° to -25° with only sixteen ounces of food -per day to each man. Taking up their cache of meat, they started on the -return journey. On reaching their first camp after fourteen hours of hard -travel, Elison, who had done this day’s work on a cup of tea and no food, -was found to have frozen both his hands and feet. “Our sleeping-bag was -no more nor less than a sheet of ice,” writes Frederick in his journal. -“I placed one of Elison’s hands between my thighs, and Rice took the -other, and in this way we drew the frost from his poor frozen limbs. This -poor fellow cried all night from pain. This was one of the worst nights I -ever spent in the Arctic.” - -Continuing the next two days with their half-frozen comrade, they reached -Eskimo Point. Here they cut up an abandoned ice-boat for fuel, and -endeavoured to thaw out Elison’s limbs and dry his clothing. “When the -poor fellow’s face, feet, and hands commenced to thaw from the artificial -heat,” says Frederick, “his sufferings were such that it was enough to -bring the strongest to tears.” - -After labouring nineteen hours for the welfare of their suffering -comrade, Rice and Frederick attempted to advance.—“We tried to keep -Elison in front of us, but to no avail. He would stagger off to one side, -and it seemed every moment that the frost was striking deeper into the -poor man’s flesh. We fastened a rope to his arm and the sledge, as it -now took three men to haul our load, but every few rods the poor fellow -would fall, and then sometimes he was dragged several feet. No person can -imagine how that poor man suffered.” - -Unable to haul Elison any farther, in the face of a gale and the piercing -temperature of -20°, it was decided that Rice should start for Camp Clay -for assistance. With only a bit of frozen meat for food, he started alone -in the Arctic darkness and travelled twenty-five miles in sixteen hours, -reaching the camp at midnight. Immediate relief was started, Sergeant -Brainard and Christiansen leading the advance, to be followed two hours -later by Lieutenant Lockwood, the doctor, and four of the men. - -The fearful night spent by Frederick, Lynn, and their frozen companion -can hardly be pictured. “We tried to warm him,” says Frederick, “but as -we lay helpless and shivering with the cold, and poor Elison groaning -with hunger (his frozen lips did not permit him to gnaw the frozen meat) -and pain, you can imagine how we felt. Lynn was a strong, able-bodied -man, but the mental strain caused by Elison’s sufferings made him weak -and helpless. In fact, I was afraid that his mind would be impaired at -one time. We were but a few hours in the bag when it became frozen so -hard that we could not turn over, and we had to lay in one position -eighteen hours; until, to our great relief, we heard Brainard’s cheering -voice at our side. There was nothing more welcome than the presence of -that noble man, who had come in advance with brandy for Elison and food -for all.” - -The rescue party, although weak and half-starved themselves, reached -Elison with all despatch to find him in a very critical condition; his -hands and feet were frozen solid; his face frozen to such an extent that -there was little semblance of humanity. - -[Sidenote: _THE BEGINNING OF A HARD WINTER_] - -If November was ushered in with such misfortune, the succeeding months -record a history of unparalleled misery and suffering. The hunters were -ever on the alert, and the occasional game brought in was the only cheer -that surrounded these famishing outcasts. A seal, a bear, a few foxes, -dovekies, and ptarmigan were all that the desolate land gave forth to -the unremitting vigilance of the hunters, and, reduced to the last -extremities of famine, shrimps, seaweed, reindeer-moss, saxifrage, and -lichens were diligently sought for and devoured. - -On Thanksgiving Day,—what irony in the mere name,—these men celebrated by -a little extra allowance of food—and Greely wrote in his journal:— - -“To-day we have been _almost_ happy, and had _almost_ enough to eat.” - -On December 9, there is rejoicing because Brainard and Long shot two blue -foxes. - -“We are all very weak,” writes Lieutenant Lockwood, ten days later, “and -I feel an apathy and cloudiness impossible to shake off. It is a great -difficulty to know each night just how much bread to save for breakfast -on the morrow,—hunger to-night fights hunger to-morrow morning. I always -eat my bread regretfully. If I eat it before tea, I regret that I did -not keep it; and if I wait until tea comes, and then eat it, I drink my -tea hastily and do not get the satisfaction I otherwise would. What a -miserable life, when a few crumbs of bread weigh so on one’s mind! It -seems to be so with all the rest. All sorts of expedients are tried to -cheat one’s stomach, but with about the same result.” - -On December 21, Lieutenant Greely says:— - -“Sergeant Brainard is twenty-seven to-day. I gave him half a gill of rum -extra on that account, regretting my inability to do more for him. He -has worked exceedingly hard for us this winter; and, while all have done -their best, his endurance, unusual equanimity of temper, and impartial -justice in connection with the food have been of invaluable service to -me.” - -“Mouldy hard bread and two cans of soup make a dinner for twelve,” says -Brainard. “At Fort Conger ten cans of soup were needed to begin dinner. -But even the dire calamity which now confronts us is insufficient to -repress the great flow of good nature in our party generally.” - -“A terrible scene occurred in our wretched hut during the morning,” -writes Brainard, March 24, 1884. “While preparing breakfast (tea) the -cooks had forgotten to remove the bundle of rags from the ventilators in -the roof, and the fumes thrown off by the alcohol lamps, being confined -to the small breathing space, soon produced asphyxia. Biederbick, one -of the cooks, was the first to succumb to its effects, and Israel -immediately afterwards became insensible. At the suggestion of Gardiner, -all the rest of us rushed for the door, and the plugs were at once -removed from the roof and the lamps extinguished. By prompt attention, -Dr. Pavy succeeded in reviving Israel and Biederbick. Those who went -outside were less fortunate than those who fainted in their bags. As soon -as they came in contact with the pure outside air, all strength departed, -and they fell down on the snow in an unconscious state. In consequence -of the absence of all animation, many of us were frost-bitten—Lieutenant -Greely and myself quite severely. The lives of several of the men were -probably saved through the noble efforts of Gardiner, who, though weak -and sick, did all in his power to get us in the hut.... During the -excitement of the hour about half a pound of bacon was stolen from -Lieutenant Greely’s mess, and as soon as the fact became known, great -indignation was expressed that in our midst lived a man with nature so -vile and corrupt—so utterly devoid of all feelings of humanity—as to -steal from his starving companions when they were thought to be dying. A -deed so contemptible and heartless could not long remain concealed from -those who had been injured. We were not disappointed in the discovery -that Henry was the thief. He had literally bolted the bacon, and his -stomach was overloaded to such a degree that, in its enfeebled state, it -could not retain this unusual quantity of food, and his crime was thus -detected. Jens afterwards reported having seen him commit the theft, and -illustrated by signs his manner of doing it.” - -“Poor suffering Elison!” he writes a few days later. “This morning he -turned to the doctor and said, ‘My toes are burning dreadfully, and the -soles of my feet are itching in a very uncomfortable manner; can you not -do something to relieve this irritation?’ He little dreams that he has -neither toes nor feet: they having sloughed off in January.” - -On March 21, Greely makes this entry:— - -“A storm prevents hunting.... It is surprising with what calmness we view -death, which, strongly as we may hope, seems now inevitable.” - -[Sidenote: _DEATH FROM STARVATION_] - -As the gaunt and ghostly form of Death laid its fatal touch upon the -weakest one by one, a strong man stole food from comrades, and stole -again, and justly forfeited his right to live. Then one by one they died, -the Eskimo, Christiansen, from exhaustion, and Lynn. “He asked for water -just before dying; and we had none to give.” - -Then Rice sacrificed his life for others, dying in the arms of his -comrade, Frederick, near Baird Inlet, where he had gone in search of a -hundred pounds of English beef abandoned in November, that Elison might -be brought to camp alive. Then Lockwood died and Jewell failed—and soon -joined his sleeping comrades, and yet in face of horror crowding upon -horror, there is an entry:— - -“On Easter Sunday we heard on our roof a snow-bird chirping loudly—the -first harbinger of spring.” - -In the meantime, the chief dependence of this rapidly diminishing -party was derived from the gathering of shrimps—or sea-lice; the small -crustacea were from one-eighth to one-half of an inch in length, -consisting of about four-fifths shell and one-fifth meat, and about seven -hundred of them were required to weigh an ounce. - -“Dr. Pavy says,” writes Brainard in his journal, May 20, 1884, “that our -food must be something more substantial than these shrimps, or none of us -can live long. I caught twelve pounds of these animals to-day, and one -pound of marine vegetation. Returned very much exhausted from this trip. -Cannot last much longer.” - -“Caterpillars are now quite numerous on the bare spots of Cemetery -Bridge,” he writes a day or two later. “Yesterday Bender saw one of -these animals crawling over a rock near the tent, and after watching it -intently for a moment he hastily transferred it to his mouth, remarking -as he did so, ‘This is too much meat to lose.’” - -On May 29 there was a southeast gale and drifting snow. Brainard and Long -returned from their day’s hunting with a few pounds of shrimps and a -dovekie. “On returning to the tent,” writes Brainard, “Dr. Pavy and Lalor -refused to admit me to their sleeping-bag, in which I occupied a place. -Physically I could not enforce my rights in this matter, my condition -bordering on extreme exhaustion, and wishing to avoid any unpleasantness, -I crawled into one of the abandoned bags lying outside, as the only -alternative. This bag was frozen and filled with snow. Can my sufferings -be imagined? They certainly cannot be described. - -“Suffering with rheumatism, and smarting under the sense of wrong done me -by my sleeping-bag companions, mental agony was added to physical torture. - -“To-day I caught six pounds of shrimps. This evening (June 6) dinner -consisted of a stew composed of two boot-soles, a handful of reindeer -moss, and a few rock lichens. The small quantity of shrimps which I -furnish daily are sufficient only for the morning meal. - -“Wednesday, June 11, 1884. Long returned at 1:30 A.M. from the open -water, bringing with him two fine guillemots which he had killed. One -of these was given to the general mess, and the other will be divided -among those who are doing the heavy work for their weaker companions. -This evening a great misfortune befell me. The spring tides have broken -out the ice at the shrimping place, and my nets have been carried away -and lost; my baits, poor and miserable as they were, are gone also. It -is anything but pleasant to reflect that to-morrow morning we will have -no breakfast except a cup of tea. It was quite late when I returned this -evening from shrimping, and everybody had retired. I did not have the -heart to awaken the poor fellows, but I let them sleep on quietly under -the delusion that breakfast would await them at the usual hour in the -morning. How I pity them! - -“I made a flag, or distress signal, as it might be more properly termed, -which I intend placing on the high, rocky point just north of our tent, -where it may be seen by any vessel passing Cape Sabine.” - -[Sidenote: _SCHLEY’S BRILLIANT RESCUE_] - -Ten days later the whistle of the _Thetis_ blown by Captain Schley’s -orders to recall his searching parties fell lightly on the ears of the -dying Commander of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition. - -“I feebly asked Brainard and Long if they had strength to go out,” writes -Greely, “and they answered, as always, that they would do their best.” - -From the cutter, as it entered the cove, Lieutenant Colwell, straining -his eyes, recognized the familiar landmarks of the year before. - -“There, on the top of a little ridge, fifty or sixty yards above the -ice-foot, was plainly outlined the figure of a man. Instantly the -coxswain caught up the boat-hook and waved the flag. The man on the ridge -had seen them, for he stooped, picked up a signal flag from the rock, and -waved it in reply. Then he was seen coming slowly and cautiously down the -steep, rocky slope. Twice he fell down before he reached the foot. As he -approached, still walking feebly and with difficulty, Colwell hailed him -from the bow of the boat:— - -“‘Who all are there left?’ - -“‘Seven left.’” - -“As the cutter struck the ice,” continues Schley, “Colwell jumped off -and went up to him. He was a ghastly sight. His cheeks were hollow, his -eyes wild, his hair and beard long and matted. His army blouse, covering -several thicknesses of shirts and jackets, was ragged and dirty. He wore -a little fur cap and rough moccasins of untanned leather tied around -the leg. As he spoke, his utterance was thick and mumbling, and in his -agitation his jaws worked in convulsive twitches. As the two met, the -man, with a sudden impulse, took off his glove and shook Colwell’s hand. - -“‘Where are they?’ asked Colwell, briefly. - -“‘In the tent,’ said the man, pointing over his shoulder, ‘over the -hill—the tent is down.’ - -“‘Is Mr. Greely alive?’ - -“‘Yes, Greely’s alive.’ - -“‘Any other officers?’ - -“‘No.’ Then he repeated absently, ‘The tent is down.’ - -“‘Who are you?’ - -“‘Long.’ - -“Before this colloquy was over, Lowe and Norman had started up the hill. -Hastily filling his pockets with bread, and taking the two cans of -pemmican, Colwell told the coxswain to take Long into the cutter, and -started after the others with Ash. Reaching the crest of the ridge and -looking southward, they saw spread out before them a desolate expanse -of rocky ground, sloping gradually from a ridge on the east to the -ice-covered shore, which at the west made in and formed a cove. Back of -the level space was a range of hills rising up eight hundred feet, with -a precipitous face, broken in two by a gorge, through which the wind was -blowing furiously. On a little elevation directly in front was the tent. -Hurrying on across the intervening hollow, Colwell came up with Lowe and -Norman, just as they were greeting a soldierly-looking man, who had come -out from the tent. - -“As Colwell approached, Norman was saying to the man,— - -“‘There is the Lieutenant.’ - -“And he added to Colwell,— - -“‘This is Sergeant Brainard.’ - -“Brainard immediately drew himself up to the ‘Position of the soldier,’ -and was about to salute, when Colwell took his hand. - -“At this moment there was a confused murmur within the tent, and a voice -said,— - -“‘Who’s there?’ - -“Norman answered, ‘It’s Norman—Norman who was in the _Proteus_.’ - -“This was followed by cries of ‘Oh, it’s Norman!’ and a sound like a -feeble cheer. - -“Meanwhile one of the relief party, who in his agitation and excitement -was crying like a child, was down on his hands and knees trying to roll -away the stones that held down the flapping tent cloth.... There was no -entrance, except under the flap opening, which was held down by stones. -Colwell called for a knife, cut a slit in the tent cover, and looked in.” - -“It was a sight of horror,” continues Schley. “On one side, close to the -opening, with his head toward the outside, lay what was apparently a dead -man. His jaw had dropped, his eyes were open, but fixed and glassy, his -limbs were motionless. On the opposite side was a poor fellow, alive, to -be sure, but without hands or feet, and with a spoon tied to the stump of -his right arm. Two others, seated on the ground, in the middle, had just -got down a rubber bottle that hung on the tent pole, and were pouring -from it in a tin can. Directly opposite, on his hands and knees, was a -dark man with a long matted beard, in a dirty and tattered dressing-gown, -with a little red skull cap on his head, and brilliant, staring eyes. -As Colwell appeared, he raised himself a little, and put on a pair of -eye-glasses. - -“‘Who are you?’ asked Colwell. - -“The man made no answer, staring at him vacantly. - -“‘Who are you?’ again. - -“One of the men spoke up,— - -“‘That’s the Major—Major Greely.’ - -“Colwell crawled in and took him by the hand, saying to him,— - -“‘Greely, is this you?’ - -“‘Yes,’ said Greely, in a faint, broken voice, hesitating and shuffling -with his words; ‘yes—seven of us left—here we are—dying—like men. Did -what I came to do—beat the best record.’ - -“The scene, as Colwell looked around, was one of misery and squalor. -The rocky floor was covered with cast-off clothes, and among them were -huddled together the sleeping-bags in which the party had spent most of -their time during the last few months. There was no food left in the -tent, but two or three cans of a thin, repulsive-looking jelly, made -by boiling strips cut from the sealskin clothing. The bottle on the -tent-pole still held a few teaspoonfuls of brandy, but it was their last, -and they were sharing it as Colwell entered. It was evident that most of -them had not long to live. - -“Colwell immediately sent Chief Engineer Lowe back to the cutter to put -off to the _Bear_ with Long to report and to bring the surgeon with -stimulants, while he fed the dying men with bits of the food he had with -him. As their hunger returned, they cried piteously for more; fearing -too much at one time would injure them, Colwell wisely dissuaded them, -but ‘when Greely found that he was refused, he took a can of the boiled -sealskin, which he had carefully husbanded, and which he said he had a -right to eat, as it was his own.’ - -“The weaker ones were like children, petulant, rambling, and fitful in -their talk, absent, and sometimes a little incoherent.” - -The _Bear_ having by this time arrived, Sergeant Long was lifted from -the cutter aboard, and there told his pitiful tale; all were dead except -Greely and five others, and they were on shore in “Sore distress—sore -distress”; it had been “a hard winter,” and “the wonder was how in God’s -name they had pulled through.” - -“No words,” says Schley, “can describe the pathos of this man’s broken -and enfeebled utterance, as he said over and over, ‘a hard winter—a hard -winter’; and the officers who were gathered about him in the ward room -felt an emotion which most of them were at little pains to conceal.” - -Soon after the _Thetis_ came in sight, and her officers, including -brave Melville, whose last sad offices for De Long had been but lately -finished, went ashore and aided those from the _Bear_ in the care and -succour of the forlorn party. - -As soon as possible the men were carefully moved on stretchers and -carried in boats to the ships, but not before a hurricane had broken upon -them, which made the labour hazardous and difficult. - -Meanwhile, Lieutenant Emory of the _Bear_ was making a careful collection -of all articles belonging to the camp. Near the sleeping-bags were -found little packages of cherished valuables, carefully rolled up, and -addressed to friends and relatives at home; the survivors, too, had -already done up and addressed their own, and, strange as it may seem, a -pocket-book was found containing a large roll of bills carried by the -owner for some unaccountable reason to the barren shores of Lady Franklin -Bay. It was not difficult to move the bodies of the dead; there was only -a thin covering of sand above the mounds that formed the graves. - -Looking out from the side of the hut to the ice-foot, Colwell’s attention -was fixed by a dark object on the snow. Following a path which led to it -from where he stood, he found the mutilated remains of a man’s body. - -“It was afterward identified from a bullet hole,” writes Schley, “as that -of Private Henry, who had been executed on the sixth of June.” - -Wrapping it in a blanket, Colwell carried it to the landing-place, where -a seaman took the bundle on his shoulder. Presently the boat came off, -and all who had remained on shore were taken on board the _Bear_. The -ships returned to Payer Harbor. - -The next day, June 23, Lieutenant Emory, accompanied by Sebree and -Melville, and a number of men made a second search at Camp Clay, which -lasted several hours; everything was gathered up and brought away. - -The officers of the _Thetis_ meanwhile had secured from Stalknecht -Island Greely’s tin boxes containing his scientific records and standard -pendulum. - -The relief squadron in 1884 under Captain W. S. Schley and Commander W. -H. Emory, and fitted out under the personal orders of the Hon. W. E. -Chandler, Secretary of the Navy, had brilliantly executed its commission -and had out-rivalled the early Scotch whalers, to whom a bounty had been -offered by Congress for the speedy rescue of Greely, in pushing boldly -through the “middle ice.” “No relief or expeditionary vessels ever -ventured at so early a date into the dangers of Melville Bay,” writes -Greely. - -“That the United States Navy won in the race for Sabine is an -illustration of the wonderful adaptability and abundant resources of -the representative American seaman, which so well fits him for coping -successfully with new and untried dangers and makes him a worthy rival of -our kin across the sea.” - -In triumph they bore the remnant of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition home -to relatives and friends. Only six reached America alive (brave, pitiful -Elison had died at Godhaven, July 8), six soldiers out of a company of -twenty-five, broken in health, yet courageous in spirit, and loyal to a -nation that through “a hard winter—a hard winter—in sore distress—” had -left them to their fate! - -[Illustration: REAR ADMIRAL SCHLEY, U.S.N. - -_Courtesy of Clinedinst_] - - - - -CHAPTER XX - - Nansen.—The man.—First Arctic experience.—Plans the crossing - of Greenland.—Carries out his great undertaking.—Voyage on the - _Fram_.—Drifting with the current.—Life aboard.—Nansen and - Johannesen start for the Pole.—Difficulties of travel. The - “Farthest North.”—The retreat.—A winter on the Franz Josef - Land.—Attempt to reach Spitzbergen by kayak.—The meeting at - Cape Flora with Frederick Jackson.