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diff --git a/old/66063-0.txt b/old/66063-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 38fbaf1..0000000 --- a/old/66063-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,14845 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Open Polar Sea, by Isaac Israel Hayes - -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 Open Polar Sea - A narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in - the schooner "United States" - -Author: Isaac Israel Hayes - -Release Date: August 14, 2021 [eBook #66063] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Tim Lindell, Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OPEN POLAR SEA *** - - - - -Transcriber Note - -Text emphasis denoted as _Italics_. - - -[Illustration: _I. I. Hayes_] - - - - - THE OPEN POLAR SEA: - - A - - NARRATIVE OF A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY - TOWARDS THE NORTH POLE, - - IN THE - - SCHOONER "UNITED STATES." - - - BY - - Dr. I. I. HAYES. - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK: - - PUBLISHED BY HURD AND HOUGHTON, - - 1867. - - - - - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by - - I. I. Hayes, - - in the Clerk's Office of the District Court - for the Southern District of New York. - - - RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE: - - STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY - - H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY. - - - - - _I HAD INTENDED TO DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO - WILLIAM PARKER FOULKE, - Of Philadelphia, - To whom I am indebted - for all that a powerful intellect and - a generous friendship could do, to give practical - shape to my plans, and to insure success to an enterprise - in which I had embarked, with the simple advantage of an aim, - and with no better guide than the impulse of youth: but - since it is denied me to pay that tribute of my - admiration to one of the noblest of men, - I now inscribe it to his - MEMORY._ - - - - -PREFACE. - - -The design of this book may be briefly explained. I have attempted -little more than a personal narrative, endeavoring to select from my -abundant notes such scenes and incidents of adventure as seemed to me -best calculated to bring before the mind of the reader, not merely the -history of our voyage, but a general view of the Arctic regions,--its -scenery and its life, with a cursory glance at those physical forces -which, in their results, give characteristic expression to that -remote quarter of the world. A day of months, followed by a night of -months, where the mean annual temperature rises but little above zero, -must necessarily clothe the air and the landscape with a sentiment -difficult to appreciate, or, I might perhaps say, feel, without actual -observation. I shall be abundantly rewarded if I have succeeded in -impressing upon the reader's mind, with any degree of vividness, the -wonders and the grandeur of Nature as unfolded to us under the Arctic -sky. - -I know it is usually thought that a book of travels should be simply -a diary of events and incidents; but this, of necessity, involves a -ceaseless repetition, and it seemed to me that I would do better to -drop from my diary all that did not appear as immediately relevant -to the scene; and, indeed, where the occasion appeared to require -concentration, to abandon the diary altogether, and use the more -concise form of descriptive narrative. - -The reader will observe that I have not attempted, in any sense, to -write a work of Science. True, the purpose of the voyage was purely -a scientific one,--its chief object and aim being to explore the -boundaries of the Open Polar Sea; at least to determine if such a -sea did exist, as had been so often asserted; but while I have given -a general discussion of the conditions of the Polar waters and the -Polar ice, and have recorded many new facts in various departments of -physical and natural science, yet I have desired to treat the subject -in a manner which, as it seemed to me, would be most acceptable to the -general reader, rather than to the scientific student,--preferring to -direct the latter to those more strictly scientific channels where my -materials have been or are about being published. - -Soon after returning from the North, my principal records were placed -at the disposal of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington; and I -have employed such leisure as I could command in their elaboration and -discussion,--the principal labor, however, falling upon Mr. Charles A. -Schott, Assistant, United States Coast Survey, who brought to the task -the best faculties of a well-stored mind, and unusual powers of patient -investigation; and papers, giving a full analysis of the _magnetic_, -_meteorological_, _astronomical_, _geographical_, _pendulum_, and -_tidal_ observations, were prepared, and were accepted for publication -in the Smithsonian "Contributions to Knowledge." I regret to say -that the publication of these papers has been much delayed. Deeming -it desirable that some of the general conclusions to which we had -arrived in our discussion of the observations should be given to the -world without further postponement, I proposed to embody some leading -facts in a short Appendix to this volume. Upon submitting the matter -to the learned Secretary of the Institution, it was, however, claimed -by him that, since I had intrusted the materials to his care, the -Institution now possessed the exclusive right to whatever advantage was -to be derived from their publication. To a proposition so eminently -reasonable I readily assented, especially as I was informed that the -papers were already in type and were to be published immediately; and, -considering myself thus absolved from any further responsibility to the -scientific world for the long delay, I accordingly abandoned the idea -of the Appendix. The Chart exhibiting the track and discoveries of my -voyage, and of my various sledge journeys, was claimed, in like manner, -as the exclusive property of the Smithsonian Institution, and, like the -papers, was to be published immediately. Hence it is that the small map -which illustrates this volume is but a copy (reduced ten diameters) -of my field chart, projected on the spot from my unrevised materials. -It is perhaps needless for me to observe that entire accuracy was not -attainable in the field, inasmuch as I had neither the leisure nor the -facilities for reducing the magnetic variation, nor for obtaining the -absolute time. I am happy to say, however, that no greater discrepancy -exists than the one which places my highest latitude two minutes too -far south on the field chart; but the reductions having been made, -and a chart projected therefrom, I had confidently relied upon this -source for the correct information which the Smithsonian Institution -now alone possessed. This failing me, I was obliged to fall back upon -my original resources, as the time was too short for a new reduction. -I am glad to say, however, that the field chart is sufficiently -accurate for every practical purpose, and differs chiefly from the -one prepared, with greater carefulness, and of large size, for the -Smithsonian "Contributions to Knowledge," in the unimportant feature -of the names applied to newly discovered places, some of which were -changed after my return. No list of these alterations having been -preserved, and being unable to get the more accurate map again into my -hands from the Secretary of the scientific institution in whose care -it had been placed, as before observed, for publication, I have simply -adopted the original nomenclature, and have used the names as they -appear in my journal and on my field chart. This explanation is made in -anticipation of the possible contingency of the Smithsonian Institution -publishing the map, for some years past in its possession,--an event -which I think unlikely to happen, and which will now be unnecessary, -the more especially as I am at present engaged in a new reduction of -my materials, and the projection of a new map, the publication of -which, in sufficiently large form to give it topographical as well as -geographical value, has been proposed by my distinguished and very kind -friend, Dr. Augustus Petermann, Gotha, in his Geographical Journal. - -Papers descriptive of the _botanical_ collection, prepared by Mr. -Elias Durand; of the _algæ_, by Mr. Ashmead; of the _lichens_, -by Professor James; of the _birds_, by Mr. John Cassin; of the -_invertebrata_, by Dr. William Stimpson; of the _mammalia_, by Dr. J. -H. Slack; of the _cetacea_, by Professor E. Cope; of the _infusoria_, -by Dr. F. W. Lewis; of the _fishes_, by Dr. Theodore Gill; and of -the _paleontology_, by Professor F. B. Meek, have appeared from time -to time in the "Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of -Philadelphia," excepting the last, which was published in the American -"Journal of Arts and Sciences." Dr. J. Atkin Meigs has in preparation -a monograph on _ethnology_, based upon a collection of upward of one -hundred and forty specimens, and I shall soon have completed a more -elaborate discussion of the Greenland Glaciers and other collateral -topics than has been allowed me by the limits and character of this -work. - -I should do great injustice to my own feelings, did I not here express -the acknowledgment of my obligation to those societies, associations, -and individuals who united themselves with me in effecting the -organization of the Expedition, and who liberally shared with me its -expenses. My wishes were always promptly met by them, to the extent -of their ability; and the enterprise was sustained with a zeal and -interest rarely accorded to a purely scientific purpose. That I have -not before published an account of my voyage, or presented any detailed -statement of my discoveries to those who had a natural right to expect -it, has been entirely owing to the circumstance that my time has been -wholly occupied in the public service, from the period of my return -until late last year; and they will, I trust, accept as a sufficient -excuse for my silence during that period, the fact that the command -of an army hospital, with from three to five thousand inmates, which -devolved upon me during the greater part of the recent war, allowed -me little leisure for literary or scientific work. It will also be -understood that the temporary abandonment of the exploration was due to -the same general cause. - - _October 23d, 1866._ - - - - - LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS - - TO THE - - EXPEDITION.[1] - -[Footnote 1: The author has reason to suppose that there are several -persons to whom the Expedition is indebted for support whose names, not -having been furnished him, do not appear in this list. Desiring to make -it entirely complete, he will feel personally obliged to any one whose -name is omitted to notify him of the fact, through the agency by which -the subscription was furnished.] - -[Illustration] - - - THROUGH A SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL AND - STATISTICAL SOCIETY, NEW YORK. EGBERT L. VIELE, _Chairman_; - HENRY GRINNELL, _Treasurer_. - - Henry Grinnell. E. A. Stansbury. - A. D. Bache. W. T. Blodgett. - George Folsom. Dr. Samuel W. Francis. - Henry E. Pierrepont. Frank Moore. - Benjamin H. Field. H. M. Field. - M. de LeRoquette. Blakeman & Phinney. - The "American Journal of Arts Harpers Brothers. - and Sciences"--Profs. John Austin Stevens. - Silliman and Dana. George A. Woodward. - Egbert L. Viele. C. Detmold. - Cyrus W. Field. Z. T. Detmold. - J. L. Graham. Francis Lieber. - August Belmont. F. E. Church. - Horace B. Clafflin. Bayard Taylor. - George Opdyke. O. M. Mitchell. - Brown, Brothers & Co. Henrietta B. Haines. - F. S. Stalknecht. Mary W. Talman. - John Jay. Clarence A. Seward. - C. Godfrey Gunther. F. L. Hawks. - Peter Cooper. Robert B. Winthrop. - Wm. Remsen. G. P. Putnam. - J. Carson Brevoort. A. W. White. - Lewis Rutherford. A. H. Wood. - C. P. Daly. George L. Samson. - Hugh N. Camp. Henry A. Robbins. - W. A. White. Wm. H. Allen. - John D. Clute. Albert Clark. - Marshall Lefferts. Joseph W. Orvis. - Wolcott Gibbs. John D. Wing. - John D. Jones. Grinnell & Bibby. - Joseph Harsen. Simeon Holton, Jun. - Alexander H. Stevens. Sheldon, Blakeman & Co. - John C. Green. American Desiccating Co. - Samuel E. Barlow. Ruxton, Barker & Co. - A. H. Ward. G. Tagliabue. - James T. Hall. Messrs. Nequs. - - THROUGH COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF TRADE AND ACADEMY OF NATURAL - SCIENCES, PHILADELPHIA. FRANCIS COPE, _Treasurer_. - - Wm. Parker Foulke. Childs & Peterson. - Joseph Harrison, Jun. Samuel J. Reeves. - Henry Cope. Edward Trotter. - Alfred Cope. J. T. Alburger & Co. - Wm. Bucknell. M. J. Wickersham. - John Rice. Thomas Sparks. - North American Life E. J. Lewis. - Insurance Co. Joseph Leidy. - Delaware Mutual Ins. Co. R. E. Rogers. - Corn Exchange. Jacob P. Jones. - Cope Brothers. J. B. Lippincott & Co. - Isaac Lea. M. W. Baldwin. - R. Pearsall. Samuel E. Stokes. - C. Macalister. Dr. T. B. Wilson. - Henry C. Carey. James C. Hand. - John C. Cresson. Henry C. Townsend. - Wm. R. Lejeé. Richard Price. - - M. L. Dawson. Aubrey H. Smith. - Samuel Coffin. C. Townsend. - W. Haye. E. C. Knight. - Lodge 51, A. Y. M. Buckman & Co. - John Thompson. E. Durar. - John P. Crozer. E. H. Butler. - Joseph Jeanes. Blair & Wyeth. - E. J. Levis. King & Baird. - Edward A. Souder. Sharp & Brother. - Geo. N. Tatham. Rowland & Irvin. - John A. Brown. Henry Winsor. - B. Marshall. David McConkey. - R. Marshall. Wilson, Childs & Co. - Thomas Richardson & Co. A. Whitney & Son. - D. Haddock, Jun. Townsend Sharpless. - J. B. Morris. David S. Brown. - Israel Morris. Chas. Ellis. - B. C. & R. A. Tilghman. Wm. M. Baird. - John W. Sexton. James H. Orne. - John Grigg. Joshua L. Bailey. - William Sellers & Co. James Addicks. - Tobias Wagner. Benj. Marsh. - Warren Fisher. Buzby & Co. - Wm. S. Vaux. Weaver, Fitler & Co. - Dr. James Bond. James Leslie & Co. - Chas. Henry Fisher. McAlister & Brother. - J. Edgar Thompson. Bible Society. - Charles E. Smith. John H. Cooper. - Frothingham, Wells & Co. S. Hazard. - Fairman Rogers. Isaac J. Williams. - John L. Leconte. Buckner & M'Connor. - J. C. Trautwine. Burley & Co. - Edward Hayes. Mrs. Dr. Bond. - - - THROUGH COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS, ALBANY, N. Y. D. V. N. RADCLIFFE, - _Treasurer_. - - J. H. Armsby. W. Frothingham. - Thomas W. Olcott. G. J. H. Thatcher. - Eli Perry. Samuel Anable. - D. V. N. Radcliffe. S. H. Ransom. - Erastus Corning. R. H. Wakeman. - R. C. Davis. J. O. Souner. - Isaac W. Vosburg. James Kidd. - John T. Rathbone. A. A. Dunlap. - Alden Marsh. Alanson Sumner. - A. B. Banks. James W. Cook. - Charles L. Garfield. E. Owens. - David J. Boyd. John Tracy. - T. Rousell & Son. Cook & Palmer. - - - THROUGH THE CITIZENS' COMMITTEE AND COMMITTEE OF THE ACADEMY OF - ARTS AND SCIENCES, BOSTON. RICHARD BAKER, Jun., _Treasurer_. - - Richard Baker, Jun. James Lawrence. - Warren Sawyer. Jonathan Phillips. - John Stetson. Nathan Appleton. - J. D. W. Joy. Joseph Whitney. - O. W. Peabody. Abbott Lawrence. - S. A. Dix. George W. Lyman. - Theodore Lyman. Edward Wigglesworth. - Richard P. Pope. Francis Skinner. - David Sears. George B. Blake. - Thomas Lee. Naylor & Co. - Philip H. Sears. H. O. Houghton. - B. W. Taggard. Columbia Lodge. - Amos A. Lawrence. Woburn Lodge. - Jacob Bigelow, M. D. Mt. Lebanon Lodge. - James M. Beebe. Winslow Lewis Lodge. - A. W. Spencer. Merchants' Insurance Co. - S. H. Walley. (through Capt. Smith.) - Wm. Gray. Manufacturers' Ins. Co. - H. A. Whitney. J. Sawyer & Co. - Geo. R. Russell. Wm. H. Kennard. - L. Agassiz. E. Hammer (Danish Consul.) - B. A. Gould. D. N. Haskell. - C. C. Felton. Wm. Baker. - Prof. J. Lovering. Daniel Paine. - Prof. E. N. Horsford. -16 - H. Howard. Middlesex Co. - Wm. M. Parker. Oak Hall. - Francis Kendall. Fenno & Co. - C. G. Kendall. F. A. Hawley & Co. - E. R. Mudge & Co. Andrew Pierce. - Wilkinson, Stetson & Co. Burnham & Scott. - Merrill & Co. March Brothers. - Allen, Whiting & Co. William R. Lovejoy & Co. - Huntington, Wadsworth & Whiting, Galloupe & Co. - Parks. Kelley & Levin. - Fitchburg Woolen Co. John A. Whipple. - Macullum, Williams & Parker. Stetson, Kendall & Minot. - Edward Everett. Isaac Fenno. - N. P. Banks. Charles E. Wiggin. - Frederick W. Lincoln. Joshua Blake. - John Cummings, Jun. Preston & Merrill. - John Clark. Wm. Read & Son. - James O. Safford. Richard Fay, Jun. - S. S. Arnold. Redding & Co. - Winslow Lewis, M. D. Hostetter & Smith, - Benj. French. (Pittsburg, Pa.) - Black & Bacheller. John Wilson. - Wm. B. Boyd. Henry W. Poole. - Wm. Furness, Jun. Otis Norcross. - John Paine. H. B. Walley. - James Sturgis. Richard F. Bond. - Thornton K. Lothrop. L. Audenried & Co. - Caleb Curtis. Noble, Hammott & Hall. - Chas. D. Homans, M. D. N. Sturtevant & Co. - George L. Pratt. Wm. F. Weld. - A. G. Smith. J. G. Bigelow. - Henry P. Kidder. Wm. D. Atkinson, Jun. - Henry Mulliken. Jos. W. Wightman. - A. W. Stetson. George H. Snelling. - Chas. J. Sprague. J. C. Hoadley. - N. I. Bowditch. A. Loring. - Stone, Wood & Baldwin. H. Poor & Son. - Messinger & Brothers. - Thomas Thompson. Mrs. Pratt. - Wm. Bond & Son. Mrs. E. Thompson. - Pierce & Co. W. Clafflin & Co. - Joshua Stetson. Day, Wilcox & Co. - Chas. W. Freeland & Co. J. J. Adams & Co. - Burrough, Bro. & Co. Alex. Williams & Co. - Frost & Kimball. E. Paige & Co. - Washington Mills. D. P. Ives & Co. - Hunt & Goodwin. Max, White & Bartlett. - Geo. W. Simmons. J. B. Kendall. - Nevin, Sawyer & Co. Sewall, Day & Co. - George Osgood. E. A. & W. Winchester. - Theodore H. Bell. Seth Adams. - Brown & Taggard. J. & J. F. Samson & Co. - Winsor & Whitney. Wilder & Eastbrook. - Richard Morris Hunt. Maynard & Noyes. - Edward J. Thomas. Winn, Eaton & Co. - Wm. B. Hayden. J. H. Poole. - E. H. Blake. Fogg, Houghton & Co. - Lewis R. Reynolds. Brown & Stanley. - Swann, Brewer & Tileston. J. Childs, Jun. - E. B. Moore. Doan & Skilton. - John E. Hayes. Parker, Gannett & Osgood. - Ballard & Prince. Denton & Wood. - Dana, Farrar & Hyde. Foster & Smith. - Solo. Piper. Wm. K. Lewis & Co. - Jacob Stanwood. Thomas W. Pierce. - E. P. Tileston. Joseph B. Glover. - Isaac Rich. Addison Gage. - Salem T. Lamb. I. N. Brown. - Daniel D. Kelley. New Bedford Cordage Co. - Wm. M. Jacobs & Son. C. B. Bryant. - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - PAGE - - 1. MAP OF THE POLAR REGIONS 1 - Drawn by C. A. Schott. Engraved by J. Schedler. - - 2. MAP OF SMITH SOUND, SHOWING DR. HAYES' TRACK AND - DISCOVERIES 72 - Drawn by Dr. Hayes. Engraved by J. Schedler. - - 3. MAP OF PORT FOULKE, THE WINTER QUARTERS OF THE - EXPEDITION 96 - Drawn by Dr. Hayes. Engraved by J. Schedler. - - 4. AN ARCTIC TEAM 104 - Drawn by G. G. White, from a Sketch by Dr. Hayes. - Engraved by J. A. Bogert. - - 5. A BEAR-HUNT 174 - Drawn by Darley, from Description. - Engraved by J. A. Bogert. - - 6. CROSSING THE HUMMOCKS 322 - Drawn by G. G. White, from a Sketch by Dr. Hayes. - Engraved by J. A. Bogert. - - 7. THE SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA 346 - Drawn by H. Fenn, from a Sketch by Dr. Hayes. - Engraved by Fay & Cox. - - 8. A WALRUS-HUNT 408 - Drawn by Darley, from Description. - Engraved by J. A. Bogert. - - 9. TYNDALL GLACIER, WHALE SOUND 438 - Drawn by H. Fenn, from a Photograph by Dr. Hayes. - Engraved by Kingdon & Boyd. - - - - -EXPLANATION OF TAIL-PIECES. - - -_Drawn on wood by G. G. White from Photographs and Sketches by Dr. -Hayes. Engraved mostly by J. A. Bogert._ - - PAGE - - 1. Anchor 15 - 2. Arched Iceberg 27 - 3. Greenlander in his Kayak 34 - 4. Upernavik 43 - 5. Snowflake (magnified three diameters) 56 - 6. Seal on Cake of Ice 67 - 7. Head of a Reindeer 91 - 8. Port Foulke 100 - 9. Snowflake (same as No. 5) 126 - 10. Chester Valley, showing Alida Lake and the Glacier 136 - 11. "My Brother John's Glacier," from First Camp 148 - 12. Group of Reindeer 164 - 13. Schooner in Winter Quarters 211 - 14. The Esquimau Hut at Etah 235 - 15. Head of Walrus 247 - 16. Portrait of Birdie, the Arctic Fox 250 - 17. Sonntag's Grave 276 - 18. Snowflake (same as No. 5) 296 - 19. Camping in a Snow-Bank 306 - 20. Polar Bear 314 - 21. Dog Sledge 321 - 22. Head of the Esquimau Dog Oosisoak 332 - 23. Cape Union 352 - 24. A Sketch 362 - 25. Observatory at Port Foulke 375 - 26. Snowflake (same as No. 5) 380 - 27. Kalutunah and his Family 395 - 28. Head of Arctic Hare 425 - 29. A Sketch 438 - 30. "End" 454 - - - - -CONTENTS. - - -INTRODUCTION. - -PAGE - - Plan of the Expedition.--First Announcement.--Appeal to Scientific - Societies.--Aid solicited.--Public Lectures.--Liberality - of various Societies and Individuals.--Vessel purchased - in Boston.--Interest manifested in that City.--Difficulty - in obtaining a proper Crew.--Organization of the - Party.--Scientific Outfit.--Abundant Supplies - - 1 - - -CHAPTER I. - - Leaving Boston.--At Anchor in Nantasket Roads.--At Sea - - 13 - - -CHAPTER II. - - Passage to the Greenland Coast.--Discipline.--The Decks at - Sea.--Our Quarters.--The First Iceberg.--Crossing the Arctic - Circle.--The Midnight Sun.--The Endless Day.--Making the - Land.--A Remarkable Scene among the Bergs.--At Anchor in Pröven - Harbor - - 16 - - -CHAPTER III. - - The Colony of Pröven.--The Kayak of the Greenlander.--Scarcity of - Dogs.--Liberality of the Chief Trader.--Arctic Flora - - 28 - - -CHAPTER IV. - - Upernavik.--Hospitality of the Inhabitants.--Death and Burial of - Gibson Caruthers.--A Lunch on Board.--Adieu - - 35 - - -CHAPTER V. - - Among the Icebergs.--Dangers of Arctic Navigation.--A Narrow Escape - from a Crumbling Berg.--Measurement of an Iceberg - -44 - - -CHAPTER VI. - - Entering Melville Bay.--The Middle Ice.--The Great Polar - Current.--A Snow-Storm.--Encounter with an Iceberg.--Making - Cape York.--Rescue of Hans - - 57 - - -CHAPTER VII. - - Hans and his Family.--Petowak Glacier.--A Snow-Storm.--The - Ice-Pack.--Entering Smith Sound.--A Severe Gale.--Collision - with Icebergs.--Encounter with the Ice-Fields.--Retreat from - the Pack.--At Anchor in Hartstene Bay.--Entering Winter Quarters - - 68 - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - Our Winter Harbor.--Preparing for Winter.--Organization of - Duties.--Scientific Work.--The Observatory.--Schooner Driven - Ashore.--The Hunters.--Sawing a Dock.--Frozen up.--Sunset - - 92 - - -CHAPTER IX. - - Sunset.--Winter Work.--My Dog-Teams.--"My Brother John's - Glacier."--Hunting.--Peat Beds.--Esquimau Graves.--Putrefaction - at Low Temperatures.--Sonntag climbs the Glacier.--Hans and - Peter.--My Esquimau People.--The Esquimau Dog.--Surveying the - Glacier.--The Sailing-Master.--His Birthday Dinner - - 101 - - -CHAPTER X. - - Journey on the Glacier.--The First Camp.--Scaling the - Glacier.--Character of its Surface.--The Ascent.--Driven back - by a Gale.--Low Temperature.--Dangerous Situation of the - Party.--A Moonlight Scene - - 127 - - -CHAPTER XI. - - Important Results of the recent Journey.--The Glacier System of - Greenland.--General Discussion of the Subject.--Illustrations - drawn from the Alpine Glaciers.--Glacier Movement.--Outline of - the Greenland _Mer de Glace_ - - 137 - - -CHAPTER XII. - - My Cabin.--Surveying.--Castor and Pollux.--Concerning - Scurvy.--Dangers of eating Cold Snow.--Knorr and - Starr.--Frost-Bites.--Hans, Peter, and Jacob again.--Coal - Account.--The Fires.--Comfort of our Quarters.--The House on - Deck.--Mild Weather.--Jensen.--Mrs. Hans.--John Williams, the - Cook.--A Cheerful Evening - - 149 - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - Increasing Darkness.--Daily Routine.--The Journal.--Our - Home.--Sunday.--Return of Sonntag.--A Bear-Hunt.--The Open - Water.--Accident to Mr. Knorr.--A Thaw.--"The Port Foulke - Weekly News."--The Tide-Register.--The Fire-Hole.--Hunting - Foxes.--Peter - - 165 - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - Midwinter.--The Night of Months.--Brilliancy of the - Moonlight.--Mild Temperatures.--Remarkable Weather.--A - Shower.--Depth of Snow.--Snow Crystals.--An Epidemic among the - Dogs.--Symptoms of the Disorder.--Great Mortality.--Only one - Team left.--New Plans.--Schemes for reaching the Esquimaux in - Whale Sound - - 192 - - -CHAPTER XV. - - The Arctic Midnight.--Sonntag starts for Whale Sound.--Effects - of Darkness on the Spirits.--Routine of Duties.--Christmas - Eve.--Christmas Day.--The Christmas Dinner - - 200 - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - The New Year.--Looking for Sonntag.--The Aurora Borealis.--A - Remarkable Display.--Depth of Snow.--Strange Mildness - of the Weather.--The Open Sea.--Evaporation at Low - Temperatures.--Looking for the Twilight.--My Pet Fox - - 212 - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - The Arctic Night. - - 222 - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - Prolonged Absence of Mr. Sonntag.--Preparing to look for - him.--Arrival of Esquimaux.--They report Sonntag dead.--Arrival - of Hans.--Condition of the Dogs.--Hans's Story of the Journey - - 227 - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - Sonntag.--Twilight increasing.--A Deer-Hunt.--The Arctic - Foxes.--The Polar Bear.--Adventures with Bears.--Our New - Esquimaux.--Esquimau Dress.--A Snow House.--Esquimau - Implements.--A Walrus Hunt - - 236 - - -CHAPTER XX. - - Looking for the Sun.--The Open Sea.--Birds - -248 - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - Sunrise. - - 251 - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - Spring Twilight.--Arrival of Esquimaux.--Obtaining - Dogs.--Kalutunah, Tattarat, Myouk, Amalatok and his Son.--An - Arctic Hospital.--Esquimau Gratitude - - 255 - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - Kalutunah returns.--An Esquimau Family.--The Family - Property.--The Family Wardrobe.--Myouk and his - Wife.--Peter's Dead Body found.--My New Teams.--The - Situation.--Hunting.--Subsistence of Arctic Animals.--Pursuit - of Science under Difficulties.--Kalutunah at Home.--An Esquimau - Feast.--Kalutunah in Service.--Recovering the Body of Mr. - Sonntag.--The Funeral.--The Tomb - - 265 - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - Starting on my First Journey.--Object of the Journey.--A Mishap.--A - Fresh Start.--The First Camp.--Hartstene's Cairn.--Exploring a - Track.--A New Style of Snow-Hut.--An Uncomfortable Night.--Low - Temperature.--Effect of Temperature on the Snow.--Among the - Hummocks.--Sighting Humboldt Glacier.--The Track impracticable - to the Main Party.--Van Rensselaer Harbor.--Fate of the - _Advance_.--A Drive in a Gale - - 277 - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - Sending forward Supplies.--Kalutunah as a Driver.--Kalutunah - civilized.--Mr. Knorr.--Plan of my Proposed Journey.--Preparing - to set out.--Industrious Esquimau Women.--Death and Burial of - Kablunet.--The Start - - 290 - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - The First Day's Journey.--A Fall of Temperature.--Its - Effect upon the Men.--Camped in a Snow-Hut.--The - Second Day's Journey.--At Cairn Point.--Character of - the Ice.--The Prospect.--Storm-stayed.--The Cooks in - Difficulty.--Snow-Drift.--Violence of the Gale.--Our Snow-Hut - - 297 - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - The Storm continues.--At Work.--Among the Hummocks.--Difficulties - of the Track.--The Snow-Drifts.--Slow Progress.--The - Smith Sound Ice.--Formation of the Hummocks.--The Old - Ice-Fields.--Growth of Ice-Fields.--Thickness of Ice.--The - Prospect - - 307 - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - The Difficulties multiplying.--Sledge broken.--Reflections on - the Prospect.--The Men breaking down.--Worse and Worse.--The - Situation.--Defeat of Main Party.--Resolve to send the Party - back and continue the Journey with Dogs - - 315 - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - - The Main Party sent back.--Plunging into the Hummocks - again.--Advantages of Dogs.--Camp in an Ice-Cave.--Nursing - the Dogs.--Snow-Blindness.--A Chapter of Accidents.--Cape - Hawks.--Cape Napoleon.--Storm-stayed.--Grinnell Land looming - up.--Discovering a Sound.--Ravenous Disposition of Dogs.--A - Cheerless Supper.--Camping in the Open Air.--Prostration of Men - and Dogs.--Making the Land at last - - 322 - - -CHAPTER XXX. - - The Prospect Ahead.--To Cape Napoleon.--To Cape Frazer.--Traces - of Esquimaux.--Rotten Ice.--Kennedy Channel.--Mildness of - Temperature.--Appearance of Birds.--Geological Features of - Coast.--Vegetation.--Accident to Jensen - - 333 - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - - A New Start.--Speculations.--In a Fog.--Polar Scenery.--Stopped - by Rotten Ice.--Looking Ahead.--Conclusions.--The Open - Sea.--Climax of the Journey.--Returning South - - 343 - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - - The Open Polar Sea.--Width of the Polar Basin.--Boundaries - of the Polar Basin.--Polar Currents.--Polar Ice.--The - Ice-Belt.--Arctic Navigation and Discovery.--The Russian - Sledge Explorations.--Wrangel's Open Sea.--Parry's Boat - Expedition.--Dr. Kane's Discoveries.--Expansion of Smith - Sound.--General Conclusions drawn from my own Discoveries and - those of my Predecessors - - 353 - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - - On Board the Schooner.--Review of the Journey.--The Return down - Kennedy Channel.--A Severe March in a Snow-Storm.--Rotten - Ice.--Effects of a Gale.--Returning through the Hummocks.--The - Dogs breaking down.--Adrift on a Floe at Cairn Point.--The - Open Water compels us to take to the Land.--Reaching the - Schooner.--Projecting a Chart.--The New Sound.--My Northern - Discoveries - - 363 - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - - Inspection of the Schooner.--Method of Repairing.--The Serious - Nature of the Injury.--The Schooner unfit for any further - Ice-Encounters.--Examination of my Resources.--Plans for the - Future - - 376 - - -CHAPTER XXXV. - - The Arctic Spring.--Snow disappearing.--Plants show Signs of - Life.--Return of the Birds.--Change in the Sea.--Refitting the - Schooner.--The Esquimaux.--Visit to Kalutunah.--Kalutunah's - Account of the Esquimau Traditions.--Hunting-Grounds - contracted by the Accumulation of Ice.--Hardships of their - Life.--Their Subsistence.--The Race dwindling away.--Visit to - the Glacier.--Re-survey of the Glacier.--Kalutunah catching - Birds.--A Snow-Storm and a Gale.--The Mid-day of the Arctic - Summer - - 381 - - -CHAPTER XXXVI. - - The Arctic Summer.--The Flora.--The Ice dissolving.--A - Summer Storm of Rain, Hail, and Snow.--The Terraces.--Ice - Action.--Upheaval of the Coast.--Geological Interest - of Icebergs and the Land-Ice.--A Walrus Hunt.--The - "Fourth."--Visit to Littleton Island.--Great Numbers of - Eider-Ducks and Gulls.--The Ice breaking up.--Critical - Situation of the Schooner.--Taking Leave of the - Esquimaux.--Adieu to Port Foulke - - 396 - - -CHAPTER XXXVII. - - Leaving Port Foulke.--Effort to reach Cape Isabella.--Meet the Pack - and take Shelter at Littleton Island.--Hunting.--Abundance of - Birds and Walrus.--Visit to Cairn Point.--Reaching the West - Coast.--View from Cape Isabella.--Plans for the Future.--Our - Results.--Chances of reaching the Polar Sea discussed.--The - Glaciers of Ellesmere Land - - 416 - - -CHAPTER XXXVIII. - - Leaving Smith Sound.--Crossing the North Water.--Meeting the - Pack.--The Sea and Air teeming with Life.--Remarkable - Refraction.--Reaching Whale Sound.--Surveying in a Boat.--The - Sound traced to its Termination.--Meeting Esquimaux at - Iteplik.--Habits of the Esquimaux.--Marriage Ceremony.--The - Decay of the Tribe.--View of Barden Bay.--Tyndall Glacier - - 426 - - -CHAPTER XXXIX. - - Homeward Bound.--Entering Melville Bay.--Encounter with a - Bear.--Meeting the Pack.--Making the "South Water."--Reaching - Upernavik.--The News.--To Goodhaven.--Liberality of the - Danish Government and the Greenland Officials.--Driven out - of Baffin Bay by a Gale.--Crippled by the Storm and forced - to take Shelter in Halifax.--Hospitable Reception.--Arrival - in Boston.--Realize the State of the Country.--The - Determination.--Conclusion - - 439 - - -[Illustration] - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - PLAN OF THE EXPEDITION.--FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT.--APPEAL TO SCIENTIFIC - SOCIETIES.--AID SOLICITED.--PUBLIC LECTURES.--LIBERALITY - OF VARIOUS SOCIETIES AND INDIVIDUALS.--VESSEL PURCHASED - IN BOSTON.--INTEREST MANIFESTED IN THAT CITY.--DIFFICULTY - IN OBTAINING A PROPER CREW.--ORGANIZATION OF THE - PARTY.--SCIENTIFIC OUTFIT.--ABUNDANT SUPPLIES. - - -I purpose to record in this Book the events of the Expedition which I -conducted to the Arctic Seas. - -[Sidenote: PLAN OF THE EXPEDITION.] - -The plan of the enterprise first suggested itself to me while acting -as Surgeon of the Expedition commanded by the late Dr. E. K. Kane, of -the United States Navy. Although its execution did not appear feasible -at the period of my return from that voyage in October, 1855, yet I -did not at any time abandon the design. It comprehended an extensive -scheme of discovery. The proposed route was that by Smith's Sound. My -object was to complete the survey of the north coasts of Greenland -and Grinnell Land, and to make such explorations as I might find -practicable in the direction of the North Pole. - -My proposed base of operations was Grinnell Land, which I had -discovered on my former voyage, and had personally traced beyond lat. -80°, far enough to satisfy me that it was available for my design. - -Accepting the deductions of many learned physicists that the sea -about the North Pole cannot be frozen, that an open area of varying -extent must be found within the Ice-belt which is known to invest it, -I desired to add to the proofs which had already been accumulated -by the early Dutch and English voyagers, and, more recently, by the -researches of Scoresby, Wrangel, and Parry, and still later by Dr. -Kane's expedition. - -It is well known that the great difficulty which has been encountered, -in the various attempts that have been made to solve this important -physical problem, has been the inability of the explorer to penetrate -the Ice-belt with his ship, or to travel over it with sledges -sufficiently far to obtain indisputable proof. My former experience -led me to the conclusion that the chances of success were greater by -Smith's Sound than by any other route, and my hopes of success were -based upon the expectation which I entertained of being able to push -a vessel into the Ice-belt, to about the 80th parallel of latitude, -and thence to transport a boat over the ice to the open sea which I -hoped to find beyond. Reaching this open sea, if such fortune awaited -me, I proposed to launch my boat and to push off northward. For the -ice-transportation I expected to rely, mainly, upon the dog of the -Esquimaux. - -How far I was able to execute my design these pages will show. - -It will be remembered that the highest point reached by Dr. Kane with -his vessels was Van Rensselaer Harbor, latitude 78° 37′, where he -wintered. This was on the eastern side of Smith's Sound. It seemed to -me that a more favorable position could be attained on the western -side; and from personal observations made in 1854, while on a sledge -journey from Van Rensselaer Harbor, it appeared to me probable that -the degree of latitude already indicated might be secured for a winter -station and a centre of observation. - -[Sidenote: ANTICIPATED RESULTS.] - -It would be needless for me to attempt to illustrate the value of -such a centre for the purpose of scientific inquiry. It was not alone -the prospect of the satisfaction to be achieved by completing our -geographical knowledge of that portion of the globe, nor that of -solving definitely the problem of an Open Polar Sea, that encouraged -me in the task which I had undertaken. There were many questions of -physical science to be settled, and I hoped to take with me a corps of -well-instructed observers. The movements of the currents of the air and -water, the temperature of these elements, the pressure of the former -and the tides of the latter, the variations of gravity, the direction -and intensity of the "magnetic force," the Aurora Borealis, the -formation and movement of the glaciers, and many important features of -Natural History remained to be solved by observations about the centre -indicated. Years of profitable labor might indeed be expended in that -locality by an enterprising force of skilled workers. - -With these objects in view, I applied with great confidence to the -scientific men of the world and to the enlightened public sentiment of -my country-men. - -The response, although in the end highly gratifying, was more tardy -in its coming than had been at first anticipated. There were indeed -many circumstances of discouragement, not the least of which was an -impression which then had possession of the public judgment, that any -further efforts toward the North Pole must be fruitless, and must -involve an unjustifiable loss of life. It was only after many endeavors -that here and there the influences favorable to the design began to -affect the community. The most important of these was, of course, the -sanction given to the project by those associations whose opinions -govern the mass of men in relation to scientific matters. - -[Sidenote: FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT.] - -The first public announcement of it was made to the American -Geographical and Statistical Society, before which body I read a paper -in December, 1857, setting forth the plan, and the means proposed for -its accomplishment. It was on this occasion that I first experienced -the discouragement to which I have already referred, and it became -evident to all who had thus far interested themselves in the subject, -that it would be necessary to instruct the public mind in relation to -the practicability of the proposed exploration, and its comparative -freedom from danger, before any earnest support could be anticipated. - -To this task I at once addressed myself, although, indeed, I might -with some show of reason have abandoned the undertaking altogether; -but at twenty-five one is not easily discouraged. In concert with the -friends of the enterprise, I caused it to be understood that I was open -to invitations from any of the numerous literary societies and clubs -who were organizing popular courses of lectures for the winter. Such -lectures were at that time quite the fashion, and almost every little -town in the country could boast of its "course." The invitations which -reached me were very numerous, and I availed myself of them to the -full limit of my time. The scientific and literary journals and the -press, ever ready to aid in the advancement of liberal and enlightened -purposes, gave very cordial support; and, when the spring of 1858 -opened, we had the satisfaction to perceive that we had dispelled some -of the popular illusions respecting the dangers of Arctic exploration. -Among the most important of the lectures given at this period was a -course which I delivered at the instance of Professor Joseph Henry, in -the fine lecture-room of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. -These lectures were the more important, in that they secured to the -undertaking the friendship and support of Professor A. D. Bache, the -learned and efficient chief of the United States Coast Survey. - -[Sidenote: SCIENTIFIC INTEREST.] - -In April, 1858, I brought the subject before the American Association -for the Advancement of Science, at its annual meeting held in -Baltimore; and that body of representative men, at the suggestion of -Professor Bache, appointed sixteen of its leading members a committee -on "Arctic Exploration." - -It remained now only to secure the necessary material aid. With this -object in view, committees were promptly appointed by the American -Philosophical Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, -the American Geographical Society, the Lyceum of Natural History of New -York, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Boston Society -of Natural History. - -Subscription lists were at once opened by these several committees, and -Professor Bache, at all times foremost to promote scientific discovery, -headed the list with his powerful name. - -The learned Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Professor Joseph -Henry, further strengthened the cause by the proffer of scientific -instruments, and this was followed by the earnest support of Mr. Henry -Grinnell, whose zealous efforts and sacrifices in behalf of Arctic -exploration are too well known to gain any thing from my commendation. - -At a subsequent period I addressed the Chamber of Commerce in New -York, and the Board of Trade in Philadelphia. The latter promptly -appointed a committee with the same objects as those previously -appointed by the scientific societies. Still later I spoke to a large -audience in the lecture-room of the Lowell Institute, Boston, assembled -under the auspices of the committee of the Academy of Arts and -Sciences, on which occasion, after eloquent addresses by the chairman, -the late Hon. Edward Everett, and Professors Agassiz and W. B. Rogers, -a committee of citizens was appointed to coöperate with the committees -already named. - -[Sidenote: PUBLIC LECTURES.] - -The system of public lecturing which had been improved with such -satisfactory advantage in the beginning, was continued, and, in -addition to the increased public interest which the lectures created, -they proved a source of more substantial benefit. Two of them were -delivered under the auspices of the American Geographical Society. -The value of these last was derived from the circumstance that public -support was given to the project by Dr. Francis Lieber, the late -Rev. Dr. Bethune, Rev. J. P. Thompson, the late Professor (afterward -Major-General) O. M. Mitchel, and Mr. (now Brigadier-General) Egbert L. -Viele, who spoke on the occasion. The principal address was made by Dr. -Lieber, and it was characteristic of that able and learned writer. - -[Sidenote: FOREIGN SUPPORT.] - -The interest manifested among geographers abroad was scarcely less -than that shown by scientific men at home. The eminent President of -the Geographical Society of London, Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, -in announcing the proposed renewal of Arctic discovery to that -distinguished body, expressed the earnest desire of the society for the -success of the undertaking; and the enlightened Vice-President of the -Geographical Society of Paris, M. de la Roquette, promptly offered, as -an earnest of his good will, a liberal contribution to the fund. - -The Masonic Fraternity in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia also gave -their assistance, and it was not the less appreciated that it was -spontaneous and unexpected. - -Notwithstanding the unceasing efforts which were thus made in every -quarter, and the almost universal interest which the undertaking at -length excited, it was not until the beginning of June, 1860, that -I was able to commence my preparations. My plans of exploration had -been based upon the expectation of being able to start with two -vessels,--one a small steamer, to be taken out under sails, and the -steam-power only to be used when actually among the ice;--the other a -sailing vessel, to be employed as a tender or store-ship. - -It now became evident to us that if my departure was deferred to -another year, the chances of my sailing at all would be diminished -rather than increased; and we therefore determined to do the best we -could with the means at hand. These means would enable us to fit out -and man only one small sailing vessel. - -[Sidenote: VESSEL PURCHASED.] - -To Mr. Richard Baker, Jr., the energetic chairman of the Boston -Committee, (aided by a sub-committee consisting of Mr. Warren Sawyer, -Mr. John Stetson, Mr. O. W. Peabody, and Mr. J. D. W. Joy,) was -intrusted the selection and purchase of such a craft as would best -compromise between the services to be performed and the state of our -finances; and the duty was accomplished with characteristic sagacity. -When I reached Boston, a few days after the purchase had been made, I -found the vessel lying at a wharf, heavily laden with a cargo brought -from the West Indies. She was a strong, snug, jaunty looking craft, and -appeared to be well adapted for the peculiar service to which she was -destined. Her "register" quaintly set forth that she was "A 1," that -she measured one hundred and thirty-three tons burden, that she was a -fore-and-aft schooner, drew eight feet of water, and was named _Spring -Hill_. For this name we at once substituted _United States_, which -change was, upon my memorial, subsequently confirmed by act of Congress. - -The season was now growing very late. Before the vessel had been -purchased it was fully time that I should have been upon my voyage, -and every day's delay added to my anxiety lest I should be unable to -penetrate the Baffin's Bay ice, and secure a harbor before the winter -had shut out all access to the land. It was therefore with no small -degree of satisfaction that I saw the schooner on the ways in the -shipyard of Mr. Kelly in East Boston, and the work of refitting her -going rapidly forward. - -As a protection against the wear and pressure of the ice, a strong -sheathing of two and a half inch oak planking was spiked to her sides, -and the bows were cased with thick iron plates as far aft as the -fore-chains. Internally she was strengthened with heavy beams, crossing -at intervals of twelve feet a little below the water-line, which, -as well as the deck-timbers, were supported by additional knees and -diagonal braces. For convenience of working; among the ice, her rig was -changed from a fore-and-aft to a foretop-sail schooner. - -[Sidenote: PREPARATION.] - -Owing to many unavoidable delays, the month of June had almost passed -before the schooner was brought to the wharf in Boston to receive her -cargo. Much of this cargo was made up of voluntary gift offerings, "in -the cause of science," and came from various places, and, as these -"offerings" arrived irregularly, there was naturally much confusion in -the storage. It will not therefore appear surprising that our departure -was several days delayed. One month was indeed a short time, even under -the most favorable circumstances, to fit a vessel, purchase and store a -complicated cargo, construct and get together sledges, boats, and other -equipments for travelling, obtain instruments and all the requisite -materials for scientific exploration,--in short, to accumulate the -various odds and ends necessary for so unusual and protracted a voyage. -It was a busy month, and into no equal period of my life did I ever -crowd so much labor and anxiety. - -The selection of my ship's company gave me not a little concern. Of -material from which to choose there was quite an ample supply. In -numbers there were indeed enough to have fitted out a respectable -squadron; but it was not easy to find those whose constitutions and -habits of life fitted them for the service. The greater number of the -volunteers had never been to sea, and most of them were eager "to serve -in any capacity,"--a declaration which, too often on this, as on other -occasions, I have found to signify the absence of any capacity at all. - -I esteemed myself fortunate in securing the services of my former -companion and friend in the Grinnell Expedition, Mr. August Sonntag, -who early volunteered to join me from Mexico, in which country he was -engaged in conducting some important scientific explorations. He -even proposed to me that he should abandon the work upon which he was -then employed, in order to aid me in the preliminary preparations. -Returning to the United States in 1859, he was appointed to the Dudley -Observatory, Albany, and, to accompany me, he sacrificed the fine -position of Associate Director of that institution. - -[Sidenote: OFFICERS AND CREW.] - -My party, when at length completed, numbered fourteen persons all told, -as follows:-- - - August Sonntag, Astronomer, and second in command. - S. J. McCormick, Sailing Master. - Henry W. Dodge, Mate. - Henry G. Radcliffe, Assistant Astronomer. - George F. Knorr, Commander's Secretary. - Collin C. Starr, Master's Mate. - Gibson Caruthers, Boatswain and Carpenter. - Francis L. Harris, Volunteer. - Harvey Heywood, Volunteer. - John McDonald, Seaman. - Thomas Barnum, Seaman. - Charles McCormick, Seaman. - William Miller, Seaman. - John Williams, Seaman. - -[Sidenote: SCIENTIFIC OUTFIT.] - -Our equipment for scientific observations was reasonably perfect. -The Smithsonian Institution furnished a good supply of barometers -and thermometers, besides other apparatus not less important, and -also spirits, cans, and other materials for the collection and -preservation of specimens of Natural History. In this latter department -I owe especial obligations to the Academy of Natural Sciences of -Philadelphia, and also to the Cambridge Museum. From the skilful maker, -Mr. John Tagliabeau, of New York, I had a handsome present of spirit -thermometers. From the Topographical Bureau at Washington, through -the courtesy of its chief, I was supplied with two pocket-sextants, -instruments which could not have been obtained either by purchase or -loan elsewhere. I had hoped to secure from the National Observatory the -use of a deep-sea sounding apparatus, until it was made known to me -that the concession was not provided for by act of Congress. Outside -of the limits of nautical routine I fared better. The Chief of the -Coast Survey furnished me with a vertical circle, which contained the -double advantage of a transit and theodolite, a well-tested unifilar -magnetometer, a reflecting circle, a Wurdeman compass, and several -other valuable instruments. We had five chronometers,--three box and -two pocket, which last were intended for use in sledge travelling. We -had an excellent telescope, with a four and a half inch object-glass; -and, under the joint superintendence of the late Professor Bond, of -Cambridge, and Mr. Sonntag, I caused to be constructed a pendulum -apparatus after the plan of Foster's instrument. - -I lacked not instruments, but men. My only well-instructed associate -was Mr. Sonntag. - -Our outfit was altogether of the very best description, and our larder -contained every thing that could reasonably be desired. An abundant -supply of canned meats, vegetables, and fruits insured us against -scurvy, and a large stock of desiccated beef, beef soup, (a mixture -of meat, carrots, onions, &c.,) and potatoes, prepared expressly for -me by the American Desiccating Company of New York, gave us a light -and portable food for the sledge journeys. I preferred the food in -this form to the ordinary pemican. We were amply provided with good -warm woollen clothing, and four large bales of buffalo-skins promised -each of us the materials for a coat and protection against the Arctic -winds. A good stock of rifles and guns, and a plentiful supply of -ammunition, finished our guarantees against want. We had forty tons of -coal and wood in the hold, and a quantity of pine boards, intended for -housing over the upper deck when in winter quarters. - -Our sledges were constructed after a pattern furnished by myself, and -the tents, cooking-lamps, and other camp fixtures, were manufactured -under my personal supervision. From numerous friends, whose names I -cannot here mention without violating the obligations of confidence, -we received books and a great quantity of "small stores" which were -afterward greatly appreciated during our winter imprisonment in the ice. - -[Sidenote: READY TO SAIL.] - -We had expected to sail on the 4th of July, and the friends of -the Expedition were invited by the Boston Committee, through its -secretary, Mr. O. W. Peabody, to see us off. Although the day was -dark and drizzly many hundreds of persons were present. Through some -unavoidable accident we did not get away. The guests, however, made us -the recipients of their best wishes, and when the members of my little -command (assembled together on that day for the first time) found -themselves addressed in turn by the Governor of the State, the Mayor -of the City, and the President of Harvard, and by renowned statesmen, -orators, divines and merchants of Boston, and by _savans_ of Cambridge, -the measure of their happiness was full. Inspired by the interest thus -so conspicuously manifested in their fortunes, they felt ready for any -emergency. - - - - -THE OPEN POLAR SEA. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -LEAVING BOSTON.--AT ANCHOR IN NANTASKET ROADS.--AT SEA. - - -Late in the evening of July 6th, 1860, the schooner _United States_ was -hauled into the stream, prepared to leave port the following morning. - -The morning dawned clear and auspicious. Upon going on board, I found -that a number of friends whom I had invited to accompany us down the -bay had preceded me by half an hour. Among them were His Excellency the -Governor of the State, and representatives of the Boston, New York and -Philadelphia committees. - -The fine, large steam-tug _R. B. Forbes_ soon came alongside, alive -with a gay party of well-wishers, and, taking the end of our hawser, -started us from our anchorage. As we passed Long Wharf we were honored -with a salute from a battery which the Mayor of the city had sent down -for that purpose, and numerous parting cheers greeted us as we steamed -down the bay. - -The wind being unfavorable, we dropped anchor for the night in -Nantasket Roads. The tug took most of our friends back to Boston, and I -was left in my cabin with the official representatives of the promoters -of the enterprise, engaged in the last of our numerous consultations. -A handful of papers were put into my possession, and I became the sole -owner of the schooner _United States_ and the property on board of her. -The sun had set before our conference ended, and the wind promising to -hold from the eastward during the night, I returned to Boston with Mr. -Baker, in his yacht. - -Upon arriving at the schooner next morning, I found that the executive -officer had availed himself of the delay to break out the ship's hold -and effect a better stowage of the deck cargo. Indeed, we were in no -condition for going to sea. Many of the stores were hurried on board -at the last moment, and the deck was literally covered with boxes and -bales, which, in the haste of departure, could not be stowed away. It -was long after nightfall when the hatches were closed and every thing -secured; but as the pilot did not come on board, we were compelled to -wait until daylight. - -I passed the night on Mr. Baker's yacht, which lay near by, with some -kind friends who would not quit us until they saw us fairly off. The -pretty yachts _Stella_ and _Howard_, to whose gentlemanly owners I was -indebted for courteous attentions, also kept us company. - -[Sidenote: LEAVING BOSTON.] - -With the first gray streak of the dawning day, this little fleet -tripped their anchors and glided home, bearing our last good-byes, -while we, with a fair wind, stood out to sea. - -[Sidenote: FIRST NIGHT AT SEA.] - -Before the night closed in, the coast had sunk out of sight, and I was -once more tossing on the waves of the broad Atlantic. Again I saw the -sun sink beneath the line of waters, and I watched the changing clouds -which hung over the land I had left behind me, until the last faint -flush of gold and crimson had melted away into the soft twilight. -Creeping then into my damp, narrow bunk, I slept the first long, -unbroken sleep I had had for weeks. The expedition which had absorbed -so much of my attention during the past five years was now fairly on -its way. Trusting in Providence and my own energy, I had faith in the -future. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - PASSAGE TO THE GREENLAND COAST.--DISCIPLINE.--THE DECKS AT - SEA.--OUR QUARTERS.--THE FIRST ICEBERG.--CROSSING THE ARCTIC - CIRCLE.--THE MIDNIGHT SUN.--THE ENDLESS DAY.--MAKING THE - LAND.--A REMARKABLE SCENE AMONG THE BERGS.