—Home in the _Windward_. - - -The character of the explorer Nansen is best summarized in the brief -paragraph explaining his plan for the first crossing of Greenland. - -“My notion,” he says, “was that if a party of good ‘ski-lobers’ were -equipped in a practical and sensible way, they must get across Greenland -if they began from the right side, this latter point being of extreme -importance. For if they were to start, as all other expeditions have -done, from the west side, they were practically certain never to get -across. They would have the same journey back again in order to reach -home. So it struck me that the only sure road to success was to force a -passage through the floe-belt, land on the desolate and ice-bound east -coast, and thence cross over to the inhabited west coast. In this way -one would burn all one’s ships behind one, there would be no need to -urge one’s men on, as the east coast would attract no one back, while in -front would lie the west coast with all the allurements and amenities -of civilization. There was no choice of route, ‘forward’ being the only -word. The order would be: ‘Death or the west coast of Greenland.’” - -Between these lines one sees the fibre of this man, who deliberately -stakes out his course and invites a race with Death to the goal of -victory; who carefully curtails to the minimum the possibility of -failure; who thoughtfully removes from weaker companions all temptations -that might jeopardize his chances of success, and who carries through a -plan scoffed at by the world as the impracticable scheme of a madman. - -There is an indescribable charm about this bold Norwegian, “who was a -terrible one for falling into brown studies,” as a child; of whom his -masters wrote, “He is unstable, and in several subjects his progress is -not nearly so satisfactory as might have been expected”; who combines a -gentle, childlike disposition with an indomitable will, never doubting -for an instant that he is right and the world wrong, and who steadfastly -goes to work to prove his point. Born in 1861 near Christiania; educated -in the university of his native city; fond of all the sciences; trained -as a zoölogist; a natural athlete, an expert “skilober,” a good hunter, -with the spirit for adventure, which is totally careless of all creature -comforts, Fridtjof Nansen, at twenty-one, stood on the prow of the -_Viking_, a Norwegian sealer, bound for Arctic seas, ready to meet a foe -worthy of his mettle. - -[Sidenote: _FIRST ARCTIC EXPERIENCE_] - -This trip to East Greenland waters for the purpose of gathering -zoölogical specimens was followed by his appointment the same year as -curator in the Natural History Museum at Bergen. - -The return of Nordenskjöld in 1883, from his second remarkable journey to -Greenland, determined Nansen upon a similar journey, the success of which -he carefully planned. Nordenskjöld had made fifteen marches on the inland -ice from Sophia Harbor south to Disco Bay, and reached an altitude of -forty-nine hundred feet, sending skilled Lapps on skis a farther distance -of one hundred and forty miles, where they reached an elevation of -sixty-six hundred feet, on the marvellous ice-cap which still rose before -them. - -Accompanied by three Norwegians, Otto Sverdrup, Lieutenant Oluf -Christian Dietrichson, of the Norwegian army, and Kristian Trana, and -two Lapps, Balto and Ravna, Nansen sailed on the Danish steamer _Thyra_ -from Scotland, May 9, 1888. The _Thyra_ was to carry the little band -of explorers the first stage of their journey to Iceland. At the Faroe -Islands, Nansen learned of the extremely bad condition of the ice round -Iceland. The east coast of the island was reported inaccessible. By May -17 the _Thyra_ stood off the Vestmanna Islands, and later she passed -Reydjanaes, which carries the only lighthouse Iceland possesses. - -Anchoring off Thingeyre, the party took leave of the _Thyra_, and, -warmly welcomed by Herr Gram, the merchant of Thingeyre, they awaited -the _Jason_, which was to convey them to the coast of Greenland. On the -morning of June 3, the expectant party sighted a little steamer slowly -working inwards. As she came nearer, she was found to be the _Isafold_ -of the Norwegian Whaling Company. She anchored and sent a boat on shore -amid increasing excitement. “I had begun to suspect the truth,” says -Nansen, “when, to my astonishment as well as joy, I recognized in the -first man who stepped ashore Captain Jacobsen of the _Jason_. Our meeting -was almost frantic, but the story was soon told. He had reached Isafjord, -and, not finding us there, had thought of coming on to Dyrafjord with -the _Jason_. But with the strong wind blowing it would have taken his -heavily rigged ship a whole day to make the voyage, and, as the Norwegian -Company’s manager most kindly offered to send the _Isafold_ to fetch us, -he had taken the opportunity of coming too. - -“Farewells were hastily said; willing hands transferred the baggage, -which consisted, in addition to the usual Alpine outfit, of Canadian and -Norwegian snow-shoes, instruments, food, fuel, and sleeping gear, a -load of twelve hundred pounds for their five sledges; and a restive and -unwilling pony bought of Herr Gram, and the _Isafold_ steamed out of the -fiord and to the northwards.” - -For six weeks the _Jason_ made fruitless attempts to land the impatient -explorers on this barren coast of Greenland, when, July 17, 1888, Nansen -and his party attempted by boat to make Cape Dan, from which they were -separated by an ice stream ten miles wide. - -“When Ravna saw the ship for the last time,” writes Balto, the Lapp, “he -said to me: ‘What fools we were to leave her to die in this place. There -is no hope of life; the great sea will be our graves!’” - -Sleeping upon the floes at night, dragging or rowing their boats by day, -the journey to the coast was perilous and dangerous in the extreme. After -several days they found themselves being carried south upon the floe -and “straight away from shore, at a pace that rendered all resistance -completely futile.” - -“July 20,” says Nansen, “I was roused by some violent shocks to the floe -on which we were encamped, and thought the motion of the sea must have -increased very considerably. When we get outside we discover that the -floe has split in two not far from the tent. The Lapps, who had at once -made for the highest points of our piece of ice, now shout that they can -see the open sea.... - -“The swell is growing heavier and heavier, and the water breaking over -our floe with ever-increasing force. The blocks of ice and slush, which -come from the grinding of the floes together and are thrown up round the -edges of our piece, do a good deal to break the violence of the waves. -The worst of it is that we are being carried seawards with ominous -rapidity.” - -Taking refuge upon a stronger and larger floe, the party awaited the -issue with courage and resignation, though it must be confessed the poor -Lapps were not in the best of spirits. “They had given up hope of life, -and were making ready for death.” A night of fearful promise succeeded -a day of imminent peril. Sverdrup took the watch and paced alone the -sea-washed floe. Several times he had stood by the tent door prepared to -turn his comrades out. - -“Once he actually undid one hood,” says Nansen, “took another turn to the -boats, and then another look at the surf, leaving the hood unfastened in -case of accidents. A huge crag of ice was swaying in the sea close beside -us, and threatening every moment to fall upon our floe. The surf was -washing us on all sides.... The other boat, in which Balto was asleep, -was washed so heavily that again and again Sverdrup had to hold it in its -place.” - -A second time he came to undo the tent hood, but just as things looked -their worst, the floe changed her course and as if directed by an unseen -hand, sailed toward land, and took refuge in a good harbour. On July 29, -the fates were kind, and they made a landing at Anoritok, 62° 05´ N., -nearly two hundred miles south of Cape Dan. Following the shore to the -north, they fell in with natives near Cape Bille. - -The ice journey commenced from Ninivik 64° 45´ N., which was reached -August 10, after pursuing their journey up steep, irregular slopes, -covered with soft snow and beset with dangerous crevasses; they made -only forty miles inland after seventeen days of most arduous travel, and -reached an elevation of six thousand feet. - -[Sidenote: _PLANS THE CROSSING OF GREENLAND_] - -“It was now late in the year,” writes Nansen, “and the autumn of the -‘inland ice’ was not likely to prove a gentle season, so the fact that it -was considerably shorter crossing to the head of one of the fiords in the -neighbourhood of Godthaab to Christianshaab was an argument that had its -weight.... I consulted the map again and again, made the calculations -to myself, and finally determined upon the Godthaab route.... The point -where I thought of getting down was that which we actually hit, and which -lies at about latitude 64° 10´ N.... The rest of the party hailed my -change of plan with acclamation. They seemed to have already had more -than enough of ‘inland ice,’ were longing for kindlier scenes, and gave -their unqualified approval to the new route.” - -[Sidenote: _CARRIES OUT HIS UNDERTAKINGS_] - -Sails had been rigged to the sleds, and with the terrific winds which -swept the ice-cap, advance was assisted by this means, the men marching -on skis. So frightful were the storms that raged over these desolate snow -fields that at night it seemed as if the tent would be torn to shreds, -and before a start could be made in the morning, the sledges had to be -dug out of the drifts and unloaded so that their runners might be scraped -clean of snow and ice, “a task which we found anything but grateful in -the biting wind, ... but the cruellest work of the whole day was getting -the tent up in the evening, for we had to begin by lacing the floor and -walls together; as this had to be done with the unprotected fingers, we -had to take good care not to get them seriously frozen.” “One evening -when I was at work,” says Nansen, “I suddenly discovered that the fingers -of both my hands were white up to the palms. I felt them and found they -were as hard and senseless as wood. By rubbing and beating them, however, -I soon set the blood in circulation and brought their colour back.” - -The Lapps suffered from snow-blindness, and all were burned by the sun’s -rays. This was largely due to the want of density in the air, and the -reflection of the rays from the level expanse of snow. - -“About ten in the morning of August 31,” writes Dietrichson, “we saw land -for the last time. We were upon the crest of one of the great waves, or -gentle undulations in the surface, and had our final glimpse of a little -point of rock which protruded from the snow. It lay, of course, far -in the interior, and for many days had been the only dark point, save -ourselves and the sledges, on which our eyes could rest.” - -At an altitude of nearly eight thousand feet, they toiled on for days -over the interminable desert of snow; there was no break in the horizon, -no object to rest the eye upon, and a course was laid out by the diligent -use of the compass alone. From the second week in September the party -had been anxiously looking for the beginning of the western slope. On -September 19, Balto’s joyful cry of “Land ahead!” greeted the advancing -sledge fleet. The ice conditions had become more formidable in character, -the gradual descent treacherous in the extreme. - -“It was a curious sight for me to see the two vessels coming rushing -along behind me,” says Nansen, “with their square Viking-like sails -showing dark against the white snow fields and the big round disk of the -moon behind. Faster and faster I go flying on, while the ice gets more -and more difficult. There is worse still ahead, I can see, and in another -moment I am into it. The ground is here seamed with crevasses, but they -are full of snow and not dangerous. Every now and then I feel my staff -go through into space, but the cracks are narrow and the sledges glide -easily over. Presently I cross a broader one, and see just in front of me -a huge black abyss. I creep cautiously to its edge on the slippery ice, -which here is covered by scarcely any snow, and look down into the deep, -dark chasm. Beyond it I can see crevasse after crevasse, running parallel -with one another, and showing dark blue in the moonlight. I now tell the -others to stop, as this is no ground to traverse in the dark, and we must -halt for the night.” - -The joy of having crossed the ice-cap and the prospect of successfully -passing the inland ice to the more congenial soil of the western coast -caused the little band to meet cheerfully the most arduous labour in a -perilous descent over crevasses and glacier, mountain, and valley into -the promised land, of which old Ravna spoke with enthusiasm:— - -“I like the west coast well; it is a good place for an old Lapp to live -in; there are plenty of reindeer; it is just like the mountains of -Finmarken.” - -Having reached the coast, it became essential to reach civilization -as well, and to expedite the journey it was found desirable to go by -sea. The lack of a boat was a small consideration to men who had boldly -sailed sledges across the Greenland ice-cap—for though wood, tools, and -materials were lacking, there was the tent and plenty of willow bushes -around, some six or seven feet in height. “Ribs made of these would not -be as straight as we could wish,” says Nansen, “and would not stretch -the canvas very evenly, but the main thing was to get her to carry -us.... By the evening the boat was finished. She was no boat for a prize -competition, indeed in shape she was more like a tortoise-shell than -anything else.” - -In this crazy little craft Nansen and Sverdrup rowed away to get -relief from the inhabitants of Godthaab. Their companions remained in -Ameralikfjord, in charge of the sledges and equipment. Great was the -rejoicing in Godthaab when the explorers reached there and immediate -preparations were made to succour the remainder of the party. These had -slowly moved in the direction of Godthaab and gratefully welcomed the -Eskimos who met them with supplies. - -Unfortunately the party missed the last European vessel that left port -that season and were obliged to spend the winter in Greenland. Letters -and despatches, however, had been carried by the Eskimos down the coast -to the _Fox_, M’Clintock’s old vessel, in his famous search for Sir John -Franklin, and this veteran little craft carried the thrilling news of -the “First crossing of Greenland” to Europe. The winter passed, and -on April 15 “the settlement rang with the single shriek—‘The ship, the -ship.’—Joyfully the brave band of explorers received news from home, -and almost sorrowfully prepared to leave their hospitable friends of -Godthaab.” - -On May 21, 1889, Nansen and his companions made their triumphant entry -into Copenhagen—and, concludes Nansen, “May 30 we entered Christiania -Fjord, and were received by hundreds of sailing boats and a whole fleet -of steamers.... When we got near the harbour, and saw the ramparts of the -old fortress and the quays on all sides black with people, Dietrichson -said to Ravna: ‘Are not all these people a fine sight, Ravna?’ ‘Yes, it -is fine, very fine;—but if they had only been reindeer!’ was Ravna’s -answer.” - -Previous to his famous journey across Greenland, in one of his many -conferences with Dr. H. Rink, that veteran explorer of Greenland, -Nansen was addressed by Mrs. Rink, who said to him: “You must go to -the North Pole, too, some day,” and without hesitation he answered her -emphatically, as though his mind had long ago been made up on that point, -“I mean to.” - -From his twenty-third year, Nansen had bent his mind and energies upon -that great journey into the Polar regions, upon which he did not embark, -however, until nine years later. - -In the meantime, he was appointed curator in the Museum of Comparative -Anatomy at the Christiania University. - -In the Danish Geographical Journal for 1885, Mr. Lytzen, Colonial -Manager at Julianshaab, gave an interesting account of certain relics of -the ill-fated _Jeannette_ expedition picked up by Eskimos on the west -Greenland coast. Among these articles was a list of provisions, signed -by Captain De Long, a manuscript list of the _Jeannette’s_ boats, a pair -of oil-skin breeches marked “Louis Noros,” the name of a member of the -_Jeannette’s_ crew, the peak of a cap with F. C. Lindemann, or Nindemann, -written on it. - -It was plain to Dr. Nansen that these articles had drifted no less than -twenty-nine hundred miles and in a period of eleven hundred days, nor -could he escape the conviction that a current passes across or very -near the Pole into the sea between Greenland and Spitzbergen. Upon this -hypothesis Dr. Nansen urged his plan to take a well-provisioned ship, -“built on such principles as to enable it to withstand the pressure of -ice—for on this same drift-ice, and by the same route, it must be no less -possible to transport an expedition.” - -In spite of the madness of his scheme, its condemnation by many of the -most eminent Arctic authorities of Europe and America, the Norwegian -government extended its patronage, and the “Storthing” granted eleven -thousand two hundred and fifty pounds toward the expenses of the -expedition, the remainder being collected by private subscription. - -The _Fram_, eight hundred tons displacement, was built with especial -attention to the construction of the shape of the hull, so as to offer -the greatest possible resistance to the attacks of the ice. She carried -requisite provisions for dogs and men for five years, and coal for four -months’ steaming at full speed. - -The navigation of the _Fram_ was given to Captain Otto Sverdrup; -Lieutenant Sigurd Scott-Hansen, of the Norwegian navy, was tendered -the management of the meteorological, astronomical, and magnetic -observations. Dr. Henrik Blessing, physician and botanist, Chief Engineer -Anton Amundsen, Lieutenant in the Reserve, Frederick Johannesen, whose -eagerness to accompany the expedition led him to accept the position of -stoker, and seven others, made up the personnel of the expedition. - -[Sidenote: _VOYAGE ON THE “FRAM”_] - -The _Fram_ left Norway in June, 1893, skirted the north coasts of Europe -and Asia, and put into the Polar pack ice near the New Siberia Island, -September 22, 1893. - -Frozen fast in the ice three days later, the _Fram_ stood off northwest -of Saunikof Land in 78° 50´ N., 134° E. It now behooved the company to -ship rudder, clean the boilers, and prepare for winter. No idle moments -could be spared, rigging must be cared for, sails inspected, provisions -of all kinds got out from the cases down in the hold, and handed over to -the cook, and the smithy called upon for his offices in repairing bear -traps, hooks, knives, etc. - -A busy life is a happy one, and the _Fram’s_ company lived in harmonious -good-fellowship and drifted leisurely with the great ice-pack, just as -Nansen had predicted they would, with only occasional visits from bears -to break the monotony of complete isolation. - -In December, Nansen, who had read Dr. Kane’s fearful experiences in the -Arctic night, with insufficient food for dogs and men, suffering from the -ravages of scurvy, compares his own condition in the comfortable warm -quarters on board the _Fram_. No ageing or depressing effects had been -felt by any member of his party. The quiet, regular life seemed to agree -with them, and with good food, in profusion and variety, a warm shelter, -plenty of exercise in the open air, and cheerful diversions in the shape -of instructive books and amusing games, the men kept up a cheerful -balance of good health and spirits. Nevertheless, the patience of all on -board was sorely tried before the cruise was over. - -The drift of the ship during the thirty-five months of her besetment, -was uneven and irregular; her zigzag course as she receded or approached -her goal, encouraged or disheartened her enthusiastic crew. She met -bravely and withstood in a remarkable manner threatened disaster from the -ice pressures. Wild enthusiasm greeted the slightest advance, such as -was found February 16, 1894, when the observations showed 80° 1´ north -latitude, a few minutes north of the observations taken the week before. -And a corresponding depression is noticed when contrary winds retard or -actually force the _Fram_ to retrace her hard-earned progress. - -It is not surprising that Nansen’s adventurous spirit grew restive under -the enforced inactivity of the _Fram’s_ uncertain drift. Early in the -year 1894 one finds his mind working upon deep-laid plans to force the -issue with the enemy, and eventually he announced his intentions of -attempting one of the most daring and hazardous sledge journeys in the -annals of Arctic adventure. His plan was to leave the ship with one -companion, advance over the frozen polar ocean, as far as possible, -and without making an effort to rejoin the ship, retreat by way of -Franz Josef Land and Spitzbergen, back to Norway. February 26, 1895, he -officially informed the crew that after his departure, Captain Sverdrup -was to be chief officer of the expedition, with Lieutenant Scott-Hansen -second in command. - -On the 14th of March, 1895, the _Fram_ stood in 84° 04´ N., 102° E., -and amid a parting salute with flag, pennant, and guns, Nansen’s third -and final sledge dash to the north was taken. Johannesen, who had been -chosen as his companion for this arduous undertaking, was in all respects -qualified for the work—an accomplished snow-shoer equalled by few “in his -powers of endurance,—a fine fellow physically and mentally.” - -[Sidenote: _NANSEN AND JOHANNESEN START FOR THE POLE_] - -Off they went, accompanied for a short distance by several of the crew. -Three sledges drawn by twenty-eight dogs were loaded with two kayaks, and -provisions for one hundred days for the men and fifty days’ dog-food. -Nansen and Johannesen, fully confident that fifty days would see them -at the Pole, plunged into the unknown and met bravely the pitiless foe. -Hummocks and ridges, lanes and slush, cold and exhaustion, these were the -impediments to progress. - -It was Nansen’s rule to march nine or ten hours, broken by a midday halt -for a little rest and a bit to eat. These stops were a bitter trial to -the men exposed to the merciless winds without fire or shelter, to be -followed by the uncomfortable task of disentangling the dogs’ traces, -before they were able to take up the march again. On March 29, they -were “grinding on, but very slowly”; the dogs were showing signs of -weakening—there was endless disentangling of the hauling ropes. - -On April 3 they were making their desperate way over ridges and lanes -which had frozen together with rubble on either side. It was impossible -to use snow-shoes, there being too little snow between the hummocks. -Thick weather, with deceptive mists making all things white, added to -their miseries; irregularities and holes and the spaces between, so that -the men and dogs stumbled blindly on, crashing into pitfalls and cracks -and running the grave risk of broken bones. - -On April 6 the ice grew worse and worse; after an advance of only four -miles Nansen and Johannesen were in despair. - -The following day, the limit of patience was reached—a world’s record -made—Nansen found himself in 86° 13.6´ N., about 95° east longitude; -a distance of one hundred and twenty-one geographical miles from the -_Fram_, with two hundred and thirty-five miles between himself and the -Pole. Twenty-three days had passed; Nansen and Johannesen turned their -backs upon a veritable chaos of ice-blocks, stretching as far as the -horizon, and prepared for their retreat to Cape Fligely. - -On this remarkable journey southward, confidently expected by Nansen to -extend over not more than three months, but which in reality lengthened -to one hundred and fifty-three days, the courage and ability of these -men was tested to the utmost. Frightful gales, which disrupted the -pack, and thick fogs, which made advance almost impossible, added to -their discomforts and privations. The dogs reduced in strength from -exhaustion and lack of food, died one by one or were killed and fed to -the survivors. The work of hauling became heavier and heavier, as their -numbers diminished. The men had the misfortune to allow their watches -to run down, thereby making their longitude observations uncertain, the -result of which was that they travelled far out of their course in search -of the