--AT ANCHOR IN PRÖVEN - HARBOR. - - -I will not long detain the reader with the details of our passage to -the Greenland coast. It was mainly devoid of interest. - -My first concern was to regulate the domestic affairs of my little -company; my second, to make the schooner as tidy and comfortable as -possible. The former was much more easily managed than the latter. -Calling the officers and crew together, I explained to them that, -inasmuch as we would for a long time constitute our own little world, -we must all recognize the obligations of a mutual dependence and the -ties of mutual safety, interest, and ambition. Keeping this in view, we -would find no hardship in making all selfish considerations subordinate -to the necessities of a mutual accommodation. The response was highly -gratifying to me, and I had afterward abundant reason to congratulate -myself upon having at the outset established the relations of the crew -with myself upon such a satisfactory footing. To say nothing of its -advantages to our convenience, this course saved much trouble. From the -beginning to the end of the cruise I had no occasion to record a breach -of discipline; and I did not find it necessary to establish any other -rules than those which are usual in all well disciplined ships. - -[Sidenote: THE DECKS.] - -To make the schooner comfortable was impracticable, and to make her -tidy equally so. I found myself rocking about on the Atlantic with -decks in a condition to have sorely tried the patience of the most -practised sailor. Barrels, boxes, boards, boats, and other articles -were spiked or lashed to the bulwarks and masts, until all available -space was covered, and there was left only a narrow, winding pathway -from the quarter to the forecastle deck, and no place whatever for -exercise but the top of the trunk cabin, which was just twelve feet -by ten; and even this was partly covered, and that too with articles -which, if they have existence, should at least never be in sight on -a well-regulated craft. But this was not to be helped,--there was no -room for any thing more below hatches; every nook and cranny in the -vessel was full, and we had no alternative but to allow the decks to -be "lumbered up" until some friendly sea should come and wash the -incumbrance overboard. (We were entirely too prudent to throw any thing -away.) That such an event would happen seemed likely enough, for we -were loaded down until the deck, in the waist, was only a foot and a -half above the water; and, standing in the gangway, you could at any -time lean over the monkey-rail and touch the sea with your fingers. -The galley filled up the entire space between the fore hatch and the -mainmast; and the water, coming in over the gangway, poured through it -frequently without restraint. The cook and the fire were often put out -together, and the regularity of our meals was a little disturbed in -consequence. - -[Sidenote: THE CABIN.] - -My cabin occupied the after-half of the "trunk," (which extended -two feet above the quarter-deck,) and was six feet by ten. Two -"bull's-eyes" gave me a feeble light by day, and a kerosene lamp, -which creaked uneasily in its gimbals, by night. Two berths let, one -into either side, furnished commodious receptacles for ship's stores. -The carpenter, however, fixed up a narrow bunk for me; and when I had -covered this with a brilliant afghan, and enclosed it with a pair of -crimson curtains, I was astonished at the amount of comfort which I had -manufactured for myself. - -The narrow space in front of my cabin contained the companion ladder, -the steward's pantry, the stove-pipe, a barrel of flour, and a "room" -for Mr. Sonntag. Forward of this, two steps down in the hold, was the -officers' cabin, which was exactly twelve feet square by six feet high. -It was oak-panelled, and had eight bunks, happily not all occupied. -It was not a commodious apartment. The men's quarters were under the -forecastle deck, close against the "dead-wood" of the "ship's eyes." -They, too, were necessarily crowded for room. - -Our course from Boston lay directly for the outer capes of -Newfoundland, inside of Sable Island. Every one who has sailed down -the coast of Nova Scotia knows the nature of the fogs which hang over -the banks, especially during the warm season of the year; and we had -our full measure of the embarrassing fortune which usually befalls the -navigator of those waters. - -We ran into a fog bank on the second day out from Boston, and for seven -days thereafter were enveloped in an atmosphere so dense as completely -to obscure the sun and horizon. We could, of course, obtain no -"sights," and, during that period, were obliged in consequence to rely -for our position upon the lead line and our dead reckoning. Uncertain -currents made this last a method of doubtful dependence. - -On the sixth day of this seemingly endless fog I grew rather more than -usually uneasy; but the sailing-master assured me that he was certain -of our position; and, with the map before us on the table, he _proved_ -it by the soundings. We would clear Cape Race in the morning watch. - -[Sidenote: "BREAKERS AHEAD."] - -The morning watch found me on deck, and, as before, our position -was shown by the record of the lead. The lead was a false prophet, -for instead of running outside we were rushing squarely upon the -cape. Satisfied, however, by the assurances which I had received, -I went below to breakfast, and had scarcely been seated when -that most disagreeable of all cries,--once heard, never to be -forgotten,--"Breakers ahead!" startled us. Upon reaching the deck, I -found the sails shivering in the wind, and almost within pistol-shot -rose a great black wall, against which the sea was breaking in a most -threatening manner. Fortunately the schooner came quickly to the wind -and held in stays, otherwise we must have struck in a very few minutes. -As it was, we settled close upon the rocks before the sails filled and -we began to crawl slowly off. The spray, thrown back from the sullen -cliff, actually fell upon the deck, and it seemed as if I could almost -touch the rocks with my hand. We were soon relieved by seeing the dark -fog-veil drawn between us and danger. But the danger was, apparently, -not yet passed. In half an hour the wind died away almost to a calm, -leaving us a heavy sea to fight with, while out of the blackness came -the wail of the angry surf bemoaning the loss of its prey. - -The wind increased toward noon, and freed us from suspense. Resolved -this time to give Cape Race a wide berth, we ran off E. S. E., and not -until I was sure, by the color of the water, that Newfoundland was at -a safe distance, did I let the schooner fill away on her course toward -Cape Farewell. By this time a stiff breeze was blowing from the south, -and as the night closed in we were running before the wind under a -close-reefed topsail. - -A succession of southerly gales now chased us northward, and we hauled -in our latitude with gratifying rapidity. In a few days we were -ploughing the waters which bathe the rock-bound coasts of Greenland. - -[Sidenote: ACROSS THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.] - -On the 30th of July I had the satisfaction of being once more within -the Arctic Circle. That imaginary line was crossed at eight o'clock -in the evening, and the event was celebrated by a salute from our -signal-gun and a display of bunting. - -We now felt that we had fairly entered upon our career. - -We were twenty days out from Boston, and had made throughout an average -run of a hundred miles a day. The schooner had proved herself an -excellent sea-boat. The coast of Greenland was about ten leagues away, -obscured by a cloud; we had Cape Walsingham on the port beam, and the -lofty Suckertoppen would have been visible over the starboard quarter -had the air been clear. We had not yet, however, sighted the land, but -we had made our first iceberg, we had seen the "midnight sun," and -we had come into the endless day. When the hour-hand of the Yankee -clock which ticked above my head pointed to XII., the sunlight still -flooded the cabin. Accustomed to this strange life in former years, -the change had to me little of novelty; but the officers complained -of sleeplessness, and were lounging about as if waiting for the -old-fashioned darkness which suggests bed-time. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST ICEBERG.] - -The first iceberg was made the day before we passed the Arctic Circle. -The dead white mass broke upon us out of a dense fog, and was mistaken -by the lookout for land when he first caught the sound of breakers -beating upon it. It was floating directly in our course, but we had -time enough to clear it. Its form was that of an irregular pyramid, -about three hundred feet at its base, and perhaps half as high. Its -summit was at first obscured, but at length the mist broke away, -disclosing the peak of a glittering spire, around which the white -clouds were curling and dancing in the sunlight. There was something -very impressive in the stern indifference with which it received -the lashings of the sea. The waves threw their liquid arms about it -caressingly, but it deigned not even a nod of recognition, and sent -them reeling backward, moaning and lamenting. - -We had some rough handling in Davis' Strait. 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 fife-rail was carried away;--down came every thing 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. - -The following entry in my journal, made at this period, will exhibit -our condition and the temper of the crew:-- - -"Notwithstanding all this knocking about, every body seems to take it -for granted that this sort of thing is very natural and proper, and a -part of the engagement for the cruise. It is at least gratifying to -see that they take kindly to discomfort, and receive every freak of -fortune with manly good nature. I really believe that were affairs -otherwise ordered they would be sadly disappointed. They are 'the small -band of brave and spirited men' they read about in the newspapers, and -they mean to show it. The sailors are sometimes literally drowned out -of the forecastle. The cabin is flooded at least a dozen times a day. -The skylight has been knocked to pieces by the head of a sea, and the -table, standing directly under it, has been more than once cleared of -crockery and eatables without the aid of the steward. My own cabin -gets washed out at irregular intervals, and my books are half of them -spoiled by tumbling from their shelves in spite of all I can do to the -contrary. Once I caught the whole library tacking about the deck after -an unusually ambitious dive of the schooner, and the advent of a more -than ordinarily heavy rush of water through the 'companion-way.'" - -It had been my intention to stop at Egedesmindie, or some other of -the lower Danish stations, on the Greenland coast, to obtain a stock -of furs, and at the upper settlements to procure the needful supply -of dogs for sledge travelling; but, the wind being fair, I resolved -to hold on and trust to obtaining every thing required at Pröven and -Upernavik. - -[Sidenote: A LAND-FALL.] - -We made our first land-fall on the 31st. It proved to be the southern -extremity of Disco Island. The lofty mountains broke suddenly through -the thick mist, and exposed their hoary heads, not a little to our -astonishment; but they vanished again as quickly as they had appeared. -But we had got a clutch upon the land, and found that, befogged though -we were, we had calculated our position to a nicety. From this moment -the interest of our cruise was doubled. - -The next day we were abreast the Nord Fiord of Disco, in latitude 70°, -and, gliding on with a light wind, the Waigat and Oominak Fiord were -soon behind us; and on the evening of August 2d we were approaching the -bold promontory of Svarte Huk, which is only forty miles from Pröven, -whither we were bound. - -"A man's heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps." -Just as we were congratulating ourselves upon the prospect of getting -an appetite for breakfast among the Greenland hills, the wind began to -show decided symptoms of weakness; and, after a succession of spasmodic -efforts to recover itself, prolonged through the next four and twenty -hours, it at length died away completely, and left us lying on the -still waters, impatient and ill at ease. We were sadly disappointed; -but the sun scattered the vapors which had hung so long about us, and, -in the scene which broke out of the dissolving mist, we buried our -vexation. - -[Sidenote: VIEW OF GREENLAND.] - -Greenland had been for some time regarded by my companions as a sort -of myth; for, although frequently only a few miles from its coast, so -thick and constant had been the clouds and fogs, that, except for a few -brief minutes, it had been wholly hidden from our view. Here, however, -it was at last, shaking off its cloud mantle, and standing squarely -out before us in austere magnificence,--its broad valleys, its deep -ravines, its noble mountains, its black, beetling cliffs, its frowning -desolation. - -[Sidenote: AMONG THE ICEBERGS.] - -As the fog lifted and rolled itself up like a scroll over the sea to -the westward, iceberg after iceberg burst into view, like castles in a -fairy tale. It seemed, indeed, as if we had been drawn by some unseen -hand into a land of enchantment, rather than that we had come of our -own free will into a region of stern realities, in pursuit of stern -purposes;--as if the elves of the North had, in sportive playfulness, -thrown a veil about our eyes, and enticed us to the very "seat eternal -of the gods." Here was the Valhalla of the sturdy Vikings; here the -city of the sun-god Freyer,--Alfheim, with its elfin caves,--and -Glitner, with its walls of gold and roofs of silver, and Gimle, more -brilliant than the sun,--the home of the happy; and there, piercing the -clouds, was Himinborg, the Celestial Mount, where the bridge of the -gods touches Heaven. - -It would be difficult to imagine a scene more solemnly impressive than -that which was disclosed to us by the sudden change in the clouded -atmosphere. From my diary I copy the following brief description of -it:-- - - "Midnight.--I have just come below, lost in the wondrous beauty of - the night. The sea is smooth as glass; not a ripple breaks its dead - surface, not a breath of air stirring. The sun hangs close upon - the northern horizon; the fog has broken up into light clouds; the - icebergs lie thick about us; the dark headlands stand boldly out - against the sky; and the clouds and sea and bergs and mountains - are bathed in an atmosphere of crimson and gold and purple most - singularly beautiful." - -[Sidenote: BEAUTY OF THE ICEBERGS.] - -In all my former experience in this region of startling novelties I -had never seen any thing to equal what I witnessed that night. The -air was warm almost as a summer's night at home, and yet there were -the icebergs and the bleak mountains, with which the fancy, in this -land of green hills and waving forests, can associate nothing but cold -repulsiveness. The sky was bright and soft and strangely inspiring as -the skies of Italy. The bergs had wholly lost their chilly aspect, -and, glittering in the blaze of the brilliant heavens, seemed, in the -distance, like masses of burnished metal or solid flame. Nearer at -hand they were huge blocks of Parian marble, inlaid with mammoth gems -of pearl and opal. One in particular exhibited the perfection of the -grand. Its form was not unlike that of the Coliseum, and it lay so far -away that half its height was buried beneath the line of blood-red -waters. The sun, slowly rolling along the horizon, passed behind it, -and it seemed as if the old Roman ruin had suddenly taken fire. - -Nothing indeed but the pencil of the artist could depict the wonderful -richness of this sparkling fragment of Nature. Church, in his great -picture of "The Icebergs," has grandly exhibited a scene not unlike -that which I would in vain describe. - -In the shadows of the bergs the water was a rich green, and nothing -could be more soft and tender than the gradations of color made by the -sea shoaling on the sloping tongue of a berg close beside us. The tint -increased in intensity where the ice overhung the water, and a deep -cavern near by exhibited the solid color of the malachite mingled with -the transparency of the emerald; while, in strange contrast, a broad -streak of cobalt blue ran diagonally through its body. - -The bewitching character of the scene was heightened by a thousand -little cascades which leaped into the sea from these floating -masses,--the water being discharged from lakes of melted snow and ice -which reposed in quietude far up in the valleys separating the high icy -hills of their upper surface. From other bergs large pieces were now -and then detached,--plunging down into the water with deafening noise, -while the slow moving swell of the ocean resounded through their broken -archways. - -I had been watching this scene for hours, lost in reverie and -forgetfulness, when I was brought suddenly to my senses by the master's -mate, who came to report, "Ice close aboard, sir." We were drifting -slowly upon a berg about the height of our topmasts. The boats were -quickly lowered to pull us off, and, the schooner once more in safety, -I went to bed. - -I awoke after a few hours, shivering with the cold. The "bull's-eye" -above my head was open, and a chilly fog was pouring in upon me. -Hurrying on deck, I found the whole scene changed. A dense gray mist -had settled over the waters and icebergs and mountains, blending them -all in chaotic gloom. - -Twenty-four days at sea had brought the water very low in our casks, -and I took advantage of the delay to send off to a neighboring iceberg -for a fresh supply. The water of these bergs is pure and clear as -crystal. - -[Sidenote: NEARING HARBOR.] - -[Sidenote: AT PRÖVEN.] - -Getting at last a slant of the wind, we ran in among the low islands -which line the coast above Svarte Huk; and Sonntag, who had gone -ahead in a boat to Pröven, having sent off to us a swarthy-looking -pilot, we wound our way slowly through the tortuous passage, and at a -little after midnight of August 6th we dropped anchor in the snuggest -of little harbors. The loud baying of dogs, and an odor, baffling -description,--"a very ancient and fish-like smell,"--first warned us of -our approach to a Greenland settlement. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - THE COLONY OF PRÖVEN.--THE KAYAK OF THE GREENLANDER.--SCARCITY OF - DOGS.--LIBERALITY OF THE CHIEF TRADER.--ARCTIC FLORA. - - -We were escorted into the harbor of Pröven by the strangest fleet of -boats and the strangest-looking boatmen that ever convoyed a ship. They -were the far-famed kayakers of Greenland, and they deserve a passing -notice. - -[Sidenote: THE KAYAK OF THE GREENLANDER.] - -The _kayak_ of the Greenlander is the frailest specimen of marine -architecture that ever carried human freight. It is eighteen feet long -and as many inches wide at its middle, and tapers, with an upward -curving line, to a point at either end. The skeleton of the boat -is made of light wood; the covering is of tanned seal-skin, sewed -together by the native women with sinew thread, and with a strength and -dexterity quite astonishing. Not a drop of water finds its way through -their seams, and the skin itself is perfectly water-proof. The boat is -about nine inches deep, and the top is covered like the bottom. There -is no opening into it except a round hole in the centre, which admits -the hunter as far as his hips. This hole is surrounded with a wooden -rim, over which the kayaker laces the lower edge of his water-tight -jacket, and thus fastens himself in and keeps the water out. He propels -himself with a single oar about six feet long, which terminates in a -blade or paddle at either end. This instrument of locomotion is grasped -in the centre, and is dipped in the water alternately to right and -left. The boat is graceful as a duck and light as a feather. It has no -ballast and no keel, and it rides almost on the surface of the water. -It is therefore necessarily top-heavy. Long practice is required to -manage it, and no tight-rope dancer ever needed more steady nerve and -skill of balance than this same savage kayaker. Yet, in this frail -craft, he does not hesitate to ride seas which would swamp an ordinary -boat, or to break through surf which may sweep completely over him. But -he is used to hard battles, and, in spite of every fortune, he keeps -himself upright. - -I watched their movements with much interest as they collected -about the schooner. Among the benefits which they had derived from -civilization was an appreciation of the value of rum, coffee, and -tobacco; and they were not overly modest in their demands for these -articles. Most of them had, however, something to trade, and went home -with their reward. One old fellow who had managed to pick up a few -words of English, without being particularly clear as to their meaning, -was loud in his demands for a "pound rum, bottle sugar," offering in -exchange a fine salmon. - -[Sidenote: SCARCITY OF DOGS.] - -I had intended to remain at Pröven only a single day, and then to -hasten on with all possible speed; but our stay was prolonged by -circumstances to which I was forced to submit with as good a grace as -possible. It was idle for me to leave without a supply of dogs, for my -plans and preparations were entirely based upon them; and the prospect -of accomplishing my design in this respect appeared, from the first, -very feeble. In order to save time, Sonntag had gone to the village -when we lay becalmed off Svarte Huk, and he returned on board with the -most discouraging accounts of the poverty of the settlements in that -which was such an essential addition to our equipment. A disease which -had prevailed among the teams, during the past year, had diminished -the stock to less than half of what was required for the prosperity -of the people; and all our offers to purchase, either with money or -provisions, were at first flatly refused, and were in the end only -partially successful. - -Mr. Sonntag had called upon the Assistant Trader immediately after his -arrival, and was at once informed by that official of the unfortunate -state of affairs. He would, however, personally interest himself in -the matter, and advised that we should await the arrival of the Chief -Trader, Mr. Hansen, who resided at Upernavik, which is forty miles -to the north, and would be in Pröven in a day or so. It was evident -that nothing could be done without the aid of this all-powerful public -functionary, for whose arrival we had no alternative but to wait. If -we went on to Upernavik we ran the hazard of missing him; and, by not -seeing him until his return to that settlement from his southern tour, -of losing the advantage of his prompt coöperation. - -Mr. Hansen arrived the following day, and assured me that he would -do what was in his power; but he feared that he should have little -success. As an earnest of his good-will, he informed me, with a -delicate courtesy which made me for the moment wonder if a lordly son -of Castile had not wandered to this land of ice, and disguised himself -in a seal-skin coat, that his own teams were at my disposal. Beyond -this, however, he could neither advise nor command. There was no -public stock from which to supply my wants; and so great and universal -had been the ravages of disease among the animals, that many hunters -were wholly destitute, and none were in possession of their usual -number. He however at once dispatched a courier to Upernavik, and -others to various small settlements, and thus heralded the news that -any hunter who had an extra dog would find a market for it by bringing -it forthwith to Pröven or Upernavik. - -[Sidenote: LIBERALITY OF THE CHIEF TRADER.] - -This action of the Chief Trader was the more appreciated that it was -disinterested, and was uncalled for either by any official demands -which were laid upon him, or by any special show of dignity or -importance with which the insignificant schooner lying in the harbor -could back up my claims. The State Department at Washington had, at my -solicitation, requested from the Danish Government such recognition -for me as had been hitherto accorded to the American and English naval -expeditions; but the courteous response which came in the form of a -command to the Greenland officials to furnish me with every thing in -their power did not reach the settlements until the following year. The -commands of his Majesty the King could not, however, have stood me in -better stead than the gentlemanly instincts of Mr. Hansen. - -There is little in the history of Pröven, either past or present, that -will interest the readers of this narrative. What there is of it stands -on the southern slope of a gneissoid spur which forms the terminus of -one of the numerous islands of the vast archipelago lying between the -peninsula of Svarte Huk and Melville Bay. A government-house, one story -high and plastered over with pitch and tar, is the most conspicuous -building in the place. A shop and a lodging-house for a few Danish -employees stands next in importance. Two or three less imposing -structures of the pitch and tar description, inhabited by Danes who -have married native women; a few huts of stone and turf, roofed -with boards and overgrown with grass; about an equal number of like -description, but without the board roof, and a dozen seal-skin tents, -all pitched about promiscuously among the rocks, make up the town. -There is a blubber-house down by the beach, and a stunted flag-staff -on the hill, from which the Danish Flag gracefully waving in the wind, -gave the place a show of dignity. The dignity of civilization was -further preserved by an old cannon which lay on the grass under the -flag, and whose rusty throat made the welkin ring as our anchor touched -the Greenland rocks. - -[Sidenote: THE SETTLEMENT.] - -The settlement, or _Colonien_, as the Danes distinguish it, dates back -almost to the days of good old Hans Egede, and its name, as nearly as -can be interpreted, signifies "Experiment;" and, after the Greenland -fashion, a successful experiment it has been. Its people live, chiefly, -by hunting the seal; and, of all the northern colonies, few have been -as prosperous. The collections of oil and skins during some years are -sufficient to freight a brig of three hundred tons. - -The place bears ample evidence of the nature of its business. Carcasses -of seals and seal's offal lay strewn along the beach, and over the -rocks, and among the huts, in every stage of decomposition; and this, -added to every other conceivable accumulation that could exhibit a -barbarous contempt for the human nose, made the first few hours of our -stay there any thing but comfortable. - -[Sidenote: ARCTIC FLORA.] - -A better prospect, however, greeted us behind the town. A beautiful -valley lay there, nestling between the cliffs, and rich in Arctic -vegetation. It was covered with a thick turf of moss and grasses, among -which the _Poa Arctica_, _Glyceria Arctica_, and _Alopecurus Alpinus_ -were most abundant. In places it was, indeed, a perfect marsh. Little -streams of melted snow meandered through it, gurgling among the stones, -or dashing wildly over the rocks. Myriads of little golden petaled -poppies (_Papaver nudicaule_) fluttered over the green. The dandelion -(_Leontodon palustre_), close kindred of the wild flower so well known -at home, kept it company; the buttercup (_Ranunculus nivalis_), with -its smiling, well-remembered face, was sometimes seen; and the less -familiar _Potentilla_ and the purple _Pedicularis_ were dotted about -here and there. The saxifrages, purple, white, and yellow, were also -very numerous. I captured not less than seven varieties. The birch and -crowberry, and the beautiful _Andromeda_, the heather of Greenland, -grew matted together in a sheltered nook among the rocks; and, in -strange mimicry of Southern richness, the willows feebly struggled for -existence on the spongy turf. With my cap I covered a whole forest of -them. - -[Sidenote: VALUE OF DOGS] - -I had been in Pröven in 1853, and the place had not changed in the -interval. The old ex-trader Christiansen was there, a little older, but -not less frugal than before. He complained bitterly of Dr. Kane not -having kept his promises to him, and I endeavored to mollify his wrath -by assuring him that Dr. Kane had lost his vessel and could not return; -but his life had been made unhappy during seven long years by visions -of a barrel of American flour, and he would not be comforted. He was -scarcely able to crawl about; but, when I sent ashore to him the -coveted treasure, he found strength to break the head out of the cask, -to feast his eyes on the long-expected gratuity. His sons, each with -a brood of Esquimaux visaged, though flaxen-haired children, crowded -around the present. My diary records that they were the best hunters in -the settlement, and that they had the best teams of dogs; and it also -mentions, with a little chagrin, that they would not sell one of them. -I attributed this obstinacy, at the time, to their cross old paternal -relative; but there were better reasons than this. They knew by bitter -experience the risks of going into the long winter without an ample -supply of dogs to carry them over the ice upon the seal hunt, and to -part with their animals was to risk starvation. I offered to give them -pork and beef and canned meats, and flour and beans; but they preferred -the seal and the excitement of the hunt, and refused to trade. - -At last the couriers had all come in, bringing unwelcome news. A -half-dozen old dogs and a less number of good ones were all that I had -to console myself for the delay; but the Chief Trader had returned to -Upernavik, from which place I had received more encouraging accounts -than from the lower stations. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - UPERNAVIK.--HOSPITALITY OF THE INHABITANTS.--DEATH AND BURIAL OF - GIBSON CARUTHERS.--A LUNCH ON BOARD.--ADIEU. - - -We put to sea early in the morning of the 12th, and in the evening -of the same day were at Upernavik. The entrance to the harbor is -somewhat unsafe, owing to a reef which lies outside the anchorage; -but we were fortunate in obtaining a native pilot at Pröven, and ran -in without accident. This pilot was a character in his way. It seems -that he had been converted from his heathen ways, and rejoiced in the -benefits of baptism and the name of Adam. Dressed in a well-worn suit -of seal-skins, Adam had about him little of the sailor trigness; yet, -though not a Palinurus, no pilot in all the world had ever a higher -appreciation of his personal importance. His appearance, however, was -not calculated to inspire any great degree of confidence in his skill; -and the sailing-master plied him so incessantly with questions that he -at length grew impatient; and, concentrating his vanity and knowledge -into one short sentence, which signified plainly, "I am master of the -situation," he informed that officer that there was "plenty water all -de times, no rocks altogeder," and retired with every mark of offended -dignity. He was correct in his information, if not in his English. - -We found the Danish brig _Thialfe_ lying snugly moored in the harbor, -and we anchored close beside her. This was the first vessel we had seen -since leaving the fishing-smacks off Cape Cod. She was taking in oil -and skins for Copenhagen, and her commander, Mr. Bordolf, informed me -that he expected to sail in a few days,--a chance, at last, for letters -to the anxious ones at home. - -The people of the Colony were already much excited over the arrival -of the "Danske skip," and two vessels in the port at once was a sight -which they had not for a long time witnessed. The moss-covered hill -which slopes from the town to the beach was covered with a motley-group -of men, women, and children, presenting quite a picturesque appearance -as we approached the anchorage. - -Mr. Hansen received me with true Scandinavian heartiness; and, -escorting me to the government-house, introduced me to the retiring -Chief Trader, Dr. Rudolph, a very gentlemanly representative of the -Danish Army, who was about returning home in the _Thialfe_. Over a -jug of home-brewed beer and a Dutch pipe, we were soon discussing the -prospect of obtaining dogs and the state of the ice to the northward. - -[Sidenote: UPERNAVIK] - -[Sidenote: THE PARSONAGE] - -Upernavik differs but little in its general appearance from Pröven. -There are a few more huts and a few more inhabitants; and, from being -the residence of the Chief Trader for the "Upernavik district," which -includes Pröven and its dependencies, it has attached to it something -more of importance. Perhaps this is, in a measure, due to a quaint -little church and a parsonage. To the parsonage I quickly found my -way, for I fancied that from behind the neat muslin curtains of its -odd little windows I detected a female face. I tapped at the door, -and was ushered into a cosy little apartment, (the fastidious neatness -of which left no doubt as to the sex of its occupants,) by the oddest -specimen of woman-kind that ever answered bell. She was a full-blown -Esquimau, with coppery complexion and black hair, which was twisted -into a knot on the top of her head. She wore a jacket which extended to -her waist, seal-skin pantaloons, and boots reaching above the knees, -dyed scarlet and embroidered in a manner that would astonish the girls -of Dresden. The room was redolent of the fragrant rose and mignonette -and heliotrope, which nestled in the sunlight under the snow-white -curtains. A canary chirped on its perch above the door, a cat was -purring on the hearth-rug, and an unmistakable gentleman put out a soft -white hand to give me welcome. It was the Rev. Mr. Anton, missionary -of the place. Mrs. Anton soon emerged from a snug little chamber -adjoining. Her sister came in immediately afterward, and we were soon -grouped about a home-like table; a genuine bottle of Lafitte, choice -coffee, Danish fare, and Danish heartiness, quickly made us forget the -hardships of our cramped life in the little tempest-tossed schooner. - -My visit to Mr. Anton had, however, an association of much sadness. A -valued member of my party, Mr. Gibson Caruthers, had died during the -previous night, and I called to ask the missionary to officiate at the -funeral service. His consent was promptly given, and the hour of burial -was fixed for the following day. - -The burial of a companion, at any time painful, was doubly so to us, -isolated as we were from the world. The deceased had endeared himself -to all on board by his excellent qualities of head and heart; and the -suddenness of his death made the impression upon his late associates -all the more keenly felt. He had retired the night before in perfect -health, and was found dead in his berth next morning. To the expedition -he was a serious loss. Besides Mr. Sonntag, he was the only member of -my party who had been in the Arctic seas, and I had counted much upon -his knowledge and intelligence. He had served under De Haven in the -First Grinnell Expedition of 1850-51, and had brought home an excellent -record for fortitude and daring. - -[Sidenote: AN ARCTIC SEPULCHRE.] - -The burial-ground at Upernavik is a sad place for human sepulchre. It -lies on the hill-side above the town, and is dreary and desolate past -description. It is made up of a series of rocky steps, on which lie, -covered over with piles of stones, (for there is no earth,) a few rude -coffins,--mournful resting-place for those who sleep here their last -sleep in the everlasting winter. The body of poor Caruthers lies upon a -ledge overlooking the sea, which he loved so well, and the beating surf -will sing for him an eternal requiem. - -We were detained four days at Upernavik, collecting dogs and -accumulating the elements of an Arctic wardrobe. This last consisted -of reindeer, seal, and dog skins, a quantity of which had been -obtained at Pröven, and placed in the hands of the native women, to be -converted into suitable garments. The boots required the longest time -to manufacture. They are made of tanned seal-skin, sewed with sinew, -and are "crimped" and fitted to the foot in a very ingenious manner. -When properly made they are perfectly water-proof. The boot worn by the -half-civilized native women is really a pretty as well as serviceable -piece of cunning needlework. The tanned seal-skin, by alternate -freezing and thawing, and exposure to the sun, becomes perfectly -bleached, and in that condition is readily stained with any color which -woman's caprice may suggest, or the Chief Trader may happen to have in -his store-room. The women of Greenland are not exempt from the graceful -vanities of other lands. They are fond of gay colors, and do not -disdain admiration. Red boots, or white, trimmed with red, seemed to be -most in vogue, though, indeed, there is no more an end to the variety -than there is to the strangeness of the fancy which suggests it. It -would be difficult to imagine a more ludicrous sight than was presented -by the crowd of red and yellow and white and purple and blue legged -women who crowded along the beach as we entered the harbor. - -[Sidenote: POPULATION OF UPERNAVIK.] - -The population of Upernavik numbers about two hundred souls, comprising -about twenty Danes, and a larger number of half-breeds, the remainder -being native Greenlanders, that is, Esquimaux. I shall have more to say -of them hereafter, my purpose now being to carry the reader as rapidly -as possible to the scene of our explorations. He may indeed have as -much anxiety to get away from Upernavik as I had. - -[Sidenote: NEW RECRUITS.] - -Through the kindness of Mr. Hansen, I obtained here three native -hunters, and also an interpreter. This latter had taken passage by the -_Thialfe_ for Copenhagen, but he could not withstand the tempting offer -which I made him, and he quickly transferred himself from the Danish -brig to our crowded cabin. He was a hearty, strong man, had lived in -Greenland for ten years; and, being more than usually intelligent, -had picked up on board the English whale-ships a sufficient knowledge -of the English language to insure his being a very useful member of -my party in the event of our falling in with Esquimaux, with whose -language he was perfectly familiar. Besides, he was an excellent hunter -and dog-driver; and, by joining me, I secured his team of dogs, the -finest in all North Greenland. But unfortunately this involved another -halt, for they were sixty miles up the coast, at Tessuissak, a small -hunting station of which he was Trader at the time of obtaining his -leave of absence to go home for the year. I also shipped two Danish -sailors, thus increasing my party to twenty souls. As the new recruits -will figure frequently in these pages, I give their names:-- - - Peter Jensen, Interpreter and dog-manager. - Carl Emil Olswig, Sailor. - Carl Christian Petersen, Sailor and Carpenter. - Peter (converted Esquimau), Hunter and dog-driver. - Marcus, " " " " - Jacob, " " " " - -I owe much to the kindly disposition of the inhabitants of Upernavik. -Their simple though cordial hospitality was a refreshing incident -of our cruise; and the constant desire to supply my wants, and the -pains which they took to furnish what I so much needed, is gratefully -remembered. If those in authority had allowed me to shift for myself I -should have been badly off indeed. I mention it to their credit that -they refused compensation of every kind; and it was not without great -effort that I could prevail upon any of them to accept so much as a -barrel of flour or a box of canned food. "You will want them more than -we," was the uniform answer. The Chief Trader actually sent aboard a -present I had made him in return for the fine team of dogs which I owed -to his generosity. - -[Sidenote: A LUNCH ON BOARD.] - -It was in some measure to show my appreciation of the spirit which -prompted these warm-hearted people that I resolved to signalize -our departure with a _lunch_ to the representatives of King -Frederick the Seventh, at this most northern outpost of Christian -settlement. Accordingly I sent my secretary, Mr. Knorr, out with some -formal-looking invitations, gotten up in all the dignity of Parisian -paper and rose-scented wax. He came back in a few hours with three -couples. Two of the ladies were from the parsonage; the other was the -wife of the Chief Trader. Dr. Rudolph, Mr. Hansen, and the missionary, -were their escorts. The master of the _Thialfe_ was already on board. - -Meanwhile our old Swedish cook had gone half crazy, and the steward -kept him company. To prepare a lunch for ladies in these high latitudes -was not within their conception of the hard-fisted requirements of -exploration dignity. They "could _not_ understand it." The steward -contrived, however, to stow away in the bunks the seal-skins which -encumbered the cabin, and thus got rid of all our Greenland rubbish -but the odor. But it was not until the clean white table-cloth, which -he produced from some out-of-the-way locker, was covered with the -smoking dishes which his ingenuity had contrived, that his face was -lit up with any thing approaching the kindly. Being, however, in a -general way a mild-mannered man, his ferocious looks did not materially -affect the progress of the preparations; and the solemn face with -which he predicted, in great confidence, to the cook that "such folly -would bring us all to ruin, indeed it would," at length wore a ghastly -smile, and finally exhibited decided manifestations of a forgiving -disposition. Indeed, he was in the end very proud of his "spread." - -[Sidenote: A LUNCH ON BOARD.] - -In truth, the spread was a very creditable affair. The contents of our -hermetically sealed cans furnished a welcome variety to these dwellers -in the land of seals; the lakes of Greenland supplied some noble -salmon, and my lockers contributed something from sunny France and -golden Italy, and the materials for an excellent punch from Santa Cruz. -At first we got on badly with the conversation, but by and by English, -Danish, German, and bad Latin became mixed harmoniously together like -the ingredients of the punch; healths were drunk,--to the King, to the -President, to all good fortune, to ourselves, and speeches were made, -in which were duly set forth the glorious memories of the children of -Odin. The merriment was waxing warm. Some one, stimulated perhaps by a -recent tribute of praise to the valiant Harold and the Russian Maiden, -and the fights and loves of the vikings generally, had just proposed -that best toast of the sailor, "sweethearts and wives," and obtained a -fitting response, when the heavy thump of a pair of mammoth sea-boots -was heard on the companion-ladder, and the master's mate broke in upon -us like the ghost of Banquo. - -"The officer of the deck directs me to report, sir, that the dogs are -all aboard, sir, and that he is hove short on the anchor, as ordered, -sir." - -"How's the wind?" - -"Light, and southerly, sir." - -[Sidenote: FAREWELL TO UPERNAVIK.] - -There was no help for it. The guests must be got away. The ladies' -"things" were hunted up; the ladies themselves were hurried over -the gangway into the boat; Dr. Rudolph took charge of our letters, -promising to deliver them to the American consul at Copenhagen; "click, -click," went the windlass; up went our white wings, and the last link -which bound us to the world--the world of love and warm skies and green -meadows--was fairly broken, when we caught from the hill-top the last -glimpse of a gay ribbon and the last flutter of a white handkerchief. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - AMONG THE ICEBERGS.--DANGERS OF ARCTIC NAVIGATION.--A NARROW ESCAPE - FROM A CRUMBLING BERG.--MEASUREMENT OF AN ICEBERG. - - -[Sidenote: AMONG THE ICEBERGS.] - -Upernavik is not less the limit of safe navigation than the remotest -boundary of civilized existence. The real hardships of our career -commenced before its little white gabled church was fairly lost against -the dark hills behind it. A heavy line of icebergs was discovered to -lie across our course; and, having no alternative, we shot in among -them. Some of them proved to be of enormous size, upwards of two -hundred feet in height and a mile long; others were not larger than -the schooner. Their forms were as various as their dimensions, from -solid wall-sided masses of dead whiteness, with waterfalls tumbling -from them, to an old weather-worn accumulation of Gothic spires, whose -crystal peaks and sharp angles melted into the blue sky. They seemed -to be endless and numberless, and so close together that at a little -distance they appeared to form upon the sea an unbroken canopy of ice; -and when fairly in among them the horizon was completely obliterated. -Had we been in the centre of the Black Forest, we could not have been -more absolutely cut off from "seeing daylight." As the last streak of -the horizon faded from view between the lofty bergs behind us, the -steward (who was of a poetical turn of mind) came from the galley, -and halting for an instant, cast one lingering look at the opening, -and then dropped through the companion scuttle, repeating from the -"Inferno":-- - - "They who enter here leave hope behind." - -The officers were calling from below for their coffee, and it was -never discovered whether the steward was thinking of the cabin or the -icebergs. - -During four days we continued threading our way through this apparently -interminable labyrinth. The days passed wearily away, for the wind, at -best but a "cat's paw," often died away to a dead calm, leaving us to -lounge through the hours in a chilly fog or in the broad blaze of the -constant daylight. If this state of things had its novelty, it had too -its dangers and anxieties. - -[Sidenote: PHOTOGRAPHING.] - -The bergs, influenced only by the under-currents, were, to us, -practically stationary; and the surface flow of the water which drifted -us to and fro, when we lost our steerage-way, rendered our situation -any thing but safe. They soon came to be looked upon as our natural -enemies, and were eyed with suspicion. We were often drifted upon -them, and escaped not without difficulty and alarm; and many times -more we saved ourselves from collision by the timely lowering of the -boats and taking the schooner in tow, or by planting an ice-anchor in -another berg and warping ourselves into greater security. Sometimes -we tied up to a berg and waited for the wind. We had hard work, and -made little progress. I found consolation, however, in my sketch-book, -which was in constant use; and one fine day I got out my photographic -apparatus. Landing on a neighboring island, with the aid of my two -young assistants, Radcliffe and Knorr, I made my first trial at this -new business. It was altogether unsatisfactory, except to convince me -that, with perseverance, we might succeed in obtaining at least fair -pictures. - -Practically I knew nothing whatever of the art. It was a great -disappointment to me that I could not secure for the expedition the -services of a professional photographer; but this deficiency did not, -I am happy to say, prevent me, in the end, from obtaining some views -characteristic of the rugged beauties of the Arctic landscape. We had, -however, only books to guide us. With our want of knowledge and an -uncomfortable temperature to contend with, we labored under serious -disadvantages. - -Sonntag went ashore with me, and obtained good sextant sights for our -position, and some useful results with the magnetometer. Knorr added -to my collection some fine specimens of birds. The gulls, mollimuks -and burgomeisters, the chattering kittiwake and the graceful tern were -very numerous. They fairly swarmed upon the bergs. The hunters were -often out after eider-ducks, large flocks of which congregate upon -the islands, and sweep over us in long undulating lines. Seals, too, -were sporting about the vessel, bobbing their intelligent, almost -human-looking faces up and down in the still water, marks for the fatal -rifles of our sportsmen. They looked so curiously innocent while making -their inspections of us that I would not have had the heart to kill -them, were it not that they were badly needed for the dogs. - -We led a strange weird sort of life,--a spice of danger, with much of -beauty and a world of magnificence. I should have found pleasure in the -lazy hours, but that each hour thus spent was one taken from my more -serious purposes, and this reflection made the days irksome to me. - -[Sidenote: IN DANGER.] - -Four days of almost constant calm would tax the patience of even -Job-like resignation. We had a breath of wind now and then to tantalize -us, treacherous currents to keep us ever anxious, icebergs always -threatening us; now at anchor, then moored to a berg, and again keeping -free from danger through a hard struggle with the oars. We had many -narrow escapes, one of which, as illustrating a peculiar feature of -Arctic navigation, is perhaps worthy of more particular record. - -We had made a little progress during the night, but soon after -breakfast the wind died away, and the schooner lay like a log upon the -water. Giving too little heed to the currents, we were eagerly watching -the indications of wind which appeared at the south, and hoping for -a breeze, when it was discovered that the tide had changed, and was -stealthily setting us upon a nest of bergs which lay to leeward. One of -them was of that description known among the crew by the significant -title of "Touch me not," and presented that jagged, honey-combed -appearance indicative of great age. They are unpleasant neighbors. The -least disturbance of their equilibrium may cause the whole mass to -crumble to pieces, and woe be unto the unlucky vessel that is caught in -the dissolution. - -In such a trap it seemed, however, that we stood a fair chance of being -ensnared. The current was carrying us along at an uncomfortably rapid -rate. A boat was lowered as quickly as possible, to run out a line to a -berg which lay grounded about a hundred yards from us. While this was -being done, we grazed the side of a berg which rose a hundred feet -above our topmasts, then slipped past another of smaller dimensions. By -pushing against them with our ice-poles we changed somewhat the course -of the schooner; but when we thought that we were steering clear of the -mass which we so much dreaded, an eddy changed the direction of our -drift, and carried us almost broadside upon it. - -[Sidenote: FIGHTING AN ICEBERG.] - -The schooner struck on the starboard quarter, and the shock, slight -though it was, disengaged some fragments of ice that were large enough -to have crushed the vessel had they struck her, and also many little -lumps which rattled about us; but fortunately no person was hit. The -quarter-deck was quickly cleared, and all hands, crowding forward, -anxiously watched the boat. The berg now began to revolve, and was -settling slowly over us; the little lumps fell thicker and faster upon -the after-deck, and the forecastle was the only place where there was -the least chance of safety. - -At length the berg itself saved us from destruction. An immense mass -broke off from that part which was beneath the surface of the sea, and -this, a dozen times larger than the schooner, came rushing up within a -few yards of us, sending a vast volume of foam and water flying from -its sides. This rupture arrested the revolution, and the berg began to -settle in the opposite direction. And now came another danger. A long -tongue was protruding immediately underneath the schooner; already the -keel was slipping and grinding upon it, and it seemed probable that -we should be knocked up into the air like a foot-ball, or at least -capsized. The side of our enemy soon leaned from us, and we were in -no danger from the worse than hail-stone-showers which had driven us -forward; so we sprang to the ice-poles, and exerted our strength in -endeavoring to push the vessel off. There were no idle hands. Danger -respects not the dignity of the quarter-deck. - -[Sidenote: PULLING FOR LIFE.] - -After we had fatigued ourselves at this hard labor without any useful -result, the berg came again to our relief. A loud report first startled -us; another and another followed in quick succession, until the noise -grew deafening, and the whole air seemed a reservoir of frightful -sound. The opposite side of the berg had split off, piece after piece, -tumbling a vast volume of ice into the sea, and sending the berg -revolving back upon us. This time the movement was quicker; fragments -began again to fall; and, already sufficiently startled by the alarming -dissolution which had taken place, we were in momentary expectation -of seeing the whole side nearest to us break loose and crash bodily -upon the schooner, in which event she would inevitably be carried down -beneath it; as hopelessly doomed as a shepherd's hut beneath an Alpine -avalanche. - -By this time Dodge, who had charge of the boat, had succeeded in -planting an ice-anchor and attaching his rope, and greeted us with -the welcome signal, "_Haul in_." We pulled for our lives, long and -steadily. Seconds seemed minutes, and minutes hours. At length we began -to move off. Slowly and steadily sank the berg behind us, carrying away -the main-boom, and grazing hard against the quarter. But we were safe. -Twenty yards away, and the disruption occurred which we had all so much -dreaded. The side nearest to us now split off, and came plunging wildly -down into the sea, sending over us a shower of spray, raising a swell -which set us rocking to and fro as if in a gale of wind, and left us -grinding in the _débris_ of the crumbling ruin. - -[Sidenote: CRUMBLING ICEBERGS.] - -At last we succeeded in extricating ourselves, and were far enough -away to look back calmly upon the object of our terror. It was still -rocking and rolling like a thing of life. At each revolution fresh -masses were disengaged; and, as its sides came up in long sweeps, great -cascades tumbled and leaped from them hissing into the foaming sea. -After several hours it settled down into quietude, a mere fragment of -its former greatness, while the pieces that were broken from it floated -quietly away with the tide. - -Whether it was the waves created by the dissolution which I have just -described, or the sun's warm rays, or both combined, I cannot pretend -to say, but the day was filled with one prolonged series of reports -of crumbling icebergs. Scarcely had we been moored in safety when a -very large one about two miles distant from us, resembling in its -general appearance the British House of Parliament, began to go to -pieces. First a lofty tower came plunging into the water, starting -from their inhospitable perch an immense flock of gulls, that went -screaming up into the air; over went another; then a whole side settled -squarely down; then the wreck capsized, and at length after five -hours of rolling and crashing, there remained of this splendid mass -of congelation not a fragment that rose fifty feet above the water. -Another, which appeared to be a mile in length and upwards of a hundred -feet in height, split in two with a quick, sharp, and at length long -rumbling report, which could hardly have been exceeded by a thousand -pieces of artillery simultaneously discharged, and the two fragments -kept wallowing in the sea for hours before they came to rest. Even the -berg to which we were moored chimed in with the infernal concert, and -discharged a corner larger than St. Paul's Cathedral. - -[Sidenote: EFFECTS OF DISSOLUTION.] - -No words of mine can adequately describe the din and noise which filled -our ears during the few hours succeeding the encounter which I have -narrated, and therefore I borrow from the "Ancient Mariner":-- - - "The ice was here, - The ice was there, - The ice was all around; - It creaked and growled, - And roared and howled - Like demons in a swound." - -It seemed, indeed, as if old Thor himself had taken a holiday, and had -come away from his kingdom of Thrudwanger and his Winding Palace of -five hundred and forty halls, and had crossed the mountains with his -chariot and he-goats, armed with his mace of strength, and girt about -with his belt of prowess, and wearing his gauntlets of iron, for the -purpose of knocking these Giants of the frost to right and left for his -own special amusement. - -It is, however, only at this season of the year that the bergs are so -unneighborly. They are rarely known to break up except in the months of -July and August. It must be then owing to an unevenly heated condition -of the interior and exterior, caused by the sun's warm rays playing -upon them. From the sunny side of a berg I have not unfrequently seen -pieces discharged in a line almost horizontal, with great force, and -with an explosive report like a quarryman's blast. These explosions and -the crumbling of the ice are always attended with a cloud of vapor, no -doubt caused by the colder ice of the interior being brought suddenly -in contact with the warmer air. The effect is often very remarkable as -well as beautiful, especially when the cloud reflects the rays of the -sun. - -[Sidenote: BEAUTIES OF THE ICEBERGS.] - -If, however, my pen cannot convey a picture of these icebergs in their -more terrible aspects, it will, I fear, be equally impotent to portray -their wondrous beauties. I have tried it once before, and was much -dissatisfied with the result. I had then, however, a soft sky, when -the whole heavens were a mass of rich, warm color, the sea a dissolved -rainbow, and the bergs great floating monoliths of malachite and marble -bathed in flame. Now the sky was gray, the air clear, and the ice -everywhere a dead white or a cold transparent blue. - -I clambered up the sloping side of the berg to which we were tied, -and, from an elevation of nearly two hundred feet, obtained a view -which well repaid me for the trouble of the venture. I am glad to say, -however, that I came down again before St. Paul's Cathedral tumbled -from its corner; an event which sent us drifting away to a less -uncomfortable neighborhood, at the expense of an ice-anchor and eighty -fathoms of manilla line. - -As I approached the berg, I was struck with the remarkable transparency -of the water. Looking over the gunwale of the boat, I could trace the -ice stretching downward apparently to an interminable distance. Looking -back at the schooner, its reflection was a perfect image of itself, -and it required only the separation of it from the surrounding objects -to give to the mind the impression that two vessels, keel to keel, -were floating in mid-air. This singular transparency of the water -was further shown when I had reached the top of the berg. Off to the -southeast a high rocky bluff threw its dark shadow upon the water, and -the dividing line between sunlight and shade was so marked that it -required an effort to dispel the illusion that the margin of sunlight -was not the edge of a fathomless abyss. - -[Sidenote: VIEW FROM AN ICEBERG.] - - -It is difficult for the mind to comprehend the immense quantity of ice -which floated upon the sea around me. To enumerate the separate bergs -was impossible. I counted five hundred, and gave up in despair. Near -by they stood out in all the rugged harshness of their sharp outlines; -and from this, softening with the distance, they melted away into the -clear gray sky; and there, far off upon the sea of liquid silver, the -imagination conjured up effigies both strange and wonderful. Birds and -beasts and human forms and architectural designs took shape in the -distant masses of blue and white. The dome of St. Peter's loomed above -the spire of Old Trinity; and under the shadow of the Pyramids nestled -a Byzantine tower and a Grecian temple. - -To the eastward the sea was dotted with little islets,--dark specks -upon a brilliant surface. Icebergs, great and small, crowded through -the channels which divided them, until in the far distance they -appeared massed together, terminating against a snow-covered plain that -sloped upward until it was lost in a dim line of bluish whiteness. This -line could be traced behind the serrated coast as far to the north -and south as the eye would carry. It was the great _mer de glace_ -which covers the length and breadth of the Greenland Continent. The -snow-covered slope was a glacier descending therefrom,--the parent stem -from which had been discharged, at irregular intervals, many of the -icebergs which troubled us so much, and which have supplied materials -for this too long description. - -[Sidenote: TESSUISSAK.] - -At length a strong breeze came moaning among the bergs, and sent us on -our way rejoicing. In the evening; of August 21st we were moored in a -little harbor scarcely large enough for the schooner to turn round. -We lay abreast of a rocky slope on which were pitched a few seal-skin -tents, inhabited by a set of well-to-do-looking Esquimaux. I noticed -two or three native huts, overgrown with moss and grass, and one, -better looking than the rest, in which Jensen, my interpreter, informed -me that he had resided. The place is called Tessuissak, which means -"the place where there is a bay." Sonntag went ashore with his sextant -and "horizon," to find out its exact position in the world, an event -which had not before come to pass in its history, and which I fear was -not duly appreciated by its inhabitants. - -We should have been away in a couple of hours; but Jensen discovered -that his team was scattered, and many of the animals could not be found -until after much searching. Meanwhile some ice drifted across the mouth -of the harbor, and hermetically sealed us up. - -At last the dogs were all aboard, something over thirty in number. The -poor ones I had either given away or exchanged, and we had four superb -teams. Thirty wild beasts on the deck of a little schooner! Think of -it, ye who love a quiet life and a tidy ship! Some of them were in -cages arranged along the bulwarks; others running about the deck; all -of them badly frightened, and most of them fighting. They made day and -night hideous with their incessant howling. - -We were all ready for sea, and impatient to be off. Our Arctic wardrobe -was complete with a few purchases made of the natives in exchange for -pork and beans. We were thoroughly prepared for the ice encounters. -The lines were all neatly and carefully coiled; the ice-anchors and -ice-hooks and ice-saws and ice-chisels and ice-poles were all so placed -that they were within easy reach when wanted. The capstan and windlass -were free, and Dodge, who had not forgotten his naval experience, -reported "the decks cleared for action." Would the tide float away the -ice and let us out? - -I was growing very restless. The season was moving on; already ice -began to form; the temperature was below freezing. The nights made a -decided scum on the fresh-water pools. I could count upon only fifteen -days of open season. The _Fox_ was frozen up in the "pack" on the 26th -of August, 1857, only four days later, notwithstanding her advantage of -steam-power. - -I did every thing I could to while away the tedium of this detention. -I tried the photographic apparatus, and with less satisfactory results -than before. I tried dredging, without much to show for it; botanizing, -and found nothing which I had not already in my Pröven and Upernavik -collections. The flowers warned me of the approach of winter. The -petals had begun to fall, and their drooping heads wore a melancholy -look. They seemed to be pleading with the chilly air for a little -longer lease of life. - -[Sidenote: MEASUREMENT OF AN ICEBERG.] - -One thing only was satisfactorily done. An immense iceberg lay off -the harbor, and I had the measurement of it in my note-book, and a -sketch of it in my portfolio. The square wall which faced toward my -base of measurement was three hundred and fifteen feet high, and a -fraction over three quarters of a mile long. The natives told me that -it had been grounded for two years. Being almost square-sided above -the sea, the same shape must have extended beneath it; and since, by -measurements made two days before, I had discovered that fresh-water -ice floating in salt water has above the surface to below it the -proportion of one to seven, this crystalized piece of Eric's Greenland -had stranded in a depth of nearly half a mile. A rude estimate of -this monster, made on the spot, gave me in cubical contents about -twenty-seven thousand millions of feet, and in weight something like -two thousand millions of tons. I leave the reader to calculate for -himself its equivalent in dollars and cents, were it transported to -the region of ice-creams and sherry-cobblers, and how much of it would -be required to pay off the national debt, and how much more than -half a century it would withstand the attacks of the whole civilized -world upon it, for all those uses to which luxury-loving man puts the -skimmings of the Boston ponds. - -[Sidenote: HEADING FOR MELVILLE BAY.] - -The tide at length carried off the ice which imprisoned us, and in the -evening of the 22d we were again threading our way among the bergs and -islands. Cape Shackleton and the Horse's Head lay off the starboard -bow, and we were shaping our course for Melville Bay. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - ENTERING MELVILLE BAY.--THE MIDDLE ICE.--THE GREAT POLAR CURRENT--A - SNOW STORM.--ENCOUNTER WITH AN ICEBERG.--MAKING CAPE - YORK--RESCUE OF HANS. - - -The sun was now no longer above the horizon at midnight, and the nights -were growing gloomy, a circumstance which warned us to additional -carefulness. - -Notwithstanding our precautions, we narrowly escaped running upon a -sunken reef which lies off the Horse's Head, and is not laid down -on the chart. We came also among some ice-fields, the first that we -had yet encountered. The waves were rolling in threateningly from -the southwest, and the ice, tossing madly upon them, gave us an -uncomfortable sense of insecurity; but we escaped into clear water -after receiving a few thumps which did no material damage to our solid -bows. - -By eight o'clock in the morning we had Wilcox Point clearly in view, -and the Devil's Thumb loomed above a light cloud which floated along -its base. Before us lay Melville Bay. Climbing to the fore-yard, I -swept the horizon with my glass;--there was no ice in sight except here -and there a vagrant berg. To the westward an "ice-blink" showed us that -the "pack" lay there; but before us all was clear,--nothing in sight -but the "swelling and limitless billows." - -No discovery of my life ever gave me greater gratification. The -fortunes of the expedition were, at least for the present year, -dependent upon an open season, and my most sanguine anticipations did -not equal the apparent reality. - -In order that the reader may appreciate, in some measure, the -satisfaction which I took in the prospect that opened before me, it is -necessary that I should here pause to give a general description of the -region we were about to traverse, and an explanation of the physical -conditions which made this portion of the Greenland waters of such -conspicuous importance in the destinies of our voyage. - -[Sidenote: MELVILLE BAY.] - -The shores of Melville Bay, as laid down on the maps, appear as a -simple curved line of the Greenland coast; but the Melville Bay of the -geographer comprehends much less than that of the mariner. The whalers -have long called by that name the expansion of Baffin Bay which begins -at the south with the "middle ice," and terminates at the north with -the "North Water." The North Water is sometimes reached near Cape -York, in latitude 76°, but more frequently higher up; and the "middle -ice," which is more generally known as "the pack," sometimes stretches -down to the Arctic Circle. This pack is made up of drifting ice-floes, -varying in extent from feet to miles, and in thickness from inches to -fathoms. These masses are sometimes pressed close together, having but -little or no open space between them; and sometimes they are widely -separated, depending upon the conditions of the wind and tide. They are -always more or less in motion, drifting to the north, south, east, or -west, with the winds and currents. The penetration of this barrier is -usually an undertaking of weeks or months, and is ordinarily attended -with much risk. - -Since the days when Baffin first penetrated these waters, in the -_Discovery_, a vessel of fifty-eight tons burden, (it was in the year -1616,) a fleet of whale-ships has annually run this gauntlet. The -fleet was once large, numbering upwards of a hundred sail; but of -latter years it has been reduced to less than one tenth of its former -magnitude. Great though the danger, it has always been a favorite route -of the whale fishers. Many a stout ship has gone down with her sides -mercilessly crushed in by the "thick-ribbed ice;" but those vessels -which escape disaster almost uniformly return home with holds well -filled with the blubber and oil of unlucky whales whose evil destiny -led them to frequent the waters about Lancaster Sound, Pond's Bay, and -the coasts below. - -[Sidenote: THE MIDDLE ICE.] - -The "middle ice" is always more or less in motion, and is never tightly -closed up, even in midwinter. Of this we have abundant proof in the -fate of the Steamer _Fox_, which was caught towards the close of the -autumn, and released in the spring, after a perilous winter drift, down -near the Arctic Circle. - -As the summer advances, it becomes more and more broken up; and, -little by little, the solid land-belt, which is known as the "fast" or -"land-ice," is encroached upon. Of this, however, there usually remains -a narrow strip up to the close of the season. To it the whalers cling -most tenaciously, and the exploring vessels have usually followed their -example, taking always the last crack that has opened, or, as they call -it, the "in-shore lead." They have naturally a great horror of being -caught in the "pack." The "fast" gives them security if the wind brings -the ice down upon them from the westward, for they can always saw a -dock for their ships in the solid ice, or find a bight in which to -moor the vessel. They have always, too, the advantage of being able, -when the ice is loose and there is no wind, to tow their vessel along -its margin with the crew, steam being rarely used by the whalers. - -[Sidenote: THE GREAT POLAR CURRENT.] - -The currents have much to do with the formation of this barrier. The -great Polar Current coming down through the Spitzbergen Sea along the -eastern coast of Greenland, laden with its heavy freight of ice, and -bringing from the rivers of Siberia a meagre supply of drift-wood to -the Greenlanders, sweeps around Cape Farewell and flows northward as -far as Cape York, where it is deflected to the westward. Joining here -the ice-encumbered current which comes from the Arctic Ocean through -Smith, Jones, and Lancaster Sounds, it flows thence southward, past -Labrador and Newfoundland, receives on its way an accession of strength -from Hudson Strait, wedges itself in between the Gulf Stream and the -shore, gives cool, refreshing waters to the bathers of Newport and Long -Branch, and is finally lost off the Capes of Florida. - -Now it will readily be seen, by the most casual glance at any map of -Baffin Bay, that this movement of the current forms, where the middle -ice is found, a sort of slow-moving whirlpool, and this it is which -locks up the ice and prevents its more rapid movement southward. It -will also be readily understood that, by the end of August, the pack -has been very materially shorn of its dimensions. The sun above and -the waters beneath have both eaten it away, until much of it has -disappeared altogether, and all of it has become more or less rotten. -The month of August is necessarily the most favorable period of the -year for the navigation of this sea, so far as concerns the ice; -but the winter is then near at hand, and presents a serious source -of danger; for if the ice once closes around you, the first fall of -temperature may glue you fast for the next ten months to come. The -whalers usually take the pack in May or June, and even sometimes -earlier, when the ice is hard and is just beginning to break up. - -[Sidenote: A SNOW-STORM.] - -When we entered Melville Bay there were but eight days remaining to -us of the month of August. I had to regret the loss of time at the -settlements; but this was unavoidable. Before leaving Upernavik I -had resolved upon the course which I would pursue,--to take the pack -whenever we should find it, enter it at the most favorable opening, -and, without looking for the land ice, to make the most direct line for -Cape York. It was much in our favor that the wind had prevailed for -many days from the eastward, and had apparently pushed the whole pack -over toward the American side, opening for us a clear, broad expanse -of water. Would it so remain, and give us a free passage to Cape York? -I have already said that I saw its reflection over the clouds,--the -"ice-blink" to the westward. It was not far away. Would it remain so? - -While reflecting upon the chances ahead the wind rose, and blew half -a gale. A heavy sea was getting up behind us. A dark cloud, which had -hung upon the southern horizon for some time, came climbing up the -sky, and at length spreading itself out in flying fragments, it shook -over us a shower of frozen vapor, and then settled into a regular snow -storm. Unable to see fifty yards on either side, I came down from my -uncomfortable perch on the fore-yard. - -It became now a subject for serious consideration whether we should -continue on in our course, or heave to and wait for better weather. In -either case we were exposed to much risk. By heaving to, the vessel -would not be under command; and, drifting through the gloom, we stood -a fair chance of settling upon a stray berg or upon the ice-fields -which we had every reason to suppose would, sooner or later, obstruct -our progress; besides, and it was not an unimportant consideration, we -lost a fine wind. On the other hand, by holding on, although we had -the vessel under control, there was an even chance that, in the event -of ice lying in our course, we would not be able to see it through -the thick atmosphere in time to avoid it. The question was, however, -quickly decided. Preferring that danger which had some energy in it, I -reefed every thing down, pointed the schooner's head for Cape York, and -went at it. - -[Sidenote: AN ANXIOUS NIGHT.] - -I paced the deck in much anxiety of mind. We were traversing a sea -which no keel had ever plowed before without meeting ice, and why -should better fortune be in store for our little craft. The air was so -thick that I could sometimes barely see the lookout on the forecastle; -then again it would lighten up, and, underneath the broad canopy of -dark vapors, which seemed to be supported by the icebergs that here and -there appeared, I could see a distance of several miles. Then again -the air became thick with the falling snow and rattling hail; the wind -whistled through the rigging, and all the while the heavy waves were -rolling up behind us, deluging the decks, and threatening to swallow us -up. I shall not soon forget our first ten hours in Melville Bay. - -At length, after a few hours of this wild running, my ear, which was -keenly alive to every impression, caught the sound of breakers. The -lookout gave the alarm a moment afterward. - -[Sidenote: ENCOUNTER WITH AN ICEBERG.] - -"Where away?" - -"I can't make out, sir." - -The sound came from an object which was evidently near at hand, but no -one could tell where. A few moments more, and the loom of an iceberg -appeared in our course. There was no time for reflection, and it was -too late for action. To haul the schooner by the wind was to insure our -plunging broadside upon it; and so indistinct was the object that we -knew not which way to steer. We could not see either end of it or its -top,--nothing but a white shimmer and a line of angry surf. - -I have always found inaction to be a safe course when one does not know -what to do; and in the present case that course saved us. Had I obeyed -my first impulse, and put the helm up, we should have gone straight to -ruin; as it was, we slipped past the ugly monster, barely escaping a -collision which, had it occurred, would have been instantly fatal to -the vessel, and of course to every one on board. The fore-yard actually -grazed its side, and the surf was thrown back upon us from the white -wall. In a few moments the berg was swallowed up in the gloom from -which it had so suddenly emerged. - -"A close shave, that!" said cool-headed Dodge. - -"Ver--very close," answered Starr, much as if he had just received the -first shock of a shower-bath. - -The old cook was called out of his galley to lend a hand, and in the -midst of the excitement he was heard to growl out, "I don't see how -I's to get de gentlemens' dinner ready if I's to be called out of my -galley in dis way to pull and haul on de ropes." He did not seem to -have a thought that there was, a moment before, very little expectation -on the part of "de gentlemens" that any of them would have further -occasion for his services. - -This adventure inspired the crew with greater confidence. I suppose -they thought that, as two cannon-balls never strike in the same spot, -another iceberg would not very likely lay in our course; and so it fell -out. The cry of "breakers" was often heard from the forecastle-deck, -but in the end the sound proved to come from off the bow, and we passed -on unharmed. - -At length the wind blew itself out, the snow ceased falling, the clouds -broke, the sun shone out brightly, and we lay becalmed not far from -the centre of Melville Bay. The snow and ice were shovelled from the -deck and beaten from the rigging. I went aloft again with my glass. -There were no ice-fields in sight, but the reflection of them was still -visible in the sky to the westward. - -The sea was dotted over with icebergs, and it seemed wonderful that -we should have passed safely between them. One near by particularly -excited my admiration. It was a perfect "triumphal arch," through which -the schooner might have passed with perfect ease. - -[Sidenote: CAPE YORK IN SIGHT.] - -The schooner lay motionless during the night, but early in the morning -a fair wind sent us again upon our course, and this wind held steadily -through the day. Icebergs rose before us and set behind us in solemn -procession. My journal designates them as "mile-stones of the ocean." -The lofty, snow-crowned highlands behind Cape York rose at length above -the horizon, and the bold, dark-sided cape itself was, after a while, -seen "advancing in the bosom of the sea." - -We did not meet any field-ice until near noon of the 25th. I had been -aloft in anxious watching during almost all of the whole preceding day -and night; but when I had made up my mind that we should clear Melville -Bay without a single brush with the enemy, a line of whiteness revealed -itself in the distance. We were not long in reaching it, and, selecting -the most conspicuous opening, forced our way through. It proved to -be only a loose "pack" about fifteen miles wide, and, under a full -pressure of canvas, we experienced little difficulty in "boring" it. - -[Sidenote: IN THE NORTH WATER.] - -And now we were in the "North Water." We had passed Melville Bay in -fifty-five hours. - -Standing close in under Cape York, I kept a careful lookout for -natives. The readers of the narrative of Dr. Kane may remember that -that navigator took with him from one of the southern settlements of -Greenland a native hunter, who, after adhering to the fortunes of the -expedition through nearly two years, abandoned it, (as reported,) for -a native bride, to live with the wild Esquimaux who inhabit the shores -of the headwaters of Baffin Bay. This boy was named Hans. Anticipating -that, growing tired of his self-imposed banishment, he would take -up his residence at Cape York, with the hope of being picked up by -some friendly ship, I ran in to seek him. Passing along the coast at -rifle-shot I soon discovered a group of human beings making signs to -attract attention. Heaving the vessel to, I went ashore in a boat, and -there, sure enough, was the object of my search. He quickly recognized -Sonntag and myself, and called us by name. - -[Sidenote: AN ESQUIMAU FAMILY.] - -Six years' experience among the wild men of this barren coast had -brought him to their level of filthy ugliness. His companions were his -wife, who carried her first-born in a hood upon her back; her brother, -a bright-eyed boy of twelve years, and "an ancient dame with voluble -and flippant tongue," her mother. They were all dressed in skins, and, -being the first Esquimaux we had seen whose habits remained wholly -uninfluenced by contact with civilization, they were, naturally, -objects of much interest to us all. - -Hans led us up the hill-side, over rough rocks and through deep -snow-drifts, to his tent. It was pitched about two hundred feet above -the level of the sea, in a most inconvenient position for a hunter; but -it was his "lookout." Wearily he had watched, year after year, for the -hoped-for vessel; but summer after summer passed and the vessel came -not, and he still sighed for his southern home and the friends of his -youth. - -His tent was a sorry habitation. It was made after the Esquimau -fashion, of seal-skins, and was barely large enough to hold the little -family who were grouped about us. - -I asked Hans if he would go with us. - -"Yes!" - -Would he take his wife and baby. - -"Yes!" - -Would he go without them. - -"Yes!" - -[Sidenote: RESCUE OF HANS.] - -Having no leisure to examine critically into the state of his mind, -and having an impression that the permanent separation of husband and -wife is regarded as a painful event, I gave the Esquimau mother the -benefit of this conventional suspicion, and brought them both aboard, -with their baby and their tent and all their household goods. The -old woman and bright-eyed boy cried to be taken along; but I had no -further room, and we had to leave them to the care of the remainder of -the tribe, who, about twenty in number, had discovered the vessel, and -came shouting gleefully over the hill. After distributing to them some -useful presents, we pushed off for the schooner. - -Hans was the only unconcerned person in the party. I subsequently -thought that he would have been quite as well pleased had I left his -wife and child to the protection of their savage kin; and had I known -him as well then as, with good reason, I knew him afterward, I would -not have gone out of my way to disturb his barbarous existence. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - HANS AND HIS FAMILY.--PETOWAK GLACIER.--A SNOW-STORM.--THE - ICE-PACK.--ENTERING SMITH'S SOUND.--A SEVERE GALE.--COLLISION - WITH ICEBERGS.--ENCOUNTER WITH THE ICE-FIELDS.--RETREAT FROM - THE PACK.--AT ANCHOR IN HARTSTENE BAY.--ENTERING WINTER - QUARTERS. - - -It was five o'clock in the evening when I reached the schooner. The -wind had freshened during our absence; and, unwilling to lose so -favorable an opportunity for pushing on, I had hastened on board. -Otherwise I should gladly have given some time to an examination of -the native village which lies a few miles to the eastward of the -cape, on the northern side of a conspicuous bay, near a place called -Kíkertait,--"The Place of Islands." - -In anticipation of a heavy blow and a dirty night, McCormick had, -during my absence, taken a reef in the sails, and the little schooner, -with her canvas shivering in the wind, seemed impatient as a hound in -the leash. When the helm went up, she wheeled round to the north with a -graceful toss of her head, and, after steadying herself for an instant, -as if for a good start, she shot off before the wind at ten knots an -hour. Capes, bays, islands, glaciers, and icebergs sank rapidly behind -us; and, rejoicing over their extraordinary fortune, the ship's company -were in the best of spirits. As we dashed on through nest after nest of -icebergs, it was curious to observe the evidences of reckless daring -which inspired their thoughts. Dodge had the deck, and Charley, as -dare-devil an old sailor as ever followed the fortunes of the sea, -had the helm; and it seemed to me, as I sat upon the fore-yard, that -there was some quiet understanding between the two to see how near they -could come to the icebergs without hitting them. We passed through -many narrow places; but instead of finding the schooner in the middle -of the channel, she generally managed to fall off to one side or the -other at the critical moment (of course, by mere accident); and when I -shouted a remonstrance at the lubberly steering, I was answered with -the assurance that the schooner would not obey her helm with so much -after-sail on, when running before the wind; so I accordingly hove -the schooner to, and close-reefed the mainsail; and now, either from -the want of a reasonable excuse for doing otherwise, or from a real -difficulty being overcome, the vessel was made to keep somewhat nearer -to a straight course; and we dashed on through the waveless waters with -a celerity which, in view of our surroundings, fairly made one's head -swim. - -[Sidenote: A HAZARDOUS PASSAGE.] - -I was once not a little alarmed. Before us lay what appeared to be -two icebergs separated by a distance of about twenty fathoms. To go -around them was to deviate from our course, and I called to Dodge -to know if he could steady the schooner through the narrow passage. -Ever ready when there was a spice of danger, he willingly assumed -the responsibility of the schooner's behavior, and we approached the -entrance; but, when it was too late to turn either to the right or -left, I discovered, much to my amazement, that the objects which I had -supposed to be two bergs were in fact but portions of the same mass, -connected together by a link which was only a few feet below the -surface of the water. The depth of water proved, however, to be greater -than at first appeared, but the keel actually touched twice as we shot -through the opening; and while the schooner was, with some hesitancy -and evident reluctance, doing this sledge duty, I must own that I -wished myself anywhere else than on her fore-yard. - -[Sidenote: HANS AND HIS FAMILY.] - -The officers and men amused themselves with our new allies. Hans was -delighted, and he expressed himself with as much enthusiasm as was -consistent with his stolid temperament. His wife exhibited a mixture of -bewilderment and pride; and, apparently overwhelmed with the novelty of -the situation in which she so suddenly found herself, seemed to have -contracted a chronic grin; while her baby laughed and crowed and cried -as all other babies do. - -The sailors set to work at once with tubs of warm water and with soap, -scissors, and comb, to prepare them for red shirts and other similar -luxuries of civilization. At this latter they were overjoyed, and -strutted about the deck with much the same air of exalted consequence -as that of a boy who has been freshly promoted from frock and shoes -to pantaloons and boots; but it must be owned that the soap-and-water -arrangement was not so highly appreciated; and well they might object, -for they were not used to it. At first the whole procedure seemed to -be great sport, but at length the wife began to cry, and demanded of -her husband to know whether this was a white man's religious rite, with -an expression of countenance which appeared to indicate that it was -regarded by her as a refined method of Christian torture. The family -were finally stowed away for the night down among the ropes and sails -in the "ship's eyes;" and one of the sailors who played chamberlain -on the occasion, and who appeared to be not overly partial to this -increase of our family, remarked that, "If good for nothing else, they -are at least good lumber for strengthening the schooner's bows against -the ice." - -[Sidenote: PETOWAK GLACIER.] - -The coast which we were passing greatly interested me. The trap -formation of Disco Island reappears at Cape York, and the land -presents a lofty, ragged front, broken by deep gorges which have a -very picturesque appearance, and the effect was much heightened by -numerous streams of ice which burst through the openings. One of these -figures on the chart as Petowak Glacier. Measuring it as we passed -with log-line and chronometer, it proved to be four miles across. The -igneous rocks are interrupted at Cape Athol, on the southern side -of Wolstenholme Sound, and the lines of calcareous sandstone and -greenstone which meet the eye there and at Saunders Island and the -coast above, toward Cape Parry, brought to my recollection many a hard -struggle of former years. They were familiar landmarks. - -At eight o'clock in the evening we were abreast of Booth Bay, the -winter quarters in my boat journey of 1854. I could distinguish -through my glass the rocks among which we had built our hut. They were -suggestive of many unpleasant memories. - -[Sidenote: MEETING THE ICE PACK.] - -Soon afterward the sky became overcast, and a heavy snow began to fall. -The wind dying away to a light breeze, we jogged on through the day, -and, passing Whale Sound, outside of Hakluyt Island, were, at five -o'clock in the evening, within thirty miles of Smith's Sound. Here we -came upon an ice-pack which appeared to be very heavy and to stretch -off to the southwest; but the air being too thick to warrant us in -approaching near enough to inspect its character, we began to beat -to windward with the hope of reaching the lee side of Northumberland -Island, there to await better weather. In this purpose we were, -however, defeated, for, the wind falling almost to calm, we were -forced to grope about in the gloom, seeking an iceberg for a mooring; -but the waves proved to be running too high to admit of our landing -from a boat, and we passed the night in much uneasiness, drifting -northward. Fortunately the pack was moving in the same direction, -otherwise we should have been carried upon it. The breakers could be -distinctly heard all the time, and on several occasions we caught sight -of them; but, by availing ourselves of every puff of wind to crawl -off, we escaped without collision. Once I was satisfied that we had no -alternative but to wear round and plunge head foremost into the danger, -rather than await the apparent certainty of drifting broadside upon it; -but at the critical moment the wind freshened, and, continuing for a -few hours, we held our own while the pack glided slowly away from us. - -Our dogs had made a heavy drain upon our water-casks, and the watch was -engaged during the night in melting the snow which had fallen upon the -deck. We also fished up from the sea some small fragments of fresh ice -with a net. By these means we obtained a supply of water sufficient to -last us for several days. - -[Illustration: - - CHART - of - SMITH SOUND - Showing - DR. HAYES TRACK - and discoveries - 1860-61 -] - -[Sidenote: ENTERING SMITH'S SOUND.] - - -The wind hauled to the northeast as the morning dawned, and the clouds -broke away, disclosing the land. Cape Alexander, whose lofty walls -guard the entrance to Smith's Sound, appeared to be about twenty miles -away, and Cape Isabella, thirty-five miles distant from it, was visible -on the opposite side. Holding to the eastward toward Cape Saumarez, -we found a passage through the pack near the shore, but afterward the -greater part of the day was passed in a provoking calm, during which, -being embarrassed by a strong tidal-current that set us alternately up -and down the coast, we were obliged almost constantly to use the boats -to keep ourselves clear of the bergs, which were very numerous, and -many of them of immense size. We were, however, at length gratified to -find ourselves passing with a fair wind into Smith's Sound, the field -of our explorations. Standing over toward Cape Isabella, we had for a -time every prospect of good fortune before us, but a heavy pack was, -after a while, discovered from the mast-head, and this we were not long -in reaching. - -This pack was composed of the heaviest ice-fields that I had hitherto -seen, and its margin, trending to the northeast and southwest, arrested -our further progress toward the western shore. Many of the floes were -from two to ten feet above the water, thus indicating a thickness of -from twenty to a hundred feet. Had they been widely separated, I should -have attempted to force a passage; but they were too closely impacted -to allow of this being done with any chance of safety to the schooner. - -The ice appeared to be interminable. No open water could be discovered -in the direction of Cape Isabella. The wind, being from the northeast, -did not permit of an exploration in that direction; so we ran down to -the southwest, anxiously looking for a lead, but without discovering -any thing to give us encouragement. - -[Sidenote: STOPPED BY THE PACK.] - -We were not, however, permitted to come to any conclusions of our own -as to what course we should pursue, for the most furious gale that it -has ever been my fortune to encounter broke suddenly upon us, and left -us no alternative but to seek shelter under the coast. Our position -was now one of great danger. The heavy pack which we had passed the -night previous lay to leeward of us, and was even visible from the -mast-head, thus shutting off retreat in that direction, even should our -necessities give us no choice but to run before the wind. - -The entries of my diary will perhaps best exhibit the ineffectual -struggle which followed:-- - - _August 28th, 3 o'clock, P. M._ - -Blowing frightfully. We have run in under the coast, and are partly -sheltered by it, and trying hard to find an anchorage. But for the -protection of the land we could not show a stitch of canvas. We are -about three miles from Sutherland Island, which lies close to Cape -Alexander, on its south side, but we have ceased to gain any thing -upon it. We can carry so little sail that the schooner will not work -to windward; besides, here under the coast, the wind comes only in -squalls. If we can only get in between the island and the mainland we -shall be all right. I have not been in bed since the day before leaving -Tessuissak, and during these six days I have snatched only now and then -a little sleep. If our anchor once gets a clutch on the bottom I shall -make up for lost time. - -I ought to have been more cautious, and sought shelter sooner. A -heavy white cloud hanging over Cape Alexander (Jensen calls it a -"table-cloth") warned me of the approaching gale, but then I did not -think it would come upon us with such fury. - -It is a perfect hurricane. My chief fear is that we will be driven out -to sea, which is everywhere filled with heavy ice. - - August 29th, 12 o'clock, M. - -There has been a dead calm under the coast for an hour. The -"table-cloth" has lifted from the cape, and there is a decided change -in the northern sky. The light windy clouds are disappearing, and -stratus clouds are taking their place. The neck of the gale appears to -be broken. - - 2 o'clock, P. M. - -[Sidenote: A SEVERE GALE.] - -My calculations of the morning were quite wrong. The gale howls more -furiously than ever. We are lying off Cape Saumarez, about two miles -from shore. Failing to reach Sutherland Island, we were forced to -run down the coast with the hope of finding shelter in the deep bay -below; but the wind, sweeping round the cape, drove us back, and we are -now trying to crawl in shore and get an anchor down in a little cove -near by, and there repair our torn sails. We are a very uncomfortable -party. The spray flies over the vessel, sheathing her in ice. Long -icicles hang from the rigging and the bulwarks. The bob-stays and other -head-gear are the thickness of a man's body; and, most unseamanlike -procedure, we have to throw ashes on the deck to get about. - -I can now readily understand how Inglefield was forced to fly from -Smith's Sound. If the gale which he encountered resembled this one, he -could not, with double the steam-power of the _Isabella_, have made -headway against it. Were I to leave the shelter of these friendly -cliffs I should have to run with even greater celerity;--and, very -likely, to destruction. - -The squalls which strike us are perfectly terrific, and the calms which -follow them are suggestive of gathering strength for another stroke. -Fortunately the blows are of short duration, else our already damaged -canvas, which is reduced to the smallest possible dimensions, would fly -into ribbons. - -[Sidenote: SEEKING SHELTER.] - -The coast which gives us this spasmodic protection is bleak enough. The -cliffs are about twelve hundred feet high, and their tops and the hills -behind them are covered with the recent snows. The wind blows a cloud -of drift over the lofty wall, and, after whirling it about in the air, -in a manner which, under other circumstances, would no doubt be pretty -enough, drops it upon us in great showers. The winter is setting in -early. At this time of the season in 1853-54 these same hills were free -from snow, and so remained until two weeks later. - - 10 o'clock, P. M. - -[Sidenote: A WILD SCENE.] - -We have gained nothing upon the land, and are almost where we were at -noon. The gale continues as before, and hits us now and then as hard -as ever. The view from the deck is magnificent beyond description. The -imagination cannot conceive of a scene more wild. A dark cloud hangs -to the northward, bringing the white slopes of Cape Alexander into -bold relief. Over the cliffs roll great sheets of drifting snow, and -streams of it pour down every ravine and gorge. Whirlwinds shoot it -up from the hill-tops, and spin it through the air. The streams which -pour through the ravines resemble the spray of mammoth waterfalls, and -here and there through the fickle cloud the dark rocks protrude and -disappear and protrude again. A glacier which descends through a valley -to the bay below is covered with a broad cloak of revolving whiteness. -The sun is setting in a black and ominous horizon. But the wildest -scene is upon the sea. Off the cape it is one mass of foam. The water, -carried along by the wind, flies through the air and breaches over the -lofty icebergs. It is a most wonderful exhibition. I have tried in vain -to illustrate it with my pencil. My pen is equally powerless. It is -impossible for me to convey to this page a picture of that vast volume -of foam which flutters over the sea, and, rising and falling with each -pulsation of the inconstant wind, stands out against the dark sky, or -of the clouds which fly overhead, rushing, wild and fearful, across the -heavens, on the howling storm. Earth and sea are charged with bellowing -sounds. Upon the air are borne shrieks and wailings, loud and dismal -as those of the infernal blast which, down in the second circle of the -damned, appalled the Italian bard; and the clouds of snow and vapor are -tossed upon the angry gusts,--now up, now down,--as spirits, condemned -of Minos, wheel their unhappy flight in endless squadrons, - - "Swept by the dreadful hurricane along." - -In striking contrast to the cold and confusion above is the warmth and -quiet here below. I write in the officers' cabin. The stove is red-hot, -the tea-kettle sings a home-like song. Jensen is reading. McCormick, -thoroughly worn out with work and anxiety, sleeps soundly, and Knorr -and Radcliffe keep him company. Dodge has the deck; and here comes the -cook staggering along with his pot of coffee. I will fortify myself -with a cup of it, and send Dodge below for a little comfort. - - * * * * * - -The cook had no easy task in reaching the cabin over the slippery -decks. - -[Sidenote: A CABIN SCENE.] - -"I falls down once, but de Commander see I keeps de coffee. It's good -an' hot, and very strong, and go right down into de boots." - -"Bad night on deck, cook." - -"Oh, it's awful, sar! I never see it blow so hard in all my life, an' -I's followed de sea morn 'n forty year. And den it's so cold. My galley -is full of ice, and de water it freeze on my stove." - -"Here, cook, is a guernsey for you; that will keep you warm." - -"Tank you, sar!"--and he starts off with his prize; but, encouraged by -his reception, he stops to ask, "Would de Commander be so good as to -tell me where we is? De gentlemens fool me." - -"Certainly, cook. The land over there is Greenland. That big cape is -Cape Alexander; beyond that is Smith's Sound, and we are only about -eight hundred miles from the North Pole." - -"De Nort' Pole, vere's dat?" - -I explained the best I could. - -"Tank you, sar. Vat for we come--to fish?" - -"No, not to fish, cook; for science." - -"Oh, dat it? Dey tell me we come to fish. Tank you, sar." And he pulls -his greasy cap over his bald head, and does not appear to be much wiser -as he tumbles up the companion-ladder into the storm. Somebody has -hoaxed the old man into the belief that we have come out to catch seals. - - August 30th, 1 o'clock, A. M. - -The wind is hauling to the eastward, and the squalls come thicker -and faster. We are drifting both up and from the coast, and I fear -that if we recede much further we shall be sent howling to sea under -bare poles. It is not a pleasing reflection--a "pack" and a thousand -icebergs to leeward, and an unmanageable vessel under foot. McCormick -is struggling manfully for the shore. - - 10 o'clock, A. M. - -[Sidenote: AT ANCHOR.] - -We reached the shore this morning at 3 o'clock, and anchored in four -fathoms water. The stern of the schooner was swung round and moored -with our stoutest hawser to a rock; but a squall fell upon us soon -afterward with such violence that, although the sails were all snugly -stowed, the hawser was parted like a whip-cord; and we now lie to our -"bower" and "kedge," with thirty fathoms chain. - -And now, in apparent security, the ship's company abandon themselves -to repose. Weary and worn with the hard struggle and exposure, we were -all badly in need of rest. An abundant supply of hot coffee was our -first refreshment. But, notwithstanding their fatigue, some of the more -enthusiastic members of the party went ashore, so anxious were they to -touch this far-north land. - - 8 o'clock, P. M. - -I have just returned from a tedious climb to the top of the cliffs. At -an elevation of twelve hundred feet I had a good view. The sea is free -from ice along the shore apparently up to Littleton Island, from which -the pack stretches out over the North Water as far as the eye will -carry. There appears to be much open water about Cape Isabella, but I -could not of course see the shore line. Above the cape the ice appeared -to be solid. Although the prospect is discouraging, I have determined -to attempt a passage with the first favorable wind. - -[Sidenote: VIEW FROM THE CLIFFS.] - -The journey was a very difficult one, and when I had reached the -summit of the cliff I was almost blown over it. The force of the wind -was so great that I was obliged to steady myself against a rock while -making my observations. Knorr, who accompanied me, lost his cap, and it -went sailing out over the sea as if a mere feather. The scene was but a -broader panorama of that which I described in this journal yesterday. -It was a grand, wild confusion of the elements. The little schooner, -far down beneath me, was writhing and reeling with the fitful gusts, -and straining at her cables like a chained wild beast. The clouds of -drifting snow which whirled through the gorges beneath me, now and -then hid her and the icebergs beyond from view; and when the air fell -calm again the cloud dropped upon the sea, and the schooner, after a -short interval of unrest, lay quietly on the still water, nestling in -sunshine under the protecting cliffs. - -There are yet some lingering traces of the summer. Some patches of -green moss and grass were seen in the valleys, where the snow had -drifted away; and I plucked a little nosegay of my old friends the -poppies and the curling spider-legged _Saxifraga flagelaris_. The frost -and snow and wind had not robbed them of their loveliness and beauty. -The cliffs are of the same sandstone, interstratified with greenstone, -which I have before remarked of the coast below. - -McCormick has replaced the old foresail which was split down the -centre, with the new one, and has patched up the mainsail and jib, both -of which were much torn. - -An immense amount of ice has drifted past us, but we are too far -in-shore for any masses of considerable size to reach the vessel. -Three small bergs have, however, grounded in a cluster right astern -of us, and if we drag our anchors we shall bring up against them. A -perfect avalanche of wind tumbles upon us from the cliffs; and instead -of coming in squalls, as heretofore, it is now almost constant. The -temperature is 27°. - -I made a trial to-day with the dredge, but nothing was brought up from -the bottom except a couple of echinoderms (_Asterias Grœnlandica_ and -_A. Albula_). The sea is alive with little shrimps, among which the -_Crangon Boreas_ is most abundant. The full-grown ones are an inch -long, and their tinted backs give a purplish hue to the water. - - August 31st, 8 o'clock, P. M. - -[Sidenote: DRIVEN FROM SHELTER.] - -Night closes upon a day of disaster,--a day, I fear, of evil omen. My -poor little schooner is terribly cut up. - -[Sidenote: BACK IN SMITH'S SOUND.] - -Soon after making my last entry yesterday I lay down for a little rest, -but was soon aroused with the unwelcome announcement that we were -dragging our anchors. McCormick managed to save the bower, but the -hedge was lost. It caught a rock at a critical moment, and, the hawser -parting, we were driven upon the bergs, which, as before stated, had -grounded astern of us. The collision was a perfect crash. The stern -boat flew into splinters, the bulwarks over the starboard-quarter were -stove in, and, the schooner's head swinging round with great violence, -the jib-boom was carried away, and the bow-sprit and foretop-mast were -both sprung. In this crippled condition we at length escaped most -miraculously, and under bare poles scudded before the wind. A vast -number of icebergs and the "pack" coming in view, we were forced to -make sail. The mainsail went to pieces as soon as it was set, and we -were once more in great jeopardy; but fortunately the storm abated, -and we have since been threshing to windward, and are once more within -Smith's Sound. Again the gale appears to have broken; the northern sky -is clear. Our spars will not allow us to carry jib and topsail;--bad -for entering the pack. - -The temperature is 22°, and the decks are again slippery with ice. -Forward, the ropes, blocks, stays, halyards, and every thing else, are -covered with a solid coating, and icicles a foot long hang from the -monkey-rail and rigging. If they look pretty enough in the sunlight, -they have a very wintry aspect, and are not at all becoming to a ship. - -I tried this morning to reach Cape Isabella, but met the pack where -it had obstructed us before. Some patches of open water were observed -in the midst of it; but we found it impossible to penetrate the -intervening ice. My only chance now is to work up the Greenland coast, -get hold of the fast ice, and, through such leads as must have been -opened by the wind higher up the Sound, endeavor to effect a passage -to the opposite shore. Of reaching that shore I do not yet despair, -although the wind has apparently packed the ice upon it to such a -degree that it looks like a hopeless undertaking. I have already an -eye upon Fog Inlet, twenty miles above Cape Alexander on the Greenland -coast, and I shall now try to reach that point for a new start. - -While I write the wind is freshening, and under close-reefed sails we -are making a little progress. My poor sailors have a sorry time of it, -with the stiffened ropes. The schooner, everywhere above the water, is -coated with ice. The dogs are perishing with cold and wet. Three of -them have already died. - - September 1st, 8 o'clock, P. M. - -We have once more been driven out of the Sound. The gale set in again -with great violence, and in the act of wearing the schooner, to avoid -an iceberg, the fore-gaff parted in the middle; and, unable to carry -any thing but a close-reefed staysail, we were forced again to seek -shelter behind our old protector, Cape Alexander. McCormick is patching -up the wreck and preparing for another struggle. - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: ENTERING THE PACK] - -The next two days were filled with dangerous adventure. The broken -spar being repaired, we had another fight for the Sound, and got again -inside. The pack still lay where it was before, and again headed us -off. There was a good deal of open water between Littleton Island and -Cape Hatherton, and apparently to the northwest of that cape; but there -was much heavy ice off the island, with tortuous leads separating the -floes. I determined, however, to enter the pack and try to reach the -open water above. Taking the first fair opening, we made a northwest -course for about ten miles, when, finding that we were unable to -penetrate any further in that direction, we tacked ship, hoping to -reach the clear water that lay above the island. - -We were now fairly in the fight. The current was found to be setting -strongly against us, and it was soon discovered that the ice was coming -rapidly down the Sound, and that the leads were already slowly closing -up. We worked vigorously, crowding on all the sail we could; but we -did not make our point, and soon had to go about again; or rather, -we tried to; for the schooner, never reliable without her topsail, -which we could not carry owing to the accident to the topmast, missed -in stays; and, fearful of being nipped between the fields which were -rapidly reducing the open water about us, we wore round; and, there -not being sufficient room, we were on the eve of striking with the -starboard-bow a solid ice-field a mile in width. There was little -hope for the schooner if this collision should happen with our full -headway; and being unable to avoid it, I thought it clearly safest to -take the shock squarely on the fore-foot; so I ordered the helm up, and -went at it in true battering-ram style. To me the prospect was doubly -disagreeable. For the greater facility of observation I had taken my -station on the foretop-yard; and the mast being already sprung and -swinging with my weight, I had little other expectation than that, when -the shock came, it would snap off and land me with the wreck on the ice -ahead. Luckily for me the spar held firm, but the cut-water flew in -splinters with the collision, and the iron sheathing was torn from the -bows as if it had been brown paper. - -[Sidenote: IN THE PACK.] - -And now came a series of desperate struggles. No topsail-schooner was -ever put through such a set of gymnastic feats. I had been so much -annoyed by the detentions and embarrassments of the last few days that -I was determined to risk every thing rather than go back. As long as -the schooner would float I should hope still to get a clutch on Cape -Hatherton. - -Getting clear of the floe, the schooner came again to the wind, and, -gliding into a narrow lead, we soon emerged into a broad space of open -water. Had this continued we should soon have been rewarded with -success, but in half an hour the navigation became so tortuous that -we were compelled again to go about and stand in-shore. And thus we -continued for many hours, tacking to and fro,--sometimes gaining a -little, then losing ground by being forced to go to leeward of a floe, -which we could not weather. - -[Sidenote: BESET.] - -The space in which we could manœuvre the schooner became gradually more -and more contracted; the collisions with the ice became more frequent. -We were losing ground. The ice was closing in with the land, and we -were finally brought to bay. There was no longer a lead. And it was -now too late to retreat, had we been even so inclined. The ice was as -closely unpacked behind us as before us. With marvelous celerity the -scene had shifted. An hour later, and there was scarcely a patch of -open water in sight from the deck, and the floes were closing upon the -schooner like a vice. Utterly powerless within its jaws, we had no -alternative but to await the issue with what calmness we could. - -The scene around us was as imposing as it was alarming. Except the -earthquake and volcano, there is not in nature an exhibition of force -comparable with that of the ice-fields of the Arctic Seas. They close -together, when driven by the wind or by currents against the land or -other resisting object, with the pressure of millions of moving tons, -and the crash and noise and confusion are truly terrific. - -We were now in the midst of one of the most thrilling of these -exhibitions of Polar dynamics, and we became uncomfortably conscious -that the schooner was to become a sort of dynamometer. Vast ridges were -thrown up wherever the floes came together, to be submerged again when -the pressure was exerted in another quarter; and over the sea around -us these pulsating lines of uplift, which in some cases reached an -altitude of not less than sixty feet,--higher than our mast-head,--told -of the strength and power of the enemy which was threatening us. - -We had worked ourselves into a triangular space formed by the contact -of three fields. At first there was plenty of room to turn round, -though no chance to escape. We were nicely docked, and vainly hoped -that we were safe; but the corners of the protecting floes were slowly -crushed off, the space narrowed little by little, and we listened to -the crackling and crunching of the ice, and watched its progress with -consternation. - -[Sidenote: FORCE OF THE ICE-FIELDS.] - -At length the ice touched the schooner, and it appeared as if her -destiny was sealed. She groaned like a conscious thing in pain, and -writhed and twisted as if to escape her adversary, trembling in every -timber from truck to kelson. Her sides seemed to be giving way. Her -deck timbers were bowed up, and the seams of the deck planks were -opened. I gave up for lost the little craft which had gallantly carried -us through so many scenes of peril; but her sides were solid and her -ribs strong; and the ice on the port side, working gradually under the -bilge, at length, with a jerk which sent us all reeling, lifted her out -of the water; and the floes, still pressing on and breaking, as they -were crowded together, a vast ridge was piling up beneath and around -us; and, as if with the elevating power of a thousand jack-screws, we -found ourselves going slowly up into the air. - -My fear now was that the schooner would fall over on her side, or that -the masses which rose above the bulwarks would topple over upon the -deck, and bury us beneath them. - -We lay in this position during eight anxious hours. - -At length the crash ceased with a change of wind and tide. The ice -exhibited signs of relaxing. The course of the monster floes which were -crowding down the Sound was changed more to the westward. We beheld the -prospect of release with joy. - -[Sidenote: THE SCHOONER IN DANGER.] - -Small patches of open water were here and there exhibited among the -hitherto closely impacted ice. The change of scene, though less -fearful, was not less magical than before. By and by the movement -extended to the floes which bound us so uncomfortably, and with the -first cessation of the pressure the blocks of ice which supported the -forward part of the schooner gave way, and, the bows following them, -left the stern high in the air. Here we rested for a few moments -quietly, and then the old scene was renewed. The further edge of the -outer floe which held us was caught by another moving field of greater -size, when the jam returned, and we appeared to be in as great danger -as before; but this attack was of short duration. The floe revolved, -and, the pressure being almost instantly removed, we fell into the -water, reeling forward and backward and from side to side, as the ice, -seeking its own equilibrium, settled headlong and in wild confusion -beneath us from its forced elevation. - -Freed from this novel and alarming situation, we used every available -means to disengage ourselves from the ruins of the frightful battle -which we had encountered; and, as speedily as possible, got into -a position of greater safety. Meanwhile an inspection was made to -ascertain what damage had been done to the schooner. The hold was -rapidly filling with water, the rudder was split, two of its pintles -were broken off, the stern-post was started, fragments of the -cut-water and keel were floating alongside of us in the sea, and, to -all appearances, we were in a sinking condition. - -Our first duty was to man the pumps. - -[Sidenote: THE SCHOONER CRIPPLED.] - -We were many hours among the ice, tortured with doubt and uncertainty. -We had to move with great caution. The crippled condition of the -schooner warned us to use her gently. She would bear no more thumps. -Forward we could not go, because of the ice; retreat we must, for -it was absolutely necessary that we should get to the land and find -shelter somewhere. The rudder was no longer available, and we were -obliged to steer with a long "sweep." - -The wind hauled more and more to the eastward, and spread the ice. -Although at times closely beset and once severely "nipped," yet, by -watching our opportunity, we crept slowly out of the pack, and, after -twenty anxious hours, got at last into comparatively clear water, and -headed for Hartstene Bay, where we found an anchorage. - -The damage to the schooner was less than we had feared. A more careful -examination showed that no timbers were broken, and the seams in a -measure closed of themselves. Once at anchor, and finding that we were -in no danger of sinking, I allowed all hands to take a rest, except -such as were needed at the pumps. They were all thoroughly worn out. - -On the following day a still further inspection of the vessel was made; -and, although apparently unfit for any more ice-encounters, she could -still float with a little assistance from the pumps. One hour out of -every four kept the hold clear. - -Such repairs as it was in our power to make were at once begun. We -could do very little without beaching the vessel, and this, in the -uncertain state of the ice and weather, was not practicable. The rudder -hung by one pintle, and after being mended was still unreliable. - -While McCormick was making these repairs I pulled up to Littleton -Island in a whale-boat, to see what the ice had been doing in our -absence. The wind was dead ahead, and we had a hard struggle to reach -our destination; but, once there, I found some encouragement. There -was much open water along the coast up to Cape Hatherton, but the pack -was even more heavy at the west and southwest than it had been before. -To enter it would be folly, even with a fair wind and a sound ship. -There was clearly no chance of getting to the west coast, except by -the course which I had attempted with such unhappy results two days -previous. - -We were not a little surprised to discover on Littleton Island a -reindeer. He was sound asleep, coiled up on a bed of snow. Dodge's -rifle secured him for our larder and deprived the desolate island of -its only inhabitant. - -During our absence, Jensen had been out with Hans, and had also -discovered deer. They had found a herd numbering something like a -dozen. Two of them were captured, but the rest, taking alarm, escaped -to the mountains. - -[Sidenote: ANOTHER TRIAL.] - -The wind falling away to calm, we got to sea next day under oars, and -again entered the pack. More ice had come down upon the island, and all -our efforts to push up the coast were unavailing. The air had become -alarmingly quiet, considering that the temperature was within twelve -degrees of zero, and there was much fear that we should be frozen up -at sea. A snow-storm came to add to this danger; but still we kept -on at the cold and risky work of "warping" with capstan and windlass, -whale-line and hawser, sometimes making and sometimes losing, and often -pretty severely nipped. - -At length we were once more completely "beset." The young ice was -making rapidly, and I was forced reluctantly to admit that the -navigable season was over. To stay longer in the pack was now to insure -of being frozen up there for the winter, and accordingly, after having -exhausted two more days of fruitless labor, we made what haste we could -to get back again into clear water. This was not, however, an affair to -be quickly accomplished. He who navigates these polar seas must learn -patience. - -[Sidenote: RETREAT FROM THE PACK.] - -Our purpose was, however, in the end safely accomplished, and, a breeze -springing up, we put back into Hartstene Bay; and, steering for a -cluster of ragged-looking islands which lay near the coast at its head, -we came upon a snug little harbor behind them, and dropped our anchors. -Next morning I had the schooner hauled further in-shore, and moored her -to the rocks. - -Meanwhile the crew were working with anxious uncertainty; and when I -finally announced my intention to winter in that place they received -the intelligence with evident satisfaction. Their exposure had been -great, and they needed rest; but, notwithstanding this, had there -been the least prospect of serviceable result following any further -attempt to cross the Sound, they would, with their customary energy -and cheerfulness, have rejoiced in continuing the struggle. But they -saw, as their faces clearly told, even before I was willing to own it, -that the season was over. I record it to their credit, that throughout -a voyage of unusual peril and exposure they had never quailed in -the presence of danger, and they had to a man exhibited the most -satisfactory evidence of manly endurance. - -[Sidenote: ENTERING WINTER HARBOR.] - -The reader will readily understand that to me the failure to cross -the Sound was a serious disappointment. Hoping, as heretofore stated, -to reach the west coast, and there secure a harbor in some convenient -place between latitude 79° and 80°, it was evident to me that in -failing to do this my chances of success with sledges during the -following spring were greatly jeopardized. Besides--and this to me -was the most painful reflection--my vessel was, apparently, so badly -injured as to be unfit for any renewal of the attempt the next year. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - OUR WINTER HARBOR.--PREPARING FOR WINTER.--ORGANIZATION OF - DUTIES.--SCIENTIFIC WORK.--THE OBSERVATORY.--SCHOONER DRIVEN - ASHORE.--THE HUNTERS.--SAWING A DOCK.--FROZEN UP. - - -I named our harbor Port Foulke, in honor of my friend, the late William -Parker Foulke, of Philadelphia, who was one of the earliest, and -continued to be throughout one of the most constant advocates of the -expedition. - -It was well sheltered except from the southwest, toward which quarter -it was quite exposed; but, judging from our recent experience, we had -little reason to fear wind from that direction; and we were protected -from the drift-ice by a cluster of bergs which lay grounded off the -mouth of the harbor. - -Our position was, even for the Greenland coast, not so satisfactory -as I could have wished. Had I reached Fog Inlet we should have gained -some advantages over our present location, and would have been indeed -better situated than was Dr. Kane at Van Rensselaer Harbor; and we -would then be as sure of an early liberation as we were likely to be -at Port Foulke. In truth, the principal advantage which it possessed -was that we would not be held very late the next summer, and there was -no possible risk of my vessel being caught in a trap like that of the -_Advance_. Besides this prospect of a speedy liberation to recommend -it, there seemed to be a fair chance of an abundant supply of game. - -From Dr. Kane's winter quarters we were not very remote, the distance -being about twenty miles in latitude, and about eighty by the coast. -We were eight nautical miles in a northeasterly direction from Cape -Alexander, and lay deep within the recesses of a craggy, cliff-lined -bight of dark, reddish-brown sienitic rock, which looked gloomy enough. -This bight is prolonged by three small islands which figure in my -journal as "The Youngsters," and which bear on my chart the names of -Radcliffe, Knorr, and Starr. At the head of the bight there is a series -of terraced beaches composed of loose shingle. - -The ice soon closed around us. - -My chief concern now was to prepare for the winter, in such a manner as -to insure safety to the schooner and comfort to my party. While this -was being done I did not, however, lose sight of the scientific labors; -but, for the time, these had to be made subordinate to more serious -concerns. There was much to do, but my former experience greatly -simplified my cares. - -[Sidenote: OUR WINTER HARBOR.] - -[Sidenote: PREPARING FOR WINTER.] - -Mr. Sonntag, with Radcliffe, Knorr, and Starr to assist him, took -general charge of such scientific work as we found ourselves able to -manage; and Jensen, with Hans and Peter, were detailed as an organized -hunting force. Mr. Dodge, with the body of the crew, discharged the -cargo, and, carrying it to the shore, swung it with a derrick up on -the lower terrace, which was thirty feet above the tide, and there -deposited it in a store-house made of stones and roofed with our old -sails. This was a very laborious operation. The beach was shallow, the -bank sloping, and the ice not being strong enough to bear a sledge, -a channel had to be kept open for the boats between the ship and the -shore. The duty of preparing the schooner for our winter home devolved -upon Mr. McCormick, with the carpenter and such other assistance as he -required. After the sails had been unbent, the yards sent down, and the -topmasts housed, the upper deck was roofed in,--making a house eight -feet high at the ridge and six and a half at the side. A coating of -tarred paper closed the cracks, and four windows let in the light while -it lasted, and ventilated our quarters. Between decks there was much -to do. The hold, after being floored, scrubbed, and whitewashed, was -converted into a room for the crew; the cook-stove was brought down -from the galley and placed in the centre of it under the main hatch, in -which hung our simple apparatus for melting water from the snow or ice. -This was a funnel-shaped double cylinder of galvanized iron connecting -with the stove-pipe, and was called the "snow melter." A constant -stream poured from it into a large cask, and we had always a supply of -the purest water, fully ample for every purpose. - -Into these quarters the crew moved on the first of October, and the -out-door work of preparation being mainly completed, we entered then, -with the ceremony of a holiday dinner, upon our winter life. And the -dinner was by no means to be despised. Our soup was followed by an -Upernavik salmon, and the table groaned under a mammoth haunch of -venison, which was flanked by a ragout of rabbit and a venison pasty. - -[Sidenote: OUR COMMISSARIAT.] - -Indeed, we went into the winter with a most encouraging prospect for -an abundant commissariat. The carcasses of more than a dozen reindeer -were hanging in the shrouds, rabbits and foxes were suspended in -clusters from the rigging, and the hearty appetites and vigorous -digestions which a bracing air and hard work had given us, were not -only amply provided for in the present, but seemed likely to be -supplied in the future. The hunters rarely came home empty-handed. -Reindeer in herds of tens and fifties were reported upon every return -of the sportsmen. Jensen, who had camped out several days on the -hunting-grounds, had already cached the flesh of about twenty animals, -besides those which had been brought on board. In a single hour I had -killed three with my own hands. Both men and dogs were well provided. -The dogs, which, according to Esquimau custom, were only fed every -second day, often received an entire reindeer at a single meal. They -were very ravenous, and, having been much reduced by their hard life at -sea, they caused an immense drain upon our resources. - -My journal mentions, with daily increasing impatience, the almost -constant prevalence of strong northeast winds, which embarrassed us -during this period; but at length the wind set in from the opposite -direction, and, breaking up the young ice about us, jammed us upon -the rocks. If there was little consolation in the circumstance of our -situation being thus altered for the worse, there was at least novelty -in the caprice of the weather. For once, at least, the uniform "N. -E." had been changed in the proper column of the log-book. It was not -without difficulty that we succeeded in relieving the schooner from the -unpleasant predicament. - -While these preparations for the winter were being made, I must not -forget the astronomer and his little corps. Between him and the -executive officer there sprung up quite a rivalry of interest. While -the one desired a clean ship moored in safety and a well-fed crew, -he was naturally jealous of any detail of men for the other; and it -must be owned that the men worked with much greater alacrity for the -follower of Epicurus than the disciple of Copernicus. An appeal to -head-quarters, however, speedily settled the question as to where the -work was most needed; and, by a judicious discrimination as to what -was due to science and what to personal convenience, we managed, while -the daylight lasted, to lay the foundation of a very clever series of -observations, while at the same time our comfort was secured. - -[Sidenote: THE OBSERVATORY.] - -A neat little observatory was erected on the lower terrace, not far -from the store-house, and it was promptly put to use; and an accurate -survey of the harbor and bay, with soundings, was made as soon as -the ice was strong enough to bear our weight. The observatory was a -frame structure eight feet square and seven high, covered first with -canvas and then with snow, and was lined throughout with bear and -reindeer skins. In it our fine pendulum apparatus was first mounted, -and Sonntag and Radcliffe were engaged for nearly a month in counting -its vibrations. It was found to work admirably. Upon removing this -instrument, the magnetometer was substituted in its place, upon a -pedestal which was not less simple than original. It was made of two -headless kegs, placed end to end upon the solid rock beneath the -floor, and the cylinder thus formed was filled with the only materials -upon which the frost had not laid hold, namely, beans. Water being -poured over these, we had soon, at ten degrees below zero, a neat and -perfectly solid column; and it remained serviceable throughout the -winter, as no fire of any kind was allowed in this abode of science.[2] - -[Footnote 2: It is proper to mention here that the pendulum and -magnetic observations, as well indeed as all others in physical -science, were, upon my return, sent to the Smithsonian Institution at -Washington, and were placed in the very competent hands of Mr. Charles -A. Schott, Assistant in the United States Coast Survey, to whom I am -indebted for most able and efficient coöperation, in the elaboration -and discussion of my materials, preparatory to their publication in the -"Smithsonian Contributions," to which source I beg to refer the reader -for details.] - -[Illustration: - - PORT FOULKE - - and - - VICINITY - - North Greenland -] - -[Sidenote: SCIENTIFIC WORK.] - -In order to obtain an accurate record of temperature, we erected near -the Observatory a suitable shelter for the thermometers. In this -were placed a number of instruments, mostly spirit, which were read -hourly every seventh day, and three times daily in the interval.[3] In -addition to this, we noted the temperature every second hour with a -thermometer suspended to a post on the ice. Mr. Dodge undertook for me -a set of ice measurements, and the telescope was mounted alongside the -vessel, in a dome made with blocks of ice and snow. - -[Footnote 3: These instruments were carefully compared at every ten -degrees of temperature down to -40°, and the records were subsequently -referred to our "standard," a fine instrument which I had from G. -Tagliabue.] - -But the wind would still give us no rest, and, setting in again from a -southerly direction, the ice was once more broken up, and we were again -driven upon the rocks, and a second time compelled to saw a dock for -the schooner and haul her off-shore. This operation was both laborious -and disagreeable, even more so than it had been on the former occasion. -The ice was rotten, and so tangled up with the pressure that it was -not easy to find secure footing; and the result was that few of the -party escaped with less than one good ducking. These accidents were, -however, uncomfortable rather than dangerous, as there was always help -at hand. - -[Sidenote: DRIVEN ASHORE BY THE ICE.] - -The schooner was, for a time, in rather an alarming situation, and -there were many doubts as to whether we should get her off; but not -even the consciousness of this circumstance, nor the repeated plunges -into the water by the giving way and tilting of the ice, could destroy -the inexhaustible fund of good-humor of the ship's company. From this -happy disposition I must, however, except two individuals, who were -always apt to be possessed of a sort of ludicrous gravity when there -was least occasion for it, and, as is usual with such persons, they -were not very serviceably employed. One of them, with great seriousness -and an immense amount of misdirected energy, commenced chopping into my -best nine-inch hawser, that was in nobody's way; and the other, with -equal solemnity, began vigorously to break up my oars in pushing off -pieces of ice which were doing nobody any harm. He even tried to push -the schooner off the rocks, alone and unaided, with the tide-pole, -an instrument which had cost McCormick two days to manufacture. Of -course, the instrument was broken; but the poor man was saved from -the sailing-master's just indignation by following the fragments into -the sea, where he was consoled, in the place of prompt assistance, -with assurances that if he did not make haste the shrimps would be -after him, and leave nothing of him but a skeleton for the Commander's -collection. The temperature was not below zero, and no worse results -followed our exposure than a slight pleurisy to the mate and a few -twitches of rheumatism to the destroyer of my oars. - -Our efforts were, however, finally rewarded with success, and the -schooner was once more in safety. The air falling calm, and the -temperature going down to 10° below zero, we were now soon firmly -frozen up, and were protected against any further accidents of this -nature, and were rejoiced to find ourselves able to run over the bay -in security. In anticipation of this event, I had set Jensen and Peter -to work making harness for the dog's, and on that day I took the first -drive with one of my teams. The animals had picked up finely, and were -in excellent condition, and I had satisfied myself both as to their -qualities and those of their driver, Jensen. The day was indeed a -lively one to all hands. The ice having closed up firmly with the land, -the necessity no longer existed for keeping a channel open for the -boats; and the hunters, being able now to get ashore with ease, set off -early in the morning, in great glee, after reindeer. - -[Sidenote: FROZEN UP.] - -On the day following, the hawsers by which we had thus far been moored -to the rocks were cut out of the ice and elevated on blocks of the same -material. We also made a stairway of slabs of this same cheap Arctic -alabaster, from the upper deck down to the frozen sea; and, a deep snow -falling soon afterward, we banked this up against the schooner's sides -as a further protection against the cold. - -During the next few days the teams were employed in collecting the -reindeer which had been cached in various places, and when this labor -was completed our inventory of fresh supplies was calculated to inspire -very agreeable sensations. - -The schooner being now snugly cradled in the ice, we had no longer -occasion for the nautical routine, so I adopted a landsman's watch, -with one officer and one sailor; the sea day, which commences at noon, -was changed to the home day, which begins at midnight; and, conscious -that we had reached the dividing line between the summer sunlight and -the winter darkness, we settled ourselves for the struggle which was -to come, resolved to get through it with the cheerfulness becoming -resolute men, and to make ourselves as comfortable as possible. And -the personal characteristics of my associates augured well for the -future. While there was sufficient variety of disposition to insure -a continuance of some novelty in our social intercourse, there was -enough _esprit_ to satisfy me as to the continuance of harmony in the -performance of individual duty. - -[Sidenote: THE DAY ENDED.] - -The sun sank out of sight behind the southern hills on the 15th of -October, not to be seen again for four long months. The circumstance -furnished the subject of our conversation in the evening, and I could -easily read on the faces of my companions that their thoughts followed -him as he wandered south; and a shade of sadness fell for a moment over -the table about which we were grouped. We had all been so intent upon -our cares and duties, during the past five weeks, that we had scarcely -noticed the decline of day. It had vanished slowly and as if by -stealth; and the gloom of night following its lengthening shadow made -us feel now, for the first time, how truly alone we were in the Arctic -desert. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - SUNSET.--WINTER WORK.--MY DOG-TEAMS.--"MY BROTHER JOHN'S - GLACIER."--HUNTING.--PEAT BEDS.--ESQUIMAU GRAVES.--PUTREFACTION - AT LOW TEMPERATURES.--SONNTAG CLIMBS THE GLACIER.--HANS AND - PETER.--MY ESQUIMAU PEOPLE.--THE ESQUIMAU DOG.--SURVEYING THE - GLACIER.--THE SAILING-MASTER.--HIS BIRTHDAY DINNER. - - -My diary thus records the advent of winter:-- - - October 16th. - -The fair-haired god of light reposes beneath the Southern Cross. His -pathway is no longer above the silent hills; but his golden locks -stream over the mountains, and day lingers as a lover departing from -the abode of his mistress. The cold-faced regent of the darkness treads -her majestic circle through the solemn night; and the soft-eyed stars -pale at her approach. Her silver tresses sweep the sea, and the wild -waves are stilled like a laughing face touched by the hand of death. - -Although winter and darkness are slowly settling over us, yet we have -still nine hours of twilight daily, wherein to perform our out-door -duties. I have completed my arrangements for the health and comfort -of my little household, and have perfected my system of domestic -discipline and economy, and I feel sure that the wheels of the little -world which revolves around this ice-locked schooner will now move -on smoothly. This done, I am at liberty to seek greater freedom of -action than I have hitherto enjoyed. I have desired to make some short -journeys of exploration while the scrap of twilight yet remains to me, -and as soon as the men were free I set them to work preparing some -conveniences for camping out. I have been ready for several days, but -the weather has been unfavorable for any thing more than a few hours' -absence; and so our life runs on smoothly into the night. - -[Sidenote: MY DOG-TEAMS.] - -I had to-day a most exhilarating ride, and a very satisfactory day's -work. I drove up the Fiord in the morning, and have returned only a -short time since. This Fiord lies directly north of the harbor, and -it forms the termination of Hartstene Bay. It is about six miles deep -by from two to four wide. Jensen was my driver, and I have a superb -turn-out,--twelve dogs and a fine sledge. The animals are in most -excellent condition,--every one of them strong and healthy; and they -are very fleet. They whirl my Greenland sledge over the ice with -a celerity not calculated for weak nerves. I have actually ridden -behind them over six measured miles in twenty-eight minutes; and, -without stopping to blow the team, have returned over the track in -thirty-three. Sonntag and I had a race, and I beat him by four minutes. -I should like to have some of my friends of Saratoga and Point Breeze -up here, to show them a new style of speeding animals. Our racers do -not require any blanketing after the heats, nor sponging either. We -harness them each with a single trace, and these traces are of a length -to suit the fancy of the driver--the longer the better, for they are -then not so easily tangled, the draft of the outside dogs is more -direct, and, if the team comes upon thin ice, and breaks through, your -chances of escape from immersion are in proportion to their distance -from you. The traces are all of the same length, and hence the dogs -run side by side, and, when properly harnessed, their heads are in a -line. My traces are so measured that the shoulders of the dogs are just -twenty feet from the forward part of the runners. - -The team is guided solely by the whip and voice. The strongest dogs are -placed on the outside, and the whole team is swayed to right and left -according as the whip falls on the snow to the one side or the other, -or as it touches the leading dogs, as it is sure to do if they do not -obey the gentle hint with sufficient alacrity. The voice aids the -whip, but in all emergencies the whip is the only real reliance. Your -control over the team is exactly in proportion to your skill in the -use of it. The lash is about four feet longer than the traces, and is -tipped with a "cracker" of hard sinew, with which a skilful driver can -draw blood if so inclined; and he can touch either one of his animals -on any particular spot that may suit his purpose. Jensen had to-day a -young refractory dog in the team, and, having had his patience quite -exhausted, he resolved upon extreme measures. "You see dat beast?" said -he. "I takes a piece out of his ear;"--and sure enough, crack went the -whip, the hard sinew wound round the tip of the ear and snipped it off -as nicely as with a knife. - -This long lash, which is but a thin tapering strip of raw seal-hide, is -swung with a whip-stock only two and a half feet long. It is very light -and is consequently hard to handle. The peculiar turn of the wrist -necessary to get it rolled out to its destination is a most difficult -undertaking. It requires long and patient practice. I have persevered, -and my perseverance has been rewarded; and if I am obliged to turn -driver on emergency, I feel equal to the task; but I fervently hope -that the emergency may not arise which requires me to exhibit my skill. - -It is the very hardest kind of hard work. That merciless lash must be -going continually; and it must be merciless or it is of no avail. The -dogs are quick to detect the least weakness of the driver, and measure -him on the instant. If not thoroughly convinced that the soundness of -their skins is quite at his mercy, they go where they please. If they -see a fox crossing the ice, or come upon a bear track, or "wind" a -seal, or sight a bird, away they dash over snow-drifts and hummocks, -pricking up their short ears and curling up their long bushy tails for -a wild, wolfish race after the game. If the whip-lash goes out with a -fierce snap, the ears and the tails drop, and they go on about their -proper business; but woe be unto you if they get the control. I have -seen my own driver only to-day sorely put to his metal, and not until -he had brought a yell of pain from almost every dog in the team did he -conquer their obstinacy. They were running after a fox, and were taking -us toward what appeared to be unsafe ice. The wind was blowing hard, -and the lash was sometimes driven back into the driver's face,--hence -the difficulty. The whip, however, finally brought them to reason, and -in full view of the game, and within a few yards of the treacherous -ice, they came first down into a limping trot and then stopped, most -unwillingly. Of course this made them very cross, and a general -fight--fierce and angry--now followed, which was not quieted until the -driver had sailed in among them and knocked them to right and left with -his hard hickory whip-stock. I have had an adventure with the same -team, and know to my cost what an unruly set they are, and how hard -it is to get the mastery of them; but once mastered, like a spirited -horse, they are obedient enough; but also, like that noble animal, they -require now and then to have a very positive reminder as to whom the -obedience is owing. - -[Illustration: AN ARCTIC TEAM. - -(FROM A SKETCH BY DR. HAYES.)] - -Wishing to try my hand, I set out to take a turn round the harbor. -The wind was blowing at my back, and when I had gone far enough, and -wanted to wheel round and return, the dogs were not so minded. There -is nothing they dislike so much as to face the wind; and, feeling very -fresh, they were evidently ready for some sport. Moreover, they may, -perhaps, have wanted to see what manner of man this new driver was. -They were very familiar with him personally, for he had petted them -often enough; but they had not before felt the strength of his arm. - -After much difficulty I brought them at last up to the course, but I -could keep them there only by constant use of the lash; and since this -was three times out of four blown back into my face, it was evident -that I could not long hold out; besides, my face was freezing in the -wind. My arm, not used to such violent exercise, soon fell almost -paralyzed, and the whip-lash trailed behind me on the snow. The doors -were not slow to discover that something was wrong. They looked back -over their shoulders inquiringly, and, discovering that the lash was -not coming, they ventured to diverge gently to the right. Finding the -effort not resisted, they gained courage and increased their speed and -at length they wheeled short round, turned their tails to the wind, and -dashed off on their own course, as happy as a parcel of boys freed from -the restraints of the school-room, and with the wild rush of a dozen -wolves. And how they danced along and barked and rejoiced in their -short-lived liberty! - -If the reader has ever chanced to drive a pair of unruly horses for a -few hours, and has had occasion to find rest for his aching arms on a -long, steep hill, he will understand the satisfaction which I took in -finding the power returning to mine. I could again use the whip, and -managed to turn the intractable team among a cluster of hummocks and -snow-drifts, which somewhat impeded their progress. Springing suddenly -off, I caught the upstander and capsized the sledge. The points of -the runners were driven deeply into the snow, and my runaways were -anchored. A vigorous application of my sinew-tipped lash soon convinced -them of the advantages of obedience, and when I turned up the sledge -and gave them the signal to start they trotted off in the meekest -manner possible, facing the wind without rebelling, and giving me no -further trouble. I think they will remember the lesson--and so shall I. - -[Sidenote: ALIDA LAKE.] - -But I set out to record my journey up the Fiord. Reaching the head of -it after a most exhilarating ride, we managed, with some difficulty, -to cross the tide-cracks, and scrambled over the ice-foot to the land. -Here we came upon a broad and picturesque valley, bounded on either -side by lofty cliffs--at its further end lay a glacier, with a pool -of water a mile long occupying the middle distance. This pool is fed -from the glacier and the hill-sides, down which pour the waters of the -melting snows of summer. The discharge from it into the sea is made -through a rugged gorge which bears evidence of being filled with a -gushing stream in the thaw season. Its banks are lined in places with -beds of turf, (dried and hardened layers of moss,) a sort of peat, -with which we can readily eke out our supply of fuel. A specimen of -it brought on board burns quite freely with the addition of a little -grease. This pool of water, in accordance with Sonntag's wish, bears -the name of Alida Lake. - -The valley, which I have named "Chester," in remembrance of a spot -which I hope to see again, is two miles long by one broad, and is -covered in many places, especially along the borders of the lake, with -a fine sod of grass, from which the wind has driven the snow and made -the locality tempting to the deer. Several herds, amounting in the -aggregate to something like a hundred animals, were browsing upon the -dead grass of the late summer; and, forgetting for the time the object -of my journey, I could not resist the temptation to try my rifle upon -them. I was rewarded with two large fat bucks, while Jensen secured an -equal number. - -[Sidenote: MY BROTHER JOHN'S GLACIER.] - -The glacier was discovered by Dr. Kane in 1855, and, being subsequently -visited by his brother, who was an assistant surgeon in the United -States Expedition of Search under Captain Hartstene in 1855, was named -by the former, "My Brother John's Glacier." It has been christened -a shorter name by the crew, and is known as "Brother John." It has -frequently been seen from the hill-tops and bay by all of us, but not -visited until to-day. We reached home in time for dinner, weary enough -and very cold, for the temperature was several degrees below zero, and -the wind was blowing sharply. - -During my absence McCormick has employed the crew in securing the -boats, one of which was blown ashore and its side stove in by the -violence of the gale, and in sawing out and unshipping the rudder. -Hans and Peter have been setting fox-traps and shooting rabbits. The -foxes, both the white and blue varieties, appear to be quite numerous, -and there are also many rabbits, or rather I should say hares. These -latter are covered with a long heavy pelt which is a pure white, and -are very large. One caught to-day weighed eight pounds. - - October 17th. - -[Sidenote: A SURVEYOR'S CHAIN.] - -McCormick, who is general tinker and the very embodiment of ingenuity, -has been making for me a surveyor's chain out of some iron rods; and -a party, consisting of Sonntag, McCormick, Dodge, Radcliffe, and -Starr, have been surveying the bay and harbor with this chain and -the theodolite. They seem to have made quite a frolic of it, which, -considering the depressed state of the thermometer, is, I think, a -very commendable circumstance. Barnum and McDonald have been given -a holiday, and they went out with shot-guns after reindeer. They -report having seen forty-six, all of which they succeeded in badly -frightening, and they also started many foxes. Charley also had a -holiday, but, disdaining the huntsman's weapons, he started on a -"voyage of discovery," as he styled it. Strolling down into the -bay above Crystal Palace Cliffs,[4] he came upon an old Esquimau -settlement, and, finding a grave, robbed it of its bony contents, and -brought them to me wrapped up in his coat. It makes a very valuable -addition to my ethnological collection, and a glass of grog and the -promise of other holidays have secured the coöperation of Charley in -this branch of science. Charley, by the way, is one of my most reliable -men, and gives promise of great usefulness. Indeed, everybody in the -vessel seems desirous of adding to my collections; but this zeal has -to-day led me into a rather unpleasant embarrassment. Jensen, whose -long residence among the Esquimaux of Southern Greenland has brought -him to look upon that people as little better than the dogs which -drag their sledges, discovered a couple of graves and brought away -the two skin-robed mummies which they enclosed, thinking they would -make fine museum specimens; and in this surmise he was quite right; -but, unfortunately for the museum, Mrs. Hans was prowling about when -Jensen arrived on board, and, recognizing one of them by some article -of its fur clothing as a relative, she made a terrible ado, and could -not be quieted even by Jensen's assurance that I was a magician, and -would restore them to life when in my own country; so, when I learned -the circumstances, I thought it right, in respect to humanity if not -to science, to restore them to their stony graves, and had it done -accordingly. - -[Footnote 4: Discovered and so named by Captain Inglefield, R. N., in -August, 1852.] - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU GRAVES.] - -The Esquimau graves appear to be numerous about the harbor, giving -evidence of quite an extensive settlement at no very remote period. -These graves are merely piles of stones arranged without respect to -direction, and in the size of the pile and its location nothing has -been consulted but the convenience of the living. The bodies are -sometimes barely hidden. Tombs of the dead, they are, too, the mournful -evidences of a fast dwindling race. - - October 18th. - -I have been well repaid for my course in re-interring the mummies; for -I have won the gratitude of my Esquimau people, and Hans has brought -me in their places two typical skulls which he found tossed among -the rocks. The little shrimps are also doing me good service. They -have prepared for me several skeletons of all varieties of the animals -which we have captured. I first have the bulk of the flesh removed -from the bones, then, placing them in a net, they are lowered into the -fire-hole, and these lively little scavengers of the sea immediately -light within the net, in immense swarms, and in a day or so I have a -skeleton more nicely cleaned than could be done by the most skillful of -human workmen. - -[Sidenote: PUTREFACTION AT LOW TEMPERATURES.] - -A party brought in to-day the carcass of a reindeer which I mortally -wounded yesterday, but was too much fatigued to follow. They found its -tracks, and, after pursuing them for about a mile, they came upon the -animal lying in the snow, dead. It is now discovered that putrefaction -has rendered it unfit for use, a circumstance which seems very singular -with the temperature at ten degrees below zero. A similar case is -mentioned by Dr. Kane as having occurred within his own observation, -and Jensen tells me that it is well known that such an event is not -uncommon at Upernavik. Indeed, when the Greenlanders capture a deer -they immediately eviscerate it. Puzzling as the phenomenon appears -at first sight, it seems to me, however, that it admits of ready -explanation. The dead animal is immediately frozen on the outside; and -there being thus formed a layer of non-conducting ice, as well as the -pores being closed, the warmth of the stomach is retained long enough -for decomposition to take place, and to generate gas which permeates -the tissues, and renders the flesh unfit for food; and this view of the -case would seem to be confirmed by the fact that decomposition occurs -more readily in the cold weather of midwinter than in the warmer -weather of midsummer. - - October 19th. - -A lively party visited Chester Valley to-day. They started early -with two sledges--Sonntag, with Jensen on one, Knorr and Hans on the -other. Sonntag carried out the theodolite and chain to make a survey -of the glacier. The others, of course, took their rifles. They saw -numerous reindeer, but shot only three. One of these was a trophy of -Mr. Knorr's, and had like to have cost him dearly. The poor animal had -been badly wounded in the valley, and on three legs tried to climb the -steep hill. Knorr, following it, reached at length within twenty yards, -and brought it down with a well-directed shot; but the hunter and the -victim being, unfortunately for the former, in a line, the hunter was -carried off his legs, and the two together went tumbling over the rocks -in a manner which, to those below, looked rather alarming. Report does -not say how the boy extricated himself. It is lucky, however, that, -instead of broken bones, he has only a few bruises to show for his -adventure. - -[Sidenote: SONNTAG CLIMBS THE GLACIER.] - -Sonntag, too, had his story to tell. Reaching the glacier, he ascended -to its surface, after travelling two miles along the gorge made by -the glacier on the one side and the sloping mountain on the other. -The ascent was made by means of steps cut with a hatchet in the solid -ice. The glacier was found to be crossed in places by deep narrow -fissures, bridged with a crust of snow, and so completely covered as to -defy detection. Into one of these, fortunately a very narrow one, the -astronomer was precipitated by the giving way of the bridge, and it is -probable that he would have lost his life but for a barometer which he -carried in his hand, and which, crossing the crack, broke the fall. -The barometer was my best one, and is of course a hopeless wreck. - -[Sidenote: SEAL-HUNTING.--ESQUIMAU VILLAGE.] - -Carl and Christian, my two Danish recruits from Upernavik, have been -setting nets for seal. These nets are made in the Greenland fashion, -of seal-skin thongs, with large meshes. They are kept in a vertical -position under the ice by stones attached to their lower margin; and -the unsuspecting seal, swimming along in pursuit of a school of shrimps -for a meal, or seeking a crack or hole in the ice to catch a breath -of air, strikes it and becomes entangled in it, and is soon drowned. -Most of the winter seal-fishing of Greenland is done in this manner; -and it is in this that the dogs are most serviceable, in carrying the -hunter rapidly from place to place in his inspection of the nets, and -in taking home the captured animals upon the sledge. This species of -hunting is attended with much risk, as the hunter is obliged to run out -on the newly-formed ice. Jensen has enlivened many of my evenings with -descriptions of his adventures upon the ice-fields while looking after -his nets. On one occasion the ice broke up, and he was set adrift, and -would have been lost had not his crystal raft caught on a small island, -to which he escaped, and where he was forced to remain without shelter -until the frost built for him a bridge to the main land. The hardihood -and courage of these Greenland hunters is astonishing. - -Although the wind has been blowing hard, I have strolled over to the -north side of the Fiord on a visit to the Esquimau village of Etah, -which is about four miles away in a northeasterly direction. The hut -there, as I had already surmised, was uninhabited, but bore evidence of -having been abandoned only a short time previous. This is the first -time that I have seen the place since the night I passed there in -December, 1854,--a night long to be remembered. - -Near by the hut I discovered a splendid buck leisurely pawing away the -snow and turning up the dried grass and moss, of which he was making a -well-earned if not inviting meal. Approaching him on the leeward side, -I had no difficulty in coming within easy range; but I felt reluctant -to fire upon him. He was so intent upon his work, and seemed so little -to suspect that these solitudes, through which he had so long roamed -unmolested, contained an enemy, that I almost relented; and I did not -pull trigger until I had aimed a third time. But, notwithstanding this -irresolution, his splendid haunch now hangs in the rigging, and is set -apart for some future feast; and I have no doubt that I shall then eat -my share of him without once thinking that I had done a deed of cruelty. - - October 20th. - -[Sidenote: HANS AND PETER.] - -[Sidenote: MY ESQUIMAU PEOPLE.] - -I have observed for some days past decided symptoms of a rivalry -existing between my two Esquimau hunters, Hans and Peter, both of whom -are very serviceable to me. Peter is a very clever little fellow, and -withal honest; and he has quite taken my fancy. He is a thorough-bred -Esquimau, with very dark complexion, jet-black hair, which he cuts in -native fashion, square across his forehead; but he keeps himself clean -and neat, and is on all occasions very well behaved. Not only is he a -fine hunter, but he possesses great ingenuity, and has wonderful skill -with his fingers. I have before me several specimens of his handiwork -in the shape of salt-spoons, paper-cutters, and other little trinkets -which, with an old file, a knife, and a piece of sand-paper, he has -carved for me out of a walrus tusk. They are cut with great accuracy -and taste. He is always eager to serve my wishes in every thing; and -since I never allow zeal to go unrewarded, he is the richer by several -red-flannel shirts, and a suit of pilot-cloth clothes. Of course, Hans -is jealous. Indeed, it is impossible for me to exhibit any kindness of -this sort to any of my Esquimau people without making Hans unhappy. He -avoids showing his temper openly in my presence, but he gets sulky, -and does not hunt, or, if ordered out, he comes home without game. He -is a type of the worst phase of the Esquimau character. The Esquimaux -are indeed a very strange kind of people, and are an interesting study, -even more so than my dogs, although they are not so useful; and then -the dog can be controlled with a long whip and resolution, while the -human animal cannot be controlled with any thing. They might very -properly be called a negative people, in every thing except their -unreliability, which is entirely positive; and yet among themselves -they exhibit the semblance of virtuous conduct, at least in this: that -while in sickness or want or distress they never render voluntary -assistance to each other, yet they do not deny it; indeed, the active -exhibition of service is perhaps wholly unknown or unthought of amongst -them; but they do the next best thing--they never withhold it. From -the rude hut of the hardy inhabitant of these frozen deserts the -unfortunate hunter who has lost his team and has been unsuccessful in -the hunt, the unprotected family who have lost their head, even the -idle and thriftless, are never turned away; but they are never invited. -They may come, they may use what they find as if they were members of -the family, taking it as a matter of course; but if it were known -that they were starving, at a distance, there is no one who would ever -think of going to them with supplies. They are the most self-reliant -people in the world. It does not appear ever to occur to them to expect -assistance, and they never think of offering it. - -The food and shelter which the needy are allowed to take is not a -charity bestowed; the aid which the hunter gives to the dogless man who -jumps upon his sledge for a lift on a journey is not a kindness. He -would drop him or give him the slip if occasion offered, even if in a -place from whence he could not reach his home. He would drive off and -leave him with the greatest unconcern, never so much as giving him a -thought. If he should change his abode, the family that had sought his -protection would not be invited to accompany him. They might come if -able, he could not and would not drive them away; indeed, his language -contains no word that would suit the act; but, if not able to travel, -they would be left to starve with as much unconcern as if they were -decrepit dogs which the hunt had rendered useless. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU TRAITS.] - -They neither beg, borrow, nor steal. They do not make presents, and -they never rob each other; though this does not hold good of their -disposition toward the white man, for from him they make it a habit to -filch all they can. - -I cannot imagine any living thing so utterly callous as they. Why, even -my Esquimau dogs exhibit more sympathetic interest in each other's -welfare. They at least hang together for a common object; sometimes -fighting, it is true, but they make friends again after the contest is -over. But these Esquimaux never fight, by any chance. They stealthily -harpoon a troublesome rival in the hunt, or an old decrepit man or -woman who are a burden; or a person who is supposed to be bewitched, -or a lazy fellow who has no dogs, and lives off his more industrious -neighbors. They even destroy their own offspring when there happen to -be too many of them brought into the world, or one should chance to be -born with some deformity which will make it incapable of self-support; -but they never meet in open combat; at least, such are the habits -of the tribes who have not yet been reached in some degree by the -influences of Christian civilization, or who have not had ingrafted -upon them some of the aggressive customs of the old Norsemen, who, from -the ninth to the fourteenth centuries, lived and fought in Southern -Greenland. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU TRAITS.] - -With such traits of character they are naturally disinclined to be -amiable toward any one who is particularly fortunate, and it is not -surprising, therefore, that Hans should be envious of Peter. Even had -I given the latter no more clothing than was sufficient to cover his -nakedness, it would have been all the same. Had I crowded upon Hans -the best of every thing in the vessel, without respect to quantity or -usefulness, it would not be more than he covets. But the fellow is -especially jealous of my personal kind attentions to Peter, for he sees -in that the guaranty of still further gifts. - -Hans, by the way, keeps up an establishment of his own; and, having -a piece of feminine humanity, he can claim the dignity of systematic -housekeeping. Within the house on the upper deck he has pitched -his Esquimau tent, and, with his wife and baby, half buried in -reindeer-skins, he lives the life of a true native. His wife bears the -name of Merkut, but is better known as Mrs. Hans. She is a little -chubby specimen of woman-kind, and, for an Esquimau, not ill-looking. -In truth she is, I will not say the prettiest, but the least ugly -thorough-breed that I have seen. Her complexion is unusually fair, so -much so that a flush of red is visible on her cheeks when she can be -induced to use a little soap and water to remove the thick plaster of -oily soot which covers it. This, however, rarely happens; and as for -undergoing another such soaking and scrubbing as the sailors gave her -on the way up from Cape York, she cannot be induced to think of it. - -[Sidenote: HANS AND HIS FAMILY.] - -The baby is a lively specimen of unwashed humanity. It is about ten -months old, and rejoices in the name of Pingasuk--"The Pretty One." -It appears to take as naturally to the cold as ducklings to water, -and may be seen almost any day crawling through the open slit of the -tent, and then out over the deck, quite innocent of clothing; and its -mother, equally regardless of temperature or what, in civilized phrase -and conventional usage we designate as modesty, does not hesitate to -wander about in the same exposed manner. The temperature, however, of -the house is never very low, mostly above freezing. - -[Sidenote: MARCUS AND JACOB.] - -My other two Esquimau hunters, Marcus and Jacob, are lodgers with the -Hans family. They are a pair of droll fellows, very different from Hans -and Peter. Marcus will not work, and Jacob has grown like the Prince of -Denmark, "fat and scant of breath," and cannot. As for hunters, they -are that only in name. They have been tried at every thing for which -it was thought possible that they could be of any use and it is now -agreed on all sides that they can only be serviceable in amusing the -crew and in cutting up our game; and these things they do well and -cheerfully, for out of these pursuits grows an endless opportunity to -feed; and as for feeding, I have never seen man nor beast that could -rival them, especially Jacob. The stacks of meat that this boy disposes -of seem quite fabulous; and it matters not to him whether it is boiled -or raw. The cook declares that "he can eat heself in three meals," -meaning, of course, his own weight; but I need hardly say that this is -an exaggeration. The steward quotes Shakespeare, and thinks that he -has hit the boy very hard when he proclaims him to be a savage "of an -unbounded stomach." The sailors tease him about his likeness to the -animals which he so ruthlessly devours. A pair of antlers are growing -from his forehead, rabbit's hair is sprouting on his distended abdomen, -and birds' feathers are appearing on his back; his arms and legs are -shortening into flippers, his teeth are lengthening into tusks, and -they mean to get a cask of walrus blubber out of him before the spring; -all of which he takes good-naturedly; but there is a roguish leer in -his eye, and if I mistake not he will yet be even with his tormentors. -So much for my Esquimau subjects. - - October 21st. - -I have had another lively race to the glacier, and have had a day of -useful work. Hans drove Sonntag, and Jensen was, as usual, my "whip." -We took Carl and Peter along to help us with our surveying; and, -although there were three persons and some instruments on each sledge, -yet this did not much interfere with our progress. We were at the foot -of the glacier in forty minutes. - -The dogs are getting a little toned down with use, and I have directed -that their rations shall not be quite as heavy as they were. They are -lively enough still, but not so hard to keep in hand. - -[Sidenote: HABITS OF DOGS.] - -My teams greatly interest me, and no proprietor of a stud of horses -ever took greater satisfaction in the occupants of his stables than I -do in those of my kennels. Mine, however, are not housed very grandly, -said kennels being nothing more than certain walls of hard snow built -up alongside the vessel, into which the teams, however, rarely chose -to go, preferring the open ice-plain, where they sleep, wound up in a -knot like worms in a fish-basket, and are often almost buried out of -sight by the drifting snow. It is only when the temperature is very -low and the wind unusually fierce that they seek the protection of the -snow-walls. - -These dogs are singular animals, and are a curious study. They have -their leader and their sub-leaders--the rulers and the ruled--like -any other community desiring good government. The governed get what -rights they can, and the governors bully them continually in order -that they may enjoy security against rebellion, and live in peace. -And a community of dogs is really organized on the basis of correct -principles. As an illustration,--my teams are under the control of a -big aggressive brute, who sports a dirty red uniform with snuff-colored -facings, and has sharp teeth. He possesses immense strength, and his -every movement shows that he is perfectly conscious of it. In the -twinkling of an eye he can trounce any dog in the whole herd; and he -seems to possess the faculty of destroying conspiracies, cabals, and -all evil designings against his stern rule. None of the other dogs like -him, but they cannot help themselves; they are afraid to turn against -him, for when they do so there is no end to the chastisements which -they receive. Now Oosisoak (for that is his name) has a rival, a huge, -burly fellow with black uniform and white collar. This dog is called -Karsuk, which expresses the complexion of his coat. He is larger than -Oosisoak, but not so active nor so intelligent. Occasionally he has a -set-to with his master; but he always comes off second best, and his -unfortunate followers are afterwards flogged in detail by the merciless -red-coat. The place of Oosisoak, when harnessed to the sledge, is on -the left of the line, and that of Karsuk on the right. - -[Sidenote: THE LEADER OF THE PACK.] - -There is another powerful animal which we call Erebus, who governs -Sonntag's team as Oosisoak governs mine, and he can whip Karsuk, but -he never has a bout with my leader except at his peril and that of his -followers. And thus they go along, fighting to preserve the peace, and -chawing each other up to maintain the balance of power; and this is all -to my advantage; for if the present relations of things were disturbed, -my community of dogs would be in a state of anarchy. Oosisoak would go -into exile, and would die of laziness and a broken heart, and great and -bloody would be the feuds between the rival interests, led by Karsuk -and Erebus, before it was decided which is the better team. - -[Sidenote: THE QUEEN OF THE KENNEL.] - -Oosisoak has other traits befitting greatness. He has sentiment. He has -chosen one to share the glory of his reign, to console his sorrows, -and to lick his wounds when fresh from the bloody field. Oosisoak has -a queen; and this object of his affection, this idol of his heart, is -never absent from his side. She runs beside him in the team, and she -fights for him harder than any one of his male subjects. In return -for this devotion he allows her to do pretty much as she pleases. She -may steal the bone out of his mouth, and he gives it up to her with a -sentimental grimace that is quite instructive. But it happens sometimes -that he is himself hungry, and he trots after her, and when he thinks -that she has got her share he growls significantly; whereupon she -drops the bone without even a murmur. If the old fellow happens to be -particularly cross when a reindeer is thrown to the pack, he gets upon -it with his forefeet, begins to gnaw away at the flank, growling a -wolfish growl all the while, and no dog dare come near until he has had -his fill except Queen Arkadik, (for by that name is she known,) nor can -she approach except in one direction. She must come alongside of him, -and crawl between his fore-legs and eat lovingly from the spot where he -is eating. - -So much for my dogs. I shall doubtless have more to say about them -hereafter, but there is only a small scrap of the evening left, and I -must go back to "My Brother John's Glacier." - -Halting our teams near the glacier front, we proceeded to prepare -ourselves for ascending to its surface. Its face, looking down the -valley, exhibits a somewhat convex lateral line, and is about a mile -in extent, and a hundred feet high. It presents the same fractured -surfaces of the iceberg, the same lines of vertical decay caused by the -waters trickling from it in the summer,--the same occasional horizontal -lines, which, though not well marked, seemed to conform to the curve -of the valley in which the glacier rests. The slope backward from this -mural face is quite abrupt for several hundred feet, after which the -ascent becomes gradual, decreasing to six degrees, where it finally -blends with the _mer de glace_ which appears to cover the land to the -eastward. - -At the foot of the glacier front there is a pile of broken fragments -which have been detached from time to time. Some of them are very -large--solid lumps of clear crystal ice many feet in diameter. One such -mass, with an immense shower of smaller pieces, cracked off while we -were looking at it, and came crashing down into the plain below. - -The surface of the glacier curves gently upward from side to side. -It does not blend with the slope of the mountain, but, breaking off -abruptly, forms, as I have before observed, a deep gorge between the -land and the ice. This gorge is interrupted in places by immense -boulders which have fallen from the cliffs, or by equally large masses -of ice which have broken from the glacier. Sometimes, however, these -interruptions are of a different character, when the ice, moving bodily -forward, has pushed the rocks up the hill-side in a confused wave. - -[Sidenote: CLIMBING THE GLACIER.] - -The traveling along this winding gorge was laborious, especially as -the snow-crusts sometimes gave way and let one's legs down between the -sharp stones, or equally sharp ice; but a couple of miles brought us -to a place where we could mount by using our axe in cutting steps, as -Sonntag had done before. - -We were now fairly on the glacier's back, and moved cautiously toward -its centre, fearful at every step that a fissure might open under our -feet, and let us down between its hard ribs. But no such accident -happened, and we reached our destination, where the surface was -perfectly smooth--an inclined plain of clear, transparent ice. - -[Sidenote: SURVEYING THE GLACIER.] - -Our object in this journey was chiefly to determine whether the glacier -had movement; and for this purpose we followed the very simple and -efficient plan of Professor Agassiz in his Alpine surveys. First we -placed two stakes in the axis of the glacier, and carefully measured -the distance between them; then we planted two other stakes nearly -midway between these and the sides of the glacier; and then we set the -theodolite over each of these stakes in succession, and connected them -by angles with each other and with fixed objects on the mountain-side. -These angles will be repeated next spring, and I shall by this means -know whether the glacier is moving down the valley, and at what rate. - -On this, as on every other occasion when we have attempted to do -any thing requiring carefulness and deliberation, the wind came to -embarrass us. The temperature alone gives us little concern. Although -it may be any number of degrees below zero, we do not mind it, for we -have become accustomed to it; but the wind is a serious inconvenience, -especially when our occupations, as in the present instance, do -not admit of active exercise. It is rather cold work handling the -instrument; but the tangent screws have been covered with buckskin, and -we thus save our fingers from being "burnt," as our little freezings -are quite significantly called. - -I purpose making a still further exploration of this glacier to-morrow, -and will defer until then any further description of it. - -During my absence the hunters have not been idle. Barnum has killed six -deer; Jensen shot two and Hans nine; but the great event has been the -sailing-master's birthday dinner; and I returned on board finding all -hands eagerly awaiting my arrival to sit down to a sumptuous banquet. - -[Sidenote: A SOCIAL RULE.] - -I have inaugurated the rule that all birthdays shall be celebrated in -this manner; and, when his birthday comes round, each individual is at -liberty to call for the very best that my lockers and the steward's -store-room can furnish; and in this I take credit for some wisdom. I -know by experience what the dark cloud is under which we are slowly -drifting, and I know that my ingenuity will be fully taxed to pass -through it with a cheerful household; and I know still further, that, -whether men live under the Pole Star or under the Equator, they can be -made happy if they can be made full; and furthermore, at some hour of -the day, be it twelve or be it six, all men must "dine;" for are they -not - - "----a carnivorous production, - Requiring meals,--at least one meal a day? - They cannot live, like woodcock, upon suction; - But, like the shark and tiger, must have prey." - -And hence they take kindly to venison and such like things, and they -remember with satisfaction the advice of St. Paul to the gentle -Timothy, to "use a little wine for the stomach's sake." - -McCormick was not only the subject to be honored on this occasion, but -to do honor to himself. He has actually cooked his own dinner, and has -done it well. My sailing-master is a very extraordinary person, and -there seems to be no end to his accomplishments. Possessing a bright -intellect, a good education, and a perfect magazine of nervous energy, -he has, while knocking about the world, picked up a smattering of -almost every thing known under the sun, from astronomy to cooking, and -from seamanship to gold-digging. And he is something of a philosopher, -for he declares that he will have all the comfort he can get when off -duty, while he does not seem to regard any sort of exposure, and is -quite careless of himself, when on duty; and besides, he appears to -possess that highly useful faculty of being able to do for himself -any thing that he may require to be done by others. He can handle a -marline-spike as well as a sextant, and can play sailor, carpenter, -blacksmith, cook, or gentleman with equal facility. So much for the -man; now for his feast. - -[Sidenote: THE SAILING-MASTER] - -A day or so ago I found lying on my cabin-table a neat little missive -which politely set forth, that "Mr. McCormick presents the compliments -of the officers' mess to the Commander, and requests the honor of his -company to dinner in their cabin, on the 21st instant, at six o'clock." -And I have answered the summons, and have got back again into my own -den overwhelmed with astonishment at the skill of my sailing-master -in that art, the cultivation of which has made Lucullus immortal and -Soyer famous, and highly gratified to see both officers and men so -well pleased. The bill of fare, "with some original illustrations by -Radcliffe," set forth a very tempting invitation to a hungry man, -and its provisions were generally fulfilled. There was a capital -soup--_jardinière_--nicely flavored, a boiled salmon wrapped in the -daintiest of napkins, a roast haunch of venison weighing thirty pounds, -and a brace of roast eider-ducks, with currant-jelly and apple-sauce, -and a good variety of fresh vegetables; and after this a huge -plum-pudding, imported from Boston, which came in with the flames of -_Otard_ flickering all around its rotund lusciousness; and then there -was mince-pie and blanc-mange and nuts and raisins and olives and -Yankee cheese and Boston crackers and coffee and cigars, and I don't -know what else besides. There were a couple of carefully-treasured -bottles of Moselle produced from the little receptacle under my bunk, -and some madeira and sherry from the same place. - -[Sidenote: A BIRTHDAY DINNER.] - -The only dish that was purely local in its character was a _mayonnaise_ -of frozen venison (raw) thinly sliced and dressed in the open air. It -was very crisp, but its merits were not duly appreciated. The "Bill" -wound up thus:--"Music on the fiddle by Knorr. Song, 'We won't go home -till mornin',' by the mess. Original 'yarns' always in order, but 'Joe -Millers' forbidden on penalty of clearing out the 'fire-hole' for the -balance of the night." - -I left the party two hours ago in unrestrained enjoyment of the -evening. And right good use do they appear to be making of the -occasion. The whole ship's company seem to be like Tam O'Shanter,-- - - "O'er a' the ills o' life victorious," - -without, however, so far as I can discover, any thing of the cause -which led to that renowned individual's satisfactory state of mind. -The sailors are following up their feast with a lively dance, into -which they have forced Marcus and Jacob; while the officers, like -true-born Americans, are making speeches. At this moment I hear some -one proposing the health of "The Great Polar Bear." - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - JOURNEY ON THE GLACIER.