land, which persistently remained hidden. - -Early in June it became necessary to curtail the rations, and although -they steadfastly kept to weights, in order that their remaining -provisions would last, they were reduced, June 18, to a frugal supper of -two ounces aleuronic bread and one ounce butter per man—and crept into -their sleeping-bags hungry and exhausted. - -The capture of a seal relieved a situation that threatened to become very -serious. At last, on July 24, the tired eyes of the travellers rested -upon something rising above the never-ending white line of the horizon, -and the joyful cry was raised of “Land! Land!” Progress to the happy -hunting-ground was exasperatingly slow and not without its startling -adventures. Johannesen was attacked by a bear, and without the prompt -action on the part of Nansen would doubtless have proved its victim. - -Open water was reached August 6, 1895, and, by dint of paddling and -hauling up on the floes to advance by sledge, on August 16 they stood -on the dry land of Houen Island. Continuing on their journey they soon -realized that the rapid approach of winter would make the effort to -reach Spitzbergen impossible, so they encamped on one of the outlying -islands off Franz Josef Land and, building themselves a stone hut covered -with walrus hides, prepared to spend the winter. Bears and walrus -were plentiful and supplied them with abundant food; other game was -occasionally shot. The cold Arctic night found them, on the whole, quite -comfortable in their hut. The train-oil lamps kept the temperature in the -middle of the room about freezing. For nine months Nansen and Johannesen -hibernated thus, with no variation to their existence but the taking of -the most necessary meteorological observations. - -[Sidenote: _DIFFICULTIES OF TRAVEL_] - -With the return of spring the two “wild men” made every preparation for -their journey to Spitzbergen. This was no easy matter, considering they -lacked everything, and the few reserve stores of flour and chocolate had -mildewed and spoiled during the winter. On May 19, 1896, the sledges -stood loaded and lashed and after leaving inside the hut a short report -of their journey and adventures, Nansen and Johannesen started for -Spitzbergen. Though the winter had been long and monotonous, adventure -greeted them frequently in their advance. Nansen nearly lost his life -by falling into a water-hole. They were delayed by a gale, during which -they nearly lost their kayaks. Seeing these frail crafts, with all they -possessed on board, drifting rapidly away from their moorings, Nansen -sprang into the icy water and made a desperate attempt at rescue. -Meanwhile, Johannesen paced restlessly up and down the ice in an agony of -suspense. With strokes growing more and more feeble, the swimmer realized -the desperate situation and, putting forth his last benumbed energies in -a final stroke, grasped a snow-shoe which lay across the end. All but -frozen, Nansen had great difficulty in getting into the kayak and still -more trouble in paddling to land. Numb and shivering, the wind biting his -very marrow, he yet had courage to fire at two auks which he secured for -a warm and welcome supper. - -In the meantime, their meat was nearly gone. The outlook was anything -but promising. In these frail, weather-worn, canvas-covered kayaks, -twelve feet long, about two and one half feet wide and hardly more than -one and one fourth feet deep, there was yet a journey of two hundred -miles of ocean, more or less encumbered by ice, which intervened between -them and Spitzbergen, where their only hope lay in being taken aboard -one of the small vessels, which visit these shores every summer. The -future for Nansen and Johannesen was indeed desperate, but a happy chance -brought them timely deliverance, and the dramatic meeting with Frederick -G. Jackson, June 17, 1896, in the isolated regions of Franz Josef Land -terminated one of the most brilliant retreats in Arctic history. - -Mr. Jackson and his companions, who for two years had been making -most valuable scientific observations and collecting specimens in all -departments of natural science which the islands and surroundings seas -afforded, welcomed the wanderers with open arms, brought them to the -house, fed, and warmed them, and, best of all, gave them news from home -and letters. It was not surprising that the first night was spent in -reading home letters, which Jackson had faithfully carried for them into -these desolate regions, and in talking over the strange adventures now so -happily ended. For at last their work was done, and, as Nansen said, “he -didn’t want to sleep, he felt so happy.” - -So the days passed rapidly until the _Windward_ came, which brought -yearly supplies to Jackson and carried home the adventurous explorers. -They reached Vardo Haven, August 13. All that was needed to complete the -happiness of the home-coming was news of the _Fram_, and this was not -long withheld. On August 20, 1896, the joyful tidings of the arrival -of the _Fram_ reached Nansen in a brief telegram sent from Skyaervo, -Kraenangem Fiord. - -She had pursued her monotonous drift to her highest point to the -west-northwest, 85° 57´ N., 60° E., changing to a south-southeast -direction, to 84° 09´ N., 15° E., where she remained nearly stationary -from February until June, 1896. The open summer permitted Captain -Sverdrup to push through her ice barrier, and, by the judicious use of -explosives, blast her way to the open water, August 13, 1896, north of -Spitzbergen. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - - Journeys of Dr. A. Bunge and Baron E. von Toll.—Exploration in - Spitzbergen.—Sir Martin Conway.—Dr. A. G. Nathorst.—Professor - J. H. Gore.—Andrée’s balloon expedition to the North - Pole.—Search for Andrée by Theodor Lerner.—J. Stadling, Dr. - A. G. Nathorst.—Captain Bade.—Walter Wellman’s plan to reach - the Pole from Spitzbergen.—Italian expedition under Duke of - Abruzzi.—Loss of the _Stella Polare_.—Captain Umberto Cagni’s - journey.—Breaks the record.—Retreat.—Home.—Baldwin-Ziegler - expedition of 1900.—Complete equipment.—Return of expedition - in autumn.—Ziegler expedition under Anthony Fiala.—The - _America_ reaches high northing.—Winters in Triplitz Bay.—Is - destroyed.—Failure of sledge journeys.—Relief ship does not - come.—Second winter.—Return of party by _Terra Nova_ in 1903. - - -The voyage of the _Jeannette_, among other valuable scientific -results, had proved Wrangell Land to be an island of moderate size. -The drift of the _Fram_ had demonstrated the theory of a polar ocean -of vast dimensions and great depth. The interest, therefore, in Arctic -exploration for the next few years was centred in numerous scientific -parties which thoroughly examined, surveyed, and explored the unknown -sections of lands bordering on the Polar Basin. - -[Sidenote: _DR. BUNGE AND BARON VON TOLL JOURNEYS_] - -As early as 1885, an expedition was fitted out under the auspices of the -Imperial Russian Geographical Society, and placed in charge of Dr. A. -Bunge and Baron E. von Toll for scientific and geographical work in the -Siberian Island. Toll visited Nova Sibir and traversed the entire coast -of Kotelnoi; in the meantime, Dr. Bunge explored Great Liachof, where he -secured a valuable collection of fossils. - -Toll returned again to the Arctic in 1893, visiting the northeast of -Jana, for the purpose of securing a well-preserved mammoth. Afterward, -in company with Lieutenant Schileiko, he again visited the New Siberian -Island, and with dog-sledges travelled on the west coast of Kotelnoi, as -far as 75° 37´ north latitude, establishing two depots of provisions for -Nansen’s possible use. Among other important results of this expedition -was the discovery of evidence that in the mammoth periods trees grew no -less than 3° north of their present limit. Toll returned to the mainland -and followed the Lena, reporting impassable tundras from Sviatoi Nos to -Dudinka,—and reached Yeniseisk the 4th of December. Later geological -researches were made on Great Liachof Island. - -Baron Toll determined upon another voyage to the Arctic for the purpose -of supplementing the geological knowledge of Bennett and other islands -and to complete a journey of exploration to Sannikof Land, first seen by -him in 1886. - -The _Sarya_ was fitted out for this expedition, and the winter of -1900-1901 was passed in 76° 08´ north latitude, 95° east longitude. - -“On April 18, 1901,” writes Baron Toll, “immediately after the Feast -of Easter, Lieutenant Kolomiezoff and the zoölogist, A. Birulja, set -out with two sleighs each with a team of eight dogs, the object of the -first being to reach the Yenisei and establish coaling stations, while -the second was directed to accompany it as far as Cape Sterlegof, some -200 wersts distant. Two days later began my excursion with Lieutenant -Koltschak to the Chelyuskin Peninsula, accompanied by a sleigh with a -team of twelve dogs and laden as lightly as possible. - -“On May 1, we reached that point on the bay where we had established -a depot the previous year (1900). The provisions and fish here buried -were to complete our supplies, which barely sufficed for just one month. -But we were unable to dig out the deposit from the deep snow. On May -7, we started from this place in an east-northeasterly direction, with -the intention of pushing on to St. Thaddeus Bay on the east coast of -the Chelyuskin Peninsula, and returning thence along the coast. After -traversing the tundra for forty wersts in this direction, we again came -unexpectedly on an inlet, which grew narrower towards the west-southwest, -where it assumed the form of a narrow sound or river mouth. - -“The position as determined by Lieutenant Koltschak on the off side of -the bay was 76° 17´ N. and 99° 29´ E.” - -On May 12, the tired dogs were given a day’s rest; then Toll made a -day’s march, half a degree eastward, on Canadian snow-shoes. There were -no prospects for adding to their limited food supply by hunting, so it -became necessary to retrace their steps. - -“Hitherto,” writes Toll, “we had to contend with almost constant -difficulties caused by fog, and deep snow already softened by the sun. -But henceforth we had to struggle with contrary snow-storms, which lasted -almost without a break for fourteen days. The consequence was the loss of -five dogs, which broke down one after another through exhaustion. On May -30, we reached the _Sarya_, the excursion having lasted forty-one days. -Of these we had to pass nine in the sleeping-sack during the fiercest -snow-storms; four were uselessly wasted at the depot; and during the -remaining twenty-eight days we covered 500 wersts.” - -Other excursions were made by members of the party, with most gratifying -results. - -The release of the _Sarya_ was confidently hoped for early in August. -“But in the interim,” writes Baron Toll, “there was still to be solved a -geographical question, namely, to discover the mouth of the Taimyr River. -According to the maps hitherto published, the Taimyr was supposed to -discharge in the first or second of the larger bights lying to the east -of the Taimyr Sound. Both of these were twice explored by Lieutenant -Kolomeizoff, and in the first was, in fact, found the mouth of a -considerable stream; but its configuration was not at all in accordance -with the contour lines given by the topographer Wagenoff on Middendorff’s -chart. In the second no indication could be detected of any river -mouth. As these researches had been undertaken in winter amid fogs and -snowdrifts, there still remained a doubt, which could only be removed by -fresh investigations carried out in clear summer weather. Should these -also lead to negative results, the only remaining assumption would be -that the Taimyr discharged into that bight which during our journey to -the interior of the Chelyuskin Peninsula, Lieutenant Koltschak and I had -crossed, since no considerable stream assuredly entered that other inlet -where the depot lay.” - -The survey of the first two bays was undertaken by Birulja and Dr. -Walter, their excursion lasting from July 20 to August 15, 1901. -“Respecting the question of the Taimyr, the two savants came to negative -results. Still they confirmed Kolomeizoff’s discovery of a large estuary -in the first of the two bays.” - -On the 25th of August, the fissures in the ice had expanded; the whole of -the ice-pack round the _Sarya_ was set in motion, and she drifted in the -direction of the cliffs of Station Island. Slowly she was carried through -the Fram Strait to the open sea. Withdrawing behind a cape at Nansen -Island, the _Sarya_ awaited the drifting away of the ice-pack. On August -30, the water-way was free, and she began her voyage to Koletnoi Island; -doubling Cape Chelyuskin on September 1, she sighted, three days later, -the east coast of the Taimyr Peninsula, without meeting any ice. - -“As we drew near,” writes Toll, “to the New Siberian archipelago in -favorable weather till September 7th, a strong southeaster began to blow -in our teeth, and against this we made very slow headway. I, therefore, -changed the course to the northeast. On September 9th we reached the edge -of the pack-ice in 77° 9´ N., and 14° E. Here we encountered a southern -gale, which, acting in concert with the marine current, drove the _Sarya_ -30 miles to the northwest. The storm veered round to the west-southwest, -and I thought it better again to make the most of the wind and now -direct our course southeastwards for Bennett Island, instead of trying -under these circumstances to penetrate into the ice in search of land. -On September 11th the imposing headland of Cape Emma at Bennett Island -suddenly loomed up before us out of the fog, and presently became again -wrapped in fog. - -“We had approached to within 12 knots of the island, when our further -advance towards it was barred by a belt fourteen feet thick of -impenetrable ice. Here we remained two days in the hope that the ice -might shift, but in vain!” - -Disappointed in his hopes of reaching Sannikof Land in 1902, Baron Toll -succeeded in sheltering the _Sarya_ for a second winter at Nerpichi Bay, -Kotelnoi Island, 75° 22´ N., 137° 16´ E. The sad disaster which overtook -the brave scientists ends a chapter valuable to Arctic achievement. - -On June 7, 1902, Baron Toll, accompanied by Seeberg, the astronomer, and -two hunters, left for a geological excursion, and after arduous efforts -landed on Bennett Island, August 3, which was found to be a plateau some -fifteen hundred feet in height. Their researches disclosed Cambrian -deposits.—They left the island to return to the ship on November 8, 1902, -and were never seen again. Brunsneff and Koltshak, in a relief expedition -in 1904, discovered a record containing the information just stated, but -no other traces were found of these courageous men who sacrificed their -lives in the cause of science. - -[Sidenote: _SIR MARTIN CONWAY_] - -Another scene of activity was centred in Spitzbergen, for crossing which -in 1896 Sir Martin Conway and party received the applause of the world. -The following year he again returned to continue his explorations. -Dr. A. G. Nahorst circumnavigated Spitzbergen in 1898, surveying and -mapping the irregular coast-line with admirable precision. The same year, -Professor J. H. Gore of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey made -pendulum observations in Spitzbergen for the determination of the force -of gravity in that latitude. Prince Albert of Monaco and party cruised -along the coast for the purpose of making scientific observations. So -active had been the interest in this hitherto unclaimed archipelago that -Russia began to assert her rights to ownership. - -[Sidenote: _ANDRÉE’S BALLOON EXPEDITION TO THE POLE_] - -The most unique venture for polar honours was undertaken in 1897 by -Salamon August Andrée, a Swede, and two companions, Mr. Strindberg and -Mr. Traenkel, from Dane Island north of Spitzbergen. Andrée was an ardent -apostle of aërial conquest of the North Pole. His balloon, the _Ornen_, -had a cubical contents of forty-five hundred metres, and the shape of -a sphere terminating in a slightly conical appendage. The envelope was -made of six hundred pieces of pongee silk, each being from seventeen to -eighteen metres long by about forty-eight centimetres wide; these were -sewn together by machine, then subjected to a process of “cementing” -with a special varnish. A carefully made net composed of hemp cords -encompassed the envelope. Special valves were devised by Andrée. The -car was of cane basket-work, mounted on a frame of chestnut wood, the -bottom being strengthened by wooden cross-beams, the whole covered with -tarpaulin, with necessary openings. - -Provisioned with tins of preserved food,—chocolate, compressed bread, -condensed milk, champagne, claret, butter, fresh water, and alcohol, -besides a cooking apparatus, and other necessary equipment,—this frail -craft made its ascension with its human freight, July 11, 1897. - -“The last farewells are brief and touching,” writes Alexis Machuron. -“Few words are exchanged, but hearty handclasps between those whose -hearts are in sympathy say more than words. Suddenly Andrée snatches -himself away from the embraces of his friends and takes his place on the -wicker bridge of the car, from whence he calls in a firm voice:— - -“‘Strindberg ... Franaenkel ... Let us go!’ - -“His two companions at once take their places beside him. Each is armed -with a knife for cutting the ropes supporting the groups of ballast -bags.... Andrée is always calm, cold, and impassable; not a trace of -emotion is visible, nothing but an expression of firm resolution and -an indomitable will. He is just the man for such an enterprise, and he -is well seconded by his two companions. At length the decisive moment -arrives: ‘One! Two! Cut!’ cries Andrée in Swedish. The three sailors -obey the order simultaneously, and in one second the aërial ship, free -and unfettered, rises majestically into space, saluted by our heartiest -cheers.... Scattered along the shore, we stand motionless, with full -hearts and anxious eyes, gazing at the silent horizon. For some moments, -then, between two hills we perceive a gray speck over the sea, very, -very, far away, and then it finally disappears. - -“The way to the Pole is clear, no more obstacles to encounter—the sea, -the ice-fields, and the Unknown!” - -Out of the Great White North came a lone survivor, a carrier-pigeon, -bringing the tidings written “July 13th, 12:30 P.M., 82° 2´ north -latitude, 15° 5´ east longitude. Good journey eastward, 10° south. All -goes well on board. This is the fourth message sent by pigeon. - - “ANDRÉE.” - -Ah! but all did not go well. In June, 1899, a buoy containing a note from -Andrée was found in Norway; it had been thrown out eight hours after -departure. - -The “North Pole buoy” to be dropped when the Pole was passed, was found -_empty_ in September, 1899, on the north side of King Charles Island. A -third buoy, also empty, was picked up on the west coast of Iceland, July -17, 1900, and another reported from Norway, August 31, 1900, contained a -note stating that the buoy was thrown out at 10 P.M., July 11, 1897, at -an altitude of eight hundred and twenty feet, moving north 45 E. Thus the -carrier-pigeon was the last messenger—the harbinger of Andrée’s last word -to friends on earth; the fate of the three brave spirits lies buried in -the Arctic silence. - -Theodor Lerner was one of the first to hurry to Spitzbergen in 1898 -leading the German scientific expedition, to obtain news from Andrée, if -possible, and the same year the Swedish Anthropological and Geographical -Society sent J. Stadling, with companions, to the Lena delta, the mouth -of the Yenisei and the islands of New Siberia, where they searched in -vain for traces of their missing compatriots. Again, in 1899, Dr. A. G. -Nathorst turned his attention to eastern Greenland in an unsuccessful -search for tidings of Andrée, making valuable maps and observations -of the fiord system of King Oscar Fiord. Nor did Captain Bade in his -explorations in East Spitzbergen, King Charles Land, and Franz Josef Land -in 1900 find any traces of the missing aëronaut. - -In the year 1894 Walter Wellman, an American, made Spitzbergen the base -of his activities in an attempt to penetrate the Polar pack and reach the -North Pole. Sailing in the _Ragnvald Jarl_, he had the misfortune to lose -his ship off Walden Island; undaunted by this grave disaster, he pushed -north with sledges as far as 81°, but had to retrace his steps, owing to -the impenetrable condition of the ice. He had, however, reached a point -east of Platen Island. Wellman again endeavoured to conquer the ice in -1898, this time choosing for his base Franz Josef Land. He was liberally -fitted out, and accompanied, among others, by Evelyn B. Baldwin of the -United States Weather Bureau. Mr. Wellman made his headquarters at -“Harmsworth House,” at Cape Tegetthoff, for three years the Arctic home -of Frederick A. Jackson and his companions. - -[Sidenote: _WELLMAN’S PLAN TO REACH NORTH POLE_] - -In February, 1899, Mr. Wellman, with three companions, started for -the Pole with every promise of success. An unforeseen accident to Mr. -Wellman, and an upheaval in the ice, which destroyed many dogs and much -of their equipment, necessitated a hurried return to headquarters. -Disappointed, but not discouraged, Wellman organized a series of -important scientific observations and explorations, during which Evelyn -Baldwin, in a long sledge journey to Wilczek Land, determined its eastern -boundary, and discovered, among other islands to the northeast, Graham -Bell Land. - -[Sidenote: _ITALIAN EXPEDITION UNDER DUKE OF ABRUZZI_] - -To that daring and adventurous prince, H. R. H. Luigi Amedeo of Savoy, -the duke of the Abruzzi, is due one of the most interesting chapters -in Arctic history. There is charm in the graceful dedication of his -book, “To Her Majesty the Queen-Mother,” as well as in his gallant -tribute to his brave companions who won laurels under his direction and -fought gallantly the dangers of the Arctic under his banner. “Italians -and Norwegians behaved throughout this voyage as though the crew were -composed of one nationality,” he says. “I had comrades with me, rather -than subordinates. I express, therefore, my gratitude towards all, since -to their harmonious coöperation is due the success of my expedition, and -I express the same gratitude to the memory of the three brave men who -perished whilst on the sledge expedition.” - -The _Jason_, having a carrying capacity of five hundred and seventy tons -cargo, was purchased by the Duke, renamed the _Stella Polare_; refitted, -equipped, provisioned, and manned for four years, at a total cost of -thirty-eight thousand four hundred and thirteen pounds sterling. - -Second in command to the Duke of Abruzzi, who, by the way, was but -twenty-six years old at the time of his adventure was Captain Umberto -Cagni of the Italian Navy, in charge of the scientific observations. -Other officers of the Navy were Lieutenant Francesco Querini, in charge -of the mineralogical collections, and Dr. Achille C. Molinelli, medical -officer, also in charge of the zoölogical and botanical collections. Four -other officers, a crew of twelve, and four especially experienced guides -completed the personnel of the expedition. - -Under the personal advice and superintendence of Dr. Nansen, who aided -in every possible way the success of the expedition, a carefully thought -out plan was made, by which the _Stella Polare_ was to leave Archangel, -early in July, make for Cape Flora and Northbook Island, establish a -depot provisioned