--THE FIRST CAMP.--SCALING THE - GLACIER.--CHARACTER OF ITS SURFACE.--THE ASCENT.--DRIVEN BACK - BY A GALE.--LOW TEMPERATURE.--DANGEROUS SITUATION OF THE - PARTY.--A MOONLIGHT SCENE. - - -Notwithstanding that we had no actual daylight even at noontime, yet -it was light enough for traveling; and the moon being full, and adding -its brightness to that of the retiring sun, I felt no hesitation in -carrying into execution my contemplated journey upon the glacier. -The severe gales appeared to have subsided, and I thought that the -undertaking might be made with safety. - -I could do nothing at this period that would bear directly upon my -plans of exploration toward the north, and I desired to employ my time -to the best advantage. The sea immediately outside of the harbor still -remained unfrozen, and we were kept close prisoners within Hartstene -Bay--being unable to pass around the capes which bounded it to the -north and south. Both Cape Alexander and Cape Ohlsen were still lashed -by the troubled sea. There was evidently a large open area in the mouth -of the Sound, extending down into the "North Water." When the wind set -in from that direction the ice was broken up far within the bay, to be -drifted off when it changed to the eastward. - -Besides this, even if the ice had closed up, so little faith had I -in the autumn as a season for sledge traveling upon the sea, that I -doubt if I should have attempted a journey in that quarter. In those -positions most favorable to early freezing the ice does not unite -firmly until the darkness has fully set in; and traveling is not only -attended with much risk, but with great loss of that physical strength -so necessary to resist the insidious influences of the malady, hitherto -so often fatal to sojourners in the Arctic darkness. And it has been -the general judgment of my predecessors in this region, that the late -spring and early summer are alone calculated for successful sledge -traveling. I recall but two commanders who have sent parties into -the field in the autumn, and in both of these cases the attempt was, -apparently, not only useless, but prejudicial. The men were broken down -by the severity of the exposure--having been almost constantly wet and -always cold--and when the darkness set in they were laid up with the -scurvy; and in the spring it was discovered that the depots which they -had established were, for the most part, either destroyed by bears or -were otherwise unavailable. - -[Sidenote: JOURNEY ON THE GLACIER.] - -With inland traveling the case is different. There is then no risk of -getting wet, and I have not ordinarily experienced serious difficulty -in traveling at any temperature, however severe, provided I could keep -my party dry. Some dampness is, however, almost unavoidable even on -land journeys, and this is, in truth, one of the most embarrassing -obstacles with which the Arctic traveler has to contend. Even at low -temperatures he cannot wholly avoid some moisture to his clothes and -fur bedding, caused by the warmth of his own person melting the snow -beneath him while he sleeps. - -This being our first journey, of course everybody was eager to go. -I had at first intended to take the dogs, with Jensen as my only -companion and driver; but upon talking the matter over with that -individual, (in whose judgment with respect to such things I had much -confidence), I yielded to his opinion that the dogs were not available -for that kind of work. I had reason afterwards to regret the decision, -for it was found that they might have been used during some parts of -the journey with great advantage. It occurred to me, upon subsequent -reflection, that for Jensen's aspersions of the dogs an ample apology -might be found in Sonntag's broken barometer. - -[Sidenote: JOURNEY ON THE GLACIER.] - -Having concluded to make the journey with men alone, my choice fell -upon Mr. Knorr, John McDonald, Harvey Heywood, Christian Petersen, and -the Esquimau Peter. McDonald was one of my very best sailors--a short, -well-knit fellow, always ready for work. Christian was not unlike him -in make, disposition, and endurance, and, although a carpenter, was yet -something of a sailor. He had lived during several years in Greenland, -and had become inured to a life of exposure. Heywood was a landsman -from the far-West, and had joined me from pure enthusiasm. He was full -of courage and energy, and, although occupying a position in the ship's -company much inferior to his deserts, yet nothing better could be done -for him. He was bent upon accompanying the expedition, no matter in -what capacity.[5] With Peter the reader is already acquainted. - -[Footnote 5: It affords me great satisfaction to learn recently that -Harvey Heywood has served during the late war, in the Southwest, with -great gallantry, winning for himself a commission, being attached to -the engineers, on the general staff. I found him to be an excellent -draughtsman.] - -We set out on the 22d of October, the day following the celebration -which closes the last chapter. Our sledge was lightly laden with a -small canvas tent, two buffalo-skins for bedding, a cooking-lamp, and -provisions for eight days. Our personal equipment needs but a brief -description. An extra pair of fur stockings, a tin cup, and an iron -spoon, per man, was the whole of it. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST CAMP.] - -Our first camp was made at the foot of the glacier. The first camp -of a journey anywhere in the world is usually uncomfortable enough, -notwithstanding it may perhaps have its bright side; but this one, to -my little party, did not appear to have any bright side at all. The -temperature was -11°, and we had no other fire than what was needed -in our furnace-lamp for cooking our hash and coffee. I believe no one -slept. Our tent was pitched, of necessity, on a sloping hill-side, and -on the smoothest bed of stones that we could find. We turned out in the -moonlight and went to work. - -The next journey carried us to the top of the glacier, and it was a -very serious day's business. I have already described, in the last -chapter, the rugged character of the gorge through which we were -obliged to travel, in order to reach a point where we could scale -the glacier. The laden sledge could not be dragged over the rocks -and blocks of ice, and the men were therefore compelled to carry our -equipments, piece by piece, on their shoulders. Reaching the spot -where, with Mr. Sonntag, I had before made an ascent, we prepared to -hoist the sledge. - -The scenery was here quite picturesque. We were standing in a little -triangular valley, with a lake in its centre. At our left rose the -great glacier, and at our right a small stream of ice poured through a -deep gorge. Before us stood a massive pillar of red-sandstone rock, -behind which these two streams uniting, wholly surrounded it, making it -truly an island--an island in a sea of ice. The little lake exhibited -a phenomenon which I found quite instructive in connection with my -present journey. It had been well filled with water at the close of -the thaw season, and the ice was formed upon it before the water had -subsided. When the lake had drained off under the glacier the ice was -left with no other support than the rocks. In many places it had bent -down with its own weight, and in one instance I observed that, the -pressure being finally exerted on the corners of the remaining slab, -this ice, in a temperature below zero, and six inches thick, had been -twisted into a shape resembling the mold-board of a farmer's plow. - -[Sidenote: SCALING THE GLACIER.] - -The first attempt to scale the glacier was attended with an incident -which looked rather serious at the moment. The foremost member of the -party missed his footing as he was clambering up the rude steps, and, -sliding down the steep side, scattered those who were below him to -right and left, and sent them rolling into the valley beneath. The -adventure might have been attended with serious consequences, for -there were many rocks projecting above the snow and ice at the foot of -the slope. The next effort was more successful, and the end of a rope -being carried over the side of the glacier, the sledge was drawn up the -inclined plane, and we started off upon our journey. The ice was here -very rough and much broken, and was almost wholly free from snow. - -We had not traveled long before an accident happened to me similar -to that which had before occurred to Mr. Sonntag. Walking in advance -of the party, who were dragging the sledge, I found myself, without -any warning, suddenly sinking through the snow, and was only saved by -holding firmly to a wooden staff which I carried over my shoulder, -fearful that such a misadventure might befall me. The staff spanned the -opening and supported me until I could scramble out. The crack may not -have been very deep, but, not having found any support for my feet, I -felt glad to have been able to postpone the solution of the interesting -scientific question, as to whether these fissures extend entirely -through the body of the glacier, to some future occasion. - -As we neared the centre of the glacier the surface became more smooth, -and gave evidence of greater security. The great roughness of the sides -was no doubt due to an uneven conformation of that portion of the -valley upon which the ice rested. - -Journeying then about five miles, we pitched our tent upon the ice, -and, turning into it, after a hearty supper of hash, bread, and coffee, -we slept soundly,--being too much fatigued to give thought to the -temperature, which had fallen several degrees lower than during the -previous night. - -[Sidenote: THE ASCENT.] - -On the following day we traveled thirty miles; and the ascent, which, -during the last march, had been at an angle of about 6°, diminished -gradually to about one third of that angle of elevation; and from a -surface of hard ice we had come upon an even plain of compacted snow, -through which no true ice could be found after digging down to the -depth of three feet. At that depth, however, the snow assumed a more -gelid condition, and, although not actually ice, we could not penetrate -further into it with our shovel without great difficulty. The snow was -covered with a crust through which the foot broke at every step, thus -making the traveling very laborious. - -[Sidenote: EXCESSIVE COLD.] - -About twenty-five miles were made during the following day, the track -being of the same character as the day before, and at about the same -elevation; but the condition of my party warned me against the hazard -of continuing the journey. The temperature had fallen to 30° below -zero, and a fierce gale of wind meeting us in the face, drove us -into our tent for shelter, and, after resting there for a few hours, -compelled our return. I had, however, accomplished the principal -purpose of my journey, and had not in any case intended to proceed more -than one day further, at this critical period of the year. - -My party had not yet become sufficiently inured to exposure at such -low temperatures to enable them to bear it without risk. They were -all more or less touched with the frost, and the faces of two of -them had been so often frozen that they had become very painful and -much swollen, and their feet being constantly cold, I was fearful of -some serious accident if we did not speedily seek safety at a lower -level. The temperature fell to 34° below zero during the night, and -it is a circumstance worthy of mention that the lowest record of the -thermometer at Port Foulke, during our absence, was 22° higher. The men -complained bitterly, and could not sleep. One of them seemed likely to -give up altogether, and I was compelled to send him into the open air -to save himself from perishing by a vigorous walk. - -The storm steadily increased in force, and, the temperature falling -lower and lower, we were all at length forced to quit the tent, and in -active exercise strive to prevent ourselves from freezing. To face the -wind was not possible, and shelter was nowhere to be found upon the -unbroken plain. There was but one direction in which we could move, -and that was with our backs to the gale. Much as I should have liked -to continue the journey one day more, it was clear to me that longer -delay would not alone endanger the lives of one or two members of my -party, but would wholly defeat the purposes of the expedition by the -destruction of all of us. - -It was not without much difficulty that the tent was taken down and -bundled upon the sledge. The wind blew so fiercely that we could -scarcely roll it up with our stiffened hands. The men were suffering -with pain, and could only for a few moments hold on to the hardened -canvas. Their fingers, freezing continually, required active pounding -to keep them upon the flickering verge of life. We did not wait for -neat stowage or an orderly start. Danger suggests prompt expedients. - -[Sidenote: A DANGEROUS SITUATION.] - -Our situation at this camp was as sublime as it was dangerous. We had -attained an altitude of five thousand feet above the level of the -sea, and we were seventy miles from the coast, in the midst of a vast -frozen sahara, immeasurable to the human eye. There was neither hill, -mountain, nor gorge anywhere in view. We had completely sunk the strip -of land which lies between the _mer de glace_ and the sea; and no -object met the eye but our feeble tent, which bent to the storm. Fitful -clouds swept over the face of the full-orbed moon, which, descending -toward the horizon, glimmered through the drifting snow that whirled -out of the illimitable distance, and scudded over the icy plain;--to -the eye, in undulating lines of downy softness; to the flesh, in -showers of piercing darts. - -Our only safety was in flight; and like a ship driven before a tempest -which she cannot withstand, and which has threatened her ruin, we -turned our backs to the gale; and, hastening down the slope, we ran to -save our lives. - -We traveled upwards of forty miles, and had descended about three -thousand feet before we ventured to halt. The wind was much less -severe at this point than at the higher level, and the temperature had -risen twelve degrees. Although we reposed without risk, yet our canvas -shelter was very cold; and, notwithstanding the reduced force of the -gale, there was some difficulty in keeping the tent from being blown -away. - -We reached Port Foulke the next evening, after a toilsome march, -without having suffered any serious accident. - -[Sidenote: JOURNEYING BY MOONLIGHT.] - -[Sidenote: AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE.] - -The latter part of the journey was made wholly by moonlight. The air -was found to be quite calm when we reached the base of the glacier; and -the journey down its lower face, and through the gorge, and over the -valley, and across Alida Lake and the Fiord, was made in the presence -of a scene which was very impressive. Sheets of drifting snow swept -over the white-crested hills like insubstantial spirits flitting wildly -through the night. These told that the gale yet howled above; but in -our lowly shelter the air was still as a cave in the midst of winds. No -cloud obscured the broad archway of the skies. The gentle stars, robed -in the drapery of night, rejoiced to behold their forms in the smooth -mirror of the lake. The glacier threw back the chilly moonbeams. The -shadows of the dark cliffs stole into the flood of light which filled -the valley. The white Fiord, dotted with islands, wound between the -rugged capes, and its ice-clad waters spread out into the bay and then -merged with the broad sea. In the dim distance loomed up the lofty -snow-clad mountains of the west coast. Upon the sea floated a heavy -bank of mist, which, slowly changing when moved by the wind, disclosed -within its dark bosom the ghostly form of an iceberg; and a feeble -auroral light fringed this sombre cloak of the waves. Angry flashes -darted from behind this mass of impenetrable blackness, and, rushing -fiercely among the constellations, seemed like fiery arrows shot up by -evil spirits of another world. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - IMPORTANT RESULTS OF THE RECENT JOURNEY.--THE GLACIER SYSTEM OF - GREENLAND.--GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT.--ILLUSTRATIONS - DRAWN FROM THE ALPINE GLACIERS.--GLACIER MOVEMENT.--OUTLINE OF - THE GREENLAND _MER DE GLACE_. - - -The results of the journey recorded in the last chapter gave me great -satisfaction. They furnished an important addition to the observations -which I had made in former years; and I was glad to have an opportunity -to form a more clear conception of the glacier system of Greenland. The -journey possesses the greater value, that it was the first successful -attempt which had been made to penetrate into the interior over the -_mer de glace_. - -Although I had, in my overland journey from Van Rensselaer Harbor with -Mr. Wilson, in 1853, reached the face of the _mer de glace_, where it -rested behind the lofty chain of hills which runs parallel with the -axis of the continent, yet this was the first time that I had actually -been upon it; and its vastness did not on the former occasion impress -me as now. Even the description of the great Humboldt Glacier which -I had from Mr. Bonsall, and the knowledge that I had acquired of the -immense glacier discharges of the region further south, failed to -inspire me with a full comprehension of the immensity of ice which lies -in the valleys and upon the sides of the Greenland mountains. - -Greenland may indeed be regarded as a vast reservoir of ice. Upon the -slopes of its lofty hills the downy snow-flake has become the hardened -crystal; and, increasing little by little from year to year and from -century to century, a broad cloak of frozen vapor has at length -completely overspread the land, and along its wide border there pour a -thousand crystal streams into the sea. - -[Sidenote: THE GLACIER SYSTEM.] - -The manner of this glacier growth, beginning in some remote epoch, when -Greenland, nursed in warmth and sunshine, was clothed with vegetation, -is a subject of much interest to the student of physical geography. -The explanation of the phenomena is, however, greatly simplified -by the knowledge which various explorers have contributed from the -Alps,--a quarter having all the value of the Greenland mountains, as -illustrating the laws which govern the formation and movements of -mountain ice, and which possesses the important advantage of greater -accessibility. - -It would be foreign to the scope and design of this book to enter into -any general discussion of the various theories which have been put -forth in explanation of the sublime phenomena, which, as witnessed -in the Alpine regions, have furnished a fruitful source of widely -different conclusions. It was, however, easy to perceive in the grand -old bed of ice over which I had traveled, those same physical markings -which had arrested the attention of Agassiz and Forbes and Tyndall, -and other less illustrious explorers of Alpine glaciers; and it was a -satisfaction to have confirmed by actual experiment in the field the -reflections of the study. The subject had long been to me one of great -interest; and I was much gratified to be able to make a comparison -between the Alpine and Greenland ice. It was not difficult to read in -the immense deposit over which I had walked whence came the suggestion -of _dilatation_ to Scheuchzer, or of _sliding_ to De Saussure; or, -in the steady progress of knowledge and discovery, the principles of -action that are illustrated by the terms _vitrious_ and _viscous_ -and _differential motion_, as applied to the Alpine ice by eminent -explorers of later date. - -[Sidenote: GLACIERS.] - -The subject of Greenland ice is one about which there exists much -popular misapprehension. As before stated, I do not here propose to -enter into a minute discussion of the manner of its formation and -movement, but will content myself with simply recognizing the fact, and -with drawing such comparison as may be needful between the mountain -ice of Greenland and similar deposits in other quarters of the world. -Under this head I trust that the reader may find sufficient interest -in the line of argument to follow me through a few pages, in a general -review of the whole field. At a later period I will recur to some -more specific details of information and discussion, as the narrative -carries us to other objects of inquiry. - -In order to make the subject clear, I cannot do better than to cite -my illustrations from the region of the Alps, where, through a long -period, earnest explorers have laboriously pursued their inquiries. One -of the most important and gifted of these was M. Le Chanonie Rendu, -Bishop of Annecy. This excellent and worthy man, and sincere devotee as -well of science as of religion, died some seven years ago. A lifetime -spent among the rugged crags and ice-cliffs of the Alpine Mountains had -familiarized him with every phase of Nature in that region of sublimity -and home of the wonderful. Professor Tyndall says truly of him, that -"his knowledge was extensive, his reasoning close and accurate, and -his faculty of observation extraordinary;" and he early brought his -splendid faculties of mind and his energy of body and profound love -of truth to bear upon the elucidation of those natural phenomena -which were constantly exhibited in his presence. After many years of -conscientious toil, he gave to the world the results of his systematic -investigations in an essay which was published in the Memoirs of the -Royal Academy of Sciences of Savoy, entitled, "_Théorie des Glaciers de -la Savoie_." - -[Sidenote: ORIGIN OF GLACIERS.] - -I will use the information acquired from this source as the basis of my -present argument,--to demonstrate, by the law as interpreted to us from -the Alps by this learned priest of Annecy, how the Arctic continent -receives its cloak of crystals, and how it discharges the superabundant -accumulation. - -Rendu first observes the piling up of the mountain snows. The snow -falling upon the mountains is partly converted into water, which runs -away to the river, and through the river to the sea; and is partly -converted into ice. The ice thus formed Rendu estimates to equal, in -the Alps, fifty-eight inches annually,--"which would make Mont Blanc -four hundred feet higher in a century, and four thousand feet higher in -a thousand years." - -"Now it is evident," observes he, "that nothing like this can occur in -Nature." - -This ice must be removed by the operation of some natural cause; and -observation having shown that this actually takes place, Rendu occupies -himself with methods to discover how Nature has performed the task; and -he comes to this very rational conclusion: That the glacier and the -river are in effect the same; that between them there is a resemblance -so complete that it is impossible to find in the latter a circumstance -which does not exist in the former; and as the river drains the -_waters_ which fall upon the hill-sides to the ocean, so the glacier -drains the _ice_ which forms from the snows on the mountain-sides down -to the same level: - -And he closes his argument with declaring the Law:-- - -[Sidenote: THE LAW OF CIRCULATION.] - -"The conserving will of the Creator has employed for the permanence of -His work the great Law of _Circulation_, which, strictly examined, is -found to reproduce itself in all parts of Nature." - -And, in illustration of this law, we see that the waters circulate from -the ocean to the air by evaporation, from the air again to the earth in -the form of dews and rains and snows, and from the earth back again to -the ocean through the great rivers which have gathered up the little -streams from every hill-side and valley. - -Now this law of Circulation is, in the icy regions of the Alps, of -the lofty Himalayas, of the Andes, of the mountains of Norway and of -Greenland, the same as in the lower and warmer regions of the earth, -where the rivers drain the surface-water to the sea. - -A glacier is in effect but a flowing stream of frozen water; and the -_river systems_ of the Temperate and Equatorial Zones become the -_glacier systems_ of the Arctic and Antarctic. - -We have now seen that a part of the snow which falls upon the mountains -is converted into ice, and this ice, strange though it seems, is -movable. By what exact principle of movement has not yet been decided -to the mutual satisfaction of the learned, but it is nevertheless true. -Rendu truly remarks:-- - -[Sidenote: MOVEMENT OF THE GLACIERS.] - -"There is a multitude of facts which would seem to necessitate the -belief that the substance of glaciers enjoys a kind of ductility, which -permits it to mould itself to the locality which it occupies, to grow -thin, to swell and to narrow itself like a soft paste." - -And this, true of the Alpine passes, is true also of the Greenland -valleys. A great frozen flood is pouring down the east and west slopes -of the Greenland continent; and, as in the Alps, what is gained in -height by one year's freezing is lost by the downward flow of the -mobile mass. - -And this movement is not embarrassed by any obstacle. The lower chains -of hills do not arrest it, for it moulds itself to their form, sweeps -through every opening between them, or overtops them. Valleys do not -interfere with its onward march, for the frozen stream enters them, -and levels them with the highest hills. It heeds not the precipice, -for it leaps over it into the plain below,--a giant, frozen waterfall. -Winter and summer are to it alike the same. It moves ever forward in -its irresistible career,--a vast, frozen tide swelling to the ocean. -It pours through every outlet of the coast ranges, down every ravine -and valley, overriding every impediment, grinding and crushing over the -rocks; and at length it comes upon the sea. But here it does not stop. -Pushing back the water, it makes its own coast line; and, moving still -onward, accommodating itself to every inequality of the bed of the sea, -as it had before done to the surface of the land, filling up the wide -bay or fiord, expanding where it expands, narrowing where it narrows, -swallowing up the islands in its slow and steady course, it finally -reaches many miles beyond the original shore-line. - -And now it has attained the climax of its progress. - -When, long ages ago, after pouring over the sloping land, it finally -reached the coast and looked down the bay which it was ultimately to -fill up, its face was many hundreds of feet high. Gradually it sank -below the line of waters as it moved outward, and finally its front has -almost wholly disappeared. - -[Sidenote: FORMATION OF ICEBERGS.] - -In a former chapter I have mentioned that a block of fresh-water ice -floating in sea water rises above the surface to the extent of one -eighth of its weight and bulk, while seven eighths of it are below -the surface. The cause of this is too well known to need more than a -passing explanation. Every school-boy is aware that water, in the act -of freezing, expands, and that in the crystal condition fresh water -occupies about one tenth more space than when in a fluid state; and -hence, when ice floats in the fresh water from which it was formed, -one tenth of it is exposed above, while the remaining nine tenths are -beneath the surface. When this same fresh-water ice (which it will be -remembered is the composition of the glacier) is thrown into the sea, -the proportion of that above to that below being changed from _one_ -and _nine_ to _one_ and _seven_, is due to the greater density of the -sea-water, caused by the salt which it holds in solution. - -[Sidenote: FORMATION OF ICEBERGS.] - -Now it will be obvious that, as the glacier continues to press further -and further into the sea, the natural equilibrium of the ice must -ultimately become disturbed,--that is, the end of the glacier is -forced further down into the water than it would be were it free from -restraint, and at liberty to float according to the properties acquired -by congelation. The moment that more than seven eighths of its front -are below the water line, the glacier will, like an apple pressed down -by the hand in a pail of water, have a tendency to rise, until it -assumes its natural equilibrium. Now it will be remembered that the -glacier is a long stream of ice, many miles in extent, and, although -the end may have this tendency to rise, yet it is, for a time, held -down firmly by the continuity of the whole mass. At length, however, as -the end of the glacier buries itself more and more in the water, the -tendency to rise becomes stronger and stronger, and finally the force -thus generated is sufficient to break off a fragment, which, once free, -is buoyed up to the level that is natural to it. This fragment may be a -solid cube half a mile through, or even of much greater dimensions. The -disruption is attended with a great disturbance of the waters, and with -violent sounds which may be heard for many miles; but, floating now -free in the water, the oscillations which the sudden change imparted to -it gradually subside; and, after acquiring its natural equilibrium, the -crystal mass drifts slowly out to sea with the current, and is called -an Iceberg.[6] - -[Footnote 6: It was formerly supposed that the icebergs were discharged -by the force of gravity, but this error, as well as the true theory of -berg discharge, was pointed out by Dr. H. Rink, now Royal Inspector of -South Greenland. Some fragments are, however, detached from the face of -the glacier and fall into the water, but these are always necessarily -of comparatively small dimensions, and can scarcely be called bergs.] - -[Sidenote: THE LAW OF CIRCULATION.] - -And thus the glacier has fulfilled its part in the great law of -_Circulation_ and change. - -The dew-drop, distilled upon the tropic palm-leaf, falling to the -earth, has reappeared in the gurgling spring of the primeval forest, -has flown with the rivulet to the river, and with the river to the -ocean; has then vanished into the air, and, wafted northward by the -unseen wind, has fallen as a downy snow-flake upon the lofty mountain, -where, penetrated by a solar ray, it has become again a little globule -of water, and the chilly wind, following the sun, has converted this -globule into a crystal; and the crystal takes up its wandering course -again, seeking the ocean. - -But where its movement was once rapid, it is now slow; where it then -flowed with the river miles in an hour, it will now flow with the -glacier not more in centuries; and where it once entered calmly into -the sea, it will now join the world of waters in the midst of a violent -convulsion. - -We have thus seen that the iceberg is the _discharge_ of the Arctic -river, that the Arctic river is the glacier, and that the glacier is -the accumulation of the frozen vapors of the air. We have watched -this river, moving on in its slow and steady course from the distant -hills, until at length it has reached the sea; and we have seen the -sea tear from the slothful stream a monstrous fragment, and take back -to itself its own again. Freed from the shackles which it has borne in -silence through unnumbered centuries, this new-born child of the ocean -rushes with a wild bound into the arms of the parent water, where it is -caressed by the surf and nursed into life again; and the crystal drops -receive their long-lost freedom, and fly away on the laughing waves to -catch once more the sunbeam, and to run again their course through the -long cycle of the ages. - -[Sidenote: BEAUTY AND GRANDEUR OF ICEBERGS.] - -And this _iceberg_ has more significance than the great flood which -the glacier's southern sister, the broad Amazon, pours into the ocean -from the slopes of the Andes and the mountains of Brazil. Solemn, -stately, and erect, in tempest and in calm, it rides the deep. The -restless waves resound through its broken archways and thunder against -its adamantean walls. Clouds, impenetrable as those which shielded the -graceful form of Arethusa, clothe it in the morning; under the bright -blaze of the noonday sun it is armored in glittering silver; it robes -itself in the gorgeous colors of evening; and in the silent night the -heavenly orbs are mirrored in its glassy surface. Drifting snows whirl -over it in the winter, and the sea-gulls swarm round it in the summer. -The last rays of departing day linger upon its lofty spires; and when -the long darkness is past it catches the first gleam of the returning -light, and its gilded dome heralds the coming morn. The Elements -combine to render tribute to its matchless beauty. Its loud voice is -wafted to the shore, and the earth rolls it from crag to crag among the -echoing hills. The sun steals through the veil of radiant fountains -which flutter over it in the summer winds, and the rainbow on its -pallid cheek betrays the warm kiss. The air crowns it with wreaths of -soft vapor, and the waters around it take the hues of the emerald and -the sapphire. In fulfillment of its destiny it moves steadily onward in -its blue pathway, through the varying seasons and under the changeful -skies. Slowly, as in ages long gone by it arose from the broad waters, -so does it sink back into them. It is indeed a noble symbol of the -Law,--a monument of Time's slow changes, more ancient than the Egyptian -Pyramids or the obelisk of Heliopolis. Its crystals were dew-drops and -snow-flakes long before the human race was born in Eden. - -[Sidenote: THE MER DE GLACE.] - -The glacier by which I had ascended to the _mer de glace_ furnishes a -fine illustration of growth and movement as I have described it. Coming -down from the _mer de glace_ in a steadily flowing stream, it has at -length filled up the entire valley in which it rests for a distance -of ten miles; and its terminal face, which, as heretofore stated, -is one mile across, is now two miles from the sea. The angles and -measurements of October, 1860, were repeated in July, 1861, as I shall -have occasion hereafter to illustrate, and the result showed the rate -of progress of the glacier to be upwards of one hundred feet annually. -It will thus be seen that more than a century will elapse before the -front of the glacier arrives at the sea; and since six miles must be -traveled over before it reaches deep water, at least five hundred years -will transpire before it discharges an iceberg of any considerable -magnitude. The movement of this glacier is much more rapid than others -which I have explored. From "My Brother John's Glacier" the margin of -the _mer de glace_ sweeps around behind the lofty hills back of Port -Foulke, and comes down to the sea in a discharging glacier above Cape -Alexander. This has a face of two miles, and some small icebergs are -disengaged from it. Thence, after surrounding Cape Alexander, embracing -it as with the arm of a mighty giant, it comes again into the water -on its south side; and, continuing thence southward in a succession -of broad and irregular curves, a frozen river is poured out from this -great inland sea of ice through every valley of the Greenland coast -from Smith's Sound to Cape Farewell, and from Cape Farewell on the -Spitzbergen side northward to the remotest boundary of the explored. -Northward from "My Brother John's Glacier" it makes a broad curve in -the rear of the hills hitherto mentioned, and opposite Van Rensselaer -Harbor it is between fifty and sixty miles from the sea, where it -was reached by Mr. Wilson and myself, as before stated. Its first -appearance upon the coast in that direction is at the head of Smith's -Sound, in the great Humboldt Glacier, which is reputed to be sixty -miles across. Beyond this it presses upon Washington Land, and thence -stretches away into the region of the unknown. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - MY CABIN.--SURVEYING.--CASTOR AND POLLUX.--CONCERNING - SCURVY.--DANGERS OF EATING COLD SNOW.--KNORR AND - STARR.--FROST-BITES.--HANS, PETER, AND JACOB AGAIN.--COAL - ACCOUNT.--THE FIRES.--COMFORT OF OUR QUARTERS.--THE HOUSE ON - DECK.--MILD WEATHER.--JENSEN.--MRS. HANS.--JOHN WILLIAMS, THE - COOK.--A CHEERFUL EVENING. - - -After a sound sleep had in some measure worn off the fatigues of the -journey on the glacier, I returned to my diary:-- - - October 28th. - -[Sidenote: MY CABIN.] - -I am not sorry to get back again into my cosy little cabin. I never -knew before what a snug home I have in the midst of this Arctic -wilderness. A few days on the ice and a few nights in a tent were -required to give me a proper appreciation of its comforts. Once I had -begun to regard it as a dingy, musty cell, fit only for a convict. -Now it is a real "weary man's rest," an oasis in a desert, a port in -a storm. The bright rays of the "fine-eyed Ull-Erin" were not a more -cheering guide to the love-bound Ossian than was the glimmer of this -cabin-lamp as I came in last night from the cold,--trudging across the -waste of snows. - -The curtains which inclose what is my lounge by day and my bed by night -have taken on a brighter crimson. The wolf and bear skins which cover -the lounge and the floor, protecting my feet against the frost which -strikes up from below, are positively luxurious; the lamp, which I -thought burned with a sickly sort of flame, is a very Drummond light -compared with what it was; the clock, which used to annoy me with its -ceaseless ticking, now makes grateful music; the books, which are stuck -about in all available places, seem to be lost friends found again; and -the little pictures, which hang around wherever there is room, seem to -smile upon me with a sort of sympathetic cheerfulness. Rolls of maps, -unfinished sketches, scraps of paper, all sorts of books, including -stray volumes of the "Penny Cyclopædia" and Soyer's "Principles of -Cooking," drawing implements, barometer cases, copies of Admiralty -Blue Books, containing reports of the Arctic Search, track charts of -all those British worthies, from Ross to Rae, who have gone in search -of Sir John Franklin, litter the floor; and, instead of annoying me -with their presence, as they used to do, they seem to possess an air -of quiet and refreshing comfort. My little pocket-sextant and compass, -hanging on their particular peg, my rifle and gun and flask and pouch -on theirs, with my traveling kit between them, break the blank space -on the bulk-head before me, and seem to speak a language of their own. -My good and faithful friend Sonntag sits opposite to me at the table, -reading. I write nestling among my furs, with my journal in my lap; and -when I contrast this night with the night on the glacier summit, and -listen now to the fierce wind which howls over the deck and through the -rigging, and think how dark and gloomy every thing is outside and how -light and cheerful every thing is here below, I believe that I have as -much occasion to write myself down a thankful man, as I am very sure I -do, for once at least, a contented one. - -Sonntag has given me a report of work done during my absence, and so -has McCormick. With Jensen I have had a talk about the hunt. I have -dined with the officers, and all goes "merry as a marriage bell." My -companions on the journey have recovered from their fatigue, and they -seem none the worse for the tramp, except such of them as have been -touched by the frost; and these look sorry enough. They get little -consolation from their shipmates. - -[Sidenote: SURVEYING.] - -I am much gratified to find that every thing has gone on so smoothly -while I was away. Sonntag has been twice to the glacier, and has -finished the survey and made some spirited sketches. He has also done -some valuable work on a base line, accurately measured upon the ice of -the outer bay. This base line is 9100 feet long, and his triangulations -give the following distances from the western point of Starr Island:-- - - To Cape Alexander, 8 nautical miles. - " " Isabella, 31 " " - " " Sabine, 42 " " - -[Sidenote: CONCERNING SCURVY.] - -My commands respecting the hunt have been carefully observed, and -numerous additions have been made to our rapidly accumulating stock -of fresh food. This gives me much gratification. My experience with -Dr. Kane has led me to believe that the scurvy, hitherto so often -fatal to Arctic travelers, may be readily avoided by the liberal use -of a fresh animal diet; and, although I have a fair supply of canned -meats and a good allowance of fresh vegetables, yet I do not wish to -depend wholly upon them; and, in order to make assurance doubly sure, I -have endeavored to spare no pains in securing whatever game is within -our reach. Accordingly I have always had a well-organized party of -hunters, who are exempt from other duty, and this system I propose -continuing. The result thus far has shown the correctness of my plan. -A more healthy ship's company could not be desired. Not a single case -of illness has yet occurred. I do not expect to have any scurvy in my -party, and I am firmly impressed with the belief that at Port Foulke -men might live indefinitely without being troubled with that "dread -scourge of the Arctic Zone." I do not, however, wholly rely upon the -hunters. The moral sentiments have much to do with health everywhere; -and, with the best food in the world, unhappiness will make more than -the heart sick. For my own part, I would rather take my chances against -the scurvy with the herbs and the love, than with hatred and the -stalled ox. Luckily my ship's company are as harmonious and happy as -they are healthy, and the fault will be mine if they do not continue so. - -Our game-list, according to Knorr, who keeps the tally, sums up as -follows: Reindeer 74, foxes 21, hares 12, seals 1, eider-ducks 14, -dovekies 8, auks 6, ptarmigan 1. This includes all that has been -brought on board from the beginning. Besides these substantial -contributions to our winter supplies, there are some twenty or thirty -reindeer cached in various places, which are available whenever we -choose to bring them in. The dogs are the largest consumers. - -I find McCormick suffering with a sore throat and swelled tongue, -resulting from eating snow. Leaving me at the glacier, he set out to -return on board, and, growing thirsty by the way, without being aware -of the evil consequences likely to result therefrom, commenced eating -snow to quench it. The effect of this indulgence was so to inflame -the mucous membrane as, in the end, to render the thirst greater and -greater the more the desire was indulged. Finally respiration became -difficult and painful, and he arrived on board much exhausted. It is a -good lesson for the ship's company,--a fact doubtless more consoling to -me than to the sufferer. - - October 29th. - -[Sidenote: CASTOR AND POLLUX.] - -I went out to-day with Mr. Sonntag to his base line, and made some -further measurements. In that direction there are a couple of mammoth -icebergs, which I have named "The Twins." They loom up grandly against -the dark western sky. Castor carries his head 230 feet above the sea, -and Pollux, though of smaller dimensions, is seventeen feet higher. - -After our usual evening game of chess, we have talked over some further -projects for the field. I propose a drive into the region of Humboldt -Glacier, Sonntag one to Van Rensselaer Harbor. It is important that the -meridian of this latter place should be connected with that of Port -Foulke. I yield to Sonntag for the present, and he starts the day after -to-morrow, weather permitting,--a proviso peculiarly necessary in this -blustering place. There is very little light left to us, but the moon -is full, and will probably serve to guide the party. There was not even -the faintest streak of light to-day at three o'clock. - - October 30th. - -Sonntag is all ready to start. He will take two sledges, with Jensen -and Hans for drivers. They are prepared for seven days' absence. I have -allowed Sonntag to provide his own equipment, without interference. He -has, I think, made it a little more cumbrous than he should,--a little -too much for personal comfort, that will be dead weight. Traveling in -this region is governed by very rigorous laws, and very little latitude -is allowed in the choice of one's outfit. There is probably no place in -the world where the traveler is compelled to deny himself so completely -those little articles of convenience which contribute so much to the -personal satisfaction. On ship-board he may indulge his taste for -luxury to the extent of his means; but when he takes to the ice-fields -and the dog-sledge he must come down to hard fare and carry nothing but -what is absolutely necessary to sustain life,--and this is simply meat, -bread, and coffee, or tea if he prefers it. The snow must serve for his -bed, and his only covering must be what is just sufficient to keep him -from freezing. Fire he cannot have, except the needful lamp to cook -his food, and if he should get cold he must warm himself by exercise. -During my late journey to the glacier, I carried for fuel only three -quarts of alcohol and the same quantity of oil, and this was not all -used. - -[Sidenote: FROST-BITES.] - -I went this morning into the hold to look after my companions on the -recent journey. They have all recovered from their little frost-bites -except Christian, whose nose is as big as his fist and as red as a -beet. He takes good-naturedly the jeers of his messmates. Knorr is, -however, almost as badly off in the nasal region as Christian, but he -has suffered no further misadventure. The nose is, indeed, a serious -inconvenience to the Arctic traveler, for it insists upon exposing -itself upon every occasion; and if you put it under a mask, it revenges -itself by coaxing the moisture of the breath up beneath it, so that in -an hour's time the intended protector becomes a worse enemy than the -wind itself. The mask is, in a little while, but a lump of ice. - -[Sidenote: KNORR AND STARR.] - -My youthful secretary, by the way, bore up bravely on the tramp. I -should not have taken him but for his constant and earnest appeals. -There does not appear to be much of life in him, but he has pluck, -and that is an excellent substitute; and thus far this quality has -carried him through. My friends told me, before leaving home, that I -was needlessly taking him to a very cold grave; but he does not appear -inclined to fulfill their predictions, and seems likely to hold his own -with the hardest-fisted sailor of the crew. He is but eighteen years -old, and, except Starr, who is about the same age, is the youngest -member of my party. Starr, too, is a plucky and useful boy. He got -into the party against my intentions, but I am very far from sorry. -Inspired with enthusiasm for Arctic adventure, he volunteered to go -with me in any capacity; and, having no convenient room in the cabin, -I told him that he could go in the forecastle, little dreaming that he -would accept my offer; but, sure enough, he turned up the next day in -sailor's rig. His bright beaver and shining broadcloth and polished -pumps had given place to cap and red shirt and sea boots, and I went -on board to find the metamorphosed boy of recent elegance manfully at -work. Admiring his spirit, I promoted him on the spot, and sent him aft -to the sailing-master,--the best I could do for him. - -[Sidenote: HANS, PETER, AND JACOB.] - -The rivalry between Hans and Peter waxes warmer. My sympathies go with -the latter, of which I have to-day given substantial proof. Up to this -time Hans has had charge of Sonntag's team, and has used it pretty much -as he pleased; but he being absent this morning, and Jensen being off -after some venison, I used Peter to drive me to the lower glacier, -where I wished to make some sketches. It appears that this excited -Hans' ire against poor Peter; which fact being duly reported by Jensen, -I have taken the dogs from Hans and given them into Peter's exclusive -charge. So one savage is pleased and the other is displeased; but we -shall probably have no public exhibitions of his spleen, as I have -read him a lecture upon the evil consequences arising from the display -of ill-temper, which he will probably remember,--as likely, however, -for evil as for good; for he is not of a forgiving disposition. Jensen -tells me that "they have made friends," which probably means mischief. - -Hans seems to retain the intelligence for which he was distinguished -when in the _Advance_. His character has undergone but little change, -and his face expresses the same traits as formerly,--the same smooth, -oily voice, the same cunning little eye, the same ugly disposition. -I have very little faith in him; but Sonntag has taken him into his -favor, and greatly prefers him to Jensen for a dog-driver. - -Peter, on the other hand, is a quiet, unobtrusive fellow, and is always -ready and willing to do any thing that is required of him, even by -the sailors, with whom he is very popular; and, of course, as with -good-nature everywhere, he is sometimes imposed upon. Jacob is Peter's -brother, and he continues to be the butt of the forecastle. The men -have made a bargain with him, and, according to all accounts, it works -satisfactorily. He is to wash their dishes, and they in return are -to give him all the crumbs that fall from their table. On these he -is growing more and more fat, and he has now greater difficulty than -ever in getting about. There is a beam in the fore-hold, only two -feet and a half from the floor, which he can no longer climb over. His -efforts to crawl under it have been not unaptly compared to those of a -seal waddling over the ice about its breathing-hole. Mr. Wardle's fat -boy was not more shapeless, and, like that plethoric individual, he -chiefly divides his time between eating and sleeping. His cheeks are -puffed out in a very ridiculous manner, and altogether he answers very -well the description of Mirabeau's corpulent acquaintance, who seemed -to have been created for no other purpose than to show to what extent -the human skin is capable of being stretched without bursting. The -executive officer tells me that he sent him the other day to the upper -deck to dress a couple of reindeer; but, having proceeded far enough to -expose a tempting morsel, he halted in his work, carved off a slice of -the half-frozen flesh, and was found some time afterwards fast asleep -between the two dead animals, with the last fragment of his _bonne -bouche_ dangling from his lips. - - November 1st. - -The new month comes in stormy. The travelers were to have set out -to-day, but a fierce gale detains them on board. The moon is now three -days past full, and if they are delayed much longer they will scarcely -have light enough for the journey. - -McCormick and Dodge have set a bear-trap between the icebergs Castor -and Pollux. It is a mammoth steel-trap, and is baited with venison and -fastened with my best ice-anchor. I pity the poor beast that gets his -foot in it. - -[Sidenote: COAL ACCOUNT.] - -[Sidenote: THE HOUSE ON DECK.] - -[Sidenote: COMFORT OF OUR QUARTERS.] - -I have been overhauling our coal account, and have regulated the daily -consumption for the winter. We have thirty-four tons on board, and -have but two fires. Two and a half buckets full a day go to the galley -stove in the hold, and one and a half to the cabin; and with this -consumption of fuel the people live in comfort and cook their food and -melt from the ice an abundant supply of water. The ice, which is of -the clearest and purest kind, comes from a little berg which is frozen -up in the mouth of the harbor, about half a mile away. I have no stove -in my own cabin, all the heat which I require coming to me across the -companion-way through the slats of my door, from the officers' stove. -The temperature in which I live ranges from 40° to 60°, and, among my -furs, I lounge through the hours that I do not spend out of doors as -snug and comfortable as I could wish to be. Something of my comfort -is, however, due to the excess of heat of the officers' quarters. The -temperature of their cabin runs sometimes to 75°, and is seldom lower -than 60°, and they are at times actually sweltering. Our quarters are -throughout free from dampness, and are well ventilated. A portion -of the main-hatch above the men's quarters is always open, and the -companion-scuttle is seldom closed. This ventilation being through the -house on deck, that apartment is kept at quite a comfortable degree of -warmth; and it is a very convenient medium between the lower deck and -the outer air. In this house such work is performed as cannot be done -below; and there, in the dim light of the signal-lamp, which hangs -suspended from the main-boom, one may see almost at any time a motley -group of men working or playing, as the case may be. Forward in one -corner stands Hans's tent, through the slits in which come the cheerful -glimmer of a lamp and the lullaby of an Esquimau mother, soothing to -sleep her "pretty one." On the opposite side is our butcher-shop, where -are piled up a lot of frozen reindeer, awaiting Marcus and Jacob,--the -butchers. Near by stands our portable forge and anvil, where McCormick -is forever blowing the hot embers and pounding at nobody knows what. -Dodge says "he is killing time." Under the window amidships stands the -carpenter's bench and the vice, where Christian, Jensen, Peter, and -Hans are always tinkering at some hunting or sledge implements,--while, -mingling promiscuously on the deck, the officers and men may be seen -smoking their pipes, and apparently intent only upon as little exertion -and as much amusement as the Arctic night will give them. A cheerful -light bursts up from below through the hatchways, bringing with it many -a cheerful laugh. Around the mainmast stands our gun-rack, and near -by is a neat arrangement of McCormick's where every man has a peg for -his fur coat, as we do not bring these things below, on account of the -great change of temperature producing dampness in them. - - November 2d. - -The barometer, which yesterday sank to 29.58, has been steadily rising -since, and stands now at 29.98, giving us thus a reasonable assurance -that the gale will come to an end by and by, and let the travelers off. -The gale has made wild work with the ice, breaking it up and driving it -out to the southwest until the open water is within two miles of the -schooner. The "twins" are right upon the margin of it, and, were they -not aground, would float away. One of Sonntag's base-line stations has -drifted off, and the bear-trap has followed after it, carrying away my -fine ice-anchor. Strange, the loose ice has all drifted out of sight, -and not a speck is to be seen upon the unhappy waters which roll and -tumble through the darkness around Cape Alexander. - -The temperature during this gale has been, throughout, very mild. -Although the wind was northeast, it has not been below zero at any time. - - November 3d. - -[Sidenote: MR. JENSEN.] - -The travelers are off at last, and at ten o'clock this evening they -disappoint me by not returning. Since it is evident that they have gone -around Cape Ohlsen, which I had some reason to doubt, I see no cause -why they should not reach their destination. They will have, however, -cracks which have been opened by the recent gales, and doubtless -heavily hummocked ice, to contend with; and I hardly know how Jensen -will get on with this sort of traveling. Bad enough for those who are -accustomed to it, it will be a sore trial to him. He is a splendid -whip, and drives his dogs superbly when the ice is reasonably smooth, -and the sledge glides glibly over it with the dogs at a gallop; but -this floundering through hummocks and deep snow-drifts, where the -sledge has to be lifted and is often capsized, where the dogs are -continually getting into a snarl,--their traces tangled, their tempers -ruffled, and a general fight resulting,--is a very different sort of -business, and is what he is not used to. To get through with it one -requires an almost superhuman stock of enduring patience; and if Jensen -returns from this journey with a good record, I shall have no fears for -him in the future. He is a very strong and able-bodied man, standing -six feet in his shoes, and is of powerful muscular build. The knowledge -acquired by some eight years' residence in Greenland, of hunting, and -of the Esquimau language, which he speaks like a native, and of the -English which he has picked up from the British whale-ships, makes him -one of the most useful members of my party. - -[Sidenote: DOMESTIC FELICITY.] - -The men have been busy sewing up seal-skins into coats, pantaloons, and -boots, to complete their winter wardrobe. They have tried very hard -to get Mrs. Hans to do this work for them, but the indolent creature -persistently refuses to sew a stitch. She is the most obstinate of -her sex; feels perfectly independent of every thing and of everybody; -pouts fiercely when she is not pleased, and gets the sulks about once -a fortnight, when she declares most positively that she will abandon -Hans and the white men forever, and go back to her own people. She once -tried the experiment, and started off at a rapid rate, with her baby on -her back, towards Cape Alexander. There had evidently been a domestic -spat. Hans came out of his tent as if nothing had happened, and stood -at the window leisurely smoking his pipe, and watching her in the most -unconcerned manner in the world. As she tripped off south I called his -attention to her. - -"Yes--me see." - -"Where is she going, Hans?" - -"She no go. She come back--all right." - -"But she will freeze, Hans?" - -"She no freeze. She come back by by,--you see." - -And he went on smoking his pipe with a quiet chuckle which told how -well he understood the whims of his beloved. Two hours afterward she -came back, sure enough, very meek and very cold, for the wind was -blowing in her face. - -The day being Saturday, the sailors are busy by turns at the wash-tub, -to have a clean turn-out for Sunday, on which day, even in this remote -corner of the world, everybody puts on his best, and at Sunday morning -muster my people present a very neat and creditable appearance. The -gray uniform which I have adopted as a dress-suit is always worn on -that occasion, both by officers and men. Each officer has a sailor for -a "washerwoman," and I have mine; and Knorr has just brought me in the -most encouraging accounts of his skill, and as a proof of it I found on -my table, when I came in out of the moonlight from a tramp to the open -water, (where I had been making some observations for temperature,) a -well-starched and neatly ironed cambric handkerchief, sprinkled with -cologne. - -[Sidenote: A CHEERFUL DAY.] - -The day, for some reason or other, seems to have been peculiarly -bright and cheerful to everybody, and the cheerfulness runs on into -the evening. I fancy that our old cook was in a more than usually -good humor, and doubtless this has had something to do with it. For -my own part, I must acknowledge the power of his artistic skill as -affecting the moral sentiments. My walk to the open water was both -cold and fatiguing. Desiring to get out as far as I could, I sprang -over the loose ice-tables, and reached an iceberg near "The Twins," -which I mounted; and, after digging a hole into it, found that it had -a temperature only 8° lower than the temperature of the water that -floated it, which was 29°. I scrambled back to the fast ice as quickly -as I could, for the tide and wind, which was strong from the land, -looked very much as if they intended to carry the raft out to sea. - -[Sidenote: JOHN WILLIAMS, THE COOK.] - -To come back to the cook,--I was in a condition upon my return to do -ample justice to a fillet of venison, garnished with currant-jelly, -which was awaiting me, and upon the preparation of which the cook had -evidently exhausted all his skill; and afterward Knorr made for me, -with my alcohol furnace, a cup of aromatic Mocha. - -And so one may find pleasure even where Bacchus and Cupid deign not to -come. True, this is the region into which Apollo voluntarily wandered -after the decree of Olympus made him an exile, and where the Hellenic -poets dreamed of men living to an incredible age, in the enjoyment of -all possible felicity; but, to say the truth, I question the wisdom of -the banished god, as tradition makes no mention of a schooner, and I -find that in this "Residence of Boreas" one must look out for himself -pretty sharply,--poets to the contrary, notwithstanding. - -The cook brought me the dinner himself. "I tinks de Commander likes -dis," said he, "coming from de cold." - -"Yes, cook, it is really superb. Now, what can I do for you?" - -"Tank you, sar! I tinks if de Commander would only be so kind as to -give me a clean shirt, I shall be very tankful. He see dis one be very -dirty, and I gets no time to vash him." - -"Certainly, cook, you shall have two." - -"Tank you, sar!"