for eight months, then proceed, take up winter quarters -as far north as possible, close to the lands lying west of Franz Josef -Land. Sledge journeys in the autumn would establish a chain of provision -caches on the lands to the north, and in the spring a sledge journey to -the north for a world record would be undertaken. A retreat to the depot -at Cape Flora with or without the ship would insure subsistence until the -arrival of a relief ship to be sent in two years, or, if the relief ship -failed, a retreat to Nova Zembla or Spitzbergen would be undertaken by -boats. - -On June 30, 1899, the _Stella Polare_ reached Archangel, where one -hundred and twenty-one dogs were taken aboard to be used in the sledge -journeys. On the 12th of July, she weighed anchor and proceeded on her -voyage. Ice was encountered, July 17, and three days later Northbrook -Island was sighted, and a visit made to Jackson’s huts and Leigh Smith’s -winter quarters. - -[Sidenote: _LOSS OF THE “STELLA POLARE”_] - -The _Stella Polare_ bravely fought her way through unfavourable ice -conditions and succeeded in reaching 82° 04´ N., 59° E. by the British -Channel. Securing an anchorage in Teplitz Bay, Prince Rudolf Land, she -received a disastrous nip, September 7, when she sprang a leak, and -it became necessary to disembark her provisions and establish winter -quarters on Rudolf Island. - -“As our ship, which we had abandoned after it had been seized by the -ice,” writes the Duke of Abruzzi, “was the only means of our returning -home in the following year, we had to consider how to save her. Part of -the engines, the condenser, and the furnaces were under water, which -had frozen to a thickness of about nineteen inches. The ship had not -changed her position, but had heeled over still more as the ice which had -supported her had given way. - -“The water had first to be pumped out of the ship to enable us to find -the leak on the left side, and this had to be mended as well as that -which was visible on the right side; we had then to see if it would be -possible to keep the ship dry, and if not, to protect the engines so that -they might remain under water during the winter without being injured. -Such was the work before us. At that time I did not believe it possible, -but Captain Cagni never despaired for a moment of being able to carry it -out, and if it was accomplished, it was owing to his strong will and to -his perseverance, which was never discouraged by any difficulties.” - -Early in the winter, the Duke of Abruzzi, in one of his sledge -excursions, had the misfortune to freeze a part of his left hand, -which resulted in the loss of the joints of two of his fingers. This -unfortunate accident prevented his accompanying the spring sledge journey -to the north, for which active preparations were already in progress. -The sledges and kayaks were patterned after those used by Dr. Nansen; -the former eleven feet five inches long, six inches wide, and six and -one-half inches high, with convex runners shod with plates of white -metal, and were saturated with a mixture of pitch, stearine, and tallow -to render them more slippery and durable. - -After careful calculations by Dr. Molinelli, the rations to be carried -were estimated at two pounds twelve ounces nine drams per day for each -man, consisting of biscuit, tinned meat, pemmican, butter, milk, Liebig’s -Extract, desiccated vegetables, Italian paste, sugar, coffee, tea, -chocolate, etc. - -The first start was made in February, but after travelling in the extreme -cold for several days, the party returned and made a fresh start, March -11. The expedition was composed of ten men and thirteen sledges, which, -with their loads, weighed five hundred and fifty-one pounds each, and was -drawn by one hundred and two dogs. - -It had been previously settled to send back detachments, after twelve, -twenty-four, and thirty-six days; the last detachment to remain in the -field seventy-two days. Cagni, however, modified these plans, and in the -meantime the Duke of Abruzzi anxiously waited the return of the first -detachment. On April 18, the second detachment returned to camp; they -had left Commander Cagni, March 31. The first detachment, consisting of -Lieutenant Querini, Stökken, and Ollier, had started to return March -23. An immediate search was instituted for the missing men, but without -results. After every effort had been expended, the three men were given -up for lost. Meantime, the other supporting parties having returned, -anxiety was beginning to manifest itself for Cagni. The day set for his -return had come and gone. On May 19, Dr. Molinelli and two companions had -set out for Cape Fligely, with provisions for ten days, to look for him. -The Duke of Abruzzi anxiously scanned the horizon with his telescope for -signs of his missing companions. After an absence of one hundred and four -days, Captain Cagni, with three companions, having made a world record -and reached 86° 34´, was sighted in the distance and welcomed home by his -impatient and enthusiastic companions. - -“Although their strength had been much reduced,” writes Abruzzi, “by -want of sufficient food, they were not exhausted. The seven dogs which -survived seemed much worse; some of them were merely skin and bone. The -only part of their outfit they had brought back that was still capable of -being of any use, was their tent, and this had been mended. The framework -of the kayaks had been broken and their canvas torn, so that they could -not be used unless a week was spent in mending them. The sledges which -remained had been mended with pieces of other sledges. All that was left -of their cooking utensils was the outer covering of the stove, a saucepan -which had been mended, and the plates. The _Primus_ lamp had been -replaced by a pot, in which dog’s grease had been burned for the last few -weeks. The sleeping-bag had been thrown away, and only the thick canvas -lining kept. Their clothes were in rags.” - -Cagni had advanced under the same trying conditions of hummocky ice, -slush, and deep snow that had been encountered by Nansen; he had had the -misfortune to freeze one of his fingers, and suffered excruciating pain, -necessitating his operating with his own hand and removing the dead mass -with a pair of scissors. He had steadily advanced until April 25, 1900. - -His return journey covered sixty days under the most alarming conditions; -for on May 18, he writes: “I feel more and more every day a terrible -anxiety with regard to our fate. After marching nine days toward the -southeast, we are nearly on the same meridian,” owing to the southwest -drift of the ice-pack. Four weeks more of almost superhuman effort -brought them to Harly Island, from which point they made their way to -Rudolf Island. - -With the achievement of this brilliant record it now remained but to -free the _Stella Polare_ by blasting and cutting channels about her -snug quarters. The brief Arctic summer having set in, her deliverance -at last was secured, and “At half-past one in the morning of August 16, -everything was ready, and we steamed slowly away from the shore, giving -three cheers as we turned round the ice of the bay which had held us so -long imprisoned.” - -[Sidenote: _BALDWIN-ZIEGLER EXPEDITION OF 1900_] - -In contrast to the Italian expedition, the Baldwin-Ziegler Polar -expedition, which sailed from Tromsoe, Norway, July 17, 1900, stands out -conspicuously. Mr. Baldwin was born in Springfield, Missouri, in 1862. He -had seen Arctic service with the Peary expedition of 1893-1894, and had -come near being one of the ill-fated Andrée balloon party. He had done -good service with Wellman in Franz Josef Land, and now with the unlimited -means put at his disposal by the munificence of Mr. William Ziegler of -New York, he proposed to conquer the Pole. - -“Our fleet,” wrote Mr. Baldwin in _McClure’s Magazine_, September, 1901, -“comprises three vessels. The _America_, our flagship, as some one has -expressed it, is a three-masted ship-rigged steamer of 466 tons net -burden, driving a single screw. Her length over all is 157 feet; beam, 27 -feet; depth, 19 feet.... The _Frithiof_ is a Norwegian sailing-vessel, -... the third vessel is the _Belgia_, which carried the Belgian Antarctic -expedition of 1897-1899, under Captain Gerlache.” - -Never before in the history of Polar expeditions was food and equipment -carried in such luxurious profusion. The three vessels were as many -floating hotels with larders lacking “nothing that foresight, experience, -and the generosity of Mr. Ziegler could suggest or procure.” - -The scientific equipment was also complete, including small balloons with -releasing devices for depositing records when the ground was reached, -buoys with records to be sent floating back to civilization by the -currents, search-lights and wireless telegraph, besides the standard -scientific instruments for meteorological, astronomical, and geodetic -work. There were three hundred and twenty dogs, and fifteen ponies in -charge of six expert Russian drivers. - -“The present expedition,” wrote Mr. Baldwin, “typifies the spirit of the -twentieth century;” and he adds, “No previous expedition to the north has -ever made such complete arrangements for the transmission of news back to -civilization as that which I have the honor to command.” - -“The _America_ and the _Frithiof_ left Tromsoe, Norway, in July, 1901, -for Franz Josef Land, which Baldwin regarded as the best starting-point -for a polar venture,” writes Mr. P. F. M’Grath in the _Review of -Reviews_, July, 1905, “proceeding to Alger Island, in latitude 80° -24´ north, longitude 55° 52´ east, where he established his winter -quarters. The _Frithiof_ unloaded her stores and proceeded south, leaving -the _America_ harbored, with the dogs and equipment ashore, portable -houses erected, and detail of duties being carried out. The personnel -comprised 42 souls,—17 Americans, 6 Russians, and 19 shipmen, mostly -Norwegians. Game was plentiful, and several tons of bear and walrus -meat were accumulated, the former for the men and the latter for the -dogs. With this base beyond the eightieth parallel, Baldwin intended -to push forward with his ship, or over the ice, exploring the adjacent -region for uncharted land masses which would supply stationary points, -insuring him against the disadvantages of an advance across the shifting -ice, and from the farthest north of these he would, the next spring, -make his dash across the crystal fields for the Pole. In this he would -employ about twenty-five men as a vanguard and reserve, the flying column -pushing rapidly ahead, and the transport train following with the heavier -supplies. Numerically, the party would be strong enough to overcome -otherwise serious obstacles, while the quantity of supplies to be -carried by 320 dogs and 15 ponies would put the possibility of disaster -almost out of the question.... With this elaborate programme, and the -knowledge that the Duke of Abruzzi, with a much smaller party, attained -a northing of 86° 33´, Baldwin confidently anticipated making the Pole. -And, as in that segment of the Arctic Circle he might find himself, in -returning, obliged by ice and currents to head for the Greenland coast, -which reaches to 83° 27´, or 180 miles nearer the Pole than his base, he -planned that if he should be swerved westward by the tides, it would be -easier to reach that shore. There he would find musk-oxen to eke out his -supplies, and journey down the east coast to where the depot was made by -the _Belgica_ for him. But, as often happens in Polar work, Baldwin’s -hopes were blasted, dissensions rent his party asunder, his dogs perished -by the score, and after a futile attempt to get north, he and his whole -party returned to Tromsoe in August, 1902, while the _Frithiof_, which -had sailed for Alger Island a month previous with additional outfits and -for news of him, had to retreat, owing to the unbroken ice-pack.” - -The return of the Baldwin-Ziegler expedition in the autumn of 1902 was -followed by that reorganized by Mr. Ziegler and given to the leadership -of Mr. Anthony Fiala of Brooklyn, New York, to be carried out on -practically the same lines laid out by Mr. Baldwin. - -Captain Edwin Coffin, of Edgartown, Massachusetts, was chosen as -navigating officer, and he assembled an American crew, most of them -experienced whalers. Of the Field Staff, Mr. William J. Peters, of the -Geological Survey and representing the National Geographic Society, was -chosen as chief scientist and second in command of the expedition. The -results of his systematic records and magnetical observations, when in -the north, were of the highest value, and he rendered most efficient -service. - -[Illustration: THE RETREAT OF 1904 - -Sledge column leaving Cape Mellinbock - -_Courtesy of Doubleday, Page and Co._] - -[Illustration: BREAKING CAMP AT CAPE RICHTHOPE - -_Courtesy of Doubleday, Page and Co._] - -After collecting stores and equipment, the _America_ sailed from -Trondhjem, Norway, June 23, 1903. Brief stops were made at the island of -Tromö and Archangel, where dogs, ponies, and additional stores were taken -aboard. The ice was first met, July 13, in 74° 51´ north latitude, 38° -37´ east longitude, through which the _America_ steamed and blasted her -way to Cape Flora, which was reached August 12. A few days later Triplitz -Bay was passed, with the “skeleton-like remains of the framework of the -tent where lived the brave Abruzzi and his companions, standing out in -plain view.” The _America_ made the highest northing of a ship under -steam in the Western Hemisphere, and reached a point, 82° north latitude; -she then returned to Triplitz Bay. Upon landing, Fiala found the Abruzzi -cache in excellent condition. “Camp Abruzzi” was established, scientific -work at once begun, and preparations commenced for the spring sledge -journey to the north. - -[Sidenote: _RETURN OF EXPEDITION IN AUTUMN_] - -Severe gales struck in early in October, and continued almost -unremittingly until the last of the month, when they raged with such fury -as to threaten the safety of the ship. - -She bravely withstood the terrible ice pressures to which she was -subjected until January 23, when, during a frightful hurricane, she -disappeared from view. - -The first week in March a sledging journey was undertaken, comprising -twenty-six men, sixteen pony-sledges, and thirteen dog-sledges, but the -severity of storms, and the suffering and hardship endured from cold, -decided the party to return, and camp was reached on March 11. Other -journeys of short duration were undertaken with similar success. Leaving -part of the company at Camp Abruzzi, Fiala made a retreat to Cape Flora, -there to await the promised relief ship which was expected early in -August. His idea was to renew his North Pole dash the following season. - -The expected ship was eagerly watched for, but as the months sped by one -by one, and the ship did not come, preparations were made for wintering, -and the liberal depots of supplies left by Jackson, Abruzzi, and Andrée, -were examined and found in excellent condition. - -“Elmwood,” Jackson’s little house, was dug out and made habitable. -Communication was frequent between “Camp Abruzzi” and “Elmwood.” - -Fiala, in a cold and dangerous journey, returned to Camp Abruzzi, where -he made preparations for another spring journey toward the Pole, to be -undertaken with one companion, three dog teams, and a supporting column -of three small detachments. Seaman Duffy, who had accompanied Fiala to -Cape Barentz in August, 1904, and Camp Flora in June of the same year, -was chosen as his companion. The start was made in March, but very slow -progress was made. After days of disheartening travel, covering but -a few miles a day, the conditions grew worse instead of better. “Our -trail was from ice-cake to ice-cake,” writes Fiala, “while we crossed -the separating water by means of ice-bridges laboriously constructed at -the narrowest points with our ice-picks. In other places, we traversed -monster pressure ridges that splintered and thundered under our feet, -scaring the dogs until they whined and whimpered in their terror. It -was difficult to find a cake of ice large enough for our small party to -camp on. Deep snow and numerous water-lanes, with a high temperature and -attendant fog, also impeded our advance.” - -On March 22, the advance was abandoned, and ten days were occupied in the -retreat. Camp Abruzzi was reached, April 1. - -The relief ship _Terra Nova_ reached Cape Flora the end of July, picked -up the party encamped there, and, touching at Cape Dillon, took aboard -the remainder. It was then learned that in 1904 the _Frithiof_ had made -two bold attempts to reach Cape Flora, but had been unsuccessful. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - - Otto Sverdrup.—Four years’ voyage of the _Fram_.—Journeys in - Ellesmere Land.—Important exploration of Jones Sound.—Discovery - of new lands.—Release of the _Fram_. Captain Roald - Amundsen.—The voyage of the _Gjoa_.—Reaches head of Petersen - Bay (King William Land).—Two years’ stay.—Valuable scientific - observations.—Visits from Eskimos.—Sledge journeys.—Release - from the ice.—August 14, 1906.—Completion of the Northwest - Passage.—Another Arctic winter.—Sledge journey of Amundsen to - Eagle City.—Release of the _Gjoa_.—Reaches San Francisco, 1907. - - -In the _Geographical Journal_ of November, 1902, Sir Clements R. Markham, -President of the Royal Geographical Society of London, commenting on the -remarkable achievement of Otto Sverdrup and his gallant companions during -four travelling seasons entailing four Arctic winters, expresses himself -as follows:— - -“They have discovered the western side of Ellesmere Island and the -intricate system of fiords, as well as three large islands west of -Ellesmere Island; they have explored the northern coast of North Devon; -they have connected Belcher’s work with the coasts of Jones Sound; they -have reached a point within 60 miles of Aldrich’s farthest; and they -have discovered that land north of the Parry Islands, the existence of -which was conjectured, as far west as the longitude of the eastern coast -of Melville Island. This includes the discovery of the northern sides -of North Cornwall and Findlay Islands. In addition to the main Arctic -problem which is thus solved, it is likely that the regions discovered -will be of exceptional interest, from the winds and currents, the varying -character of the ice, the existence of coal-beds, and the abundance -of animal life. A systematic survey has been made of these important -discoveries, checked by astronomical observations.” - -“We must look forward,” concludes Markham, “to an account of these -things, and to the details of the expedition, with the deepest interest; -and meanwhile we may well express admiration for the way in which the -work was conceived and executed, and at the perfect harmony with which -all loyally worked under their chief. Without such harmonious work, -success was not possible.” - -The Norwegian, Otto Neumann Sverdrup, was born in Bindalen, in Helgeland, -in 1855. At seventeen years of age he went to sea, passed his mate’s -examination in 1878, and for some years was captain of a ship. He -accompanied Nansen on the Greenland expedition in 1888-1889 and was -captain of the _Fram_ on Nansen’s famous Polar voyage. A few days after -the return of this expedition in September, 1896, while the _Fram_ was -lying in Lysaker Bay, Dr. Nansen came aboard one morning. - -“Do you still wish to go on another expedition to the north?” he asked -Sverdrup. - -“Yes, certainly, if only I had the chance,” came the prompt reply. - -[Sidenote: _FOUR YEARS’ VOYAGE OF THE “FRAM”_] - -Then Nansen told him that Consul Axel Heiberg and the firm of brewers, -Messrs. Ringnes Brothers, were willing to finance and equip another -scientific Polar expedition, with Captain Sverdrup as leader. - -[Illustration: ANTHONY FIALA - -_Courtesy of Doubleday, Page and Co._] - -The _Fram_ was loaned by the Norwegian government, and about eleven -hundred pounds was granted by the “Storthing” for necessary alterations -and repairs. The personnel of the expedition was most carefully selected, -including Lieutenant Victor Banman of the Norwegian Navy, Lieutenant -Ingvald Isachsen of the Army, the botanist Herman Georg Simmons, a -graduate of the University of Lund; and Edvard Bay, zoölogist, a -graduate of the University of Copenhagen, the latter a member of -Lieutenant Ryder’s expedition to the east coast of Greenland in 1891. - -The _Fram_ was ready for sea, June 24, 1898, and left her moorings with -the quay packed with people and the fiord covered with small craft “which -had come to see the last of us and wish us a safe return home.” - -Captain Sverdrup’s original plan was to push through Kennedy and Robeson -channels and as far along the north coast of Greenland as possible -before seeking winter quarters. The unfavourable seasons of 1898-1899 -prevented him from carrying out his intentions, and he fortunately turned -his attention to Jones Sound, which led to the completion of the most -important Arctic work yet remaining; “namely, the discovery of what -was hitherto unknown in the wide gap between Prince Patrick Island and -Aldrich’s farthest.” - -Frustrated in his attempt to enter Kane Basin, Sverdrup wintered in Rice -Strait, west of Cape Sabine. Immediate preparations were made for passing -the cold season, and scientific observations and exploring trips occupied -the autumn. - -In describing the sun sinking out of sight, Sunday, October 16, 1898, -Sverdrup says:— - -“We were looking at the sun for the last time that year. Its pale light -lay dying over the ‘inland ice’; its disk, light red, was veiled on the -horizon; it was like a day in the land of the dead. All light was so -hopelessly cold, all life so far away. We stood and watched it until -it sank; then everything became so still it made one shudder—as if the -Almighty had deserted us, and shut the Gates of Heaven. The light died -away across the mountains, and slowly vanished, while over us crept the -great shades of the polar night, the night that kills all life. I think -that each of us, as we stood there, felt his heart swell within him. -Never before had we experienced homesickness like this—and little was -said when we continued on our way.... Here came Franklin, with a hundred -and thirty-eight men. The polar night stopped him; and not one returned. -Here came Greely, with five and twenty men; six returned.... Well! there -lay the _Fram_, stout and defiant, like a little fairy-house, in the -midst of the polar night. It was warm and bright in her cabins, and we -worked with a will from morning to night.” - -Sledge journeys, including a visit to the _Windward_, Lieutenant Peary’s -ship, and a personal interview with the explorer himself; visits to the -_Fram_ by neighbouring Eskimos and a brilliant journey across Ellesmere -Land, occupied members of the Sverdrup expedition until May 17, 1899, -when those on board the _Fram_ celebrated with true patriotism the -Independence Day of Norway. - -On one of the early summer sledge journeys, Dr. Johan Svendsen sacrificed -his life. Overrating his endurance, he had rapidly failed, and though he -persisted in remaining in the field, his strength did not return. After a -day’s work, Sverdrup came into camp, where Sclei and Simmons were cooking -dinner. “The doctor said he felt much better,” writes Sverdrup; “the pain -in his side was gone, and his eyes had so far recovered that he could sit -inside the tent without spectacles.... I then asked him for a second time -if he would not let me take him on board, now that we had all rested, but -he would not hear of it, and said that he should prefer to remain where -he was. I then offered to stay behind with him—we could collect insects -and shoot seals together. But he would not let me defer the journey to -Beitstadfjord, and said that the time would pass quickly, even when he -was there alone. He could go out shooting, collect insects, and look -after his dogs;—he would have plenty to do.... We got ready for our four -days’ trip to Beitstadfjord, and the doctor helped us to carry down our -things, lash the loads to the sledges, and harness the dogs. And then we -said good-by to one another, little thinking what was about to happen.” - -Four days later the absent party returned. “To our great sorrow we found -the doctor dead.” - -On June 16, 1899, Captain Sverdrup made the entry in his journal:— - -“The flag is flying at half mast from the pole to-day. It is the first -time it has been in this position on board the _Fram_, let us hope it -will indeed be the last.” - -The interesting journey across the “inland ice” of Ellesmere Land, by -Isachsen and Braskerud was undertaken May 23, 1899, with food for thirty -days, and instruments and equipment; a total weight of eight hundred and -seventy-two pounds, divided equally upon the sledges, each drawn by six -dogs. Choosing a route to the westward, Isachsen writes in his report:— - -“About midnight on June 2, we saw from the high ground to the northwest -the first sight of what, later, proved the west coast. It was a -fiord-arm, which cut into the land in an easterly direction from the -larger fiord lying almost due north and south. From the outer part -of this fiord-arm a chain of mountains of equal heights ran in a -southeasterly direction. Nearer, and in front of this chain, was a wide -level waste—‘Brakerndflya.’ There was no snow, either on the waste or on -the mountains. In one part only of the chain was a fragment of glacier -to be seen hanging over the upper part of the mountain side. In the -southeast the waste abutted immediately on the ‘inland ice.’” - -Travelling over a glacier, they endeavoured to reach the bare land of the -fiord; this they succeeded in doing, June 4. “Three converging glaciers -fell into a glacier-lake, and the following day we drove on this down -the valley, but only for a couple of miles, which was the extent of its -length. The ice on it was about to break up.” - -Having encamped, the two men rambled over a considerable area in the -vicinity; finding luxuriant vegetation wherever there was bare land. At a -distance some ten or eleven miles in a northwesterly direction, there was -no “inland ice” west of the northernmost glaciers previously mentioned. -After continuing their explorations for several days, they were forced -to return through continued bad weather, fogs, and gales. On June 22, -the thirtieth day since leaving the ship,—the food supply remaining was -reduced to about fifty biscuits, ten and a half tablets of compressed -lentils, about four pounds of pemmican, enough coffee for twice, six -whole rounds, or seventy-two rations, of dog-food, and a half gallon of -petroleum. After a delay of six days by the inclement weather and a slow -and difficult progress to the top of Leffert Glacier, it was with joy -that a relief party from the ship were met with, and “the following day -we drove down Leffert Glacier, on splendid snow, and reached the _Fram_ -on Sunday, July 2, at five in the morning.” - -On August 4, the conditions being more favourable than heretofore, -Captain Sverdrup endeavoured to navigate the _Fram_ through Kane Basin. -In Payer Harbor an American steamer was sighted, going northeast. To -the joy of all, the steamer signalled she had letters on board for the -Norwegians. - -The attempt to penetrate Kane Basin was unsuccessful; the _Fram_ was -forced back to Foulke Fjord, a short distance from one of Peary’s ships. -Captain Bartlett, Dr. Diedrick, and one or two other members of the -expedition exchanged courtesies with the Norwegians. Mr. Bridgman and -Professor Libbey came aboard the _Fram_. - -[Sidenote: _SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS_] - -It was learned that the mail brought north had been left at Payer Harbor. -The _Fram_ endeavoured to get it, but the impenetrable pack prevented, -and after the most desperate efforts they gave up in despair. It was at -this juncture, after the abandonment of the plan to trace the northern -extremity of Greenland, that Sverdrup transferred his base to the fiords -of the north coast of Jones Sound. Securing no less than thirty-three -walrus for dog-food, the _Fram_ established the second winter quarters at -Havnefjord in 96° 29´ N., 84° 25´ W. Game and seals were found in plenty -during the autumn, also musk-oxen, hares, and reindeer. Most successful -scientific researches were promoted, sledging parties continued -explorations, and the only event to mar a happy autumn was the death of -Braskerud. He had had a very bad cold, was ill a fortnight with a cough -and had great difficulty in breathing, but had suffered no pain; there -was no doctor, and nothing could be done to relieve him; he had kept his -bed the last three days of his illness, and no one dreamed the end was so -near. - -Preparations for the “grand sledge journey” of the spring kept the men -busy during the winter and early in the season Isachsen, Bay, Schei, -and Stolz, each man with a full load, went to examine the outlying -depots placed the previous fall. At Björneborg, the ravages of bears -had caused loss of food and damaged equipment, and this serious menace -to the success of the future journeys decided Captain Sverdrup to -place a watchman at this lonely and isolated spot. Bay, the zoölogist, -volunteered for the duty and was appointed “Commandant of Björneborg.” - -“On March 7,” writes Sverdrup, “Fosheim and I started west in company -with the newly appointed commandant. A little after twelve the following -day we arrived at the boat-house.... After finishing our work we had -dinner, which was as sustaining as it was splendid, and consisted of -boiled beef, sausage, soup, and green peas. After dinner we had drams -and coffee, and after supper grog. Early next morning, and on good ice, -we drove on, running by the side of the loads nearly the whole day to -increase the pace. We reached Björneborg in the evening, where we found -our new depot in good order. - -“Next day we set to work on the erection of the Commandant’s residence. -We built a very respectable house.... Like other residences of the kind, -‘Björneborg’ must have its flag, we thought, and as we were in possession -of a flagstaff, which, considering our circumstances, was irreproachable, -we secured it to the roof, and ran up a 17th of May flag. But our -Commandant was economical, and would only use it on occasions of especial -ceremony. - -“Here Bay lived, absolutely alone, for three months, and during the -first part of the time without so much as a living being for company; -afterwards he had a garrison consisting of a whole watch-dog. During all -this long period I never saw him out of spirits.” - -The following day, Sverdrup and Fosheim made an examination of the ice, -which in the fiords was rugged and hummocky. Upon the return to the ship -it was decided that Banmann, leading the supporting party, should leave -the ship Saturday, March 17, with full loads, “with Björneborg as their -destination; returning thence to the boat-house to fetch provisions and -dog-food, which were to be used on the approaching journeys westward.” - -For these journeys, Isachsen and Hassel were to make one party, Fosheim -and Sverdrup the second, Schei and Peder the third. All were to meet -at Björneborg on March 21, later to separate and journey in different -directions. - -The following rations were allotted to the different parties:— - - Banmann and his men, 240 days’ rations, about 530 pounds. - Isachsen and Hassel, 100 days’ rations, about 220 pounds. - Sverdrup and Fosheim, 100 days’ rations, about 200 pounds. - Schei and Peder, 80 days’ rations, about 175 pounds. - Bay, 90 days’ rations, about 200 pounds. - -[Sidenote: _SLEDGE JOURNEYS_] - -The “Great Expedition,” upon which so much thought and care had -been expended, was ready to start, March 20, 1900. “The weather was -beautiful,” writes Sverdrup, “and we drove out through the sound, east -of Skreia, at a smart pace, taking, when south of it, a line direct for -South Cape.” - -On this journey in which Sverdrup and Fosheim traced the west shore of -Ellesmere Land to 80° 50´ N., a serious, yet amusing, incident occurred. -“At certain places on our way,” writes Sverdrup, “we came across huge -rocks, some of which were as big as a cottage, and round them the snow -had drifted to such a height that we could only just see the top. When -we came nearer, we found that, as a rule, the wind had hollowed out a -large empty space between the drift, and we were often met by a yawning -pitfall twelve to eighteen feet in depth.... I should mention that we -were obliged to drive above the rocks, as below was the open sea.... It -once happened that, just as we were passing a rock of this kind, a gap -occurred between my sledge and the one following it. As soon as I became -aware of this, I pulled up; but almost before I knew what was taking -place, the dogs had made their usual frantic rush to catch up, and the -sledge, men, and team were precipitated into the hole twelve feet below. -A moment afterwards, before anything could be done to prevent it, the -next sledge came tearing up and fell into the hole, and on the heels of -number two came a third, which followed their example.... In the grave -lay pell-mell three men, eighteen dogs, and three sledges with their -loads, and the snow was flying up from it in clouds. Here and there a -sledge runner, or a sealskin strap, was sticking out. Then I saw one of -the men crawling out of the medley and pulling himself together, then -another, and another. Thank God, they were all alive! And the dogs? -They were lying in a black heap, one team on top of the other, kicking, -howling, and fighting, till we could hardly hear the men’s voices for -their noise, so, apparently, they, too, were alive. As soon as we had -hauled them all up, we set to work to shovel part of the drift away so -that we could drag up the loads. The first sledge, which, after much -toil, we succeeded in bringing up, strange to say, was whole, nor was -there anything wrong with number two, while number three was as intact as -the two former. The very astonishing result of this flight through the -air was, therefore, that not a limb, nor a lashing, nor bit of wood was -broken.” - -While the travellers were in the field pursuing their perilous and -exciting adventures, the Commandant at Björneborg was leading a lonely -and monotonous life awaiting his chance to annihilate marauding Bruins. -His first call to arms came soon after Captain Sverdrup’s departure. -Late one night, while half asleep, the Commandant, at that time without -a garrison, thought he heard a faint sound in the depot. “I only turned -round in the bag,” he says, “and inwardly cursed Hassel’s dogs, which -were loose again and ransacking the depot. I was on the point of falling -asleep once more, when it began to dawn on me that my reasoning had been -wrong, for there were no dogs within many miles, and therewith I heard -a crash, which seemed to make the earth tremble. A moment later I was -out of the bag, had dragged my gun from its cover, and cocked it, for it -suddenly occurred to me that my guest was a serious one. The first thing -I did was to light the lamp, after which I began to move away some tins -I had put in front of the door, that night for the first time, to keep -it in place. The sounds still continued at the depot, but, in moving the -last tin, I happened to make a slight noise, and then everything became -as still as death. I raised the door and crept out. It was one o’clock -(I had looked at my watch when I lit the lamp), and much darker than was -pleasant for the work before me. - -[Illustration: ROALD AMUNDSEN - -_Courtesy of Constable and Co., London, and E. P. Dutton and Co._] - -“The bear, meanwhile, had made itself quite at home. In order to get at -one of the blubber-cases, it had thrust the empty boxes out of its way, -and had thrown down one of the dog-food boxes which had been placed on -the cases of blubber. The marks of all its claws were clearly visible -in the tin. The other box was open, and the bear had tasted a couple of -rations, but had evidently not found them to his liking, for he had spat -them out again into the box. It had then very carefully lifted the tin -down on to the snow, and then—also very carefully—raised the lid of the -blubber box. But just as it was going to begin its meal, it had evidently -heard my clatter inside the hut, and had sat down to listen, with its -right paw clasping the edge of the box. It was in this position at any -rate that I found it, when I raised myself up, after creeping out. The -bear was about fifteen yards away from me, and as soon as it saw me rose, -large, and fat and hissing; it made the open tin rattle as it put its -left paw down on it. It looked just as if it were thumping the table, to -show what a fine fellow it was, and reminded me of one of my friends on -board—so much so that I half unwittingly addressed it in the way usual -between us; a manner, however, hardly fit for publication. Whether the -bear felt offended at this I know not, but certain it is that it got up -and walked, growling, with long measured steps round the depot. I aimed, -and shot it in the shoulder; I could just discern the sights through -the darkness.” “The bear uttered such a loud growl,” continues the -Commandant, “that it seemed to make the stillness ring. The fire from my -gun had dazzled me, and I could no longer see the sights, and the bear -itself I only saw as a shapeless mass, which seemed to have grown most -incredibly larger. The other barrel, the small-shot barrel, which was -loaded with a large ball, I fired straight into the mass without going -through any such formality as aiming. Then I made a well-ordered retreat -behind the hut, and put in some fresh cartridges. I do not much believe -in hurrying, but I did this in less time than it takes to tell. To my -great astonishment I did not see anything—not that I wanted to—of my -enemy during this operation, but as soon as I was ready, I began to peer -about after it, though at first without success. At last, on bending -down, I caught sight of a large dark object a short distance away, at -a spot where I knew there was no rock,—this, of course, must be the -bear, but whether dead or alive it was impossible to tell. I therefore -advanced with much caution, and fired a shot at what I supposed to be its -head. On closer examination it proved to be the other end of the bear I -had bombarded; but as a zoölogist I, of course, knew that the head in -_Ursus maritimus_ is, as a rule, exactly at the opposite extremity to the -after-end of the animal, and at last really succeeded in giving it some -lead in the right place. The bear had, no doubt, been dead for some time, -but discretion is the better part of valour. I then realized that I had -killed my first bear; to say that I was proud is nowhere near the mark.” - -The Commandant had other visits from bears while leading the hermit’s -life at Björneborg, and the killing of a seal was also added to his -achievements. On June 2, however, he left the castle where he had lived -alone for almost a quarter of a year.—“It was not without a feeling of -sadness,” he writes, “that I saw the last glimpse of the spot as we -rounded the steep bluffs of Stormkap, for, although my life there had -been solitary and monotonous enough,—except on occasions when it had been -extremely lively,—I felt I was leaving a home where I knew every stone -and every irregularity of the ground—a place I had known in calm and the -glory of sunshine, as well as during the raging of the storms. And then, -too, I had a feeling as if peace and quietness were at an end, for east -of the Stormkap began for me the great busy world, which for so long now -I had almost forgotten.” - -A serious fire occurred on board the _Fram_, May 27, 1900. A spark from -the galley falling upon the winter awning, was supposed to be the cause -of the conflagration. The loss of paraffin-prepared kayaks, a quantity -of skis, and wood and other valuables were consumed, but the chief -danger, which threatened the safety of the ship and all on board, was the -proximity of the fire to an iron tank containing fifty gallons of spirit; -so great was the heat of the fire that, though the tank held, the tinning -on the outside was found melted. - -[Sidenote: _RELEASE FROM THE ICE_] - -On August 9, after a summer of successful research, the conditions being -favourable, Captain Sverdrup decided to push westward with the _Fram_. -“Through the ice-free sound all went well,” he writes; “but farther out, -east of the rocks, we entered the ice, and lay there ramming the whole -day long. Whenever we got a chance we forged on full speed ahead; and -when perforce we came to a standstill, we backed to get an impetus, and -gave another ram.” Skirting the coast, the _Fram_ pushed her difficult -course to within about a mile and a half from North Devon, where on -September 3, 1900, the ship was made ready for her third winter in the -Arctic. On the 15th, a storm disrupted the pack, and quick action on -the part of officers and men was required to prepare the _Fram_ for the -opening of the ice which suddenly released her. As quickly as possible -she was bearing toward Cardigan Strait, and steered through in easy -waters, finally anchoring in the good winter harbour of Gaasefjord. -The land in the vicinity of this harbour was rich in game, fauna, and -interesting fossils. - -Captain Sverdrup describes a curious experience while out hunting. In -a small valley he discovered countless hare-tracks, which crossed and -recrossed one another in every direction, the snow in places having been -trodden in hard runs. Calling his telescope to his aid, he made out what -he had mistaken for a group of white stones a short distance off, to be a -group of Arctic hares, thirty-one in number, evidently at rest, with one -plainly acting as sentinel. - -Although Sverdrup approached with great caution, the hare on guard -suddenly took alarm and, starting up, ran wildly round her flock, -striking her hind legs on the ground till it fairly resounded, then -setting off at a brisk pace over the ridge of a hill, the others -following in a long line and presently disappearing. - -At a short distance two others, evidently not belonging to the other -lot, remained by themselves. “I thought,” writes Sverdrup, “it would be -interesting to go across to them if possible, and see what they were -about, but realized I must make use of other tactics if I would approach -near them. This, I thought, was a fitting moment to impersonate a -reindeer, or some other kind of big game, and I made a valiant attempt to -simulate their grazing movements backwards and forwards on the sward.... -My tactics were so successful that, in the end, I was not much more than -two or three yards away from them. It was quite touching to see these -great innocent Arctic hares sitting only a few paces off, quietly gnawing -roots. The only notice they vouchsafed me was an occasional sniff in my -direction.... - -“I stayed long fraternizing with the hares down on the grass, and at last -we did not mind each other in the very least. They went on with their -occupations quite unconcernedly; I with mine. I felt something like Adam -in Paradise before Eve came, and all that about the serpent happened.” - -Hunting expeditions and autumnal sledge journeys at an end, the winter -set in with plenty of work to do for every one on board the _Fram_. The -smithy was called upon for endless labour; the taking of observations -and the many other daily occupations caused the long Arctic night to -pass with less monotony and depression. A visitation from wolves added -excitement to the winter, and various methods were tried for their -capture. - -[Illustration: CAPE FLORA IN EARLY JULY, 1904 - -_Courtesy of Doubleday, Page and Co._] - -[Illustration: THE COAL MINE AT CAPE FLORA, 600 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF -THE SEA - -_Courtesy of Doubleday, Page and Co._] - -[Sidenote: _“FRAM’S” SECOND POLAR EXPEDITION_] - -The explorations of 1901 proved Heiberg Land to be an island, separated -by Heureka Strait; this was explored as far as its junction with Greely -Fjord, but another year remained before the Norwegian standard was -carried to 81° 37´ N., 92° W., where it was raised, May 13, 1902, and the -outline of coast completed to Aldrich’s farthest. - -Having made one of the most brilliant records in Arctic history, the -members of the _Fram’s_ second polar expedition turned toward their -native land, and on August 6, 1902, the _Fram_ began her triumphant -retreat from the Great White North. - -“Homeward! What a strange ring in the simple word!” cries Captain -Sverdrup. “On our long and laborious sledge journeys we had many a time -used it when we thought of the _Fram_, and a good home the _Fram_ had -been these four years, warm and strong and well provided, but that was in -another way. Now the longing for home coursed through our blood, and all -the yearning, which we had thrust aside during these long years, broke -loose, rang in our ears, and made our hearts beat faster. Half-forgotten -memories and dawning hopes came back again. A sea of thoughts streamed in -on us and tied our tongues in the midst of the joy at going home. It was -a moment full of promise when we knew that we were looking for the last -time on these mountains and fiords, which for so long had been the object -and scene of our endeavor.” - -September 26, the _Fram_ reached Christiansand, and two days later she -dropped anchor for a few hours at Langgrunden, off Horten. Quite a fleet -of steamers and sailing-boats escorted her from Stavanger to Christiania, -which was reached “on a beautiful Sunday which recalled to us the day, -four years since, when we had gone the other way.” ... “So the _Fram’s_ -second polar expedition was at an end,” concludes Captain Sverdrup. “An -approximate area of one hundred thousand square miles had been explored, -and, in the name of the Norwegian King, taken possession of. If the -members of the expedition have been able to do _anything_, this is owing -in the first instance to the sacrifices of generous Norwegians; that we -have not done more is, at any rate, not owing to want of will.” - -The successful navigation of the long-sought Northwest Passage by Captain -Roald Amundsen has been one of the stirring events of the early twentieth -century. Of this hardy Norseman, and what he accomplished, Mr. Alger -gives an interesting account in _Putnam’s Magazine_:— - -“Born July 16, 1872, at Borge, in the district of Smaalenene, southern -Norway, he comes from an old sea-faring family, and has had much -experience as a sailor. As an officer he took part in the Belgian South -Pole expedition of 1897, on board the _Belgica_, and it was down in the -Antarctic regions that he first planned his famous Arctic voyage. On -the whaler, _Gjoa_, a ship of only 46 tons, he left Christiania in May, -1903, with a crew of seven men; and three years later, in the summer of -1906, the news was spread over the world that he had accomplished what -no man before him had succeeded in doing. He had not only sailed through -the Northwest Passage, but had located the Magnetic Pole and otherwise -gathered much scientific information of the greatest value in regard to -these little-known