--and he bends himself half double, meaning it for a -bow, and goes back well pleased to his stove and his coppers. - -Our cook is quite a character. He is much the oldest man on board, and -is the most singular mixture of adverse moral qualities that I have -ever chanced to meet. He makes it his boast that he has never been off -the ship's deck since leaving Boston. "Vat should I go ashore for?" -said he, one day, to some of the officers who were reciting to him the -wonders of the land. "Me go ashore! De land be very good place to grow -de vegetables, but it no place to be. I never goes ashore ven I can -help it, and please my Hebenly Fader I never vill." - -[Sidenote: A CHEERFUL EVENING.] - -I have passed an hour of the evening very pleasantly with the officers -in their cabin, have had my usual game of chess with Knorr, and now, -having done with this journal for the day, I will coil myself up in my -nest of furs and read in Marco Polo of those parts of the world where -people live without an effort, know not the use of bear-skins, and die -of fever. After all, one's lines might fall in less pleasant places -than in the midst of an Arctic winter. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - INCREASING DARKNESS.--DAILY ROUTINE.--THE JOURNAL.--OUR - HOME.--SUNDAY.--RETURN OF SONNTAG.--A BEAR-HUNT.--THE OPEN - WATER.--ACCIDENT TO MR. KNORR.--A THAW.--"THE PORT FOULKE - WEEKLY NEWS."--THE TIDE-REGISTER.--THE FIRE-HOLE.--HUNTING - FOXES.--PETER. - - -The steadily increasing darkness was driving us more and more within -doors. We had now scarcely any light but that of the moon and stars. -The hunt was not wholly abandoned, but so few were the hours wherein -we could see that it had become unprofitable. The gloom of night had -settled in the valleys and had crept up the craggy hills. The darkness -being fairly upon us, we had now little other concern than to live -through it and await the spring, and a return to active life and the -performance of those duties for which our voyage had been undertaken. -As a part of the history of the expedition, I will continue to give -from my diary our course of life. - - November 5th. - -Our life has worked itself into a very systematic routine. Our habits -during the sunlight were naturally somewhat irregular, but we have now -subsided into absolute method. What a comfort it is to be relieved of -responsibility! How kind it is of the clock to tell us what to do! -The ship's bell follows it through the hours, and we count its shrill -sounds and thereby know precisely how to act. The bell tells us when -it is half-past seven in the morning, and then we "turn out." An hour -later we breakfast, and at one o'clock we lunch. We dine at six, and -at eleven we put out the lights and "turn in,"--that is, everybody but -the writer of this journal and the "watch." After dinner I usually join -the officers at a game of whist, or in my own cabin have a game of -chess with Sonntag or Knorr. One day differs very little from another -day. Radcliffe shows me the record of the weather when he has made it -up, in the evening; and it is almost as monotonous as the form of its -presentation. The daily report of ship's duties I have from McCormick, -but that does not present any thing that is peculiarly enlivening. I -make a note of what is passing, in this voluminous journal,--partly -for use, partly from habit, and partly for occupation. The readings -of the magnetometer and the barometers and thermometers, and the -tide-register, and of the growth of the ice, and all such like useful -knowledge, find a place on these pages; but novelties are rare, and -when they do come I set opposite to them marginal notes, that I may -pick them out from time to time as one does a happy event from the -memory. - -[Sidenote: DAILY ROUTINE.] - -The ship's duties go on thus:--After breakfast the men "turn to" under -the direction of Dodge, and clear up the decks and polish and fill the -lamps; and a detail is made to go out to the iceberg for our daily -supply of water. Then the fire-hole is looked after, the dogs are fed, -the allowance of coal for the day is measured out, the store-room -is unlocked and the rations are served; and before lunch-time comes -round the labors of the day are done. After lunch we take a walk for -exercise, and I make it a rule that every one who has not been at work -two hours must spend at least that much time in walking for his health. - -[Sidenote: OUR HOME.] - -For my own part I take an almost daily drive around the bay or a stroll -over the hills or out upon the frozen sea. Sometimes I carry my rifle, -hoping to shoot a deer or perhaps a bear, but usually I go unarmed and -unaccompanied, except by a sprightly Newfoundland pup which rejoices in -the name of _General_. This little beast has shared with me my cabin -since leaving Boston, and has always insisted upon the choicest place. -We have got to be the best of friends. He knows perfectly well when the -hour comes to go out after breakfast, and whines impatiently at the -door; and when he sees me take my cap and mittens from their peg his -happiness is complete. And the little fellow makes a most excellent -companion. He does not bore me with senseless talk, but tries his best -to make himself agreeable. If in the sober mood, he walks beside me -with stately gravity; but when not so inclined he rushes round in the -wildest manner,--rolling himself in the snow, tossing the white flakes -to the wind, and now and then tugging at my huge fur mittens or at the -tail of my fur coat. Some time ago he fell down the hatch and broke -his leg, and while this was healing I missed him greatly. There is -excellent companionship in a sensible dog. - -I try as much as a reasonable regard for discipline will allow to -cultivate the social relations and usages of home. True, we cannot -get up a ball, and we lack the essential elements of a successful -tea-party; but we are not wholly deficient in those customs which, -in the land where the loved ones are, take away so much of life's -roughnesses. And these little formal observances promote happiness and -peace. There is no place in the world where habits of unrestrained -familiarity work so much mischief as in the crowded cabin of a little -vessel, nor is there any place where true politeness is so great a -blessing. In short, I try to make our winter abode as cheerful as -possible; and we shall need all the brightness we can get within these -wooden walls, if we would not be overwhelmed with the darkness which is -outside. I want my people always to feel that, from whatever hardship -and exposure they may encounter, they can here find cheerful shelter -from the storms, and repose from their fatigues. - -As far as possible, Sunday is observed as we would observe it at -home. At ten o'clock, accompanied by the executive officer, I hold -an inspection of every part of the vessel, and examine minutely into -the health, habits, and comforts of the whole ship's company; and -immediately afterward they all assemble in the officers' quarters, -where I read to them a portion of the morning service; and this is -followed by a chapter from the good Book, which we all love alike, -wherever we are. Sometimes I read one of Blair's fine sermons, and when -meal time comes round we find it in our heart to ask a continuance of -God's provident care; and if expressed in few words, it is perhaps not -the less felt. - - November 6th. - -[Sidenote: RETURN OF SONNTAG.] - -The travelers have returned, and, as I feared, they have been -unsuccessful. Sonntag has dined with me, and he has just finished the -recital of the adventures of his party. - -The journey was a very difficult one. High hummocks, deep snow-drifts, -open cracks, severe winds were their embarrassments; and these -are obstacles not to be encountered without danger, fatigue, and -frost-bites. - -[Sidenote: A BEAR HUNT.] - -They had much trouble in getting out of Hartstene Bay, the water coming -almost in to the land-ice. Once outside, however, they had an easy run -up the coast to Fog Inlet, where one of the sledges broke down, and -they came upon open cracks which they could not pass. After repairing -the sledge as well as they were able, they turned their faces homeward. -When a little way above Cape Hatherton, they struck the trail of a -couple of bears; and, giving chase, the animals were overtaken and -captured. They proved to be a mother and her cub. - -Sonntag has given me a lively description of the chase. The bears were -started from the margin of a ridge of hummocked ice where they had been -sleeping; and they made at once for the open cracks outside, distant -about four miles. As soon as the dogs discovered the trail, they dashed -off upon it into the hummocks, without waiting to be directed by their -drivers, and utterly regardless of the safety of the sledges or of the -persons seated upon them. The hummocks were very high, and the passages -between them rough and tortuous. Had the bears kept to them they -might have baffled pursuit; for the progress of the sledges was much -interrupted, and the track could not always be followed. But the ridge -was not above a quarter of a mile in width, and the bears, striking -directly across it, evidently preferred seeking safety beyond a crack, -over which they could pass by swimming. - -The first plunge into the hummocks was rather exciting. Jensen's -team led the way, and Hans, following after, rushed up pell-mell -alongside. Jensen's sledge was nearly capsized, and Sonntag rolled off -in the snow; but he was fortunate enough to catch the upstander, and -with its aid to recover his seat. The tangled ice greatly retarded -the impatient dogs, bringing them several times almost to a stand; -but their eagerness and their drivers' energy finally triumphed -over all obstacles, and they emerged at length, after much serious -embarrassment, upon a broad and almost level plain, where for the first -time the game came in view. - -The delay of the sledges in the hummocks had allowed the bears to get -the start of fully a mile, and it appeared probable that they would -reach the water before they could be overtaken. The dogs seemed to -be conscious of this danger, as well as the hunters, and they laid -themselves down to the chase with all the wild instinct of their -nature. Maddened by the detention and the prospect of the prey escaping -them, the blood-thirsty pack swept across the plain like a whirlwind. -Jensen and Hans encouraged their respective teams by all the arts -known to the native hunter. The sledges fairly flew over the hard snow -and bounced over the drifts and the occasional pieces of ice which -projected above the otherwise generally smooth surface. - -It was a wild chase. The dogs manifested in their speed and cry all the -impatience of a pack of hounds in view of the fox, with ten times their -savageness. As they neared the game they seemed to Sonntag like so many -wolves closing upon a wounded buffalo. - -In less than a quarter of an hour the distance between pursuers and -pursued was lessened to a few hundred yards, and then they were not -far from the water,--which to the one was safety, to the other defeat. -During all this time the old bear was kept back by the young one, which -she was evidently unwilling to abandon. The poor beast was in agony. -Her cries were piteous to hear. The little one jogged on by her side, -frightened and anxious; and, although it greatly retarded her progress, -yet, in full view of the danger, she would not abandon it. Fear and -maternal affection appeared alternately to govern her resolution; but -still she held firm to her dependent offspring. One moment she would -rush forward toward the open water, as if intent only upon her own -safety,--then she would wheel round and push on the struggling cub -with her snout; and then again she would run beside it as if coaxingly -encouraging it to greater speed. Meanwhile her enemies were rushing on -and steadily nearing the game. The dogs, forgetting their own fatigue -in the prospect of a speedy encounter, pressed harder and harder into -their collars. The critical moment was rapidly approaching; and, to add -to the embarrassments of the bruin family, the little bear was giving -out. - -At length the sledges were within fifty yards of the struggling -animals. Leaning forward, each hunter now seized the end of the line -which bound the traces together in one fastening, and slipped the knot. -The sledges stopped, and the dogs, freed from the load which they had -been dragging, bounded fiercely for their prey. The old bear heard -the rush of her coming enemies, and, halting, squared herself to meet -the assault, while the little one ran frightened round her, and then -crouched for shelter between her legs. - -The old and experienced leader, Oosisoak, led the attack. Queen Arkadik -was close beside him, and the other twenty wolfish beasts followed in -order of their speed. The formidable front and defiant roar of the -infuriated monster split the pack, and they passed to right and left. -Only one dog faced her, and he, (a young one,) with more courage than -discretion, rushed at her throat. In a moment he was crushed beneath -her huge paw. Oosisoak came in upon her flank, and Arkadik tore at -her haunch, and the other dogs followed this prudent example. She -turned upon Oosisoak, and drove him from his hold; but in this act -the cub was uncovered. Quick as lightning Karsuk flew at its neck, -and a slender yellow mongrel, that we call Schnapps, followed after; -but the little bear, imitating the example of its mother, prepared -to do battle. Karsuk missed his grip, and Schnapps got tangled among -its legs. The poor dog was soon doubled up with a blow in the side, -and escaped yowling from the _mêlée_. Oosisoak was hard pressed, but -his powerful rival Erebus came to his relief, and led his followers -upon the opposite flank, which concentrated onslaught turned the bear -again in the direction of her cub in time to save it; for it was now -being pulled down and worried by Karsuk and his pack. For a moment -disregarding her own tormenters, she threw herself upon the assailants -of the cub, and to avoid her blows they quickly abandoned their hold -and enabled her once more to draw the frightened though plucky little -creature under her. She had come to the rescue at the critical moment, -for the poor thing was weakened with the loss of blood, and was fairly -exhausted with the fight. - -By this time Jensen and Hans had drawn their rifles from the sledge, -and hastened on to the conflict. The dogs were so thick about the game -that it was some time before they could shoot with safety. They both, -however, succeeded at last in getting a fine chance at the old bear, -and fired. One ball struck her in the mouth, and the other one in the -shoulder; but neither did much harm, and brought only a louder roar of -pain and anger. - -The dogs, beaten off from their attack on the cub, now concentrated -upon the mother, and the battle became more fierce than ever. The snow -was covered with blood. A crimson stream poured from the old bear's -mouth, and another trickled over the white hair from her shoulder. The -little one was torn, and bleeding from many ugly wounds. One dog was -stretched out crushed and almost lifeless, and another marked the spot, -where his agony was expending itself in piteous cries, with many a red -stain. - -Sonntag now came up with a fresh weapon. A well-directed volley from -the three rifles brought her down upon her side, and the dogs rushed -in upon her; but though stunned and weakened by loss of blood, yet she -was not mortally hurt; and, recovering herself in an instant, she once -more scattered the dog's and again sheltered her offspring. But the -fate of the cub was already sealed. Exhausted by the fearful gashes and -the throttlings which it had received from Karsuk and his followers, -it sank expiring at its mother's feet. Seeing it fall, she forgot, for -a moment, the dogs, in her affection, and, stooping down, licked its -face. As if unwilling to believe it dead, she tried to coax it to rise -and make a still further fight for life. But at length the truth seemed -to dawn upon her, and now, apparently conscious that the cub no longer -needed her protection, she turned upon her tormenters with redoubled -fury, and tried to escape. Another dog was caught in the attack, and -was flung howling to join the unlucky Schnapps. - -For the first time she now appeared to realize that she was beset with -other enemies than the dogs. Hans's rifle had missed fire, and he was -advancing with a native spear to a hand-to-hand encounter. Seeing him -approach, the infuriated monster cleared away the dogs with a vigorous -dash, and charged him. He threw his weapon and wheeled in flight. The -bear bounded after him, and in an instant more neither speed nor dogs -could have saved him. Fortunately, Sonntag and Jensen had by this time -reloaded their rifles, and, with well-directed shots, they stopped her -mad career. A ball, penetrating the spine at the base of the skull, -rolled her over on the blood-stained snow. - -The skins being removed, and a portion of the flesh of the young bear -prepared for carrying home, the dogs were allowed to gorge themselves, -and the party pitched their tent and camped. The next run brought them -to the vessel. - -The frost has nipped Jensen a little on the nose, and Hans is touched -on the cheeks; but Sonntag has come off without a scratch. They have -had a very hard journey. Every thing conspired against them; and if -they did not reach their destination, they are none the less entitled -to great credit for their persevering efforts, continued as they were -against such odds. - -[Sidenote: THE OPEN WATER.] - -The existence of this open water greatly puzzles me. No such phenomenon -was witnessed in 1853-55 from Van Rensselaer Harbor. Whether it extends -across the Sound, or how far to the north or south, I am unable to -judge. It is probably merely local,--dependent upon the currents and -winds. - -[Illustration] - - November 7th. - -The wind is blowing fiercely from the northeast, and the temperature is -16° below zero. The effect of the gale has been to drive the ice away -again from the outer bay, and we are once more within the sound of the -roaring surf. - - November 8th. - -[Sidenote: ACCIDENT TO MR. KNORR.] - -The air having become somewhat more quiet, I walked out to-day to the -open water. Knorr accompanied me. The view from the margin of the -ice was dark and fearful. Heavy mist-clouds hung over the sea. Loose -ice-fields were drifting through the blackness, crashing harshly -against each other, and sending the spray gleaming into the moonlight. -The icebergs stood out here and there in stern defiance of the jarring -elements, while the tumbling seas struck the white foam far up their -lofty sides; and out of the gloom came a wail, as of - - "a thousand ghosts, - Shrieking at once on the hollow wind." - -On our way back, Knorr, who has much skill in getting himself into -trouble, failed in a spring as we were making our way over some loose -floes, and he plumped bodily into the sea. The accident was not less -dangerous than disagreeable; for after I had dragged him out of -the water there were almost two miles between us and the schooner. -Fortunately he arrived on board after a vigorous run with nothing worse -than a frozen foot, which did not, however, result in any inconvenience -greater than the pain, since my former experience readily suggested -the proper remedies. The frozen member was first placed in ice-cold -water, the temperature of which was slowly increased from hour to hour -until the flesh was completely thawed out. There was no resulting -inflammation, and the foot came from the bath without even a blister. - - November 10th. - -[Sidenote: A THAW.] - -We are in the midst of a regular thaw,--a thaw in November under the -Pole Star,--truly a strange event to chronicle. The temperature has -gone up to 11° above zero. - -The cold of the last month has frescoed the house on deck with delicate -frost,--the condensed moisture that escapes from below. In many places -this frost is two inches thick, and now it is melting. The water drops -upon the deck, and every thing thereon is soaked. We have reduced the -fires and opened the windows. - - November 11th. - -The temperature continues to rise, and the thaw goes on. A regular -shower falls upon the deck. There is a huge puddle amidships, and the -drip, drip, drip is any thing but agreeable. - -My journal is looking up,--two novelties in one day. First a thaw, and -then a newspaper. The free press follows the flag all over the world, -and the North Pole rejoices in "The Port Foulke Weekly News." - -[Sidenote: "THE PORT FOULKE WEEKLY NEWS."] - -During the past week everybody has been much interested in a newspaper -enterprise, bearing the above title. Thinking to create a diversion -that would confound our enemy, the darkness, I proposed some time ago -to the officers that we should publish a weekly paper, offering at the -same time my assistance. The proposition was hailed with pleasure, -and my fullest anticipations are more than realized. Mr. Dodge and -Mr. Knorr undertook to act as editors, at least for the first week, -and they have busied themselves gathering from cabin and forecastle -whatever was likely to prove attractive, and right good success have -they met with. The first number appeared to-day, and it contains some -things that are "rich and rare," and very clever, and many of the best -came from the forward part of the ship. - -Its appearance makes quite an event, and, as a hygienic agent, its -importance cannot be too highly estimated. The project set everybody -on tip-toe of expectation, and for several days past very little -else has been talked about but "the paper." All the details of its -getting-up have been conducted with a most farcical adherence to the -customs prevailing at home. There is a regular corps of editors and -reporters, an office for "general news," an "editorial department," and -a "telegraph station," where information is supposed to be received -from all quarters of the world, and the relations existing between the -sun, moon, and stars are duly reported by "reliable correspondents," -and pictorial representations of extraordinary occurrences are also -received from "our artist on the spot." - -Of course, much depended upon the _eclat_ with which it burst into -being; and, conscious of this important fact, the editors spared no -pains to heighten public curiosity, by the issuing of "hand-bills" and -"posters," and all other means known among the caterers for the popular -intellectual palate. McCormick lent his assistance, and directed the -preparation of a somewhat better dinner than usual; so that, no matter -what might be the merits of this eagerly expected prodigy, it was -sure of a hearty reception. Mr. Knorr had charged himself with the -mechanical execution, and was known to have the infant periodical in -his keeping; and accordingly, after the cloth was removed, loud calls -were made for its production. While he was hauling it out from under -his pillow, (where it had been carefully stowed out of sight until the -auspicious moment should arrive,) demands were made upon him to read it -aloud. This he was about to do when some one claimed that so important -an event should not pass off so informally. "Agreeably to national -usage, we should call a meeting, organize it by the appointment of -the proper officers, and name an orator for the occasion. Then, and -not until then, can it be said that we have properly inaugurated the -important event which has transpired. The public of Port Foulke will -not rest content with any less conspicuous mark of glorification over -so momentous an occurrence as the establishment of a free press on this -remote frontier of civilization." - -To this proposal no objection was made,--indeed, it was received with -much favor; and the meeting was accordingly organized by unanimously -calling Mr. Sonntag to the "chair." After naming the requisite number -of vice-presidents and secretaries, Mr. Knorr was selected orator by -acclamation. And now there commenced a violent clapping of hands and a -rattling of tin cups, mingled with cries of "order" and "hear, hear!" -in the midst of which the orator mounted the locker and addressed his -auditors as follows:-- - -"Fellow-citizens:--Called by the unanimous voice of this unenlightened -community to inaugurate the new era which has dawned upon a benighted -region, it is my happy privilege to announce that we have, at the cost -of much time, labor, and means, supplied a want which has too long been -felt by the people of Port Foulke. We are, fellow-citizens, no longer -without that inalienable birthright of every American citizen,--a Free -Press and an Exponent of Public Opinion. - -"Overcome with the gravity of my situation, I find myself unable -to make you a speech befitting the solemnity and importance of the -occasion. It is proper, however, that I should state, in behalf of -myself and my Bohemian brother, that, in observance of a time-honored -custom, we will keep our opinions for ourselves and our arguments -for the public. The inhabitants of Port Foulke desire the speedy -return of the Sun. We will advocate and urge it. They wish for Light. -We will address ourselves to the Celestial Orbs, and point out the -opportunities for reciprocity. They are in search of happiness. We -will, in pursuance of that same time-honored custom, (which I may say -has made the press a power, sir, in this great and glorious nineteenth -century)--we will, I say, at all times freely counsel them to the -observance of both public and private virtue. - -"Fellow-citizens:--This is a memorable epoch in the history -of Port Foulke. We are informed that its aboriginal name is -Annyeiqueipablaitah, which means, after it is pronounced, 'The Place of -the Howling Winds.' On this public occasion it is proper that we should -direct our thoughts to the future, especially to our sublime 'mission.' -This 'Place of the Howling Winds,' you will observe, fellow-citizens, -is on the remotest confines of our wide-spread country,--a country, -fellow-citizens, whose vast sides are bathed by the illimitable ocean, -and which stretches from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof, -and from the Aurora Borealis to the Southern Cross. But why do I say -the Aurora Borealis, fellow-citizens? Have we not left that vague -border of the national domain far behind us? Yes, fellow-citizens! -and it now devolves upon us to bring the vexed question of national -boundaries, which has been opened by our enterprise, to a point--to a -point, sir! We must carry it to the very Pole itself!--and there, sir, -we will nail the Stars and Stripes, and our flag-staff will become the -spindle of the world, and the Universal Yankee Nation will go whirling -round it like a top. - -"Fellow-citizens and friends:--In conclusion allow me to propose a -sentiment befitting the occasion,--A Free Press and the Universal -Yankee Nation: May the former continue in times to come, as in times -gone by, the handmaiden of Liberty and the emblem of Progress; and -may the latter absorb all Creation and become the grand Celestial -Whirligig." - -The youthful orator sat down amidst what the press would very properly -designate as "tumultuous applause." He had evidently made a favorable -impression as well in behalf of himself as of his paper, and we were -all the more eager than ever for the reading. After the rattling of the -tin cups had subsided, the reading began, and it was not interrupted -except by those marks of approbation in which men are always apt to -indulge when possessed of a satisfactory dinner, and are listening -afterward to good stories. The only regret expressed was that it should -come so quickly to an end. The expressions of approval were universal, -a vote of thanks was bestowed upon the editors, the orator was toasted, -and the occasion wound up in a very lively manner. Having but one copy -of the paper, this was handed over to the sailors as soon as Knorr -had finished reading it in the cabin, and the marks of approbation -were equally reassuring from that quarter. It contains sixteen pages -of closely written matter, a somewhat ambitious picture of our winter -harbor, a portrait of Sir John Franklin, and a spirited likeness of the -General, with his wounded paw in a sling. There is a fair sprinkling -of "enigmas," "original jokes," "items of domestic and foreign -intelligence," "personals," "advertisements," &c., &c., among a larger -allowance of more pretentious effusions. Among these latter there is -an illustrated prospectus by the senior editor, a poem by the steward, -and a song which is addressed to the General. This last the men are now -singing, and they seem to take special delight in the chorus, which -runs thus:-- - - "Hang up the harness and the whip, - Put up the sledge on the ship; - There's no more work for poor Gen-e-ral, - For he's going for his wind for to slip." - -I am sorry to say that the prophecy therein contained is likely to -prove true, for the General is very sick. Poor fellow! he hears every -word of this unpitying merriment over his misfortunes, and, could he -speak, I have no doubt that he would sigh with Gray's cat,-- - - "Alas!-- - A favorite has no friends!" - -However, there is a verse coming, to which he is listening attentively, -and the very tears mount to his eyes with this unexpected mark of -sympathy. For his sake I give it a place here:-- - - "Sad times there will be when the General slips his wind, - And is gathered to his fathers down below; - And is gone far away with his broken leg and all, - And is buried underneath the cold snow." - - November 12th. - -The temperature has gone down within 4° of zero, but there is still -much slush and dampness. The snow lying next the ice is filled with -water, a circumstance which it is difficult to explain, since the -temperature has not, at any time, reached the freezing point, and -the ice on which the snow rests is over three feet thick. There would -appear to be a sort of an osmotic action taking place. Snow is now -beginning to fall, and, as usual, it is very light and beautifully and -regularly crystalized. The depth of snow which has fallen up to this -time is 15¼ inches. - - - November 13th. - -Worse and worse. The temperature has risen again, and the roof over -the upper deck gives us once more a worse than tropic shower. The snow -next the ice grows more slushy, and this I am more than ever puzzled to -understand, since I have found to-day that the ice, two feet below the -surface, has a temperature of 20°; at the surface it is 19°, and the -snow in contact with it is 18°. The water is 29°. - -The darkness is not yet quite absolute. With some difficulty I can -still see to read ordinary print at noon. - - November 14th. - -The wind has been blowing for nearly twenty-four hours from the -northeast, and yet the temperature holds on as before. At 10 o'clock -this evening it was 4½°. I have done with speculation. A warm wind from -the _mer de glace_, and this boundless reservoir of Greenland frost, -makes mischief with my theories, as facts have heretofore done with the -theories of wiser men. As long as the wind came from the sea I could -find some excuse for the unseasonable warmth. - -[Sidenote: THE TIDE-REGISTER.] - -I have rigged a new tide-register to-day, with the aid of McCormick, my -man of all ingenious work. If it prove as effective as it is simple, I -shall have a good registry of the Port Foulke tides. It is but a light -rope, to one end of which is attached a heavy stone that rests firmly -on the bottom of the sea. The rope comes up through the fire-hole, and -passes over a pulley and down again into the water, having at this last -end a ten-pound leaden weight. The pulley is attached to an oar which -is supported upon two pillars made with blocks of ice. Two feet below -the oar, and in close contact with the rope, there is an iron rod, -and, the rope being divided into feet and tenths of a foot by little -strings having "knots," the stage of the tide is read with the aid of a -bull's-eye lantern, as the rod passes the strings. The only drawback is -the difficulty in keeping the rope from "fouling" with the ice, as it -will do if the fire-hole is not cleared at least four times an hour. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRE-HOLE.] - -The fire-hole needs no description further than the mere mention of its -name. In the event of fire occurring in the schooner, this hole is our -only reliance for water; and it is therefore carefully looked after. -Thus far the watch has broken it out hourly. - - November 15th. - -The wind has packed the snow again, and, the temperature having crawled -down to zero, the dampness has almost disappeared. - -I have presented Hans with a new suit of clothes and a pair of my -reddest flannel shirts, thinking by making him better off than Peter to -quiet his jealousy. If I have not succeeded in this, I have at least -tickled his vanity, for he is a natural-born dandy, and no person on -board is so fond of getting himself up as this same savage hunter. At -Sunday inspection no one more delights to appear in gorgeous array. -With the other Esquimaux he does not deign to associate on terms of -equality. To his finer clothes he doubtless attributes much of his -personal importance;--but such things are not confined to Esquimaux. - - November 16th. - -[Sidenote: STUDIES AND OCCUPATIONS.] - -McCormick has established a school of navigation, and has three good -pupils in Barnum, Charley, and McDonald. There is indeed quite a -thirst for knowledge in that quarter known as "Mariner's Hall," and -an excellent library, which we owe to the kindness of our Boston -friends, is well used. In the cabin there is a quiet settlement into -literary ease. Dodge has already consumed several boxes of "Littell's -Living Age" and the "Westminster Review." Knorr studies Danish, -Jensen English, and Sonntag is wading through Esquimau, and, with -his long, mathematical head, is conjuring up some incomprehensible -compound of differential quantities. As for myself, there is no end -to my occupations. The routine of our life causes me much concern and -consumes much of my time. Perhaps I give myself needless anxiety about -the affairs of my household, and charge myself uselessly with "that -care which is the enemy of life," and which long ago disturbed the -earthly career of the good old Mother Hubbard; but then I find in it -my chief satisfaction, and the leisure hours are filled up pleasantly -enough with a book or a walk or this journal. On me the days of -darkness have not yet begun to hang heavily, but I can see weariness in -the future. - - November 17th. - -The temperature has fallen to 10° below zero, for which we are duly -thankful. Again the air sparkles with cold, and a dead calm has let -the frost cover the whole outer bay with ice, and the crystal plain -extends as far as the eye will carry over the Sound. - -The tide-register works quite well, but the youngsters complain -bitterly of the trouble in keeping the fire-hole clear of ice, and of -reading the ice-coated knots in the darkness. Starr slipped partly -into the hole to-day, and nearly ruined the instrument by grasping it -for support. The readings are generally quite accurate, but to guard -against serious error I have my own way of making a check upon the -ice-foot. We have to-day 9 feet 7 inches between ebb and flood. - -[Sidenote: HUNTING FOXES.] - -The poor foxes have become the innocent victims of a new excitement. -They are very numerous, and the officers are after them with -dead-falls, traps, and guns. Their skins are very fine and pretty, and -make warm coats, although I do not perceive that they are used for this -purpose; but they go instead into the very safest corners of their -lockers. Doubtless "there's a lady in the case." - - November 18th. - -A calm, cold, clear, quiet day, marked by no unusual event other than -the appearance of the second number of "The News." Radcliffe brought it -out, and there was another bright evening in this darkness-beleaguered -schooner. - - November 19th. - -Our quiet life has been disturbed by a mysterious event. I have often -mentioned in these pages the ludicrous rivalry which grew up between -the two Esquimaux, Hans and Peter. Both have been useful, but their -motives have been very different. One has shown, like Mr. Wemmick, a -laudable desire to get hold of "portable property" by fair means; the -other has been influenced by an envious disposition quite independent -of the value attached to his gains. He is a type of a branch of the -human family who cannot view with calmness the prosperity of others. -Whether this feeling in Hans stopped with the emotion, or whether it -has expended itself in crime, remains to be seen. - -[Sidenote: A RUNAWAY.] - -I was quietly reading on my lounge this morning at two o'clock, when -the profound stillness was broken by footsteps in the companion-way. A -moment afterward the steward entered without the ceremony of knocking, -and stood before me with an atmosphere of alarm about him which seemed -to forebode evil. While he was hesitating for speech, I inquired of him -what on earth had brought him upon me at this hour. Was the ship on -fire? Without heeding my question, he exclaimed,-- - -"Peter's gone, sir!" - -"Gone! Where to?" - -"Gone! Run away, sir!" - -"Is that all?" and I returned to my book, and bade him go back to his -bed. - -"It's so, sir! He has run away, sir!" - -And sure enough it was so. The earnestness of the steward's manner -convinced me at length that something was wrong, and I immediately -caused the ship to be searched. But Peter was nowhere to be found. His -hammock had not been disturbed since it had been taken down yesterday -morning, and he was evidently not in the vessel. - -All hands were called, and, while I interrogated the sailors, Jensen -obtained what information he could from the Esquimaux. Peter had been -on board all the evening, had messed with the men, had smoked his pipe -and drank his coffee as usual, and he appeared to be very happy and -well contented. I was greatly puzzled to account for his absence. There -being no moon, it seemed impossible that he should have voluntarily -gone far from the vessel, and it appeared very unlikely that he would -remain long absent unless some accident had overtaken him. But the -vague and unsatisfactory answers given by Hans were calculated to -arouse suspicion. Hans at last hinted that Peter was afraid of the men; -but this was all that I could get out of him. The men declare that he -has always been a great pet with them, and I cannot learn that in any -instance he has been unkindly treated. - -[Sidenote: SEARCH FOR THE FUGITIVE.] - -While all this cross-questioning was going on, the lamps were being -prepared for a search. The people were divided into seven squads, and -their lights were soon seen flickering over the harbor. Two hours -elapsed, and I had begun to doubt if we should make any discovery, -when a signal came from McCormick, who had found fresh tracks on the -south side of the harbor, and, at about two and a half miles from the -schooner, he had followed them across the broken land-ice, and thence -up the steep hill. At the foot of the hill a small bag, containing -a few articles of clothing, was picked up, and these were quickly -recognized as Peter's property. There was no longer any doubt as to the -fact that the steward was right. Peter had surely run away. But what -could possibly be the motive? Where had he run to? and what had he run -for? - -There being clearly no object in following the trail, we returned on -board, very much bewildered. Nobody knew any thing about it. Marcus -and Jacob declare absolute ignorance, and Hans possesses no other -information than what he has already communicated. But nevertheless, I -cannot disabuse my mind of the impression that Hans is really at the -bottom of this bad business; and I have dismissed him from my cabin -with the assurance that if I find him guilty of treachery toward Peter -I will hang him to the yard-arm without hesitation. This he is quite -competent to understand, and he declares that he will follow up Peter's -tracks and bring the unhappy boy on board. Here, for the present, this -painful episode in our quiet life must rest. - - November 20th. - -[Sidenote: A FRUITLESS SEARCH.] - -Hans, accompanied by one of the sailors, has been out for several hours -trying to follow Peter's trail; but a strong wind had drifted the snow, -and not a vestige of his footsteps remained. Hans came back evidently a -little doubtful as to his fate; but he looked the picture of innocence -itself, and did not appear to have upon his mind any other thought than -that of sorrow for Peter's unhappy condition. - -Where has the fugitive gone? Is he trying to reach the Whale Sound -Esquimaux? From Hans's account, there are probably none nearer than -Northumberland Island, a hundred miles away; and perhaps the nearest -may be still fifty miles further, on the south side of the Sound. -Possibly some hunters may temporarily reside on the north side, in -which case only is there any chance of safety to the fugitive, should -his purpose lie in that direction. It is not at all improbable that -Hans has told him positively that Esquimaux are living at Sorfalik, -which is not above thirty miles distant, and which place might be -readily reached by him, but, without dogs, the journey further south -is impracticable. It may be, however, that Hans is entirely innocent -of all concern in this mysterious business, and that it is, as Mr. -Sonntag thinks, merely an Esquimau whim, and that Peter, provoked at -some slight put upon him by one of the crew, has gone off to cool his -anger at Etah or in a snow-hut. That Hans is guilty seems to be the -general belief; and it is very easy to suppose that he has given Peter -to understand that the friendly acts of the sailors only covered a -hostile purpose; that he knew this because he understood English and -overheard their conversation, and has thus induced the poor fellow to -fly in precipitate haste from an imaginary danger. And this is the -less difficult to understand, that it would be quite in keeping with -Esquimau usage. With them, nothing is more likely to excite suspicion -of treachery than unusual friendliness, and it is not at all improbable -that Hans has first coined a lie, and then, by judiciously fanning -the kindling flame with other lies and mysterious hints, he has been -at last able to effect a grand _coup_, and drive the poor inoffensive -lad into the darkness to seek safety at Sorfalik. Maddened with the -threatening danger, he is ready for any thing,--seizes his bag and -flies. Seeing our lights on the harbor, he has dropped his bag and -hastened his retreating steps. Under this head I can now understand -the meaning of what Jensen told me some days ago, that "they have made -friends." - - November 23d. - -[Sidenote: PETER STILL ABSENT.] - -Five days have elapsed, and still Peter does not return. I have sent to -the hut at Etali, but he has not been there, nor can any traces of him -be discovered in the quarters of our cached deer meat. Meanwhile much -snow has fallen, and a fierce gale, in which no one could live long -without shelter, has been raging. - -I have had my usual walk, notwithstanding the storm. My furs are now -thrown off, and faithful old Carl is beating the snow out of them. It -was pounded in by the force of the wind to the very skin, and I was one -mass of whiteness. Beard and face were covered, as well as my clothing, -and I was not in appearance unlike what I used to imagine Kriss Kringle -might be when, "in the days of other years," I fancied him to be making -his annual tour of the house-tops. - -And my walk has been one of some hardship. I ventured too far out on -the sea, and, miscalculating the force of the wind, I found, when I -had to face it on my return, that I had before me a somewhat serious -task. In the distance I could faintly distinguish the ship's light, and -as blast after blast lashed my face with snow, seemingly in malicious -spite, and each time with greater fury, I must confess that I more than -once wished myself well out of the scrape. - -In truth, I was in some danger. The frost touched my cheeks, and, -indeed, I should have had no face left had I not repeatedly turned my -back to the wind and revived the frosted flesh with my unmittened hand. - -[Sidenote: DRIFTING SNOW.] - -But now that I have got snugly stowed away in warmth, I am far from -sorry for the adventure. My motive in going out was to get a full view -of the storm. The snow which has lately fallen is very deep, and the -wind, picking it up from hill-side and valley, seemed to fill the whole -atmosphere with a volume of flying whiteness. It streamed over the -mountains, and gleamed like witches' hair along their summits. Great -clouds rushed frantically down the slopes, and spun over the cliffs in -graceful forms of fantastic lightness, and thence whirled out over the -frozen sea, glimmering in the moonbeams. The fierce wind-gusts brought -a vast sheet of it from the terraces, which, after bounding over the -schooner and rattling through the rigging, flew out over the icy plain, -wound coldly around the icebergs which studded its surface, and, -dancing and skipping past me like cloud-born phantoms of the night, -flew out into the distant blackness, mingling unearthly voices with the -roar of booming waves. - -And as I think of this wild, wild scene, my thoughts are in the midst -of it with my servant Peter. The stiffened ropes which pound against -the masts, the wind shrieking through the shrouds, the crashing of -the snows against the schooner's sides, are sounds of terror echoing -through the night; and when I think that this unhappy boy is a prey -to the piercing gale, I find myself inquiring continually, What could -possibly have been the motive which led him thus to expose himself to -its fury? - -[Sidenote: COURAGE.] - -After all, what is that which we call courage? This poor savage, who -would not hesitate to attack single-handed the fierce polar bear, -who has now voluntarily faced a danger than which none could be more -dreadful, fleeing out into the darkness, over the mountains and -glaciers, and through snow-drifts and storms, pursued by fear, lacks -the resolution to face an imaginary harm from his fellow-men. It seems, -indeed, to be a peculiarity of uninstructed minds to dread man's anger -and man's treachery more than all other evils,--whether of wild beast -or storm or pestilence. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - MIDWINTER.--THE NIGHT OF MONTHS.--BRILLIANCY OF THE - MOONLIGHT.--MILD TEMPERATURES.--REMARKABLE WEATHER.--A - SHOWER.--DEPTH OF SNOW.--SNOW CRYSTALS.--AN EPIDEMIC AMONG THE - DOGS.--SYMPTOMS OF THE DISORDER.--GREAT MORTALITY.--ONLY ONE - TEAM LEFT.--NEW PLANS.--SCHEMES FOR REACHING THE ESQUIMAUX IN - WHALE SOUND. - - -The reader who has followed my diary since we entered Port Foulke will -have noticed how gradually the daylight vanished, and with what slow -and measured step the darkness came upon us. As November approached its -close, the last glimmer of twilight disappeared. The stars shone at all -hours with equal brilliancy. From a summer which had no night we had -passed into a winter which had no day, through an autumn twilight. In -this strange ordering of Nature there is something awe-inspiring and -unreal. - -We all knew from our school-boy days that, at the poles of the earth -there is but one day and one night in the year; but, when brought face -to face with the reality, it is hard to realize. And it is harder still -to get used to. If the constant sunshine of the summer disturbed our -life-long habits, the continual darkness of the winter did more. In -the one case the imagination was excited by the ever-present light, -inspiring action; in the other, a night of months threw a cloud over -the intellect and dwarfed the energies. - -To this prolonged darkness the moon gives some relief. From its rising -to its setting it shines continually, circling around the horizon, -never setting until it has run its ten days' course of brightness. And -it shines with a brilliancy which one will hardly observe elsewhere. -The uniform whiteness of the landscape and the general clearness of -the atmosphere add to the illumination of its rays, and one may see -to read by its light with ease, and the natives often use it as they -do the sun, to guide their nomadic life and to lead them to their -hunting-grounds. - -[Sidenote: MIDWINTER.] - -The days and weeks of midwinter passed slowly away. Our experience up -to this period was in many respects remarkable. Although sheltered by -high lands, we were nevertheless exposed to severe and almost constant -northeast winds; and although shut up in polar darkness, and hemmed in -by polar ice, an open sea had thus far been within sight of us all the -time, and the angry waves were often a threatening terror. Many times -we had thought ourselves in danger of being cast adrift with the ice, -and carried out to sea in a helpless condition. - -The temperature had been strangely mild, a circumstance at least in -part accounted for by the open water, and to this same cause was no -doubt due the great disturbance of the air, and the frequency of the -gales. I have mentioned in the last chapter a very remarkable rise in -the thermometer which occurred early in November; but a still greater -elevation of temperature followed a few weeks later, reaching as high -as 32°, and sinking back to 15° below zero almost as suddenly as it -had risen. In consequence of this extraordinary and unaccountable -event, the thaw was renewed, and our former discomfort arising from -the dampness on the deck and in our quarters was experienced in an -aggravated degree. During two days (November 28th and 29th) we could -use no other fire than what was necessary for the preparation of our -meals, and for melting our necessary supply of water. To add to our -astonishment, a heavy fall of snow was followed by a shower of rain, -a circumstance which I had not previously witnessed in this latitude -except in the months of July and August, and then scarcely more rain -fell than on the present occasion. The depth of snow precipitated -during this period was likewise remarkable,--the aggregate being 32 -inches. In one single day 19 inches were deposited, greater by 5 -inches than the entire accumulations of the winter of 1853-54 at Van -Rensselaer Harbor. The total amount of snow which had fallen up to -the first of December was 48 inches. Being so far north of the line -of maximum snows, I was the more surprised, as my former experience -appeared to have shown that the region of Smith's Sound was almost -wholly free from nubilous deposits. - -[Sidenote: SNOW CRYSTALS.] - -I was much interested at this warm period in observing how singularly -perfect and beautiful were the snow crystals; and it is a somewhat -singular circumstance that the perfect crystals are only exhibited when -the snow falls in a temperature comparatively mild. I have not observed -them when the thermometer ranged below zero. The snow is then quite dry -and hard, and does not exhibit those soft, thin, transparent flakes of -the warmer air. With the aid of a magnifying glass, I was enabled to -obtain very accurate sketches of a large number of them. Their form was -always hexagonal, but the rays were very various in their development, -although they all possessed the same radical foundation. The most -perfect and full suggested a diminutive fern leaf. - - * * * * * - -As we neared the climax of the winter the satisfactory progress of -events became disturbed by a series of misfortunes which largely -influenced the destinies of the expedition, and which, by disarranging -all of my plans, caused me grave embarrassments. - -[Sidenote: AN EPIDEMIC AMONG THE DOGS.] - -In a former chapter I have mentioned that a disease had been, for -several years, prevailing among the dogs of Southern Greenland, and -that a large proportion of these useful animals had fallen victims to -it. The cause of this disease had not been determined, but I was led -to believe, from what information I could obtain, that it was purely -of local origin, and that, therefore, when I had removed my teams from -the seat of its influence I would be freed from its dangers. Under this -impression I had consumed much time at the Danish-Esquimau settlements, -in picking up here and there a dog, until I had obtained thirty-six -animals. Up to the first of December they remained in perfect health; -and, being fed upon an abundant allowance of fresh meat, I had great -confidence that I should be able to carry them through to the spring, -and, when the period of my sledge explorations should arrive, that -I would have four strong and serviceable teams. My fears were for a -time somewhat excited by the information received from Hans, that the -Esquimaux of Whale Sound and vicinity, with whom he had been living, -were heavy losers by the death of a great number of their dogs, and -the description which he gave of this distemper corresponded with that -of Southern Greenland; but November being passed without any symptoms -of the malady having made its appearance in my splendid pack, I felt -hopeful that they would escape the visitation. The loss which Dr. Kane -had suffered by the death of his teams was fresh in my recollection; -but for this there appeared to be a sufficient cause. Being almost -wholly without fresh food of any kind, he was compelled to subsist his -teams upon salt meats, which, giving scurvy to his men, could hardly -be expected to act otherwise than injuriously upon the dogs, which had -always before been used to a fresh diet of seal meat. - -My hopeful anticipations were, however, not realized. One day early -in December Jensen reported to me that one of the finest animals had -been attacked with the disease, and recommended that it should be -shot, to prevent the disease spreading; and this was accordingly done. -A few hours afterwards another one was seized in the same manner. -The symptoms were at first those of great restlessness. The animal -ran several times around the ship, first one way and then the other, -with a vague uncertainty in its gait, and with an alternate raising -and lowering of the head and tail, every movement indicative of great -nervous excitement. After a while it started off toward the mouth of -the harbor, barking all the while and seeming to be in mortal dread -of some imaginary object from which it was endeavoring to fly. In -a little while it came back, still more excited than before. These -symptoms rapidly increased in violence, the eyes became bloodshot, -froth ran from the mouth, and the dog became possessed of an apparently -uncontrollable desire to snap at every thing which came in its way. - -The disease ran its course in a few hours. Weakness and prostration -followed the excitement, and the poor animal staggered around the -vessel, apparently unable to see its way, and finally fell over in a -fit. After struggling for a little while in the snow, consciousness -returned, and it got again upon its feet. Another fit followed soon -afterward; and then they came one after another in rapid succession, -until finally its misery was relieved by death, which occurred in less -than twenty-four hours from the incipience of the attack. Meanwhile I -had watched it closely, hoping to discover some clew to the cause, and -to establish a cure. But I could obtain no light whatever. Dissection -revealed nothing. There was no apparent inflammation either of the -brain, the nerve centres, the spinal cord, or the nerves themselves; -and I was wholly at a loss to understand the strange phenomenon. That -it was not hydrophobia was shown by the fact that the animal rather -desired than shunned water. Many of the symptoms attending that disease -were, however, manifested; but it did not, like hydrophobia, appear to -be communicated by the bite; for those dogs which happened to be bitten -were not more speedily attacked than the others. - -[Sidenote: GREAT MORTALITY OF DOGS.] - -This case had scarcely reached its fatal termination before another -was reported, and it was relieved of its misery by a bullet. Seven -died during four days, and I saw with consternation my fine teams -melting away and my hopes endangered; and while this was in progress I -could only look on and wonder and experiment, but could never stop the -contagion nor arrest the evil. - -Among the first dogs attacked was a superb beast that I have before -named. He was the best draught animal of my best team, the second -leader,--Karsuk. I have never seen such expression of ferocity and mad -strength exhibited by any living creature, as he manifested two hours -after the first symptoms were observed. Thinking that confinement might -do good, and desiring to see if the disease would not wear itself out, -I had him caught and put into a large box on the deck; but this seemed -rather to aggravate than to soothe the violence of the symptoms. He -tore the boards with indescribable fierceness, and, getting his teeth -into a crack, ripped off splinter after splinter until he had made a -hole almost large enough for his head, when I ordered him to be shot. -At this moment his eyes were like balls of fire; he had broken off one -of his tusks, and his mouth was spouting blood. Soon afterward another -fine animal, which seemed to be perfectly well a few moments before, -suddenly sprang up, dashed off with a wild yell, wheeled round the -harbor, returned to the vessel, and there fell struggling in a fit. I -had him tied, but he tore himself loose, and, fearful for the other -dogs, he too was killed. Three others died the same day, and the deaths -during the first two weeks of December were eighteen. This, with the -losses before sustained, left me with only twelve animals. One week -later these were reduced to nine. - -[Sidenote: ONLY ONE TEAM LEFT.] - -The serious nature of this disaster will perhaps not at first be -apparent to the reader. It will be remembered, however, that my plans -of exploration for the coming spring were mainly based upon dogs as a -means of transportation across the ice; and now that my teams were so -much reduced (and it seemed, indeed, likely that they would all die) it -became very evident that, unless I should be able to supply the loss, -all of my plans would be rendered abortive. - -My anxiety was fully shared by Mr. Sonntag. Having failed in all of -our efforts to arrest the fatal tendency of the malady, we could only -occupy ourselves with devising ways and means for remedying, in some -degree, the evil, or to arrange new plans in conformity with our -changed circumstances. - -[Sidenote: PLANS FOR OBTAINING DOGS.] - -The first expedient which suggested itself was to open communication -with the Esquimaux of Whale Sound, and, in the event of this being -accomplished, it was fair to suppose that some animals might be -obtained from them. If we could succeed in bringing the tribe to the -vessel, we might readily accomplish our wish; for, during the period -that their dogs would be in our service, we could, if necessity -required it, furnish them all with food, either from our stores or from -the hunt. - -Hans was consulted concerning the Esquimaux, and from him we learned -that there was a family living on Northumberland Island, several -families on the south side of Whale Sound, and possibly one or more -on the north side. Northumberland Island was about a hundred miles -distant as we would be obliged to travel in order to reach it, and the -south side of the Sound about one hundred and fifty. That we should -communicate with these people at the earliest practicable moment was -a matter of the first importance. If a sufficient number of the dogs -should remain alive when the moon came in December, it was arranged -that Sonntag should make the journey at that period, taking a single -sledge, and Hans for a driver. If the dogs should all die, then I -intended to go down on foot as soon as possible, and do my best to -bring all of the Esquimaux to Port Foulke and Etah, use their dogs -while we needed them, and feed and clothe the people in the interval. -Meanwhile, however, we could only wait through the mid-December -darkness, and hope that the month would end more auspiciously than it -had begun. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - THE ARCTIC MIDNIGHT.--SONNTAG STARTS FOR WHALE SOUND.--EFFECTS - OF DARKNESS ON THE SPIRITS.--ROUTINE OF DUTIES.--CHRISTMAS - EVE.--CHRISTMAS DAY.--THE CHRISTMAS DINNER. - - - December 22d. - -The sun has reached to-day its greatest southern declination, and we -have passed the Arctic Midnight. The winter solstice is to us the -meridian day, as twelve o'clock is the meridian hour to those who dwell -in lands where the sun comes three hundred and sixty-five times instead -of once in the "revolving year." - -To me these last four weeks have been eventful ones, and I hail this -day with joy, and am glad to feel that we are now on the downward -hill-side of the polar darkness. The death of my dogs fills me with -sadness, and this sadness is doubled when I think that the disaster has -sent Sonntag into the dangers of the night to remedy in season the evil. - -Sonntag set out yesterday to reach the Esquimaux. We had talked the -matter over from day to day, and saw clearly that it was the only thing -to do. Hans told us that the Esquimaux would congregate about Cape York -towards the spring, and it was evident that if we waited for daylight -they would be beyond our reach. There seemed from Hans's story to be at -least a reasonable probability that some of them might be at Sorfalik, -or at other stations on the north side of Whale Sound, and Hans had -no doubt that the journey could be easily made, even if they had to -travel to Northumberland Island, or beyond, to Netlik. He was eager to -go, and Sonntag, impatient for the trial, was waiting only for the moon -and settled weather. Hans was the only available driver, for he alone -knew where to find the native villages, and three persons to one sledge -was against all the cañons of Arctic traveling. Although my suspicions -had been aroused against him at the time of Peter's disappearance, yet -nothing had been proved, and Sonntag liked him quite as well as Jensen -for a driver, and still retained faith in him. To take Jensen was to -incumber himself with a useless hindrance. The journey would be a rapid -one, and it was important to spare all needless weight. The disease -among the dogs subsided six days ago, when the last death occurred, -leaving nine good animals, all of which Sonntag took with him. - -[Sidenote: PREPARATIONS FOR A JOURNEY.] - -But little time was required to prepare the party for the journey. -Hans made for himself a buffalo bag wherein to sleep, and Sonntag -carried for his own use one of bear-skin which he had brought from -Upernavik. Their provisions were for twelve days, although it is not -expected that they will be absent so long, for the distance can be -made to Northumberland Island, if they are required to go so far, in -two marches. Sonntag and myself made it in three marches in December, -1854. It is often made by the Esquimaux in one journey, and Hans -seemed to look upon it as an easy and trifling task. They carried no -tent, intending to rely upon the snow-hut, with the construction of -which Hans is, of necessity, very familiar, and Sonntag has had, in -years past, much experience. The plan is that they are to pass over -the glacier back of Cape Alexander, in case the ice should not be -firm around the cape, and thence to make down the coast directly for -Sorfalik. In the event of Esquimaux not being found at that place, they -will cross over the Sound directly for Northumberland Island, unless -they shall discover good reason for keeping along the coast twenty -miles further for Peteravik. - -The weather has been quite stormy up to yesterday, when it fell calm, -and the thermometer stood at -21°. To-day it has grown much milder, and -light snow is falling. The temperature is above zero, and every thing -looks promising for the travelers. They have been absent now thirty-six -hours, and have, no doubt, passed the cape and are well on the journey. - -[Sidenote: SONNTAG STARTS FOR WHALE SOUND.] - -Their start occasioned much excitement, and aroused the ship's company -from a lethargic disposition into which they have lately seemed -inclined to fall in spite of every thing. Sonntag was in excellent -spirits, and felt confident that he would soon bring the Esquimaux and -dogs; and he rejoiced over the prospect of a few days of adventure. -Hans was lively and eager. He cracked his whip, the dogs bounded into -their collars, and were off at a full gallop. The sledge glided glibly -over the snow; and, as they plunged out into the moonlight, we sent -after them the true nautical "Hip, hip, hurrah!" three times repeated, -and then a "tiger." - - December 23d. - -I had a strange dream last night, which I cannot help mentioning; and, -were I disposed to superstition, it might incline me to read in it an -omen of evil. I stood with Sonntag far out on the frozen sea, when -suddenly a crash was heard through the darkness, and in an instant a -crack opened in the ice between us. It came so suddenly and widened -so rapidly that he could not spring over it to where I stood, and he -sailed away upon the dark waters of a troubled sea. I last saw him -standing firmly upon the crystal raft, his erect form cutting sharply -against a streak of light which lay upon the distant horizon. - -[Sidenote: ROUTINE OF DUTIES.] - -Our life moves on with unobstructed monotony. There are but few -incidents to mark the progress of these tedious hours of darkness. If I -have now some fears for Sonntag, yet I envy him, and cannot wonder at -his eagerness to go, independent of his important object. A dash among -the Esquimau villages, and a few days of combat with the storms would -lift one out of the prolonged dullness of this waiting for the day. -Any thing in the world is better than inaction and perpetual sameness. -Rest and endless routine are our portion. The ship's duties and our -social duties are performed from week to week with the same painfully -precise regularity. We live by "bells," and this may be true in a -double sense. "Bells" make the day, and mark the progress of time. But -for these "bells," these endless "bells," I believe we should all lie -down and sleep on through the eternal night, and wake not until the day -dawned upon us in the long hereafter. "Bells" tell us the hours and the -half hours, and change the "watch," and govern the divisons of time, -as at sea. "One bell" calls us to breakfast, two to lunch, and "four -bells" is the dinner summons. "Six bells" is the signal for putting out -the lights, and at "seven bells" we open our eyes again to the same -continuous pale glimmer of the kerosene lamp, and we awake again to the -same endless routine of occupations, idleness, and _ennui_. - -[Sidenote: ROUTINE OF DUTIES.] - -The hunters continue to chase the reindeer and foxes in the -moonlight,--more, however, from habit and for exercise than from any -encouragement they find in success; for, even when the moon shines, -they can shoot only at random. The work at the observatory goes on, and -when the magnetic "term day" comes round we clamber over the ice-foot -every hour, and it marks an event. The occultations of Jupiter's -satellites are carefully observed through the telescope, that our -chronometers may not go astray; the tide continues to rise and fall, -regardless of the vast load of ice that it lifts, and indifferent as -to the fact that it is watched. Dodge keeps up his ice-measurements, -and finds that the crystal table has got down to our keel (6½ feet), -so that we are resting in a perfect cradle. That the sailors may have -something to do, I have given them an hour's task each day sewing up -canvas bags for the spring journeys. From the officers I continue to -have the same daily reports; the newspaper comes out regularly, and -continues to afford amusement; the librarian hands out the books every -morning, and they are well read; the officers and the men have no new -means of entertainment, and usually fill up the last of the waking -hours (I cannot say the evening, where there is nothing else but night) -with cards and pipes. I go into the cabin oftener than I used to; but -I do not neglect my chess with Knorr, and, until Sonntag left us, I -filled up a portion of every evening in converse with him, and, for -the lack of any thing new, we talked over and over again of our summer -plans, and calculated to a nicety the measure of our labor, and the -share which each would take of the work laid out. - -[Sidenote: EFFECTS OF DARKNESS.] - -And thus we jog on toward the spring; but each hour of the darkness -grows a little longer, and soaks a little more color from the blood, -and takes a little more from the elasticity of the step, and adds a -little more to the lengthening face, and checks little by little the -cheerful laugh and the merry jest that come from the hold and cabin; -and, without being willing to confess it openly, yet we are all forced -to acknowledge to ourselves that the enemy does now and then get the -better of us, and that we have often to renew the resolution. The -novelty of our life is exhausted, and the outside world has nothing -new. The moonlight comes and goes again, and the night glistens clear -and cold over the white landscape; and the memory returns unbidden to -other days that are fled and gone; and we miss in the sparkling air and -the still hour of the winter night the jingling bells, and the sleigh -which will always hold one more, and the wayside inn, and the smoking -supper that "mine host" serves up, and the crackling blaze of country -logs; and then, when we forget the moon, and the snow, and the frost, -and recall the summer and the sunshine, we remember that "the seat in -the shade of the hawthorn bush" is far away. - - December 24th. - -[Sidenote: CHRISTMAS EVE.] - -Christmas Eve! What happy memories are recalled by the mention of that -name! How much of youthful promise it brings back to the weary mind -and to the aching heart! How potent is the charm, how magical the -influence! A beam of light has fallen within this little ice-bound -vessel, and from the promised morn we catch the same inspiration that -has come to all mankind since "that bright and lovely star" first -rose to the shepherds of Judea; for wherever we are on this wide, -wide world, we find in the day the symbol which binds us all to one -cherished hope. Gladness springs into being with the rising sun, and -the Christmas bells, sending their merry voices on the wings of the -returning light, encircle the earth in one continuous peal. Their -chimes ring out glad tidings everywhere. The joyous music rejoices the -lonely watcher on the sea, and the hunter who warms himself beside the -embers of his smouldering fire; it penetrates the humble cabin of the -slave and the hut of the weary emigrant; it reaches the wanderer on -the steppes of Tartary, and the savage in the forest; it consoles the -poor and the sorrowing, and the rich and the powerful; and to the sick -and to the well alike, wherever they may be under the sun, it brings a -blessed brightness;--and it gleams, too, - - .... "on the eternal snows, beneath the Polar Star, - And with a radiant Cross it lights the Southern deep afar. - And Christmas morn is but the dawn, the herald of a day - That circles in its boundless love, no winter, no decay." - -I have never seen the ship so bright and cheerful. Sundry boxes have -been produced from out-of-the-way corners, and from the magical manner -of their appearance one might think that Santa Claus had charged -himself with a special mission to this little world, before he had -begun to fill the shoes and stockings and to give marriage portions -to destitute maidens, in the dear old lands where he is patron of the -"Christ Kinkle Eve," and where the silver cord binding the affections -is freshened once a year with the Christmas offering. The cabin-table -fairly groans under a mass of holiday fare,--kindly mementos from those -who are talking about us to-night around the family fire-side. Shoals -of bon-bons, and "Christmas cakes" of every imaginable kind, bearing -all sorts of tender mottoes, come out of their tin cases, setting off -prospective indigestion against glad hearts. - -[Sidenote: CHRISTMAS DAY.] - -Everybody has been busy to-day getting ready to celebrate the morrow -and to keep the holidays. To this praiseworthy purpose I give, of -course, every encouragement. The ship's stores contain nothing that is -too good for the Christmas feast, which McCormick promises shall outdo -that of his birthday. Unfortunately he will be unable to give it his -personal attention, for he is laid up with a frosted foot which he got -while hunting, in some manner known only to himself. As no one at home -likes to confess that he has been run away with and thrown from his -steed, so no one here cares to own to the power of Jack Frost over him. -To be frost-bitten is the one standing reproach of this community. - - December 26th. - -Christmas has come and gone again, and has left upon the minds of -all of us a pleasant recollection. To me it would have been a day of -unalloyed pleasure, had it not been that my thoughts followed Sonntag, -and dwelt upon the sad loss that I have suffered in the death of my -dogs; for the people were gay and lively, and to see them thus is now -my first concern. Aside from all sentiment connected with wishing -people happy, to me it has another meaning, for it is the guaranty of -health. - -The ship's bell was hoisted to the mast-head, and while the bells -of other lands were pealing through the sunlight, and over a world -of gladness, ours sent its clear notes ringing through the darkness -and the solitude. After this we met together in the cabin, and gave -our thanks in our own modest way for the blessings which kind Heaven -had vouchsafed us; and then each one set himself about his allotted -duties. It is needless to say that these duties concerned chiefly -the preparation and advancement of every thing which concerned a -"Christmas dinner." The officers dressed the cabin with flags, and the -sailors decorated their walls and beams with stripes of red, white, -and blue flannel which was loaned to them from the ship's stores. The -schooner was illuminated throughout, and every lamp was called into -requisition. An extra allowance of oil was granted to the occasion, -and the upper-deck was refulgent with light. Two immense chandeliers -were constructed for the dinner-tables, and some gold and silver paper, -strings of spangles, and strips of braid, kindly presented to us by -Mr. Horstmann for the winter theatricals, which have never come off, -covered the wood of which they were composed, and gave them quite an -air of splendor; while two dozen of spermacetti candles brilliantly -illuminated the apartments in which they hung. - -A short time before the dinner-hour I visited the men's quarters, at -their request, and was as much gratified with the taste that they had -exhibited as with the heartiness with which they entered into the -spirit of the day. Every nook and corner of the hold was as clean and -tidy as possible. Everybody was busy and delighted. The cook might, -however, be regarded as an exception to the latter rule, for the -success of everybody's projects depended upon his skill, and he was -closely watched. I halted at his red-hot galley-stove, and wished him a -merry Christmas. "Tank you, sar!" said he; "but I gets no time to tink -about de merry Christmas. De Commander see dese big reindeers." And he -went on vigorously basting two fine haunches of venison which had been -carefully treasured for the occasion, and putting the last touches to a -kettle of tempting soup. Intending encouragement, I reminded him that -his labors would be over with the serving of the dinner, when, with -that consistency for which human nature is remarkable, especially in a -ship's cook, he replied, "Please sar, so long as my Hebenly Fader gives -me healt I likes to vork." - -[Sidenote: MERRY CHRISTMAS.] - -As I passed out of the hold into the officers' cabin, the crew sent -after me three cheers, and three more for the expedition, and I don't -know how many followed afterward for a "merry Christmas" to themselves. -The upper-deck was light and cheerful with the multitude of lamps, -and had been "cleared up" with unusual care; and from amidships every -thing had been removed. This Knorr told me was his work, and I was -informed that there was to be a "ball." The disposition to consume -oil was contagious. Even the heathenish little wife of my absent -hunter had managed to procure an additional supply, and rejoiced in an -extra blaze in honor of the day, the meaning of which was all Greek -to her. Her hut was a cheerful nest of furs, and little Pingasuik, -with a strip of tough seal-blubber, substituted for one of Goodyear's -patent arrangements for children's gums, was laughing and crowing as -a Christian baby would be expected to do on this most Christian day. -Jacob, fat Jacob, was grinning in one corner. Charley told me that he -began grinning early in the morning, at the prospect of the many crumbs -to come from so bounteous a feast; and, in order to prepare himself for -the task, he had swallowed a fox which Jensen brought in from one of -his traps, and which he had turned over to the boy to skin. Out on the -ice I found a boisterous group engaged around two large tin kettles. -They were stirring something with wooden sticks, and I found that, -at 34° below zero, they were making "water ice" and "Roman punch" by -wholesale. They needed no chemical compounds for their "freezer." - -At six o'clock I joined the officers at dinner. Our glass and crockery -has, in some mysterious manner known only to the steward, been -disappearing from the time of leaving Boston, but there is plenty of -tin ware to supply the deficiency, and each cup contained a boquet of -flowers, cut from tissue-paper, and a mammoth centre-piece of the same -materials stood under the glittering chandelier. The dinner was much -enjoyed by everybody, and if we lacked the orthodox turkey, the haunch -was not a bad substitute. - -[Sidenote: AN ARCTIC BALL.] - -[Sidenote: A PAS DE DEUX.] - -I remained until nine o'clock, and left the party to a merry evening. -The hour for extinguishing the lights was put off at discretion; -and, having myself granted this privilege, I cannot, of course, say -that any of the proprieties of discipline or of ship-board life were -interfered with. Rejoiced to see that the people had the spirit to be -merry at all, I was only too glad to encourage them in it. Every part -of the "Festival," as they facetiously call it, was conducted in a -very orderly manner. The "ball" came off as promised, and when I went -up, about midnight, to have a look at the merrymakers, I found Knorr, -wrapped in furs, seated upon a keg, fiddling away in a very energetic -manner, while Barnum and McDonald were going through a sailor's -hornpipe with immense _eclat_; then Carl swung the steward round in -the "giddy mazes of the waltz;" and, finally, Charley set the ship -shaking with laughter by attempting a _pas de deux_ with Madame Hans. -The old cook had crawled up the ladder from below, and, forgetting his -troubles and his "reindeers," applauded the actors vociferously. But he -was soon observed to be making off from the "gay and festive" scene. A -dozen voices called loudly after him,-- - -"Hallo, cook!--come back and have a dance!" - -"Vat for me dance, and make nonsense, ven dere be no vomens?" - -"But here's Mrs. Hans, cook." - -"Ugh!"--and he dove below. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - THE NEW YEAR.--LOOKING FOR SONNTAG.--THE AURORA BOREALIS.--A - REMARKABLE DISPLAY.--DEPTH OF SNOW.--STRANGE MILDNESS - OF THE WEATHER.--THE OPEN SEA.--EVAPORATION AT LOW - TEMPERATURES.--LOOKING FOR THE TWILIGHT.--MY PET FOX. - - - January 1st, 1861. - -The Christmas holidays have passed quickly away, and the year of grace -eighteen hundred and sixty-one was born amid great rejoicings. We -have just "rung out the Old and in the New." As the clock showed the -midnight hour, the bell was tolled, our swivel gun sent a blaze of fire -from its little throat into the darkness, and some fire-works went -fizzing and banging into the clear sky. The rockets and blue-lights -gleamed over the snow with a weird and strange light; and the loud boom -of the gun and the crash of the bell echoing and reëchoing through the -neighboring gorges seemed like the voices of startled spirits of the -solitude. - -[Sidenote: LOOKING FOR SONNTAG.] - -I now look anxiously for the return of Sonntag and Hans. Indeed, I have -been prepared to see them at any time within these past seven days; -for although I had little expectation that they would find Esquimaux -at Sorfalik or Peteravik, yet their speedy return would not have -surprised me. This is the tenth day of their absence, and they have -had more than ample time to go even to the south side of Whale Sound -and come back again. I am the more anxious now that the moon has set, -and the difficulties of traveling are so greatly multiplied. However, -Sonntag had an undisguised wish to remain some time among the natives, -to study their language and habits, and to join them in their hunting -excursions; and when he left I felt quite sure that, if a reasonable -pretext could be found for absenting himself so long, we would not see -him until the January moon. There is no doubt that he will remain if he -finds no interest of the expedition likely to suffer in consequence. - - January 5th. - -I have no longer a dog. The General was the last of them, and he died -two days ago. Poor fellow! I had become more than ever attached to him -lately, especially since he had quite recovered from the accident to -his leg, and seemed likely to be useful with the sledge after a while. -It seems strange to see the place so deserted and so quiet. In the -early winter I never went out of the vessel on the ice without having -the whole pack crowding around me, playing and crying in gladness at -my coming; now their lifeless carcasses are strewn about the harbor, -half buried in snow and ice, and, if not so fearful, they are at -least hardly more sightly than were those other stiff and stark and -twisted figures which the wandering poets found beneath the dark sky -and "murky vapors" and frozen waters of the icy realm of Dis. There -was a companionship in the dogs, which, apart from their usefulness, -attached them to everybody, and in this particular we all feel alike -the greatness of the loss. - -But it is hard to get along without a pet of some kind, and since the -General has gone I have got Jensen to catch me a fox, and the cunning -little creature now sits coiled up in a tub of snow in one corner of -my cabin; and, as she listens to the scratching of my pen, she looks -very much as if she would like to know what it is all about. I am -trying hard to civilize her, and have had some success. She was very -shy when brought in, but, being left to herself for a while, she has -become somewhat reconciled to her new abode. She is about three fourths -grown, weighs four and a quarter pounds, has a coat of long fine fur, -resembling in color that of a Maltese cat, and is being instructed to -answer to the name of _Birdie_. - - January 6th. - -[Sidenote: THE AURORA BOREALIS.] - -I have often been struck with the singular circumstance that up to -this time we have scarcely seen the Aurora Borealis; and until to-day -there has been no display of any great brilliancy. We have been twice -favored during the past twelve hours. The first was at eleven o'clock -in the morning, and the second at nine o'clock in the evening. The arch -was perfect in the last case; in the former it was less continuous, -but more intense. In both instances, the direction of the centre -from the observatory was west by south (true), and was 30° above the -horizon. Twenty degrees above the arch in the evening there was another -imperfect one, a phenomenon which I have not before witnessed. In the -direction west-northwest a single ray shot down to the horizon, and -there continued for almost an hour. - -The infrequency of the Auroral light has been more marked here than at -Van Rensselaer Harbor. We seem to have passed almost beyond it. The -region of its greatest brilliancy appears to be from ten to twenty -degrees further south. As at Van Rensselaer Harbor, its exhibition is -almost invariably on the western sky; and Jensen tells me that this -occurs at Upernavik, and he says also that the phenomena are there -much more brilliant and of greater frequency than here. - -The display of the morning was much finer than that of the evening. -Indeed, I have rarely witnessed a more sublime or imposing spectacle. -By the way, how strange it seems to be speaking of events happening in -the morning and in the evening, when, to save your life, you could not -tell without the clock by what name to call the divisions of time! We -say eleven o'clock in the morning and eleven o'clock in the evening -from habit; but if, by any mischance, we should lose our reckoning -for twelve hours, we would then go on calling the evening morning and -the morning evening, without being able to detect the error by any -difference in the amount of light at these two periods of the day. But -this is a digression. - -[Sidenote: AURORA.] - -To come back to the Aurora of this morning. When it first appeared -I was walking out among the icebergs at the mouth of the harbor; -and, although the time was so near noon, yet I was groping through -a darkness that was exceedingly embarrassing to my movements among -the rough ice. Suddenly a bright ray darted up from behind the black -cloud which lay low down on the horizon before me. It lasted but an -instant, and, having filled the air with a strange illumination, -it died away, leaving the darkness even more profound than before. -Presently the arch which I have before mentioned sprang across the -sky, and the Aurora became gradually more fixed. The space inclosed -by the arch was very dark, and was filled with the cloud. The play of -the rays which rose from its steadily brightening border was for some -time very capricious, alternating, if I might be allowed the figure, -the burst of flame from a conflagration with the soft glow of the -early morn. The light grew by degrees more and more intense, and from -irregular bursts it settled into an almost steady sheet of brightness. -This sheet was, however, far from uniform, for it was but a flood of -mingling and variously-tinted streaks. The exhibition, at first tame -and quiet, became in the end startling in its brilliancy. The broad -dome above me is all ablaze. Ghastly fires, more fierce than those -which lit the heavens from burning Troy, flash angrily athwart the sky. -The stars pale before the marvellous glare, and seem to recede further -and further from the earth,--as when the chariot of the Sun, driven by -Phæton, and carried from its beaten track by the ungovernable steeds, -rushed madly through the skies, parching the world and withering the -constellations. The gentle Andromeda flies trembling from the flame; -Perseus, with his flashing sword and Gorgon shield, retreats in fear; -the Pole Star is chased from the night, and the Great Bear, faithful -sentinel of the North, quits his guardian watch, following the feeble -trail. The color of the light was chiefly red, but this was not -constant, and every hue mingled in the fierce display. Blue and yellow -streamers were playing in the lurid fire; and, sometimes starting side -by side from the wide expanse of the illumined arch, they melt into -each other, and throw a ghostly glare of green into the face and over -the landscape. Again this green overrides the red; blue and orange -clasp each other in their rapid flight; violet darts tear through a -broad flush of yellow, and countless tongues of white flame, formed of -these uniting streams, rush aloft and lick the skies. The play of this -many-colored light upon the surrounding objects was truly wonderful. -The weird forms of countless icebergs, singly and in clusters, loomed -above the sea, and around their summits the strange gleam shone as -the fires of Vesuvius over the doomed temples of Campania. Upon the -mountain tops, along the white surface of the frozen waters, upon the -lofty cliffs, the light glowed and grew dim and glowed again, as if the -air was filled with charnel meteors, pulsating with wild inconstancy -over some vast illimitable city of the dead. The scene was noiseless, -yet the senses were deceived, for unearthly sounds seemed to follow the -rapid flashes, and to fall upon the ear like - - ----"the tread - Of phantoms dread, - With banner, and spear, and flame." - - January 13th. - -The month of January runs on through stormy skies. The wind continues -to blow as before, and the wild rush of gales fills the night with -sounds of terror. - -[Sidenote: DEPTH OF SNOW.] - -The air has been, however, for the most part, quite clear. But little -snow has fallen since November. The total depth now mounts up to -53¾ inches. I am more and more struck with the difference in the -atmospheric conditions of this place and Van Rensselaer Harbor. There -we had rarely moisture, and gales were scarcely known. The temperatures -were very low, and the winter was marked by a general calm. Here -the temperatures are more mild than Parry's at Melville Island, the -atmospheric disturbances have been very great, and the amount of snow -has been truly surprising. There is one comfort at least in the winds. -They either carry off the snow or pack it very hard, so that we get -about with as little difficulty as if we were walking upon the bare -ice. It is pounded as hard as the drives in the Central Park. - -All these unusual phenomena are, as has been hitherto observed, -doubtless due to the close proximity of the open sea. How extensive -this water may be is of course unknown, but its limits cannot be very -small to produce such serious atmospheric disturbance. It seems, -indeed, as if we were in the very vortex of the north winds. The poet -has told us that the north winds - - "Are cradled far down in the depths that yawn - Beneath the Polar Star;" - -and it appears very much as if we had got into those yawning depths, -and had come not only to the place where the winds are cradled, but -where they are born. - -[Sidenote: EVAPORATION AT LOW TEMPERATURES.] - -I have been making, all the winter through, a series of experiments -which give me some interesting results. They show that evaporation -takes place at the very lowest temperatures, and that precipitation -often occurs when the air is apparently quite clear. To determine -this latter, I have exposed a number of smooth and carefully measured -ice-surfaces, and have collected from them the light deposit. These -accumulations, after reducing them to the standard of freshly fallen -snow, amount thus far to seven eighths of an inch. To determine -the evaporation, I have suspended in the open air a number of thin -ice-plates, made in a shallow dish, and some strips of wet flannel. -The flannel becomes perfectly dry in a few days, and the ice-plates -disappear slowly and steadily. I generally weigh them every second day, -and it is curious to watch my little circular disks silently melting -away and vanishing "into thin air," while the thermometer is down in -the zeros. - -This evaporation at low temperatures is constantly taking place before -our eyes, to our advantage. On wash-days the clothes are hung on lines -stretched across the ship's rigging, or upon poles across the ice, as -you will see on Monday afternoons in the farmhouse yards; and before -the week is over the moisture has disappeared, no matter how cold it -may be. - - - January 16th. - -Our eyes now turn wistfully to the south, eagerly watching for the tip -of Aurora's chariot, as the fair goddess of the morning rises from -the sea to drop a ray of gladness from her rosy fingers into this -long-neglected world. - -It is almost a month since we passed the darkest day of the winter, and -it will be a long time yet before we have light; but it is time for us -now to have at noontime a faint flush upon the horizon. We find a new -excitement, if such it may be called, in the impatience of expectation. -Meanwhile I pet my fox. - -[Sidenote: MY PET FOX.] - -Birdie has become quite tame, and does great credit to her instructor. -She is the most cunning; creature that was ever seen, and does not -make a bad substitute for the General. She takes the General's place -at my table, as she has his place in my affections; but she sits in -my lap, where the General never was admitted, and, with her delicate -little paws on the cloth, she makes a picture. Why, she is indeed a -perfect little gourmande, well bred, too, and clever. When she takes -the little morsels into her mouth her eyes sparkle with delight, -she wipes her lips, and looks up at me with a coquetterie that is -perfectly irresistible. The eagerness of appetite is controlled by -the proprieties of the table and a proper self-respect; and she is -satisfied to prolong a feast in which she finds so much enjoyment. -She does not like highly seasoned food; indeed, she prefers to take -it _au natural_, so I have a few little bits of venison served for -her on a separate plate. She has her own fork; but she has not yet -advanced sufficiently far in the usages of civilization to handle it -for herself, so I convey the delicate morsels to her mouth. Sometimes -she exhibits too much impatience; but a gentle rebuke with the fork on -the tip of the nose is quite effective in restoring her patience, and -saving her from indigestion. - -Her habits greatly interest me. I have allowed her to run loose in -my cabin, after a short confinement in a cage had familiarized her -with the place; but she soon found out the "bull's-eye" over my head, -through the cracks around which she could sniff the cool air; and she -got into the habit of bounding over the shelves, without much regard -for the many valuable and perishable articles which lay thereon. From -this retreat nothing can tempt her but a good dinner; and as soon as -she sees from her perch the bits of raw venison, she crawls leisurely -down, sneaks gently into my lap, looks up longingly and lovingly into -my face, puts out her little tongue with quick impatience, and barks -bewitchingly if the beginning of the repast is too long delayed. - -I tried to cure her of this habit of climbing by tying her up with -a chain which Knorr made for me of some iron wire; but she took -it so much to heart that I had to let her go. Her efforts to free -herself were very amusing, and she well earned her freedom. She tried -continually to break the chain, and, having once succeeded, she seemed -determined not to be baffled in her subsequent attempts. As long as I -was watching her she would be quiet enough, coiled up in her bed or -her tub of snow; but the moment my eyes were off her, or she thought -me asleep, she worked hard to effect her liberation. First she would -draw herself back as far as she could get, and then suddenly darting -forward, would bring up at the end of her chain with a jerk which sent -her reeling on the floor; then she would pick herself up, panting as -if her little heart would break, shake out her disarranged coat, and -try again. But this she would do with much deliberation. For a moment -she would sit quietly down, cock her head cunningly on one side, follow -the chain with her eye along its whole length to its fastening in the -floor, and then she would walk leisurely to that point, hesitate a -moment, and then make another plunge. All this time she would eye me -sharply, and if I made any movement, she would fall down at once on the -floor and pretend sleep. - -She is a very neat and cleanly creature. She is everlastingly brushing -her clothes, and she bathes very regularly in her bath of snow. This -last is her great delight. She roots up the clean white flakes with -her diminutive nose, rolls and rubs and half buries herself in them, -wipes her face with her soft paws, and when all is over she mounts with -her delicate fingers to the side of the tub, looks around her very -knowingly, and barks the prettiest little bark that ever was heard. -This is her way of enforcing admiration; and, being now satisfied with -her performance, she gives a goodly number of shakes to her sparkling -coat, and then, happy and refreshed, she crawls to her airy bed in the -"bull's-eye" and sleeps. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - THE ARCTIC NIGHT. - - - January 20th. - -The Morn is coming! - -A faint twilight flush mounted the southern sky to-day at the meridian -hour, and, although barely perceptible, it was a cheering sight to all -of us. - -At our usual Sunday gathering, I read from Ecclesiastes these lines:-- - - "Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eye - to behold the sun." - -And this suggested the text for our evening conversation; and we talked -long of the future and of what was to be done, with the coming again of -the god of day. - -We all feel now that the veil of night is lifting, that the cloud is -passing away, that the heavy load of darkness is being lightened. The -people have exhausted their means of amusement; the newspaper has died -a natural death; theatricals are impossible; and there is nothing new -to break the weariness of the long hours. - -But we shall soon have no need to give thought to these things. There -will be ere long neither time nor occasion for amusements. The Arctic -night will soon be numbered with the things of the past. We are eager -that it shall have an end, and we long for the day and work. - -And say what you will, talk as you will of pluck, and manly resolution, -and mental resources, and all that sort of thing, this Arctic night -is a severe ordeal. Physically one can get through it well enough. -We are and always have been in perfect health. I am my own "ship's -doctor," and am a doctor without a patient. Believing in Democritus -rather than Heraclitus, we have laughed the scurvy and all other -sources of ill-health to shame. And we have laughed at the scurvy -really and truly; for if it does sometimes come in, like a thief in the -night, with salt rations and insufficient food, which has not been our -portion, it does, too, come with despondency and the splenetic blood of -an unhappy household, from which we have fortunately been exempt. - -But if the Arctic night can be endured with little strain upon the -physical, it is, nevertheless, a severe trial both to the moral -and the intellectual faculties. The darkness which so long clothes -Nature unfolds to the senses a new world, and the senses accommodate -themselves to that world but poorly. The cheering influences of the -rising sun which invite to labor; the soothing influences of the -evening twilight which invite to repose; the change from day to night -find from night to day which lightens the burden to the weary mind and -the aching body, strengthening the hope and sustaining the courage, -in the great life-battle of the dear home-land, is withdrawn, and in -the constant longing for Light, Light, the mind and body, weary with -the changeless progress of the time, fail to find Repose where all -is Rest. The grandeur of Nature ceases to give delight to the dulled -sympathies. The heart longs continually for new associations, new -objects, and new companionships. The dark and drear solitude oppresses -the understanding; the desolation which everywhere reigns haunts the -imagination; the silence--dark, dreary, and profound--becomes a terror. - -And yet there is in the Arctic night much that is attractive to the -lover of Nature. There is in the flashing Aurora, in the play of the -moonlight upon the hills and icebergs, in the wonderful clearness of -the starlight, in the broad expanse of the ice-fields, in the lofty -grandeur of the mountains and the glaciers, in the naked fierceness of -the storms, much that is both sublime and beautiful. But they speak a -language of their own,--a language, rough, rugged and severe. - -Nature is here exposed on a gigantic scale. Out of the glassy sea the -cliffs rear their dark fronts and frown grimly over the desolate waste -of ice-clad waters. The mountain peaks, glittering in the clear cold -atmosphere, pierce the very heavens, their heads hoary with unnumbered -ages. The glaciers pour their crystal torrents into the sea in floods -of immeasurable magnitude. The very air, disdaining the gentle softness -of other climes, bodies forth a loftier majesty, and seems to fill -the universe with a boundless transparency; and the stars pierce it -sharply, and the moon fills it with a cold refulgence. There is neither -warmth nor coloring underneath this etherial robe of night. No broad -window opens in the east, no gold and crimson curtain falls in the -west, upon a world clothed in blue and green and purple, melting into -one harmonious whole, a tinted cloak of graceful loveliness. Under -the shadow of the eternal night, Nature needs no drapery and requires -no adornment. The glassy sea, the tall cliff, the lofty mountain, -the majestic glacier, do not blend one with the other. Each stands -forth alone, clothed only with Solitude. Sable priestess of the Arctic -winter, she has wrapped the world in a winding-sheet, and thrown her -web and woof over the very face of Nature. - -And I have gone out often into the Arctic night, and viewed Nature -under varied aspects. I have rejoiced with her in her strength, and -communed with her in repose. I have seen the wild burst of her anger, -have watched her sportive play, and have beheld her robed in silence. I -have walked abroad in the darkness when the winds were roaring through -the hills and crashing over the plain. I have strolled along the beach -when the only sound that broke the stillness was the dull creaking of -the ice-tables, as they rose and fell lazily with the tide. I have -wandered far out upon the frozen sea, and listened to the voice of -the icebergs bewailing their imprisonment; along the glacier, where -forms and falls the avalanche; upon the hill-top, where the drifting -snow, coursing over the rocks, sang its plaintive song; and again I -have wandered away to some distant valley where all these sounds were -hushed, and the air was still and solemn as the tomb. - -And it is here that the Arctic night is most impressive, where its -true spirit is revealed, where its wonders are unloosed to sport and -play with the mind's vague imaginings. The heavens above and the earth -beneath reveal only an endless and fathomless quiet. There is nowhere -around me evidence of life or motion. I stand alone in the midst of the -mighty hills. Their tall crests climb upward, and are lost in the gray -vault of the skies. The dark cliffs, standing against their slopes of -white, are the steps of a vast amphitheatre. The mind, finding no rest -on their bald summits, wanders into space. The moon, weary with long -vigil, sinks to her repose. The Pleiades no longer breathe their sweet -influences. Cassiopea and Andromeda and Orion and all the infinite host -of unnumbered constellations, fail to infuse one spark of joy into this -dead atmosphere. They have lost all their tenderness, and are cold and -pulseless. The eye leaves them and returns to earth, and the trembling -ear awaits something that will break the oppressive stillness. But -no foot-fall of living thing reaches it; no wild beast howls through -the solitude. There is no cry of bird to enliven the scene; no tree, -among whose branches the winds can sigh and moan. The pulsations of my -own heart are alone heard in the great void; and as the blood courses -through the sensitive organization of the ear, I am oppressed as with -discordant sounds. Silence has ceased to be negative. It has become -endowed with positive attributes. I seem to hear and see and feel it. -It stands forth as a frightful spectre, filling the mind with the -overpowering consciousness of universal death,--proclaiming the end -of all things, and heralding the everlasting future. Its presence is -unendurable. I spring from the rock upon which I have been seated, I -plant my feet heavily in the snow to banish its awful presence,--and -the sound rolls through the night and drives away the phantom. - -I have seen no expression on the face of Nature so filled with terror -as The Silence of the Arctic Night. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - PROLONGED ABSENCE OF MR. SONNTAG.--PREPARING TO LOOK FOR - HIM.--ARRIVAL OF ESQUIMAUX.--THEY REPORT SONNTAG DEAD.--ARRIVAL - OF HANS.--CONDITION OF THE DOGS.