regions.” - -The _Gjoa_ was especially strengthened and refitted throughout. She -was amply provisioned for five years, and her crew most carefully -selected. Second in command was Lieutenant Godfred Hansen of the Danish -Navy. First mate Auto Lund of Tromsoe had had long years of service in -the sealing trade. Peder Ristredt, a sergeant in the Norwegian Army, -was first engineer. Helmer Hansen, also an experienced sealer, a good -snow-shoer and hunter, was second mate. Gustav Juel, second engineer, was -to take part in the magnetic observations, but he died on the trip from -pneumonia, in March, 1906. Adolf Linstrom served as cook, having served -in the same capacity aboard the _Fram_. - -Sailing at midnight, June 16, 1903, from Christiania, Cape Farewell, -Greenland was sighted five weeks later. Securing ten fine dogs at -Godhaven from Herr Dongaad Jensen, Inspector for North Greenland, -they entered Melville Bay, August 8. On August 15, they came in sight -of Dalrymple Rock; at this point two Scotch whaling captains—Milne -and Adams—had deposited certain stores for Amundsen. The _Gjoa_ was -unexpectedly met in kayaks by members of the Danish Literary Greenland -expedition, Herr Mylius Eriksen and Herr Knut Rasmussen. An exchange of -courtesies was followed by the loading of the _Gjoa_ with the packages -from Dalrymple Rock. Pushing through the lanes, at full steam, they -emerged into open water in Baffin Bay, and later entered Lancaster Sound, -anchoring at Beechey, August 22. On August 24, they pushed into Peel -Sound. The efficiency of the compass now ceased, and they were compelled -to navigate by the stars whenever they appeared through the fog, which -prevailed most of the time. Passing along the west coast of Boothia -Felix, they came to grief by grounding on September 1 and were obliged -to “lighten the ship by throwing overboard the greater part of the deck -cargo. On Saturday, September 12, entered Gjoa Harbor”—a small landlocked -cove at the head of Petersen Bay (King William Land), and here they -remained for nearly two years. - -[Sidenote: _SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATIONS_] - -Immediate preparations were made for wintering, provisions landed, -observatories erected, and Amundsen at once began his valuable scientific -observations. - -“In order to ensure accuracy,” writes General Greely in the _Century_, -1907, “the magnetic instruments were installed in temporary wooden -buildings, built with copper nails, and entirely free of any iron, -heat, or even light, except the lamp behind the reflector. Here day -and night, for twenty months, were made photograph records, and these -were supplemented by personal eye-readings to serve as needful checks -on those photographically obtained. The observers in this work were -clothed entirely in deerskin garments, and before entering the building -where the magnetometres were installed, carefully divested themselves of -watches, keys, knives, and other metallic objects. The observations were -made in winter under such conditions of cold, monotony, and darkness as -to merit the highest commendation for endurance and constancy.” And he -continues, “The value of the continuous observations at Gjoa Harbor was -largely increased by similar observations in the field, which necessarily -entailed severe exposure and consequent hardships on the sledging -parties. In March, 1904, a preliminary journey, made for the purpose of -establishing food depots, involved much suffering owing to excessive -cold, the temperature falling to 79° below zero, Fahr. The sledge journey -to the Magnetic Pole itself was made by Amundsen and Ristvedt, starting -April 2, 1904, with ten dogs and two sledges, much difficulty resulting -from rough ice. - -“Five observation stations were occupied between Gjoa Harbor and Tasmania -Islands, which are about eighty miles directly north of Ross’s magnetic -pole. This field work occupied about two months, being summarily -finished at the end of May, owing to loss of food through the thieving -Itchnachtorviks of eastern Boothia. While no definite result of the field -observations can yet be given, it is not thought that there has been any -decided change from the magnetic conditions observed by Ross in 1831, -when the pole of declination was in the neighborhood of Cape Adelaide, -70° 05´ N., 96° 44´ W.” - -On April 1, 1905, Lieutenant Hansen and Ristvedt, with two sledges, -twelve dogs, and provisions for three months, visited Victoria, and after -charting half of the missing coastline returned June 24. - -Neighbours were not lacking these isolated white men. Frequent visits -from Eskimos, and the news of American fishermen to the south, permitted -of letters being forwarded by Eskimos. - -[Sidenote: _AUGUST 14, 1906_] - -On August 14, 1906, all conditions being favourable, the _Gjoa_ weighed -anchor and proceeded westward in open water, and within a few hours -had successfully passed through Etta Sound, the narrowest place in -the Northwest Passage, a tortuous channel between Etta Island and the -mainland. The following day they threaded their way through a group of -newly discovered islands in shallows that constantly necessitated the use -of the lead. - -A heavy pack was encountered in Victoria Strait, but they continued on -their way “through the strait between Victoria Land and the mainland,” -thence through “Dease Strait and Coronation Gulf out into Dolphin and -Union straits, and on the morning of August 25 sighted Nelson Head—a tall -and imposing headland.” - -Having successfully passed from the Atlantic side into the Pacific side, -the _Gjoa_ had the good fortune to speak on the same day the American -whaling schooner, _Charles Hansson_, from San Francisco. A delay of -twenty-four hours was caused by the ice off Cape Bathurst. Near Bailey -Island, several beset whalers were encountered, and the barks _Alexander_ -and _Bowhead_ were sighted off Pullen Island. - -Cape Sabine was reached September 2—but progress was only made to King -Point, about thirty-five miles east of Herschel Island, where the _Gjoa_ -was forced to put in another Arctic winter. - -On October 13, Amundsen, with a sledge and five dogs, made a journey of -five months’ duration, covering a distance of fifteen hundred miles to -Eagle City, Alaska. This included a two months’ sojourn in Eagle City, -when all despatches were forwarded, and mails received, for himself and -other members of the expedition. - -The following August, the _Gjoa_ was freed, but on the 19th of that month -she received a bad injury to her propeller by grounding on a piece of -ice, so continued her journey entirely under sail. She arrived at San -Francisco, October 19, with a rich cargo of ethnographical, zoölogical, -and botanical specimens, and many furs and curios. These were freighted -to Christiania, the _Gjoa_ taken charge of by Admiral Lyons, commandant -of the Mare Island Navy-yard, and Amundsen and his companions started by -rail for home. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - - Robert E. Peary.—The man.—First visit to the Arctic, - 1886.—Other journeys, 1891.—Independence Bay, - Greenland.—Discovers Melville Land and Heilprin - Land.—Subsequent journeys, 1893-1895.—Discovery of famous “Iron - Mountain.”—Summer voyages, 1896-1897.—North Pole journey of - 1898.—Peary seriously disabled by frost-bites.—Polar expedition - in S. S. _Roosevelt_, 1905-1906.—Final dash for the Pole, 1908. - - -For nearly a quarter of a century the name of Robert Edwin Peary has been -closely identified with Arctic work. No man in the history of exploration -has renewed his attacks upon the impassable barriers of the Great White -North with such perseverance, endurance, and determination. Again and -again in the face of disappointments, bodily disablements, failures, and -discouragements that would have blasted the most sanguine hopes of the -average man, he has persisted in his endeavours, returned to the field of -action, fought gallantly the disheartening fight, come back to receive -the polite indifference or enthusiastic praise of his countrymen, turned -his energies to raising the necessary funds to renew his enterprise, and -when this was done, faced to the north and passed again beyond the Arctic -Circle. - -He is typically American, tall, lean, wiry, muscular, keen-eyed, alert, -positive, and possessed of that indomitable will which conquers or dies. -Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania, May 6, 1856, he had early the misfortune -to lose his father, and his widowed mother, with her boy of three, -returned to her relatives and friends in New England and made her home in -Portland, Maine. Here Peary, the lad, grew up, fond of the sea and the -woods, loving the wild roar of the ocean as it beat upon the rocky coast, -or the gentle summer winds whispering amid the northern pines. - -He loved to roam, to explore, to find adventure, and to lead others to -it, and in his schoolboy days he was noted for his athletic tastes and -powers of endurance. At twenty-one years of age he completed his college -life at Bowdoin, graduating second in a class of fifty-one, and four -years later had passed the examinations which made him Civil Engineer -in the United States Navy. From duty in Florida he was transferred to -the Nicaragua Canal zone, where he remained engaged in the Interocean -Ship-canal Survey from 1884 to 1885. - -He returned under government orders to Washington in the fall of that -year, and during a leisure hour, in an old book-store, he accidentally -came upon a paper on the Inland Ice of Greenland. Remembering the -adventures of Dr. Kane which had thrilled him as a boy, and reading the -experiences of Nordenskjöld, Jensen, and the rest, Peary felt he must -know for himself what was the truth of this great mysterious interior. - -Thus early had the seed of ambition to explore the land of the mysterious -north germinated in his active mind. - -[Illustration: THE “ROOSEVELT” DRYING HER SAILS - -_Courtesy of F. A. Stokes Company_] - -[Sidenote: _FIRST VISIT TO THE ARCTIC_] - -The following year he received permission from the Department for leave -of absence to make a reconnoissance of the Greenland ice-cap, east of -Disco Bay, 70° north latitude. - -Accompanied by Christian Maigaard, a Dane, and eight natives, Peary -examined the coast and fiords, penetrated the inland ice, and visited -among other interesting spots the Tossukatek Glacier, the base of -Noursoak Peninsula, and the fossil beds of Atanekerdluk. “Here,” he says, -“I found fragments of trees, black petrifactions with the grain of the -wood and the texture of the bark showing clearly. Pieces of sandstone -split readily into sheets, between which were to be seen sharp, clear -impressions of large net-veined leaves, every tiniest veinlet and minute -serratum of the edges distinct as the lines of a steel engraving; long, -slender, parallel-veined leaves and exquisite feathery forms.” - -Full of enthusiasm for further adventure in the land of desolation, -where the wild vivid poppy flourishes in sheltered nooks, near eternal -glaciers; where a lifeless desert of perpetual snow, from five thousand -to ten thousand feet above the level of the sea, extends over an area -of some twelve hundred miles in length and five hundred in width,—a -glistening shroud,—covering the mighty rocks of ages, the buried summits -of high mountains thousands of feet below,—Peary returned to the United -States and in a newspaper article attracted the attention of the -Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, which offered to defray part of -the expense of his second expedition. - -Peary left, June 6, 1891, in the _Kite_, and with his party, including -Mrs. Peary; Langdon Gibson, ornithologist and hunter; Dr. Frederick A. -Cook, surgeon; Eivind Astrup, a Norwegian; John M. Verhoeff, mineralogist -and meteorologist; and Matthew Henson, a coloured man, landed at -M’Cormick Bay in August. An unfortunate accident aboard the _Kite_, -which resulted in a broken leg, caused Peary disappointment and delay in -carrying out his autumn plans. However, “Red Cliff House” was erected, -communications with the natives established, and such work carried on as -Peary’s unfortunate condition would permit. In April, 1892, Peary, being -fully restored to health, left Red Cliff House and explored Inglefield -Gulf; his next move was to establish caches of provisions to be used on -his sledge journey across the ice-cap. - -This journey was undertaken in May; four sledges, to which were harnessed -sixteen dogs, carried the provisions and equipment. A supporting party -advanced with Peary to a point about one hundred miles from M’Cormick -Bay. The explorer, with one companion, Astrup, proceeded over the great -ice at an elevation of about five thousand feet, and by May 31 looked -down into Peterman Fjord. “Here,” says Peary, “we were on the ice-bluffs -forming the limit of the great glacier basin, just as we had been at -Humboldt, but a trifle less fortunate here than at Humboldt. I found -it necessary to deflect some ten miles to the eastward, to avoid the -inequalities of the glacier basin, and the great crevasses which cut the -ice-bluffs encircling it.” - -Peary’s object now was to make the east coast of Greenland, following -the edge of the ice-cap, beset with crevasses, slippery ice, hummocks, -drifting snow and fogs, and the journey was continued until July 4, 1892, -when they reached Independence Bay, 81° 37´ north latitude. An ascent of -Navy Cliff revealed a magnificent panorama of rugged, majestic, ice-free -country to the north, and the broad expanse of the East Greenland Ocean. - -Strange it seemed that in this remote country in sheltered nooks the -flowers bloomed; the hum of bees, the drone of flies, fell upon the ear; -the snow-bunting, the sandpiper, a Greenland falcon, and a pair of ravens -greeted the adventurers. Musk-ox fed upon the patches of greensward, and -no less than five fell to Peary’s rifle and supplied men and dogs with -abundant meat. - -The return journey back to M’Cormick Bay, a distance of some four hundred -and fifty miles, was made over the ice-cap in the face of violent storms -and wind, through drifts and fog, with diminished provisions and failing -dogs. - -A joyful meeting with Professor Heilprin and party, who had come north a -month before with the _Kite_, took place on the Inland Ice, at the head -of M’Cormick Bay, and a happy return was made to Red Cliff House. - -[Sidenote: _DISCOVERS MELVILLE LAND_] - -The results of Peary’s second voyage to the Arctic, embracing the -great twelve-hundred-mile journey, determined the northern extension -and insularity of Greenland; made the discovery of detached ice-free -land-masses of less extent to the northward, and established the rapid -convergence of the Greenland shores above the 78th parallel. It also -included the discovery of Melville Land and Heilprin Land, and the -accumulation of most valuable scientific data, besides laying the -foundation for Peary’s comprehensive study of the Greenland Highlanders, -or native Eskimo. - -Immediately upon his return to the United States, Peary devoted his -energies to a lecture tour from which he hoped to derive the necessary -funds to promote a more extended exploration of Northeast Greenland. - -Granted three years’ leave of absence by the Hon. B. F. Tracy, Secretary -of the Navy, the North Greenland expedition of 1893-1894 sailed in the -_Falcon_, June, 1893, and entered the mouth of Bowdoin Bay, in Inglefield -Gulf, August 3. - -Here a house was rapidly constructed, stores landed, the _Falcon_ making -a brief trip after the winter supply of meat, with a stop at Life-Boat -Cove, where a visit was made to the site of Polaris House. A few relics -were picked up bearing the stamp of the United States Navy-yard at -Washington, dated 1865 to 1870. The 20th of August, after her return -to the station at Bowdoin Bay, the _Falcon_ steamed south, leaving the -little group of fourteen persons, including, among others, Mr. and Mrs. -Peary, Mr. Samuel J. Entrikin, Eivind Astrup, Dr. Edward E. Vincent, Mr. -E. B. Baldwin, Mrs. Susan J. Cross, and the coloured man, Matthew Henson. - -On September 12, in this far-away land, the famous “snow baby” was born, -little blue-eyed Marie Ahnighito Peary, and “bundled deep in soft, warm -Arctic furs, and wrapped in the Stars and Stripes.” - -In early March, 1894, the last preparations were completed for a second -twelve-hundred-mile journey across the Greenland Ice-cap. On the 6th of -the month, accompanied by eight men, twelve sledges, and ninety-two -dogs, Peary ascended the Inland Ice. The advance of such a caravan was -slow and heavy. The dogs of the various teams, being unaccustomed to -one another, were constantly fighting; the penetrating cold nipped with -frost-bites the hands and feet of his men, so that after an advance of -one hundred and thirty-four miles, at an elevation of five thousand five -hundred feet, Peary determined at the end of thirteen days to cache -surplus stores, send back the majority of his men, and proceed with three -men alone. But the conditions of cold and storms were too adverse for -human endurance, the thermometer reaching as low as -60°. The dogs were -reduced to a most pitiable condition, many dying from exposure. On April -10, having advanced only about eighty-five miles, Peary decided it was -inadvisable to attempt to proceed and prepared for his return to Bowdoin -Bay. - -[Illustration: CAIRN ERECTED OVER THE BODY OF MARVIN - -_Courtesy of F. A. Stokes Company_] - -Abandoning and caching all unnecessary impedimenta, with only twenty-six -dogs remaining out of the original number, the party reached the station -in a much enfeebled and reduced state. - -Though temporarily defeated in the main object of his enterprise, Peary -had gleaned much information concerning the famous “Iron Mountain” of -Melville Bay, first mentioned by Captain Ross in 1818, and as part of the -programme he had laid down for himself, a visit to that interesting spot -was undertaken. On May 27, 1894, Peary located this remarkable meteorite, -leaving a cairn with records at a short distance from the spot. - -In the meantime, Astrup had made a successful sledge journey and -reconnoissance of Melville Bay, and carefully charting much of its -hitherto little-known northeastern shore. - -[Illustration: ANNIVERSARY _LODGE CROSS SECTION_ - -_WINTER OF 1894-95_ - -_Courtesy of F. A. Stokes Co._] - -The last of July, the _Falcon_, with a party of scientists aboard, -including, among others, Professor T. C. Chamberlin, Professor Wm. -Libbey, Jr., H. L. Bridgman, and Mrs. Peary’s brother, Emil Diebitsch, -anchored in M’Cormick Bay. After a sojourn in northern waters, it -returned to the United States, carrying on board the entire Peary party, -with the exception of the indomitable leader and two companions, Lee and -Henson. Peary’s resources were limited; food and fuel were reduced so -as to menace future activities, and the visit of a relief ship in the -summer of 1895 depended practically upon Mrs. Peary’s sole exertions. -Nevertheless, Peary determined to remain, and, immediately enlisting the -natives to assist him, he drew on the country for his supplies. - -The fall was occupied in the chase after reindeer and Arctic hare for -human food, and walrus meat for the dogs; and later an examination and -rehabilitation of the nearer caches of provisions left on the Inland Ice. - -The monotonous winter passed, and as the spring advanced the day of -departure approached for the next great journey across the Greenland ice. -On April 2, 1895, the little band, consisting of its intrepid leader, -with Lee and Henson, four natives, and the six sledges with their dog -teams, started northward. - -The fierce storms of winter had obliterated the marked caches; in vain -was the immediate neighbourhood scoured in every direction, sometimes -to a distance of five miles; no signs of the looked-for depots could be -discovered. - -[Illustration: CAMP MORRIS JESUP - -_Courtesy of F. A. Stokes Company_] - -Though Eskimos deserted and turned back, Peary still pushed on, at last -left with only the two companions, some forty dogs and three sledges. -The prospect was indeed dismal. Lee became disabled by frost-bites; the -dogs died; the gaunt form of starvation loomed on the horizon. May 8, -Lee could proceed no farther, and was left in camp, distant some sixteen -miles from the coast, while Peary and Henson advanced in the desperate -search for game. Four days and nights death by starvation faced them, -in the fruitless search for food. Then, disappointed, back to camp, and -a desperate march to Independence Bay. Then down the tortuous valley, -across rocks, cobble, and boulder, the men plunged on. “A few miles -beyond the valley, I saw a fresh hare track,” says Peary, “and a few -hundred yards beyond came upon the hare itself, squatting among the rocks -a few paces distant. With the sight of the beautiful spotless little -animal, the feeling of emptiness in the region of my stomach increased. -I called to Matt, who was some little distance back, to stop the dogs -and come up with his rifle. He was so affected by the prospect of a good -supper, his first and second bullets missed the mark, but at the third -the white object collapsed into a shapeless mass, and on the instant -gaunt hunger leapt upon us like a wolf upon its prey.... It was the first -full meal we had had since the Eskimos left us thirty-five days ago.” - -Later musk-ox fell to the hunter’s aim, which restored courage and -strength to the desperate men. They reached the cairn which Peary had -erected in 1892, and found the papers there still intact. To linger in -the vicinity meant a constant consumption of food for which they were not -prepared. There was yet the long journey back over the dread ice-cap, -eight thousand feet above the level of the sea. With nine dogs, and food -for seventeen days only, they retraced their steps, fleeing in forced -marches, from that ever present gaunt form, Starvation, closing upon -their wake. - -One by one the faithful dogs died by the wayside. This retreat over the -Great Ice is one of the most desperate struggles in Arctic history. At -last, June 25, the three starving, exhausted men reached Bowdoin Bay. -“At the beginning of the last day there were left four biscuits, saved -from the half and quarter rations of the preceding weeks; and one dog was -still alive, the sole survivor of a pack of forty-two.” - -“Poor brute!” says Peary, “the memory of those famine days upon the -‘Great Ice’ remained so vividly with him, that for weeks after our -return, though weak and afflicted like ourselves, he might be seen at -any time, when not asleep, hiding away every bit of meat or blubber, and -every bone that he could find about the place.” - -A few weeks of recuperation fitted the men for the journey home, and -relief ship _Kite_, in charge of Captain Bartlett, reached them in early -August. - -[Sidenote: _SUMMER VOYAGES, 1896-1897_] - -In 1896 and 1897, Peary made two summer voyages to the Arctic for the -purpose of transferring to the United States the largest of the three -Cape York meteorites. On the first trip he was successful in dislodging -this ninety-ton mass from the ice grip of centuries, but was compelled to -leave it until the next season, when he successfully had it transferred -to the hold of the _Hope_, the Peary ship of that year, and the world -wonder now reposes in the Museum of Natural History, New York City. - -During these active years Peary had made warm friends, men who had said -to him with the same confidence expressed by Theodore Roosevelt, “I -believe in you, Peary,” and the Peary Arctic Club was formed, headed -by that generous benefactor, Morris K. Jesup, as President, Frederick -E. Hyde, Vice-President, Henry W. Cannon, Treasurer, and Herbert L. -Bridgman, Secretary, and others to lend encouragement and financial aid. - -Peary’s ambitions had not been satisfied by his brilliant achievements in -twice crossing the Greenland ice-cap, and the lure of the Arctic had long -beckoned him to try to reach the northernmost extremity of the earth. - -[Illustration: THE SLEDGE THAT WENT TO THE POLE - -It is the perfected “Peary” type and is now in the American Museum of -Natural History, New York City. - -_Copyright, 1910, by Robert E. Peary_ - -_Copyright, 1910, by Benjamin B. Hampton_] - -[Illustration: A GREAT EVENT IN THE LONG NIGHT - -Christmas dinner on board the “Roosevelt,” 450 miles from the Pole. From -left to right: Borup, Marvin, Captain Bartlett, Peary, Dr. Goodsell, -McMillan. - -_Copyright, 1910, by Robert E. Peary_ - -_Copyright, 1910, by Benjamin B. Hampton_] - -His journey of 1898 to 1902 under the auspices of the Peary Arctic -Club had for its main purpose the attainment of the Pole itself. His -carefully laid plan was to advance toward the Pole by the west coast of -Greenland, and establish food stations, depending upon picked Eskimos for -coöperation with his small party. In the final dash, supporting sledges -would be sent back as soon as emptied, and the returning explorer, with -two companions, would be met by a relief party of Eskimos. - -[Sidenote: _PEARY SERIOUSLY DISABLED BY FROST-BITES_] - -Mr. Harmsworth of London generously gave his yacht, the _Windward_, -for this expedition. Peary started with every prospect of success. The -_Windward_ endeavoured to force a passage into Kennedy Channel, but -was obliged to seek shelter and winter quarters at Cape D’Orville. In -early autumnal journeys Peary determined the continuity of Ellesmere and -Grinnell lands, and prepared to make his headquarters at Fort Conger. -In January, 1899, came a sudden and most disheartening set-back to his -ambitious plans. While on this dangerous sledge journey, in a frightful -temperature that ranged between 51° to 63° below zero, he had both -feet badly frozen, and this grave injury, which nearly cost him his -life, resulted in the amputation of eight toes; but not before weeks of -suffering had been passed in the melancholy winter darkness at Greely’s -old quarters. - -“During the following weeks,” writes Peary, “our life at Conger was -pronouncedly _à la_ Robinson Crusoe. Searching for things in the unbroken -darkness of the ‘Great Night,’ with a tiny flicker of flame in a saucer, -was very like seeking a needle in a haystack.” At last, on the 18th of -February, in the moonlight, they started back to the ship. Lashed firmly -down, with feet and legs wrapped in musk-ox skin, Peary was dragged, -in the cold Arctic night, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles in -eleven days. - -Disheartening weeks of inaction and suffering aboard the _Windward_, -but partially restored his health; nevertheless, in April, while still -on crutches, he was dragged on sledges to Fort Conger. This season was -passed in scientific work and map making. While crossing Ellesmere Land -ice-cap in July, at an elevation of seven thousand feet, Peary discovered -Cannon Bay. - -Other results of his indefatigable endeavours were the collecting of -relics of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition, which were sent home by the -_Windward_, the sextant and record of the Nares expedition were also -found and sent back to be presented to the Lords of the Admiralty of -Great Britain, and placed in the Museum of the Royal Naval College at -Greenwich. - -Each season a vessel was sent to Greenland to carry him supplies, and -bring back letters. Small parties of scientists, university students, and -hunters took advantage of the opportunity to sail north and be left at -various points, to be called for on the vessel’s return. - -In 1899, Dr. Robert Stein of the United States Geological Survey, Dr. -Leopold Kann of Cornell, and Mr. Samuel Warmbath had taken passage in the -Peary supply ship _Diana_ for explorations in Ellesmere Land. - -In the fall of 1899, the _Windward_ returned to the United States, -leaving Peary in Etah, where he remained until the following March, when -he journeyed to Fort Conger, and from there made his northern dash in an -attempt to reach the Pole. The explorer followed closely the route laid -down by Brainard and Lockwood, and, on May 8, beat their record; later -he reached the most northern point of land to which he gave the name of -Cape Morris K. Jesup, 83° 39´ N. From this point his travel was over the -disintegrating polar pack, an advance of “ridges of heavy ice thrown -up to heights of twenty-five to fifty feet, crevasses and holes masked -by snow, the whole intersected by narrow leads of open water.” Having -reached 83° 54´ N., he then returned to Cape Morris Jesup and followed -the coast of Melville Land for some distance, then returned south. In -1901, he attempted another northern journey, but found advance impossible -after reaching Lincoln Bay. - -Undaunted by failure, his next attempt was made in February, 1902, -and reached, April 21, 84° 17´ N., but again he was forced back, after -risking his own life and that of his companions over the worst ice he had -ever encountered. Momentarily discouraged, he wrote at this time: “The -game is off. My dream of sixteen years is ended. I have made the best -fight I knew. I believe it has been a good one. But I cannot accomplish -the impossible.” - -After four years of strenuous endeavour in the face of the most -disheartening failure, Peary came back to the United States, took courage -once more, renewed the losing fight, and planned his seventh voyage into -the Arctic. - -[Sidenote: _POLAR EXPEDITION IN S.S. “ROOSEVELT”_] - -Under the auspices of the Peary Arctic Club, a model ship was built for -the sole purpose of assisting Peary in accomplishing the work upon which -he had set his heart, lavished his fortune, and staked the confidence of -his friends. The result was the building of the _Roosevelt_, the most -modern of ice-fighters. The plans for the _Roosevelt_ allowed a length -of one hundred and eighty-four by thirty-five feet beam and sixteen feet -draft, loaded. She was provided with engines capable of developing one -thousand horse-power; she carried a light three-masted schooner rig. -Her hull was especially designed to resist the terrific pressure of the -ice-floes, and of such shape to lift easily from the treacherous ice -cradles in which she was expected to test her resisting qualities. In -this splendid craft, Peary started north in 1905; and boldly ploughed the -_Roosevelt_ farther than any vessel had yet penetrated, reaching nearly -82° 30´ north latitude on the north coast of Grant Land. The _Roosevelt_ -wintered at Cape Sheridan, and from this high latitude Peary started in -February, 1906, for the Pole. Everything seemed favourable, improved -equipment, Eskimo assistance, well-laid caches, and Peary himself full -of the eternal vigour, which, in spite of years of hardship, gave to his -mind and body the elasticity of youth. - -On—across the interminable obstacles—on—past one degree and then another, -with the ever present problem of cold, storm, rough ice, and diminishing -food, until finally the forces of nature baffled once again the forces of -human strength. At 87° 6´, the uncompromising voices of the North cried -out, “This far shalt thou come, and no farther.” Back once more—step by -step—over hummock, crevasse, and floe, over thin and treacherous ice, -across the big lead whose thin, undulating surface, some two miles in -width, barely supported the weight of a man, in his frantic race with -death. - -Back once more to the south, baffled once more in his schemes, but -sterner than ever in the purpose to die or win “because the thing he has -set himself to do is a part of his being.” Peary returned to the United -States, the plans of his eighth and final journey already maturing in his -mind. - -The _Roosevelt_ was docked for the purpose of repairs. Funds for this -last journey were slow in forthcoming. Every expedient was tried, but, -though a substantial sum was raised, there still lacked money to complete -the work, provision and equip the expedition, and to pay the current -expenses of the trip. In the midst of these perplexing problems, Peary -received another blow in the news of the death of Mr. Morris K. Jesup, -his most liberal supporter. With his death all seemed lost; the darkest -hour of discouragement had come; delays of months meant perhaps the delay -of years, or, possibly, the entire abandonment of this last voyage—the -voyage of the forlorn hope. Proverbially the darkest hour is just before -dawn, and the Peary Arctic Club, under its new president, General Thomas -H. Hubbard, received a liberal check, tendered by Mr. Zenas Crane, the -paper manufacturer of Massachusetts, which suddenly rent asunder the -sombre clouds and showed once more their silver lining. - -[Illustration: THE FLAG THAT PEARY CARRIED TO THE POLE - -_Copyright, 1909, by Robert E. Peary_ - -_Copyright, 1909, by Benjamin B. Hampton_ - -Pieces cut from its Folds mark all the “Farthest” Northern Points of the -Western Hemisphere: 1 and 2 were left at Cape Morris Jesup; 3 at Cape -Thomas Hubbard; 4 at Cape Columbia; 5 at Peary’s Farthest North, 1906 -(87° 6´), and 6 at the North Pole.] - -[Sidenote: _FINAL DASH FOR THE POLE, 1908_] - -Relieved of the mental anxiety which had been his constant companion -for months, Peary now hurried his final preparations, and, rejoicing -in his good fortune, steamed out of New York harbour, July 6, 1908, in -the gallant _Roosevelt_, with her penants flying bravely to the breeze. -Peary, now grown old in Arctic service, sailed to the Great White North, -this time to reach his goal. - -[Illustration: THE ROUTE TAKEN BY COMMANDER PEARY IN 1908 - -_Courtesy of Benjamin B. Hampton and F. A. Stokes Co._] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - - Dr. Frederick A. Cook.—Claims discovery of the Pole.—His - return from the Arctic.—Reception by the Danes.—Announcement - of conquest of the Pole by Peary.—Denounces Dr. Cook.—Delay - of Dr. Cook to produce his data.—Acceptance of Peary’s claims - by the American Geographical Society.—Dr. Cook finally sends - manuscript to Copenhagen.—Verdict.—Prior claim to the discovery - of the North Pole.—Not proven. - - -The announcement in the _New York Herald_ on September 1, 1909, of the -discovery of the North Pole by Dr. Frederick A. Cook, of Brooklyn, New -York, astounded the civilized world. For some years Dr. Cook’s name had -been associated with Arctic enterprise, but to the majority of the public -his name was strange. - -In the summer of 1907, Cook had accompanied Mr. John R. Bradley in that -gentleman’s yacht in an excursion after big game beyond the Arctic -Circle. Later Mr. Bradley sailed home, leaving Cook with a fair supply -of provisions and equipment, and one white companion, a German-American -named Francke. - -On March 8, 1908, Cook left Annooktok, accompanied by eleven men and one -hundred and three dogs, with the avowed purpose of reaching the Pole. -Francke remained at Annooktok, with instructions to return to the United -States in case Cook did not return by June, 1908. - -News of Cook’s departure for the North Pole had meanwhile aroused -interest in the United States. One of the objects of Commander Peary’s -expedition of 1908 was “The Relief and Rescue of Dr. Frederick A. Cook.” -The big supply station at Etah was, in fact, established by him mainly -for the benefit of Dr. Cook. When the _Roosevelt_ and _Erik_ arrived at -Annooktok on August 7, 1908, Francke was found in a pitiable condition, -and he begged to be sent “home.” He was returned in the _Erik_ (commanded -by Captain Bartlett), and from St. John’s, Newfoundland, sent out the -news that Cook had probably perished on his way to the Pole. - -This announcement aroused so much interest that early in August, 1909, a -relief ship left St. John’s for the purpose of searching for Dr. Cook and -for carrying provisions to Peary. News travels slowly “north of 53,” and -meanwhile Cook had returned. - -In April, 1909, a white man and two Eskimos appeared at the relief -station at Annooktok, the station immediately north of Etah. The three -were utterly fatigued and were made as comfortable as possible by the -men whom Commander Peary had left behind. A few days later Cook left -Annooktok for South Greenland, whence he took steamer for Copenhagen. - -Despatches from the Shetland Islands, the last of August, 1909, -proclaimed that Dr. Cook had reached the Pole in April, 1908. Cook -declared his route to have been by Smith Sound, across Ellesmere Land, to -Nansen Sound; to Land’s End, thence by Cape Thomas Hubbard, which he left -in March, 1908, to the Pole, four hundred and sixty miles distant, which -he claims to have reached on April 21, 1908. - -[Sidenote: _HIS RETURN FROM THE ARCTIC_] - -The familiar story of his welcome at Copenhagen needs not to be retold -here. Meanwhile came a despatch to the _New York Times_:— - - “I have the Pole, April 6. Expect arrive Chateau Bay, September - 7. Secure control wire for me there and arrange expedite - transmission big story. - - “PEARY.” - -At Battle Harbor, Commander Peary learned of Cook’s claim to have reached -the Pole. But Peary had carried northward a number of Eskimos, with their -wives and children, and these he had led safely back again to Etah. -However, the Greenland winter was approaching, and he lingered at Etah, -organizing a walrus hunt which supplied his faithful company with food -for the coming year. Not till this provision was made did he set his face -toward the United States. - -A shadow of doubt, hardly bigger than a man’s hand, which was cast by a -part of the scientific world at the Doctor’s first announcement, soon -grew into what eventually proved to be a cloudburst. No controversy in -the history of modern times has caused more general excitement. Soon -the two principals were pursuing their separate activities under very -dissimilar conditions. Dr. Cook was lecturing in the United States, -facing packed houses, interviewing reporters, asserting his claims, -promising proofs of his assertions. Peary preferred to present his -own claims to the discovery of the Pole in terse language, the first -announcement published in the _New York Times_ reading:— - - “_Summary of North Polar Expedition of the Peary Arctic Club_: - The steamer _Roosevelt_ left New York on July 6, 1908; left - Sidney on July 17; arrived at Cape York, Greenland, August - 1; left Etah, Greenland, August 8; arrived Cape Sheridan, - at Grant Land, September 1; wintered at Cape Sheridan. The - sledge expedition left the _Roosevelt_ February 15, 1909, and - started for the North. Arrived at Cape Columbia, March 1; - passed British record, March 2; delayed by open water, March - 2 and 3; held up by open water, March 4 to 11; crossed the - 84th parallel, March 11; encountered open lead, March 15; - crossed 85th parallel, March 18; crossed 86th parallel March - 23; encountered open lead March 23; passed Norwegian record - March 23; passed Italian record March 24; encountered open - lead March 26; crossed 87th parallel March 27; passed American - record March 28; encountered open lead March 28; held up by - open water March 29; crossed 88th parallel April 2; crossed - 89th parallel April 4; North Pole April 6. All returning left - North Pole April 7; reached Cape Columbia April 23; arriving on - board _Roosevelt_ April 27. The _Roosevelt_ left Cape Sheridan - July 18; passed Cape Sabine August 8; left Cape York August 26; - arrived at Indian Harbor with all members of the expedition - returning in good health, except Professor Ross G. Marvin, - unfortunately drowned April 10, when forty-five miles north of - Cape Columbia, returning from 86° north latitude in command of - the supporting party. - - “ROBERT E. PEARY.” - -Immediately upon his return to the United States, Peary joined his family -at their summer home in Maine, offering to submit his proofs at once to -any competent body. The National Geographic Society accepting the offer, -pronounced favourably upon his claims. In the meantime, he took no active -part in the trend of affairs, but waited quietly for the dust to settle. - -[Sidenote: _COOK SENDS MANUSCRIPT TO COPENHAGEN_] - -In November, Dr. Cook cancelled his lecture engagements, and settled -down to preparing the long-delayed proofs to be submitted as promised -to the University of Copenhagen. This accomplished, he despatched a -typewritten copy to the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. After careful -deliberation, the University of Copenhagen rendered its verdict to the -world, which, summarized in two short words, left the claim of Dr. -Frederick A. Cook to the discovery of the North Pole, April 21, 1908, -_Not Proven_. - -[Illustration: ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS, 1850-1908] - - - - -CONCLUSION - - -For three and twenty years Robert Edwin Peary has knocked valiantly at -the portals of Immortal Fame—that Castle Nowhere—whose glistening walls -of eternal ice lie shimmering in the brilliant sun; whose jewelled towers -and minarets catch the glint of sparkling rainbows. - -The Gates at last have opened and the banquet hall is set. Wild Arctic -melodies fall grandly upon the ear. The cannonade of glaciers thunders a -salute. About the festive board stand the heroes of the past, according -to their precedence and rank. - -Hail! ye Iva Bardsen! Hail! ye early Norsemen and ye Danes! There stand -the Cabots, John the father, Sebastian the bold son. There Sir Willoughby -and Chancellor; and old Sir Humphrey Gilbert and a host of others. There -Barentz, there Behring,—there Henry Hudson and old Baffin. Three hearty -cheers for Von Wrangell, Ross and Parry and brave old Sir John Franklin! -Crozier and his men line at attention and salute! - -Ah! Elisha Kane, the beauty of a noble soul lies written in a gentle -face. Francis Hall, thou dreamer, stand forth and welcome the arriving -guest. German, Austrian, Norwegian and Italian, stand thou behind the -board, lift high the diamond chalice and quaff the limpid draft in honour -of the hero, for he comes. - -In one voice, down the ages goes the cry, “_All praise to him who -conquers!_” and Peary, entering, bows, and takes his seat. - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] Reprinted from _Farthest North_ by Charles Lanman. Copyright, 1885, -by D. Appleton and Company. - -[2] Navy ropes have certain threads of red or yellow, etc., laid in along -with the yarns. - - - - -EXPLANATION OF TERMS - - -=Bay-ice=, or =young ice=, is that which is newly formed on the sea, -and consists of two kinds, common bay-ice and _pancake_ ice; the former -occurring in smooth, extensive sheets, and the latter in small, circular -pieces, with raised edges. - -=Beset= the situation of a ship when closely surrounded by ice. - -A =bight= is a bay in the outline of the ice. - -=Blink.= A peculiar brightness of the atmosphere, often assuming an -archlike form, which is generally perceptible over ice or land covered -with snow. The blink of land, as well as that over _large_ quantities of -ice, is usually of a yellowish cast. - -=Bore.= The operation of “boring” through loose ice consists in entering -it under a press of sail, and forcing the ship through by separating the -masses. - -=Brash-ice= is still smaller than drift-ice, and may be considered as the -wreck of other kinds of ice. - -=Cache.= Literally a hiding-place. The places of deposit of provisions in -Arctic travel are so called. - -A =calf= is a portion of ice which has been depressed by the same means -as a hummock is elevated. It is kept down by some larger mass, from -beneath which it shows itself on one side. - -=Drift-ice= consists of pieces less than floes, of various shapes and -magnitudes. - -=Field-ice=, or a field of ice, “is a sheet of ice so extensive that its -limits cannot be discerned from the masthead of the ship.” - -=Fiord.= An abrupt opening in the coastline, admitting the sea. - -A =floe= is similar to a field, but smaller, inasmuch as its extent _can_ -be seen. - -=Glacier.= A mass of ice derived from the atmosphere, sometimes abutting -on the sea. - -=Heavy= and =light= are terms attached to ice, distinguishable of its -thickness. - -A =hummock= is a protuberance raised upon any plane of ice above the -common level. It is frequently produced by pressure, where one piece is -squeezed upon another, often set upon its edge, and in that position -cemented by the frost. Hummocks are likewise formed by pieces of ice -mutually crushing each other, the wreck being heaped upon one or both -of them. To hummocks, principally, the ice is indebted for its variety -of fanciful shapes and its picturesque appearance. They occur in great -numbers in heavy packs, on the edges, and occasionally in the middle of -fields and floes, where they often attain the height of thirty feet and -upwards. - -=Ice-belt.= A continued margin of ice, which, in high northern latitudes, -adheres to the coast above the ordinary level of the sea. - -=Iceberg.= A large mass of solid ice, generally of great height, breadth, -and thickness. - -=Ice-foot.= Ice attached to the land, either in floes or in heavy -grounded masses lying near the shore. - -=Ice-hook.= A small ice-anchor. - -A =lane= or =vein= is a narrow channel of water in packs or other -collections of ice. - -A =lead= is an opening, large or small, through the ice, in which a -vessel can be able to make some progress either by sailing, tracking, or -towing. - -=Nipped.= The situation of a ship when forcibly pressed by ice on both -sides. - -=Open-ice=, or =sailing-ice=, is where the pieces are so separated as to -admit of a ship sailing conveniently among them. - -A =pack= is a body of drift-ice, of such magnitude that its extent is not -discernible. A pack is _open_ when the pieces of ice, though very near -each other, do not generally touch, or _closed_ when the pieces are in -complete contact. - -A =patch= is a collection of drift or bay-ice of a circular or polygonal -form. In point of magnitude, a pack corresponds with a field, and a patch -with a floe. - -=Pemmican.= Meat cured, pulverized, and mixed with fat, containing much -nutriment in a small compass. - -=Rue-raddy.= A shoulder-belt to drag by. - -=Sconce= pieces are broken floes of a diameter less than half a mile; -and, occasionally, not above a hundred or a few hundred feet. - -=Sludge= consists of a stratum of detached ice crystals, or of snow, or -of the smaller fragments of brash-ice, floating on the surface of the sea. - -A =stream= is an oblong collection of drift or bay-ice, the pieces of -which are continuous. It is called a _sea-stream_ when it is exposed on -one side to the ocean, and affords shelter from the sea to whatever is -within it. - -=Land-ice= consists of drift-ice attached to the shore; or drift-ice -which, by being covered with mud or gravel, appears to have recently -been in contact with the shore; or the flat ice resting on the land, not -having the appearance or elevation of icebergs. - -=Tide-hole.= A well sunk in the ice for the purpose of observing tides. - -A =tongue= is a point of ice projecting nearly horizontally from a part -that is under water. Ships have sometimes run aground upon tongues of ice. - -=Tracking.= Towing along a margin of ice. - -=Water-sky.= A dark appearance in the sky, indicating “clear water” in -that direction, and forming a striking contrast with the “blink” over -land or ice. - - - - -INDEX - - - Abruzzi, Duke of, the, 425-430. - - Adams, Captain, 451. - - _Advance_, voyage of, 105, 108, 113; - second voyage, 198-200; - winters in Rensseläer Harbour, 202; - abandonment, 228. - - _Advice_, voyage of, 103. - - Albert, Prince of Monaco, 422. - - Aldrich, Lieutenant, farthest, 325. - - _Alert_, voyage of, 310; - high northing, 314; - winters at Floe-berg Beach, 315-324; - rejoins the _Discovery_, 326. - - Alexai, 346, 351, 360. - - _Alexander_, voyage of, 30. - - Ambler, Dr. J. M., 346, 349, 352, 367. - - _America_, voyage of, 430, 432, 433. - - Amundsen, Anton, 410. - - Amundsen, Captain Roald, successful navigation of Northwest Passage, - 450-454. - - Anderson, James, 185. - - Andrée, Salamon August, 422-424. - - Andreief, Lieutenant, 370. - - Andriz, Claes, 17. - - Anequin, 346. - - Anjou, Lieutenant P. F., 25. - - Archer, Lieutenant, surveys Archer Fiord, 326. - - _Arctic_, in command of Lieutenant Hartstein, 232. - - _Assistance_, in command of Captain Ommaney, 104, 109, 120; - in command, of Sir Edward Belcher, 141, 143, 179, 191. - - Astrup, Eivind, 457, 459, 460. - - Austin, Captain H. T., 104, 120, 122. - - Austro-Hungarian expedition, 286. - - - Back, Captain G., search for Ross, 67; - explores Great Fish River, 71; - Back’s farthest, 72; - second voyage, 73; - land voyage with Franklin, 82, 85, 87, 88; - second land journey with Franklin, 90. - - Bade, Captain, 424. - - Baffin, 21. - - Baldwin, Evelyn, 425, 430, 432, 459. - - Baldwin-Ziegler expedition, 430-434. - - Balto, the Lapp, 403. - - Banman, Lieutenant Victor, 433. - - Bardsen, Iva, 2. - - Barnes, Captain, of _Sea Breeze_, 346. - - Barentz, William, three voyages, 13-17. - - Barnard, Lieutenant, murdered, 174. - - _Barreto Junior_, 93. - - Barry, Captain, 342. - - Bartlett, Captain, 440. - - Bauldry, Captain, of the _Helen Mar_, 346. - - _Bear_, 398-400. - - Beaumont, Lieutenant L. A., explores Greenland coast, 326. - - _Bedford_, 80. - - Beebe, William M. Jr., 379-380, 383. - - Beechey, Captain, in command of _Blossom_, 60. - - Behring, 21-24. - - Belcher, Sir Edward, in command of search expedition, 141, 143, 148; - directs sledging parties, 174-177; - desertion of the ships, 179. - - _Belgia_, 430, 432. - - _Bellerophon_, 80. - - Bellot, Lieutenant, French navy, 123, 127, 129, 131, 133, 136; - death of, 169-172. - - Bender, 393. - - Bennett, James Gordon, 345. - - Berggren, Dr., 300. - - Bessels, Dr. Emil, accompanies _Polaris_ expedition, 254; - sledge journey, 256. - - Beverly, Surgeon, 32. - - Biederbick, 392. - - Billings, Captain, 25. - - Birulja, A., 418. - - _Bona Speranza_, in command of Sir Hugh Willoughby, 5. - - _Bona Ventura_, in command of Richard Chancellor, 6. - - Boothia Felix, 67. - - Boothia Peninsula, examined by M’Clintock, 100. - - Bore, Lieutenant G., Royal Italian navy, 304. - - Bradley, John R., 470. - - Brainard, D. L., 373; - highest north, 376, 385, 391, 394, 396. - - Braskerud, 439, 441. - - Brattelid, 2. - - Bridgman, H. L., 440, 460, 464. - - British expedition of 1875, 310. - - Brown, Captain, in command of the _Delight_, 11. - - Brunsneff, 421. - - Buchan, 29-40. - - Buddington, Captain S. O., in command _George Henry_, 243; - sailing master of _Polaris_, 254; - wreck of _Polaris_, 259; - winters Life Boat Cove, 261. - - Bunge, Dr. A., 417. - - Burrough, Stephen, 6; - discovers strait leading into Kara Sea and winters at Colomogro, 7. - - Butler, Captain, 10. - - - Cabot, John, 3-4. - - Cabot, Sebastian, 3-5. - - Cagni, Captain Umberto, 426; - highest north, 428. - - Cannon, Henry W., 464. - - Cape Bounty, discovered by Parry, 42. - - _Carcase_, in command of Phipps, 27. - - Carlsen, Captain E., navigates the Sea of Kara, 268. - - _Cato_, voyage of, 80. - - Cator, Lieutenant Commander, of the _Intrepid_, 104. - - Chamberlin, Professor T. C., 460. - - Chancellor, Richard, 5; - reaches Bay of St. Nicholas, undertakes visit to Moscow, 6. - - Chandler, Hon. W. E., 400. - - Chipp, Lieutenant C. W., executive officer of the _Jeannette_, 345, - 348; - abandonment of _Jeannette_, 351; - assigned to second cutter, 353; - lost, 357. - - Christiansen, Hans, Eskimo interpreter for second Grinnell - expedition, 200, 208, 210, 219, 228; - accompanies _Polaris_ expedition, 254; - adrift on the ice floe, 260, 266. - - Christensen, Eskimo, 375, 393. - - Clavering, Captain, 57. - - Coffin, Captain Edwin, 432. - - Collins, Jerome J., 346, 351; - death, 360. - - Collinson, Captain Richard, in command of _Enterprise_, 103. - - Colwell, Lieutenant J. C., 381, 384, 395, 400. - - Conway, Sir Martin, 421. - - Cook, Captain, 28. - - Cook, Dr. Frederick A., 457; - claims discovery of the Pole, 471-473. - - Coppinger, Dr., 326. - - Cortereals, Caspar, Miguel, Vasco, 7. - - Crane, Zenas, 468. - - Cresswell, Lieutenant, 148; - carries despatches from McClure to England, 149. - - “Crimson Cliffs,” first mentioned by Captain John Ross, 31. - - “Crocker Mountains,” 32. - - Cross, Mrs. Susan J., 459. - - Crozier, Captain F. R. M., 187. - - - Daly, Charles P., 335. - - Daly, Maria, 335. - - Danenhower, Lieutenant John W., 346, 349, 351, 364. - - Davis, John, three voyages, 13. - - _Dawn_, bark, 346. - - Dawson, Lieutenant, 370. - - Dease and Simpson, 73-75. - - Diedrick, Dr., 440. - - _Delight_, under Sir Humphrey Gilbert, 10. - - De Long, Lieutenant George W., in command of the _Jeannette_ - expedition, 345; - new lands, 350; - abandonment of the _Jeannette_, 351; - the retreat, 352; - Bennett Island, 353; - divides party, 353; - making for the Lena delta, 357; - lands, 358; - last days, 360. - - Deshneff, 22. - - Dicuil, 2. - - Diebitsch, Emil, 462. - - Dietrichson, O. C., 403, 406. - - Digges, Sir Dudley, 19. - - _Discovery_, in command of Henry Hudson, 19; - _Discovery_, voyage of, 310; - winters at Discovery Harbour, 314; - communicates with the _Alert_, 324; - return to England, 326. - - _Dorothea_, voyage of, 33-40. - - Dressler, 360. - - Duffy, Seaman, 434. - - Dunbar, William M., 346, 350. - - _Dymphna_, 370. - - - _Eddystone_, 45. - - Egerton, Lieutenant, 315, 320, 326. - - Einarsfjord, 2. - - Ekholm, 370. - - Elison, 388-390-393; - death, 400. - - Emory, Lieutenant, 399-400. - - _Enterprise_, in command of Sir James Clark Ross, 95, 98; - under Captain Richard Collinson, 103, 166. - - Entrikin, Samuel J., 459. - - _Erebus_, in command of Sir John Franklin, 93; - last seen, 94. - - Eriksen, Mylius, 451. - - _Esther_, 335, 336, 342. - - - Fairholme, Lieutenant, 93. - - _Falcon_, voyage of, 459, 460. - - _Felix_, in command of Captain John Ross, 104, 123. - - Fiala, Anthony, 432-434. - - Fitzjames, 193. - - Forsyth, Commander Charles C., 104. - - _Forth_, convoy for Duchess of Angouleme, 81. - - Fosheim, 441-443. - - _Fox_, voyage of, 186. - - _Fram_, Nansen’s voyage in the, 410-416; - four years’ voyage in command of Otto Sverdrup, 436-449. - - Franaenkel, 422. - - Franklin, John, 29; - early life, 79; - first land journey, 82; - land journey of 1825, 91-92; - government service, 92; - last journey of Sir John Franklin, 93; - traces of lost ships, 110-184; - record of Franklin expedition, 190-193. - - Franklin, Lady Jane, 92; - offers reward for assistance to her husband, 102; - appeal to the United States, 104. - - Frederick, 388-390, 393. - - _Frithiof_, 430-434. - - Frobisher, Martin, three voyages, 8. - - Frozen Strait of Middleton, 47. - - _Fury_, voyage of, 44-56; - abandoned, 51. - - - _Gabriel_, in command of Martin Frobisher, 8. - - Gardiner, 392. - - Garlington, Lieutenant E. A., 381, 384, 387. - - _George Henry_, conveys Charles Francis Hall to Greenland, 180; - under Captain Buddington, 243. - - Georgian Islands, later called Parry Islands, discovered, 43. - - Gerlache, Captain, 430. - - German expedition, first, 268; - second, 269; - beset, 279; - winters, 278; - remarkable journey of Lieutenant Payer, 281. - - _Germania_, in command of Captain Koldeway, beset, 279; - winters, 281; - return, 285. - - Gibson, Langdon, 457. - - Giese, Dr., 370. - - Gilbert, Sir Humphrey, 10-13. - - Gilder, W. H., 334, 340-344. - - _Gjoa_, in command of Captain Roald Amundsen, 450-454. - - _Gladen_, convoy, 300. - - _Golden Hinde_, 10. - - Goodsir, Dr., 103, 122. - - Gore, Graham, 191-194. - - Gore, Professor J. H., 422. - - Görtz, 360. - - Greely, A. W. (Major General U. S. A.), Lieutenant in command of the - Lady Franklin Bay expedition, 371; - explorations in Grinnell Land, 377; - first failure of relief ship, 379; - second failure of relief ship, 382; - abandonment of Fort Conger, 385; - the retreat, 386; - Cape Sabine, establishes Camp Clay, 387; - horrors of the winter, 380-392; - saved, 395-400. - - Green, sailor, 20. - - _Greenland_, yacht, in command of Captain Koldewey, 268. - - Grinnell expeditions, first, in command of De Haven, 105, 119; - second, in command of Dr. Kane, 199; - winters in Rensseläer Harbour, 202; - sledging trips, 207; - effects of exhaustion and cold, 211; - Dr. Kane’s journey, 215; - illness of Dr. Kane, 219; - second winter in the ice, 223; - privation and sufferings, 225; - abandonment of _Advance_, 228; - death of Ohlsen, 229; - rescue, 230. - - Grinnell, Henry, 105. - - Grinnell Land, discovered, 115. - - _Griper_, in command of Parry, 41; - in command of Clavering, 58. - - - Haddington, Lord, 92. - - Hall, Charles Francis, early life, 243; - first trip to Arctic, discovers Frobisher relics, 244-255; - life with Eskimo, 246; - journey to King William Land, 248; - finds relics of Franklin, 251; - return to the United States, 253; - North Polar voyage, 254; - death of Hall, 255. - - _Hansa_, second German expedition, 269; - wreck of, 274. - - Hansen, Helmer, 450. - - Hansen, Lieutenant Godfred, 450, 452. - - Harber, Lieutenant Giles B., 364, 368. - - Hartstein, Lieutenant, sent to the relief of Dr. Kane, 232-234. - - De Haven, Lieutenant in command of first Grinnell expedition, 105. - - Hayes, Dr. I. I., accompanies second Grinnell expedition, 213, 219; - in command of the _United States_, 235; - death of Sonntag, 236; - sledge journey to “Open Polar Sea,” 239; - journey in _Panther_, 242. - - Hazen, General, 380, 384. - - Hearne, discovers the Coppermine River, 28. - - _Hecla_, in command of Parry, 41-56. - - Hegemann, Fr., Captain, in command of the _Hansa_, 269. - - Heiberg, Consul Axel, 436. - - Heilprin, Professor, 458. - - _Helen Mar_, whaler, 346. - - Henry, 392, 399. - - Henry VII, grants patent to Cabots, 3. - - Henson, Matthew, 457, 459, 463. - - Hepburn, John, 83, 123. - - _Herald_, voyage of, 95, 149. - - Hobson, Lieutenant, makes search for Franklin relics, 186, 197. - - Hood, Robert, 82, 84; - death, 89. - - _Hope_, 464. - - Hoppner, Lieutenant, 51. - - Horgaard, Lieutenant, 304, 370. - - Hubbard, General Thomas H., 468. - - Hudson, Henry, early voyages, 19; - last voyage, 20. - - Hyde, Frederick E., 464. - - - Icy Cape, headland of Alaska, seen by Barentz, 16. - - Iron Mountains, 460. - - _Isabel_, in command of Captain Inglefield, R. N., 143-147; - in command of Mr. Kennedy, 148. - - _Isabella_, under Ross and Parry, 30. - - Isachsen, Lieutenant Ingvald, 436, 439, 442. - - _Isbjorn_, in command of Lieutenant Weyprecht, 286. - - Island of Cape Breton, seen by Cabots, 3. - - Israel, 392. - - Iversen, 360. - - - Jackman, Charles, 9. - - Jackson, Frederick G., 416. - - Jackson, J. P., 364. - - _Jason_, 425. - - _Jeannette_, in command of Captain De Long, 345; - beset, 347; - is sunk, 351; - relics found, 409. - - _Jeannette_ expedition, 345-368. - - Jens, Eskimo, 372. - - Jensen, Heir Dongaad, 451. - - Jesup, Morris K., 464. - - Jewell, 393. - - Johannsen, Captain, circumnavigates Nova Zembla, 268. - - Johannesen, Frederick, 410, 413, 415. - - _Juanita_, 346. - - - Kamchatka, 22. - - Kane, Dr. Elisha Kent, U. S. N., 105; - describes escape from Wellington Channel, 113; - new lands, 115; - death, 234. - - Kann, Dr. Leopold, 466. - - Keemsdirk, Jacob, 16. - - Kellett, Captain Henry, 95. - - Kelley, Captain of the bark _Dawn_, 346. - - Kennedy, Captain in command of _Prince Albert_, 123-129; - journey to Fury Beach, 138; - discovers Bellot Strait, 140. - - King Alfred, 2. - - King, Dr. Richard, 67, 72. - - _Kite_, voyages of, 457, 458, 464. - - Kjellman, F. R., 304. - - Koldewey, Captain Karl, in command of _Germania_, 269, 271, 281, 284. - - Kolomiezoff, Lieutenant, 418. - - Koltschak, Lieutenant, 418-420. - - - _Lady Franklin_, in command of Mr. Penny, 103; - in command of Inglefield, 148. - - Lady Franklin Bay expedition, 371-400. - - Lanford, Captain, in command of _Polephemus_, 80. - - Lerner, Theodor, 424. - - Libbey, Professor William, 460. - - Linstrom, Adolf, 450. - - Lockwood, Lieutenant J. B., 372; - highest north, 376, 386; - death, 393. - - Lok, Michael, patron of Frobisher, 8. - - Long, Captain Thomas, 268. - - Long, Sergeant, 391, 394, 398, 400. - - _Lord Wellington_, Hudson Bay Company trader, 45. - - Lowe, Chief Engineer, U. S. N., 398. - - Lund, Auto, 450. - - Lynn, 388-390. - - Lyon, Lieutenant, 44, 48; - in command of _Griper_, 59. - - Lyons, Admiral, 454. - - Lytzen, 409. - - - Machuron, Alexis, 423. - - Mackenzie, 28. - - M’Clintock, explores coast line of Boothia Peninsula, 100; - sledge journey of 1851, 121; - in command of _Fox_, 186; - finds relics of Franklin’s expedition, 190-198. - - McClure, Commander, 103; - accomplishes Northwest Passage, 148-168. - - McLeod, employee of Hudson Bay Company, accompanies Captain Back, 68. - - Maigaard, Christian, 456. - - _Marian_, rescues the Kane party, 231. - - Markham, Commander Albert H., second in command of the British - expedition of 1875, 311; - visits Life-boat Cove, 313; - autumn sledge journey, 315; - Markham’s farthest, 321. - - Marvin, Professor Ross G., 473. - - _Mathew_, voyage of, 3. - - Melville, George W. (Rear Admiral United States Navy), Engineer of - the _Jeannette_, 346, 348, 350; - abandonment of the _Jeannette_, 351; - in command of whale boat, 353; - reaches mouth of Lena River, 358; - meets natives, 359; - Nindemann and Noros, 362; - winter search for De Long, 363; - spring search, 364-368; - to the relief of Greely, 399-400. - - Melville, Right Honourable Viscount, 52. - - “Meta Incognita,” discovered by Frobisher, 8; - mentioned by Hall, 244. - - Meyer, Sergeant F., Signal Corps, U. S. A., with _Polaris_ - expedition, makes record, 256. - - _Michael_, sails in company with the _Gabriel_, under command of - Frobisher, 8. - - Michaelmas Bay, so named by Hudson, 19. - - Milne, Captain, 451. - - Molinelli, Dr. Achille C., 426, 427, 428. - - Moore, Captain, in command of _Plover_, 95. - - Movements of Captain Austin’s squadron in spring of 1851, 121. - - Murdock, sailing master, first Grinnell expedition, 105. - - Muscovy Company, established by merchants of London, 4. - - - Nahorst, Dr. A. G., 422, 424. - - _Nancy Dawson_, 96. - - Nansen, F., 401; - first crossing of Greenland, 403-408; - plans North Polar voyage, 409; - adrift in the pack, 411; - leaves the _Fram_, 412; - highest north, 413; - the retreat, 414; - winter on Franz Joseph Land, 415; - meeting with Jackson, 416, 426, 436. - - Nares, Captain George S., in command of the British expedition of - 1875, 311; - visits Lifeboat Cove, 313; - winters Floe-berg Beach, 315; - organizes sledging parties, 321; - to the relief of Markham, 324. - - _Nautilus_, 44. - - Nelson, hero of Trafalgar, 27, 28. - - _Neptune_, 379, 380, 384. - - Newcomb, Raymond L., 346. - - _New York Herald_, 345, 364, 470. - - Nindemann, Seaman Wm. F. C., 346, 348, 350; - forced march, 360; - meets Melville, 362; - assists in search for De Long, 364, 366, 368. - - Nordenskjöld, Baron A. E. von, first voyage, Spitzbergen, 299; - subsequent journeys, 300; - journey of 1875, 302; - voyage in the _Vega_, 304-308; - return of _Vega_, 309. - - _Nordenskjöld_, the, 371. - - Norman, 397. - - Noros, L. P., 359, 361, 362, 364. - - North Cape, 2. - - _North Star_, 99; - winters in Wolstenholme Sound, 103-104; - attached to Sir Edward Belcher’s squadron, 140, 144, 169, 179. - - Nova Scotia, supposed to be land first seen by Cabots, 3. - - - Ohlsen, accompanies second Grinnell expedition, 202, 204, 207, 213, - 216; - death of, 229. - - Ommaney, Captain, in command of _Assistance_, 104; - leaves record at Cape Riley, 109. - - _Onkle Adam_, convoy, 300. - - _Ornen_, balloon, 422. - - Osborne, Sherard, in command of _Pioneer_, 104; - describes examination of Beechey Island, finds relics of _Erebus_ - and _Terror_, 111. - - Other, early adventurer, 2. - - Otter, Count T. W. von, in command of _Sofia_, 299. - - - Palander, Lieutenant, 300; - commander of the _Vega_, 304. - - Palliser, navigates Sea of Kara, 268. - - _Pandora_, voyage of, 327-330; - second voyage, 332-334. - - Parker, landed provisions for Franklin at Cape Hay, 103. - - Parr, Lieutenant, 315, 323. - - Parry, Lieutenant W. E., 29; - second voyage, 41; - passes 110° W., wins reward, 42; - discovers Parry Islands, 43; - third voyage, 44-51; - North Polar voyage, 52. - - Paulsen, A., 370. - - Pavy, Dr. D., 372; - sledge journey, 273, 392, 393. - - Payer, Lieutenant Julius, of the second German expedition, journey - of, 283; - Austro-Hungarian expedition, 287; - sledge journey, 291; - farthest, 296; - return, 297. - - Peary, Mrs., 457, 459. - - Peary, Robert Edwin, early life, 455; - first journey, 456; - subsequent journeys, 457; - explores Greenland ice cap, 458; - summary of second voyage, 459; - journey of 1893, second journey across Greenland ice cap, 460; - summer voyages, 464; - secures the famous meteorite, 464; - first attempt to reach Pole, 464; - work at Fort Conger, 465; - record of 1899, 466; - record 1902, 467; - record 1906, 468; - announcement of discovery of the Pole, 471; - summary of the North Polar Expedition of Peary Arctic Club, 472. - - Peary Arctic Club, 464, 467, 468, 472. - - Peder, 442. - - Pendulum Islands, discovered by Clavering, 280. - - Penny, Captain, of whaling ship _Advice_, 103. - - Pet, Arthur, voyage of, 9. - - Peterman, Dr. A., promotes first German expedition, 268. - - Peters, William J., 432. - - Petersen, 316; - death, 320. - - Phipps expedition, 27-28. - - _Phœnix_, in command of Inglefield, 148. - - Pim, Lieutenant, 167. - - _Pioneer_, in command of Sherard Osborne, 141. - - _Plover_, in command of Captain Moore, 95, 96, 149. - - _Polaris_, under Captain Hall, 254; - under Captain Buddington, 256; - wreck of, 259; - separation of crew, 261. - - _Polephemus_, 80. - - _Polhem_, in command of Lieutenant Palander, 300. - - Porden, Anne, first wife of Sir John Franklin, 81, 90. - - _Porpoise_, 80. - - “Prima Terra Vesta,” mainland of North America, so named by Cabots, 3. - - _Prince Albert_, in command of Captain Forsyth, 104-106; - in command of Kennedy, 123, 140. - - _Prince of Wales_, trader, 45, 82, 94. - - Privy Purse expenses for purchase of Newfoundland, 3. - - _Proteus_, conveys the Lady Franklin Bay expedition to Fort Conger, - 371; - to the relief, 381; - sunk, 384, 387, 397. - - Pullen, Lieutenant, 96. - - Pytheas, early adventurer, 2. - - - Queen Elizabeth’s Foreland, discovered by Frobisher, 8. - - Querini, T., 426, 428. - - - _Racehorse_, in command of Phipps, 27. - - Rae, Dr. John, overland journey, 75-78; - search for Franklin, 141; - finds traces, 184. - - _Ragnvald Jarl_, 424. - - _Rainbow_, in command of Sir John Franklin, 92. - - Raleigh, Sir Walter, 10. - - Rasmussen, Knut, 451. - - _Rattlesnake_, under Commander Trollope, 148. - - Ravna, the Lapp, 403. - - Rawson, Lieutenant, 315, 318, 325, 326. - - Ray, Lieutenant, 370. - - Red Cliff House, 457. - - Reid, 122. - - _Release_, in command of Lieutenant Hartstein, sent to relief of Dr. - Kane, 232. - - _Resolute_, in command of Captain H. T. Austin, 104; - under Captain Kellett, 141; - story of the, 180. - - _Retribution_, 182. - - Rice, Sergeant, 373, 388; - death, 393. - - Rink, Dr. H., 409. - - Ristvedt, 452. - - Robinson, Lieutenant, reaches Cresswell Bay, 101, 130. - - _Rogers_, burned, 368. - - _Roosevelt_, 467, 469. - - Roosevelt, Theodore, 464. - - Ross, Captain John, first voyage, 29-32; - second voyage, 61-67; - search for Sir John Franklin, 123. - - Ross, James Clark, discovers North Magnetic Pole, 63; - in command of _Enterprise_ and _Investigator_, in search for Sir - John Franklin, 95. - - Ryder, Lieutenant, 437. - - - Sabine, takes observations on Pendulum Islands, 58. - - Sacheuse, John, Eskimo, 30. - - _St. Peter_, 24. - - _Sarya_, 418-421. - - Schalaroff, 25. - - Schei, 442. - - Schileiko, Lieutenant, 418. - - Schley, Winfield Scott (Rear Admiral, United States Navy), 382, 395, - 400. - - Schuetze, W. H., 364-368. - - Schwatka, Lieutenant Frederick, land journey, 334; - finds Franklin relics, 339; - finds M’Clintock record, 340; - the return, 340. - - Scoresby, 57. - - Scott-Hansen, Lieutenant Sigurd, 410. - - _Sea Breeze_, American whale bark, 346. - - _Search-thrift_ in command of Stephen Burrough, 6. - - Seeberg, 421. - - Sheldon, Robert, 96. - - Simmons, Herman Georg, 436. - - Simpson and Dease, 73-75. - - Slaradoubzov, Sawa, 24. - - Snellen, Dr., 370. - - Smith, Leigh, 302. - - Snow, W. P., 104, 106, 108. - - _Sofia_, in command of Count F. W. von Otter, 299; - high northing, 300. - - “Somerset House,” 65. - - Sonntag, 206; - death, 236. - - _Sophia_, in command of Penny, 103. - - Speckman, Sergeant, 49. - - _Squirrel_, 10-12. - - Stadling, J., 424. - - Steen, Aksel, S., 370. - - Stein, Dr. Robert, 466. - - _Stella Polare_, in command of the Duke of the Abruzzi, 426-430. - - Stephenson, George, 229. - - Stewart, Marshall J., 122. - - Strindberg, 422. - - Sutherland, Dr., 122. - - Svendsen, Dr. Johan, 438. - - Sverdrup, Otto, 403-408; - Captain of the _Fram_, 410-412; - second voyage in command of _Fram_, 435; - sledge journey, 441, 443, 447, 449. - - _Swallow_, 10-12. - - - _Talbot_, 179. - - Tchitschagof, Admiral, attempts to round Spitzbergen in 1764, 25. - - _Tegetthoff_, Austro-Hungarian expedition, 286-297, 368. - - _Terra Nova_, 434. - - _Terror_, in command of Captain Back, 73; - in command of Sir John Franklin, 93. - - _Lord Wellington_, the, trader, 45. - - _Thetis_, voyage of, 395-400. - - _Thyra_, 403. - - _Tigress_, in command of Captain Bartlett, 266, 346. - - Toll, Baron E. von, 417, 421. - - Torell, Otto, geologist, 298. - - Trana, Kristian, 403. - - Trollope, Commander, 148. - - Tschirikov, Captain, 22. - - Tyson, Captain George, 255; - adrift on ice-floe, 262; - rescue, 266. - - - _Valorous_, 311, 312. - - _Varna_, 370. - - Veer, Gerard de, 16. - - _Vega_, voyage of, 303-309, 346. - - Verhoeff, John M., 457. - - _Victory_, in command of Captain John Ross, 61; - abandoned, 64. - - _Victory_, 183. - - _Viking_, 402. - - Vincent, Dr. Edward E., 459. - - - Walter, Dr., 420. - - Wardhuys, 5. - - Warmbath, Samuel, 466. - - Waxall, 24. - - Wellman, Walter, 424-425. - - Weyprecht, Lieutenant Karl, sails in _Isbjorn_, 286; - in command of Austro-Hungarian expedition, 287-297, 368. - - Wildes, Commander Frank, 381, 383. - - Willoughby, Sir Hugh, 5. - - _Windward_, 416, 465, 466. - - Wohlgemuth, Lieutenant, 370. - - Wolstenholme, Sir John, 19. - - Wrangell, Admiral von, 25-27. - - Wulfstan, early adventurer, 2. - - - _Yantic_, voyage of, 381-384. - - _Ymer_, 303. - - Young, Allen, voyage in the _Fox_, 186; - sledge journey, 198; - voyage in _Pandora_, 327-331; - second voyage in _Pandora_, 332-334. - - - Zeno, Niccolò, 8. - - Zichnmi, 8. - - Ziegler, William, 430-432. - - * * * * * - -BY AGNES C. LAUT - -=Pathfinders of the West= - -=BEING THE THRILLING STORY OF THE ADVENTURES OF THE MEN WHO DISCOVERED -THE GREAT NORTHWEST, RADISSON, LA VÉRENDRYE, LEWIS, AND CLARK= - -“A thrilling account of the adventures of Radisson, La Vérendrye, Lewis, -Clark, and others who discovered the great Northwest. The author’s -stories of these men are well studied, well expressed, always reasonable, -always enthusiastic, yet never fulsome.... Miss Laut’s simply written -chapters have all the compelling charm of good fiction. 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