--HANS'S STORY OF THE JOURNEY. - - -A full month had now elapsed since Sonntag and Hans left us, and -several days of the January moonlight having passed over without -bringing them back, I had some cause for alarm. It was evident that -they had either met with an accident, or were detained among the -Esquimaux in some unaccountable manner. I therefore began to devise -means for determining what had become of them. First, I sent Mr. Dodge -down to Cape Alexander to pursue the trail and ascertain whether they -had gone around or over the cape. The sledge-track was followed for -about five miles, when it came suddenly to an end, the ice having -broken up and drifted away since December. Dodge could now only examine -the passes of the glacier; and finding there no tracks, it was evident -that the party had gone outside. - -My next concern was to determine whether the tracks reappeared on -the firm ice south of the cape; and accordingly I prepared to start -with a small foot party, and cross over the glacier. In the event of -finding tracks below Cape Alexander, my course would then be governed -by circumstances; but if the track should not appear, it would be -conclusive evidence that the party was lost, and I would proceed south -until I reached the Esquimaux, for I could no longer afford to delay -communication with them. Although the temperature had now fallen to 43° -below zero, yet the careful preparations which I had made for camping -relieved the journey from any risks on that account. The mercury -froze for the first time during the winter while Dodge was absent, -and I was extravagant enough to mould a bullet of it and send it from -my rifle through a thick plank. Dodge, who was one of my most hardy -men, returned from his twelve hours' tramp complaining that he had -suffered rather from heat than cold, and he declared that, when called -upon another time to wade so far through snow-drifts and hummocks, he -would not carry so heavy a load of furs. In truth, both he and his two -companions came in perspiring freely under their buffalo-skin coats. - -[Sidenote: ARRIVAL OF ESQUIMAUX.] - -My projected journey was, however, destined not to come off. The sledge -was loaded with our light cargo, and we were ready to set out on the -morning of the 27th, but a gale sprung up suddenly and detained us on -board during that and the following day. Early in the morning of the -29th, the wind having fallen to calm, we were preparing to start. The -men were putting on their furs, and I was in my cabin giving some last -instructions to Mr. McCormick, when Carl, who had the watch on deck, -came hastily to my door to report "Two Esquimaux alongside." They had -come upon us out of the darkness very suddenly and unobserved. - -[Sidenote: SONNTAG'S DEATH REPORTED.] - -Conjecturing that these people would hardly have visited us without -having first fallen in with Sonntag and Hans, I at once sent the -interpreter to interrogate them. He came back in a few minutes. I -inquired eagerly if they brought news of Mr. Sonntag. "Yes." I had no -need to inquire further. Jensen's face told too plainly the terrible -truth,--Sonntag was dead! - -I sent Jensen back to see that the wants of our savage visitors were -carefully provided for, and to question them further. They proved to be -two of my old acquaintances,--Ootinah, to whom I was under obligations -for important services in 1854, and a sprightly fellow, who, having had -his leg crushed by a falling stone, had since hobbled about on a wooden -one supplied to him, in 1850, by the surgeon of the _North Star_, and -which I had once repaired for him. They both came on one sledge, drawn -by five dogs, and had traveled all the way through from a village, on -the south side of Whale Sound, called Iteplik, without a halt. They had -faced a wind part of the way, and were covered from head to foot with -snow and frost. Their wants were soon bountifully supplied, and they -were not slow in communicating the information which most interested -me. From them I learned that Hans was on his way to the vessel with -his wife's father and mother. Some of his dogs had died, and he was -traveling in slow and easy stages. There being no longer any occasion -for my southern journey, the preparations therefor were discontinued. - -[Sidenote: HANS'S STORY.] - -Hans arrived two days afterward, and, much to our surprise, he was -accompanied only by his wife's brother, a lad whom I had seen some -months before at Cape York; but the cause of this was soon explained. -His wife's father and mother, as Ootinah informed me, had journeyed -with him, but they, as well as the dogs, had broken down, and were -left behind, near the glacier, and Hans had come on for assistance. -A party was at once dispatched to bring them in. Hans being cold and -fatigued, I refrained for the time from questioning him, and sent the -weather-beaten travelers to get warmed and fed. - -The two old people were found coiled up in a cave dug in a snow-bank, -and were shivering with the cold. The dogs were huddled together near -by, and not one of them would stir a step, so both the animals and -the Esquimaux were bundled in a heap upon our large ice-sledge, and -dragged to the vessel. The Esquimaux were soon revived by the warmth -and good cheer of Hans's tent, while the dogs, only five in number, lay -stretched out on the deck in an almost lifeless condition. They could -neither eat nor move. And this was the remnant of my once superb pack -of thirty-six, and this the result of a journey from which I had hoped -so much! There was a mystery somewhere. What could it all mean? I quote -from my diary:-- - - February 1st. - -Hans has given me the story of his journey, and I sit down to record it -with very painful emotions. - -The travelers rounded Cape Alexander without difficulty, finding the -ice solid; and 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's 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 on 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 the bears or foxes, Hans again set out southward, and -reached Northumberland Island without inconvenience. Much to his -disappointment, he found that the natives had recently abandoned -the village at that place; but he obtained a comfortable sleep in a -deserted hut, and under a pile of stones he found enough walrus flesh -to give his dogs a hearty meal. The next day's journey brought him to -Netlik, which place was also deserted; and he continued on up the Sound -some twenty miles further to Iteplik, where he was fortunate enough to -find several families residing, some in the native stone hut and others -in huts of snow. Whale Sound being: a favorite winter resort of the -seal, the people had congregated there for the time, and were living in -the midst of abundance. Hans told his story, and, delighted to hear of -our being near their old village of Etah, Ootinah and he of the wooden -leg put their two teams together and resolved to accompany Hans when he -set out to return. - -Meanwhile, however, my hunter had other projects. He was only three -days from the vessel, and had he come back at once the chief purpose of -the journey would still have been accomplished; but instead of doing -this, he gave large rewards to two Esquimaux boys to go with his team -down to Cape York. The stock of presents which Sonntag had taken for -the Esquimaux all now fell to Hans, and he did not spare them. And he -vows that his disposition of the property and the team was made in my -interest. "You want the Esquimaux to know you are here. I tell them. -They will come by and by and bring plenty of dogs." Why did he not go -himself to Cape York? He was too tired, and had, besides, a frosted toe -which he got while attending upon Mr. Sonntag. - -Notwithstanding all these protestations of devotion to my affairs, I -strongly suspect, however, that certain commands were laid upon him by -the partner of his tent and joys; and, if domestic secrets were not -better kept than are some other kinds, I should probably discover that -the journey to Cape York was made for the sole purpose of bringing up -from that place the two old people who own Hans for a son-in-law. So -even here under the Pole Star the daughters of Eve govern the destinies -of men. - -It was the old story of the borrowed horse over again. The journey was -long and difficult; the dogs were over-driven and starved; and the -party came back to Iteplik with only five dogs remaining of the nine -with which they had set out. Four of them had broken down, and were -left to die by the way. - - February 2d. - -Ootinah and his wooden-legged companion have left us, promising to -return as soon as they have provided for their families. They carried -away with them many valuable presents, and if these do not tempt their -savage kindred to the ship, nothing will. They will tell the Esquimaux -that I want dogs, and I have charged them to circulate the knowledge of -the ample returns which I will make to the hunter who will loan or sell -to me his team. But alas! dogs are scarce; most of the hunters have -none to spare, and many of them are wholly destitute. I had not a bribe -in the ship large enough to induce either of those who have left me to -part with even one of their precious animals. Having discovered this, I -could afford to be lavish with my presents, and these poor wanderers on -the ice deserts probably left me quite as well off as if they had sold -me their entire teams. They plead the hunt and their families, and -these are strong arguments. Needles and knives, and iron and bits of -wood, will not feed wives and babies, and a hundred and fifty miles is -a long way to carry a child at the breast through the cold and storms -of the Arctic night, even though it be to this haven of plenty. My -charity was, however, intended to cover a double purpose,--to do them -a substantial service, and to stimulate as well their cupidity as that -of the tribe who are sure to flock around them at Iteplik, to inspect -their riches. I must own, however, that my prospects for obtaining dogs -do not look encouraging. But few of the Esquimaux are likely to come so -far with their impoverished teams. - -Hans sticks to the story of yesterday; and, after questioning and -cross-questioning him for an hour, I get nothing new. Although I -have no good reason for doubting the truth of his narrative, yet I -cannot quite reconcile my mind to the fact that Sonntag, with so -much experience to govern him, should have undertaken to travel -five miles in wet clothing, especially as he was accompanied by a -native hunter who was familiar with all of the expedients for safety -upon the ice-fields, and to whom falling in the water is no unusual -circumstance. The sledge and the canvas apron which inclosed the cargo -furnished the means for constructing a temporary shelter from the wind, -and the sleeping-bag would have insured against freezing while Hans got -ready the dry clothing, of which Sonntag carried a complete change. -Nor can I understand how he should have lived so long and have given -Hans no message for me, nor have spoken a word after coming out of the -water, further than to have ordered his driver to hasten back to the -snow-hut. However, it is idle to speculate about the matter; and since -Hans's interests were concerned in proving faithful to the officer who, -of all those in the ship, cared most for him, it would be unreasonable -as well as unjust to suspect him of desertion. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - SONNTAG.--TWILIGHT INCREASING.--A DEER-HUNT.--THE ARCTIC - FOXES.--THE POLAR BEAR.--ADVENTURES WITH BEARS.--OUR NEW - ESQUIMAUX.--ESQUIMAU DRESS.--A SNOW HOUSE.--ESQUIMAU - IMPLEMENTS.--A WALRUS HUNT. - - -I will not trouble the reader with the many gloomy reflections which -I find scattered over the pages of my journal during the period -succeeding the events which are recorded in the last chapter. While -the loss of my dogs left me in much doubt and uncertainty as to my -future prospects, the death of Mr. Sonntag deprived me of assistance -which was very essential to the accomplishment of some of my purposes. -His familiar acquaintance with the physical sciences, and his earnest -enthusiasm in every thing which pertained to physical research, -both in the field and study, made him an invaluable aid, while his -genial disposition and manly qualities gave him a deep hold upon my -affections. Similarity of taste and disposition, equal age, a common -object, and a mutual dependence for companionship, had cemented more -and more closely a bond of friendship which had its origin in the -dangers and fortunes of former travel. - -[Sidenote: A DEER-HUNT.] - -The light was now growing upon us from day to day, and we found a -fresh excitement in the renewal of the hunt. It must not, however, -be supposed that, even at noon, we had yet any daylight; but there -was a twilight, which was increasing with each successive day. The -reindeer had grown very poor during the winter, and their flesh was -tough and almost tasteless; but this did not discourage the hunters, -and several captures were made. One day a large herd came down near the -store-house, which, being reported, caused a general scramble for guns, -and a rush over the hills to surround the game. The crew appeared more -like boys on a holiday frolic than men catering for their mess. They -made noise enough, as one would have thought, to frighten every living -thing from the neighborhood; but, nevertheless, three deer were shot. -The thermometer stood at 41° below zero, and, there being a light wind, -the air was somewhat biting, and gave rise to numerous incidents quite -characteristic of our life. The handling of the cold gun was attended -with some risk to the fingers, as one can neither pull the trigger nor -load with a mittened hand; and there were quite a number of slight -"burns," as wounds from this cause were jestingly called. McDonald -carried an old flint-lock musket, the only weapon that he could lay -his hands on, and in the midst of the excitement he was heard to fire. -Hurrying in that direction, Knorr eagerly inquired what he was shooting -at, and where the game had gone. His answer afterward furnished us not -a little amusement: "There was a monstrous big deer deer there half an -hour ago, and had I pulled trigger when I left the ship I should have -killed him. But you see the powder is so cold that it won't burn, and -it takes half an hour to touch it off;" and, to prove his theory, he -poured a lot of it out on the dry snow, and applied a match. His singed -whiskers bore ample evidence that his theory was not founded on fact. - -[Sidenote: THE ARCTIC FOXES.] - -The hill-side seemed to be alive with foxes; and, scenting the blood -of the dead deer, they flocked in from all directions. These little -animals were at first quite tame, but they had been cured of their -familiarity by the lessons learned from the hunters, and had to be -approached with adroitness. Of both the blue and white varieties I had -living specimens in my cabin. One of them was the gentle creature, -named Birdie, which I have already mentioned. The other one was purely -white, and did not differ from Birdie in shape, although it was -somewhat larger. The fur of the latter was much more coarse than the -former. Their cry was exactly the same. But, while Birdie was very -docile, and had grown quite domesticated, the other was thoroughly wild -and untamable. Their respective weights were 4¼ and 7 pounds. The -latter was full grown and unusually large. - -These two varieties of the fox, notwithstanding their many points of -resemblance, are evidently distinct species. I have not known them -to mix, the coat of each preserving its distinctive hue, that of the -blue fox varying merely in degree of shade, while the white changes -only from pure white to a slightly yellowish tinge. The term "blue," -as applied to the species to which Birdie belonged, is not wholly a -misnomer, for, as seen upon the snow, its color gives something of that -effect. The color is in truth a solid gray, the white and black being -harmoniously blended, and not mixed as in the gray fox of Northern -America. Their skins are much sought after by the trappers of Southern -Greenland, where the animals are rare, for the fur commands a fabulous -price in the Copenhagen market. - -These foxes obtain a very precarious subsistence, and they may be seen -at almost any time scampering over the ice, seeking the tracks of the -bears, which they follow with the instinct of the jackal following the -lion; not that they try their strength against these roving monarchs -of the ice-fields, but, whenever the bear catches a seal, the little -fox comes in for a share of the prey. Their food consists besides of an -occasional ptarmigan, (the Arctic grouse,) and if quick in his spring -he may be lucky enough to capture a hare. In the summer they congregate -about the haunts of the birds, and luxuriate upon eggs. It is a popular -belief in Greenland that they gather enormous stores of them for their -winter provender, but I have never witnessed in them any such evidence -of foresight. - -[Sidenote: THE POLAR BEAR.] - -[Sidenote: ADVENTURES WITH BEARS.] - -The bears, wandering continually through the night, must needs have a -hard struggle to live. During the summer, the seal, which furnish their -only subsistence, crawl up on the ice, and are there easily caught; -but in the winter they only resort to the cracks to breathe, and, in -doing so, barely put their noses above the water, so that they are -captured with difficulty. Driven to desperation by hunger, the bear -will sometimes invade the haunts of men, in search of the food which -their quick sense has detected. Our dogs, during the early winter, kept -them from our vicinity; but, when the dogs were gone, several bears -made their appearance. One of them came overland from the Fiord, and -approached the store-house from behind the observatory, where Starr -was engaged in reading the scale of the magnetometer. The heavy tread -of the wild beast was heard through the stillness of the night, and, -without much regard to the delicate organization of the instrument -which he was observing, the young gentleman rushed for the door, upset -the magnetometer, and had nearly lost his life in his precipitate haste -to get over the dangerous ice-foot, while hurrying on board to give -the alarm. We sallied out with our rifles; but while Starr was fleeing -in one direction, the bear had been making off in the other. I had an -adventure, about this time, which, like that of Starr's, shows that -the Polar bear is not so ferocious as is generally supposed; indeed, -they have never been known to attack man except when hotly pursued and -driven to close quarters. Strolling one day along the shore, I was -observing with much interest the effect of the recent spring tides upon -the ice-foot, when, rounding a point of land, I suddenly found myself -confronted in the faint moonlight by an enormous bear. He had just -sprung down from the land-ice, and was meeting me at a full trot. We -caught sight of each other at the same instant. Being without a rifle -or other means of defence, I wheeled suddenly toward the ship, with, I -fancy, much the same reflections about discretion and valor as those -which crossed the mind of old Jack Falstaff when the Douglas set upon -him; but finding, after a few lengthy strides, that I was not gobbled -up, I looked back over my shoulder, when, as much to my surprise as -gratification, I saw the bear tearing away toward the open water with -a celerity which left no doubt as to the state of his mind. I suppose -it would be difficult to determine which was the worst frightened--the -bear or I. - -[Sidenote: OUR NEW ESQUIMAUX.] - -The additions to the Hans family furnished us as well a welcome source -of amusement as of service. As I have said before, they were three in -number, and bore respectively the names of Tcheitchenguak, Kablunet, -and Angeit. This latter was the brother of Hans's wife, and his name -signifies "The Catcher"--given to him, no doubt, in early infancy, -from some peculiarity of disposition which he then manifested. And he -was not inaptly named. The sailors took him into their favor, scrubbed -and combed him, and dressed him in Christian clothing, and under their -encouraging countenance he was soon found to be as full of tricks as -a monkey, and as acquisitive as a magpie. He was the special torment -of the steward and the cook. Driven almost to despair, and utterly -defeated in every project of reform, the former finally set at the -little heathen with a bundle of tracts and a catechism, while the -latter declared his fixed resolve to scald him on the first favorable -opportunity. "Very well, cook; but remember they hang for murder." "Den -I kills him a leetle," was the ready answer. - -His mother, Kablunet, proved to be a useful addition to our household. -She was very industrious with her needle; and, until she became -possessed, in payment for her work, of such articles of domestic use -as she needed, sewed for us continually, making every sort of skin -garment, from boots to coats, which belong to an Arctic wardrobe. Her -complexion was quite light, as her name implied. Kablunet is the title -which the Esquimaux give to our race, and it signifies "The child with -the white skin;" and if the name of her husband, Tcheitchenguak, did -not mean "The child with the dark skin," it ought to, for he was almost -black. - -The personal appearance of this interesting couple was not peculiarly -attractive. Their faces were broad, jaws heavy, cheek-bones projecting -like other carnivorous animals, foreheads narrow, eyes small and -very black, noses flat, lips long and thin, and when opened there -were disclosed two narrow, white, well-preserved rows of polished -ivory,--well worn, however, with long use and hard service, for the -teeth of the Esquimaux serve a great variety of purposes, such as -softening skins, pulling and tightening cords, besides masticating -food, which I may here mention is wholly animal. Their hair was jet -black, though not abundant, and the man had the largest growth of beard -which I have seen upon an Esquimau face, but it was confined to the -upper lip and the tip of the chin. The face of the Esquimau is indeed -quite Mongolian in its type, and is usually beardless. In stature they -are short, though well built, and bear, in every movement, evidence of -strength and endurance. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU DRESS.] - -The dress of the male and female differed but little one from the -other. It consisted of nine pieces,--a pair of boots, stockings, -mittens, pantaloons, an under-dress, and a coat. The man wore boots -of bear-skin, reaching to the top of the calf, where they met the -pantaloons, which were composed of the same materials. The boots -of the woman reached nearly to the middle of the thigh, and were -made of tanned seal-skins. Her pantaloons, like her husband's, were -of bear-skin. The stockings were of dog-skin, and the mittens of -seal-skin. The under-dress was made of bird-skins, feathers turned -inwards; and the coat, which did not open in front, but was drawn on -over the head like a shirt, was of blue fox-skins. This coat terminates -in a hood which envelops the head as completely as an Albanian _capote_ -or a monk's cowl. This hood gives the chief distinction to the dresses -of the sexes. In the costume of the man it is round, closely fitting -the scalp, while in the woman it is pointed at the top to receive -the hair which is gathered up on the crown of the head, and tied -into a hard, horn-like tuft with a piece of raw seal-hide,--a style -of _coiffure_ which, whatever may be its other advantages, cannot be -regarded as peculiarly picturesque. - -Their ages could not be determined; for, since the Esquimaux cannot -enumerate beyond their ten fingers, it is quite impossible for them to -refer to a past event by any process of notation. Having no written -language whatever, not even the picture-writing and hieroglyphics -of the rudest Indian tribes of North America, the race possesses no -records, and such traditions as may come down from generation to -generation are not fixed by any means which will furnish even an -approximate estimate of their periods of growth, prosperity, and decay, -or even of their own ages. - -[Sidenote: A SNOW HUT.] - -[Sidenote: TCHEITCHENGUAK "AT HOME."] - -These old people, soon growing tired of the warmth of Hans's tent, -went ashore and built a snow-hut, and set up housekeeping on their own -account; and living upon supplies which they got regularly from my -abundant stores, and, with no need for exertion, it was perhaps not -surprising that they should prove to be a very happy and contented -couple. This snow-hut, although an architectural curiosity, would -have excited the contempt of a beaver. It was nothing more than an -artificial cave in a snow-bank, and was made thus: Right abreast of -the ship there was a narrow gorge, in which the wintry winds had piled -the snow to a great depth, leaving, as it whirled through the opening, -a sort of cavern,--the curving snow-bank on the right and overhead, -and the square-sided rock on the left. Starting at the inner side of -this cavern, Tcheitchenguak began to bury himself in the snow, very -much as a prairie-dog would do in the loose soil,--digging down into -the drift, and tossing the lumps behind him with great rapidity. After -going downward for about five feet, he ran off horizontally for about -ten feet more. This operation completed, he now began to excavate his -den. His shovel was struck into the hard snow above his head, the -blocks which tumbled down were cleared away, and thrown out into the -open air, and in a little while he could stand upright and work; and -when at length satisfied with the size of the cave, he smoothed it -off all around and overhead, and came out covered with whiteness. The -door-way was now fixed up and made just large enough to crawl through -on all fours; the entering tunnel was smoothed off like the inside; the -floor of the cave was covered first with a layer of stones, and then -with several layers of reindeer-skins; the walls were hung with the -same materials; two native lamps were lighted; across the door-way was -suspended another deer-skin, and Tcheitchenguak and his family were -"at home." I called upon them some hours afterwards, and found them -apparently warm and comfortable. The lamps (their only fire) blazed up -cheerfully, and the light glistened on the white dome of this novel -den; the temperature had risen to the freezing point, and Kablunet, -like a good housewife, was stitching away at some article of clothing; -Tcheitchenguak was repairing a harpoon for his son-in-law, and Angeit, -the bright-eyed pest of the galley and the pantry, was busily engaged -stowing away in a stomach largely disproportionate to the balance of -his body, some bits of venison which looked very much as as if they had -recently been surreptitiously obtained from a forbidden corner of the -steward's store-room. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU PRESENTS.] - -In consideration for the kindness which I had shown these people, they -gave me a set of their hunting and domestic implements, the principal -of them being a lance, harpoon, coil of line, a rabbit-trap, a lamp, -pot, flint and steel, with some lamp-wick and tinder. The lance was a -wooden shaft, probably from Dr. Kane's lost ship, the _Advance_, with -an iron spike lashed firmly to one end of it, and a piece of walrus -tusk, shod with sharp iron, at the other. The harpoon staff was a -narwal tooth or horn, six feet long,--a very hard and solid piece of -ivory, and perfectly straight. The harpoon head was a piece of walrus -tusk, three inches long, with a hole through the centre for the line, -a hole into one end for the sharpened point of the staff, and at the -other end it was, like the lance-head, tipped with iron. The line was -simply a strip of raw seal-hide about fifty feet long, and was made -by a continuous cut around the body of the seal. The rabbit-trap was -merely a seal-skin line with a multitude of loops dangling from it. -The lamp was a shallow dish of soft soap-stone, in shape not unlike a -clam-shell, and was eight inches by six. The pot was a square-sided -vessel of the same material. The flint was a piece of hard granite, the -steel a lump of crude iron pyrites, the wick was dried moss, and the -tinder the delicate down-like covering of the willow catkins. - -Tcheitchenguak told me that he was preparing the lances for a walrus -hunt, and that he and Hans intended to try their skill on the morrow. -The walrus had been very numerous in the open waters outside the harbor -all through the winter, and their shrill cry could be heard at almost -any time from the margin of the ice. The flesh of these animals is the -staple food of the Esquimaux; and although they prize the flesh of the -reindeer, yet it is much as we do "canvas-backs;" and, for a long and -steady pull, there is nothing like the "Awak," as they call the walrus, -in imitation of its cry. To them its flesh is what rice is to the -Hindoo, beef to the Gouchos of Buenos Ayres, or mutton to the Tartars -of Mongolia. - -[Sidenote: A WALRUS HUNT.] - -[Sidenote: A SEASON OF PLENTY.] - -The proposed hunt came off successfully. Hans and the old man set out -with all of their tackle in fine order, and found a numerous herd of -walrus swimming near the edge of the ice. They were approached with -caution, on all fours, and were not alarmed. The hunters reached within -a few feet of the water. They both then lay down flat on the ice and -imitated the cry of the animals of which they were in pursuit; and the -whole herd was soon brought by this means within easy reach of the -harpoon. Rising suddenly, Hans buried his weapon in a good-sized beast, -while his companion held fast to the line and secured his end of it -with the iron spike of a lance-staff, which he drove into the ice and -held down firmly. The beast struggled hard to free itself, floundering -and plunging like a wild bull held by a lasso, but all without avail. -With every opportunity Hans took in the slack of the line and secured -it, and at length the struggling prey was within twenty feet of the -hunters. The lance and rifle now did their work very expeditiously; the -frightened comrades of the dying animal rushed away through the waters -with loud cries of alarm, their deep bass voices sounding strangely -through the darkness. The edge of the ice proved to be too thin to bear -the captured game, and, having secured it with a line, it was allowed -to remain until the following day, when, the ice having thickened with -the low temperature, the flesh was chopped out and brought in. The -snow-hut now rejoiced in a supply of food and blubber sufficient to -last its inmates for a long time to come; the dogs were refreshed with -a substantial meal; and the head and skin were put into a barrel and -labeled "Smithsonian." - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -LOOKING FOR THE SUN.--THE OPEN SEA.--BIRDS. - - -While the days were thus running on, the sun was crawling up toward -the horizon, and each returning noon brought an increase of light. I -carried in my pocket at all times a little book, and early in February -I began to experiment with it. When I could read the title-page at -noon I was much rejoiced. By and by the smaller letters could be -puzzled out; then I could decipher with ease the finest print, and the -youngsters were in great glee at being able to read the thermometers -at eleven and twelve and one o'clock without the lantern. On the 10th -of February I made the following memorandum on the margin of my book: -"Almost broad daylight at noon, and I read this page at 3 o'clock P. -M." My calculations placed the sun at the horizon on the 18th. - -[Sidenote: LOOKING FOR THE SUN.] - -The appearance of the sun became now the one absorbing event. About -it everybody thought and everybody talked continually. No set of -men ever looked more eagerly for a coming joy than did we for the -promised morn,--we, half-bloodless beings, coming from the night, -bleached in the long-continued lamp-light, and almost as colorless -as potato-sprouts growing in a dark cellar. We all noted how to-day -compared with yesterday, and contrasted it with this day a week ago. -Even the old cook caught the contagion, and crawled up from among his -saucepans and coppers, and, shading his eyes with his stove-hardened -hands, peered out into the growing twilight. "I tinks dis be very long -night," said he, "and I likes once more to see de blessed sun." The -steward was in a state of chronic excitement. He could not let the sun -rest in peace for an hour. He must watch for him constantly. He must be -forever running up on deck and out on the ice, book in hand, trying to -read by the returning daylight. He was impatient with the time. "Don't -the Commander think the sun will come back sooner than the 18th?" -"Don't he think it will come back on the 17th?" "Was he quite sure -that it wouldn't appear on the 16th?" "I'm afraid, steward, we must -rely upon the Nautical Almanac." "But mightn't the Nautical Almanac -be wrong?"--and I could clearly perceive that he thought my ciphering -might be wrong too. - -Meanwhile we were tormented with another set of gales, and we could -scarcely stir abroad. The ice was all broken up in the outer bay, and -the open sea came nearer to us than during any previous period of the -winter. The ice was nearly all driven out of the bay, and the broad, -dark, bounding water was not only in sight from the deck, but I could -almost drop a minie-ball into it from my rifle, while standing on the -poop. Even the ice in the inner harbor was loosened around the shore, -and, thick and solid though it was, I thought at one time that there -was danger of its giving way and going bodily out to sea. - -[Sidenote: ARCTIC BIRDS.] - -Strange, too, along the margin of this water there came a flock of -speckled birds to shelter themselves under the lee of the shore, and -to warm their little feet in the waters which the winds would not let -freeze. They were the _Dovekie_ of Southern Greenland,--the _Uria -grylle_ of the naturalist. They are often seen about Disco Island and -Upernavik in the winter time, but I was much surprised to find them -denizens of the Arctic night so near the Pole. It was a singular sight -to see them paddling about in the caves, under the ice-foot, at 30° -below zero, uttering their plaintive cry, and looking for all the world -like homeless children, shoeless and in rags, crouching for shelter -beneath a door-stoop on a bleak December night. I wanted one of them -badly for a specimen, but it would have required something stronger -than the claims of science to have induced me to harm a feather of -their trembling little heads. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - SUNRISE. - - - February 18th. - -Heaven be praised! I have once more seen the sun. - -Knowing that the sun would appear to-day, everybody was filled with -expectation, and hastened off after breakfast to some favorite spot -where it was thought that he might be seen. Some went in the right -direction, and were gratified; others went in the wrong direction, and -were disappointed. Knorr and others of the officers climbed the hills -above Etah. Charley limbered up his rheumatic old legs, and tried to -get a view from the north side of the harbor, forgetting that the -mountains intervened. Harris and Heywood climbed to the top of the hill -behind the harbor, and the former shook his Odd Fellow's flag in the -sun's very face. The cook was troubled that he did not have a look at -"de blessed sun;" but he could not gratify his wish without going upon -the land, and this he could no more be induced to do than the mountain -could be persuaded to come to Mahomet. He will probably have to wait -until the sun steals over the hills into the harbor, which will be at -least twelve days. - -[Sidenote: SUNRISE.] - -My own share in the day's excitement has been equal to the rest of -them. Accompanied by Dodge and Jensen, I set out at an early hour -toward a point on the north side of the bay, from which I could command -a view of the southern horizon. We had much difficulty in reaching our -destination. The open water came nearly a mile within the point for -which we were bound, and it was no easy task picking our way along the -sloping drifts of the ice-foot. But we were at last successful, and -reached our lookout station (hereafter to be known as Sunrise Point) -with half an hour to spare. - -The day was far from a pleasant one for a holiday excursion. The -temperature was very low, and the wind, blowing quite freshly, brought -the drifting snow down from the mountains, and rattled it about us -rather sharply. But we were amply repaid by the view which was spread -out before us. - -An open sea lay at our feet and stretched far away to the front and -right of us as we faced the south. Numerous bergs were dotted over -it, but otherwise it was mainly free from ice. Its surface was much -agitated by the winds, which kept it from freezing, and the waves were -dancing in the cold air as if in very mockery of the winter. It was -indeed a vast bubbling caldron,--seething, and foaming, and emitting -vapors. The light curling streams of "frost smoke" which rose over it -sailed away on the wind toward the southwest, and there mingled with -a dark mist-bank. Little streams of young ice, as if struggling to -bind the waves, rattled and crackled over the restless waters. To the -left, the lofty coast mountains stood boldly up in the bright air, -and near Cape Alexander the glacier peeped from between them, coming -down the valley with a gentle slope from the broad _mer de glace_. The -bold front of Crystal Palace Cliffs cut sharply against this line of -whiteness, and the dark, gloomy walls of Cape Alexander rose squarely -from the sea. Upon the crests of the silent hills, and over the -white-capped cape, light clouds lazily floated, and through these the -sun was pouring a stream of golden fire, and the whole southern heavens -were ablaze with the splendor of the coming day. - -The point of Cape Alexander lay directly south of us, and the sun would -appear from behind it at exactly the meridian hour,--rolling along the -horizon, with only half its disk above the line of waters. We awaited -the approaching moment with much eagerness. Presently a ray of light -burst through the soft mist-clouds which lay off to the right of us -opposite the cape, blending them into a purple sea and glistening upon -the silvery summits of the tall icebergs, which pierced the vapory -cloak as if to catch the coming warmth. The ray approached us nearer -and nearer, the purple sea widened, the glittering spires multiplied, -as one after another they burst in quick succession into the blaze of -day; and as this marvelous change came over the face of the sea, we -felt that the shadow of the cape was the shadow of the night, and that -the night was passing away. Soon the dark-red cliffs behind us glowed -with a warm coloring, the hills and the mountains stood forth in their -new robes of resplendent brightness, and the tumbling waves melted away -from their angry harshness, and laughed in the sunshine. And now the -line of the shadow was in sight. "There it is upon the point," cried -Jensen. "There it is upon the ice-foot," answered Dodge,--there at our -feet lay a sheet of sparkling gems, and the sun burst broadly in our -faces. Off went our caps with a simultaneous impulse, and we hailed -this long-lost wanderer of the heavens with loud demonstrations of joy. - -And now we were bathing in the atmosphere of other days. The friend -of all hopeful associations had come back again to put a new glow -into our hearts. He had returned after an absence of one hundred and -twenty-six days to revive a slumbering world; and as I looked upon -his face again, after this long interval, I did not wonder that there -should be men to bow the knee and worship him and proclaim him "The -eye of God." The parent of light and life everywhere, he is the same -within these solitudes. The germ awaits him here as in the Orient; but -there it rests only through the short hours of a summer night, while -here it reposes for months under a sheet of snows. But after a while -the bright sun will tear this sheet asunder, and will tumble it in -gushing fountains to the sea, and will kiss the cold earth, and give -it warmth and life; and the flowers will bud and bloom, and will turn -their tiny faces smilingly and gratefully up to him, as he wanders over -these ancient hills in the long summer. The very glaciers will weep -tears of joy at his coming. The ice will loose its iron grip upon the -waters, and will let the wild waves play in freedom. The reindeer will -skip gleefully over the mountains to welcome his coming, and will look -longingly to him for the green pastures. The sea-fowls, knowing that -he will give them a resting-place for their feet on the rocky islands, -will come to seek the moss-beds which he spreads for their nests; and -the sparrows will come on his life-giving rays, and will sing their -love songs through the endless day. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - SPRING TWILIGHT.--ARRIVAL OF ESQUIMAUX.--OBTAINING - DOGS.--KALUTUNAH, TATTARAT, MYOUK, AMALATOK AND HIS SON.--AN - ARCTIC HOSPITAL.--ESQUIMAU GRATITUDE. - - -My time became now fully occupied with preparations for my journey -northward. The sun appearing on the 18th, as recorded in the last -chapter, rose completely above the horizon on the next day, was -something higher the day following, and, continuing to ascend in steady -progression, we had soon several hours of broad daylight before and -after noon, although the sun did not for some time come in sight above -the hills on the south side of the harbor. The long dreary night was -passing away; we had with each succeeding day an increase of light, -and the spring twilight was merging slowly into the continual sunshine -of the summer, as we had before seen the autumn twilight pass into the -continued darkness of the winter. - -The details of my preparations for traveling would have little interest -to the reader, and I pass them over. It is proper, however, that I -should recur to the situation in which I found myself, now that the -traveling season had opened. - -The dogs, five in number, which Hans brought back from the southern -journey, had recovered, and did not appear to have been materially -injured; but there were not enough of them to furnish a serviceable -team for one sledge. They were therefore of little use; and it became -clear that, unless I obtained a fresh supply from the Esquimaux, any -plan of sledge exploration which I might form must depend wholly upon -the men for its execution. Men, instead of dogs, must drag the sledges. - -[Sidenote: ARRIVAL OF ESQUIMAUX.] - -The Esquimaux had disappointed me by not coming up to Etah; and, -February having almost passed away without bringing reinforcements -from that quarter, I had quite given up the expectation of seeing -them, when a party of three arrived most opportunely. This gave me new -encouragement; for, although I could not hope to replace the fine teams -which I had lost, yet there was still a prospect of some much-needed -assistance. - -The Esquimau party comprised three individuals, all of whom I had known -before. Their names were Kalutunah, Tattarat, and Myouk. Kalutunah was, -in 1854, the best hunter of the tribe, and was, besides, the Angekok, -or priest. He was not slow to tell me that he had since advanced to -the dignity of chief, or Nalegak, an office which, however, gave him -no authority, as the Esquimaux are each a law unto himself, and they -submit to no control. The title is about as vague as that of "Defender -of the Faith;" and the parallel is not altogether bad, for if this -latter did originate in a Latin treatise about the "Seven Sacraments," -it was perpetuated by a sharp sword; and so the title chief, or Nalegak -as they call it, is the compliment paid to the most skillful hunter, -and his title is perpetuated by skill in the use of a sharp harpoon. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU TEAMS.] - -The excellence of Kalutunah's hunting equipments--his strong lines and -lances and harpoons, his fine sledge and hearty, sleek dogs--bore -ample evidence of the sagacity of the tribe. Tattarat was a very -different style of person. His name signifies "The Kittiwake Gull," -and a more fitting title could hardly have been bestowed upon him, -for he was the perfect type of that noisy, chattering, graceful bird, -thriftless to the last degree; and, like many another kittiwake gull -or Harold Skimpole of society, he was, in spite of thieving and other -arts, always "out at elbows." Myouk was not unlike him, only that he -was worse, if possible. He was, in truth, one of Satan's regularly -enlisted light-infantry, and was as full of tricks as Asmodeus himself. - -The party came up on two sledges. Kalutunah drove one and Tattarat -the other. Kalutunah's team was his own. Of the other team, two dogs -belonged to Tattarat, one was borrowed, and the fourth was the property -of Myouk. It is curious to observe how the same traits of character -exhibit themselves in all peoples, and by the same evidences. While -Kalutunah came in with his dogs looking fresh and in fine condition, -with strong traces and solid sledge, the team of Tattarat was a set -of as lean and hungry-looking curs as ever was seen, their traces all -knotted and tangled, and the sledge rickety and almost tumbling to -pieces. They had traveled all the way from Iteplik without halting, -except for a short rest at Sorfalik. They declared that they had not -tasted food since leaving their homes; and if the appetite should -govern the belief, I thought that there was no ground for doubting, -since they made away with the best part of a quarter of venison, the -swallowing of which was much aided by sundry chunks of walrus blubber, -before they rolled over among the reindeer skins of Tcheitchenguak's -hut and slept. - -[Sidenote: KALUTUNAH.] - -Next morning I had Kalutunah brought to my cabin, thinking to treat -him with that distinguished consideration due to his exalted rank. -But caution was necessary. For a stool I gave him a keg, and I was -particularly careful that his person should not come in contact with -any thing else, for under the ample furs of this renowned chief there -were roaming great droves of creeping things, for which no learned -lexicographer has yet invented a polite name, and so I cannot further -describe them. Nor can I adequately describe the man himself, as he -sat upon the keg, his body hidden in a huge fur coat, with its great -hood, and his legs and feet inserted in long-haired bear-skin,--the -whole costume differing little from the hitherto described dress of -the dark-faced Tcheitchenguak. He was a study for a painter. No child -could have exhibited more unbounded delight, had all the toys of -Nuremberg been tumbled into one heap before him. To picture his face -with any thing short of a skillful brush were an impossible task. It -was not comely like that of "Villiers with the flaxen hair," nor yet -handsome like that of the warrior chief Nireus, whom Homer celebrates -as the handsomest man in the whole Greek army, (and never mentions -afterwards,) nor was it like Ossian's chief, "the changes of whose face -were as various as the shadows which fly over the field of grass;" but -it was bathed in the sunshine of a broad grin. Altogether it was quite -characteristic of his race, although expressing a much higher type of -manhood than usual. The features differed only in degree from those of -Tcheitchenguak, heretofore described; the skin was less dark, the face -broader, the cheek-bones higher, the nose flatter and more curved, the -upper lip longer, the mouth wider, the eyes even smaller, contracting -when he laughed into scarcely distinguishable slits. Upon his long -upper lip grew a little hedge-row of black bristles, which did not curl -gracefully nor droop languidly, but which stuck straight out like the -whiskers of a cat. A few of the same sort radiated from his chin. I -judged him to be about forty years old, and since soap and towels and -the external application of water have not yet been introduced among -the native inhabitants of Whale Sound, these forty years had favored -the accumulation of a coating to the skin, which, by the unequal -operation of friction, had given his hands and face quite a spotted -appearance. - -[Sidenote: A DIRTY POTENTATE.] - -But if he was not handsome, he was not really ugly; for, despite his -coarse features and dirty face, there was a rugged sort of good-humor -and frank simplicity about the fellow which pleased me greatly. His -tongue was not inclined to rest. He must tell me every thing. His -wife was still living, and had added two girls to the amount of his -responsibilities; but his face glowed with delight when I asked him -about their first-born, whom I remembered in 1854 as a bright boy of -some five or six summers, and he exhibited all of a father's just pride -in the prospect of the lad's future greatness. Already he could catch -birds, and was learning to drive dogs. - -I asked him about his old rival Sipsu, who once gave me much trouble, -and was an endless source of inconvenience to Kalutunah. He was dead. -When asked how he died, he was a little loath to tell, but he finally -said that he had been killed. He had become very unpopular, and was -stabbed one night in a dark hut, and, bleeding from a mortal wound, -had been dragged out and buried in the stones and snow, where the cold -and the hurt together soon terminated as well his life as his mischief. - -Death had made fearful ravages among his people since I had seen -them five years before, and he complained bitterly of the hardships -of the last winter, in consequence of a great deficiency of dogs, -the same distemper which swept mine off having attacked those of his -people. Indeed, the disease appears to have been universal throughout -the entire length of Greenland. But notwithstanding this poverty, he -undertook to supply me with some animals, in return for which I was to -make liberal presents; and, as a proof of his sincerity, he offered -me two of the four which composed his present team. From Tattarat I -afterwards purchased one of his three, and for a fine knife I obtained -the fourth one of that hunter's team, the property of Myouk, and the -only dog that he possessed. - -[Sidenote: A PRIMITIVE TREATY.] - -The hunters were all well pleased with their bargains, for they went -away rich in iron, knives, and needles,--wealth to them more valuable -than would have been all the vast piles of treasure with which the Inca -Atahuallpa sought to satisfy the rapacious Pizarro, or the lacs of -rupees with which the luckless Rajah Nuncomar strove to free himself -from the clutches of the remorseless Hastings. And we had made a treaty -of peace and friendship, and had ratified it by a solemn promise, -befitting a Nalegak and a Nalegaksoak. The Nalegak was to furnish the -Nalegaksoak with dogs, and the Nalegaksoak was to pay for them. This -exceedingly simple treaty may at first strike the reader with surprise; -but I feel sure that that surprise will vanish when he recalls the -memorable historical parallel of Burgoyne and his Hessians. - -[Sidenote: OBTAINING DOGS.] - -I did not tell Kalutunah that I wished only to bestow benefits upon -his people, for no one is more quick to penetrate the hollowness of -such declarations than the "untutored savage." He is not so easily -hoaxed with philanthropic sentiment as is generally supposed, and he -fully recognizes the practical features of being expected to return a -_quid pro quo_. But I did venture upon a little harmless imposition -of another sort, giving him to understand that it was useless for the -Esquimaux to attempt to deceive me, as I could read not only their acts -but their thoughts as well; and, in proof of my powers, I performed -before him some simple sleight-of-hand tricks, and after turning up -a card with much gravity told him exactly what (it was not much of -a venture) Ootinah and his wooden-legged companion had stolen. He -was much astonished, said that I was quite right about the stealing, -for he had seen the stolen articles himself, and evidently thought -me a wonderful magician. He owned to me that he did something in the -jugglery business himself; but when I asked him about his journeys to -the bottom of the sea, in his Angekok capacity, to break the spell by -which the evil spirit Torngak holds within her anger the walrus and -seal, in the days of famine, he very adroitly changed the subject, -and began to describe a recent bear-hunt which appeared to amuse him -greatly. The wounded animal broke away from the dogs, and, making a -dive at one of the hunters, knocked the wind out of the unhappy man -with a blow of his fore-paw. Kalutunah laughed heartily while relating -the story, and seemed to think it a capital joke. - -Our savage guests remained with us a few days, and then set out for -their homes, declaring their intention to come speedily back and bring -more of the tribe and dogs. I drove out with them a few miles, and we -parted on the ice. When about a mile away, I observed Myouk jump from -the sledge to pick up something which he had dropped. No doubt rejoiced -to be rid of this extra load on his rickety sledge, Tattarat whipped -up his team, and the last I saw of poor Myouk he was running on, -struggling manfully to catch up; but, notwithstanding all his efforts, -he was falling behind, and it is not unlikely that he was suffered to -walk all the way to Iteplik. - -[Sidenote: AN ARCTIC MICAWBER.] - -[Sidenote: DOMESTIC FELICITY.] - -This Myouk was the same droll creature that he was when I knew -him formerly,--a sort of Arctic Micawber, everlastingly waiting -for something to turn up which never did turn up; and, with much -cheerfulness, hoping for good luck which never came. He recited to me -all of his hardships and misfortunes. His sledge was all broken to -pieces, and he could not mend it; his dogs were all dead except the one -he sold to me; he had stuck his harpoon into a walrus, and the line -had parted, and the walrus carried it away; he had lost his lance, and -altogether his affairs were in a very lamentable state. His family were -in great distress, as he could not catch any thing for them to eat, and -so they had gone to Tattarat's hut. Tattarat was a poor hunter, and he -made a terrible grimace, which told how great was his contempt for that -doughty individual. So now he proposed, as soon as he got home, to try -Kalutunah. To be sure, Kalutunah's establishment was pretty well filled -already, there being not less than three families quartered there; but -still, he thought there was room for one family more. At all events, -he should try it. And now would not the Nalegaksoak,--the big chief who -was so rich and so mighty, be good enough to give him so many presents -that he would go back and make everybody envious? Human nature is the -same in the Arctic as in the Temperate zone; and, gratified with this -discovery, I fairly loaded the rogue down with riches, and sent him -away rejoicing. But this wife, what of her? "Oh, she's lazy and will -not do any thing, and made me come all this long journey to get her -some needles which she won't use, and a knife which she has no use for; -and now when I go back without any dog, won't I catch it!"--and he -caught hold of his tongue and pulled it as far out of his mouth as he -could get it, trying in this graphic manner to illustrate the length -of that aggressive organ in the wife of his bosom. "But," added this -savage Benedict, "she has a ragged coat, so full of holes that she -cannot go out of the hut without fear of freezing; and if she scolds me -too much I won't give her any of these needles, and I won't catch her -any foxes to make a new one;"--but it was easy to see that the needles -would not be long withheld, and that the foxes would be caught when -he was told to catch them. And so pitying his domestic misfortunes, I -added some presents for this amiable creature of the ragged coat; and -when he told me that she had presented him with an heir to the Myouk -miseries, I added something for that, too. This little hopeful, he -informed me, was already being weaned from its natural and maternal -supplies, and was exhibiting great aptitude for blubber. He had called -it Dak-ta-gee, which was the nearest that he could come to pronouncing -Doctor Kane. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU GRATITUDE.] - -Kalutunah and his companions had scarcely been gone when another -sledge came, bringing two more Esquimaux,--Amalatok, of Northumberland -Island, and his son. They had four dogs; and having stopped on the -way to catch a walrus, part of which they had brought with them, they -were much fatigued; and, having got wet in securing the prize, they -were cold and a little frozen. Both were for several days quite sick -in Tcheitchenguak's snow-hut, and I had at last a patient, and the -snow-hut became a sort of hospital, for old Tcheitchenguak was sick -too. I either visited them myself or sent Mr. Knorr twice daily; but -the odor of the place becoming at length too much for that gentleman's -aristocratic nose, I could no longer prescribe by proxy, and so went -myself and cured my patients very speedily, winning great credit as a -Narkosak, the "medicine man," in addition to being the Nalegaksoak, -"the big chief." Amalatok thought at one time that he was going to die, -and indeed I became sincerely alarmed about my reputation; but he came -round all right in the end, and, strange though it may appear, his -memory actually outlived the service long enough for him to do more -than to say "Koyanak,"--"I thank you;"--that is to say, as soon as he -could get about he brought me his best dog, and, in token of gratitude, -made me a present of it. Afterward, upon the offer of some substantial -gifts, he sold me another, and he went home as rich as the party that -had preceded him, and happy as Moses Primrose returning from the fair -with his gross of shagreen spectacles. - -And thus my kennels were being once more filled up, and my heart was -rejoiced. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - KALUTUNAH RETURNS.--AN ESQUIMAU FAMILY.--THE FAMILY - PROPERTY.--THE FAMILY WARDROBE.--MYOUK AND HIS - WIFE.--PETER'S DEAD BODY FOUND.--MY NEW TEAMS.--THE - SITUATION.--HUNTING.--SUBSISTENCE OF ARCTIC ANIMALS.--PURSUIT - OF SCIENCE UNDER DIFFICULTIES.--KALUTUNAH AT HOME.--AN ESQUIMAU - FEAST.--KALUTUNAH IN SERVICE.--RECOVERING THE BODY OF MR. - SONNTAG.--THE FUNERAL.--THE TOMB. - - -Kalutunah came back after a few days, according to his promise, and -brought along with him the entire Kalutunah family, consisting of his -wife and four children. It was a regular "moving." - -[Sidenote: AN ESQUIMAU FAMILY.] - -The chief had managed in some manner to get together another team of -six good dogs, and he came up in fine style, bringing along with him -on his small sledge every thing that he had in the world, and that -was not much. The conveniences for life's comforts possessed by these -Arctic nomads are not numerous; and it is fortunate that their desires -so well accord with their means of gratifying them, for probably no -people in the world possess so little, either of portable or other -kind of property. The entire cargo of the sledge consisted of parts -of two bear-skins, the family bedding; a half-dozen seal-skins, the -family tent; two lances and two harpoons; a few substantial harpoon -lines; a couple of lamps and pots; some implements and materials for -repairing the sledge in the event of accident; a small seal-skin bag, -containing the family wardrobe (that is, the implements for repairing -it, for the entire wardrobe was on their backs); and then there was -a roll of dried grass, which they use as we do cork soles for the -boots, and some dried moss for lamp-wick; and for food they had a few -small pieces of walrus meat and blubber. This cargo was covered with -one of the seal-skins, over which was passed from side to side a line, -like a sandal-lacing, and the whole was bound down compactly to the -sledge; and on the top of it rode the family, Kalutunah himself walking -alongside and encouraging on his team rather with kind persuasion than -with the usual Esquimau cruelty. In front sat the mother, the finest -specimen of the Esquimau matron that I had seen. In the large hood of -her fox-skin coat, a sort of dorsal opossum-pouch, nestled a sleeping -infant. Close beside the mother sat the boy to whom I have before -referred, their first-born, and the father's pride. Next came a girl, -about seven years old; and another, a three year old, was wrapped up in -an immense quantity of furs, and was lashed to the upstanders. - -As the sledge rounded to, near the vessel, I went out to meet them. -The children were at first a little frightened, but they were soon -got to laugh, and I found that the same arts which win the affections -of Christian babies were equally potent with the heathen. The wife -remembered me well, and called me "Doc-tee," while Kalutunah, grinning -all over with delight, pointed to his dogs, exclaiming with pride, -"They are fine ones!" to which I readily assented; and then he added, -"I come to give them all to the Nalegaksoak;" and to this I also -assented. - -What surprised me most with this family was their apparent indifference -to the cold. They had come from Iteplik in slow marches, stopping when -tired in a snow shelter, or in deserted huts, and during this time -our thermometers were ranging from 30° to 40° below zero; and when -they came on board out of this temperature it never seemed to occur to -them to warm themselves, but they first wandered all over the ship, -satisfying their curiosity. - -[Sidenote: MYOUK AND FAMILY.] - -A few hours afterward there arrived a family of quite another -description,--Myouk and his wife of the ragged coat. They had walked -all the way up from Iteplik, the woman carrying her baby on her -back all of these hundred and fifty miles. Myouk was evidently at a -loss to find an excuse for paying me this visit; but he put a bold -front on, and, like Kalutunah, discovered a reason. "I come to show -the Nalegaksoak my wife and Daktagee," pointing to the dowdy, dirty -creature that owned him for a husband, and the forlorn being that -owned him for a father. But when he perceived that I was not likely to -pay much for the sight, he timidly remarked, with another significant -point, "_She_ made me come," and then started off, doubtless to see -what he could steal. - -My arrangements were soon concluded with Kalutunah. He was to live over -in the hut at Etah, to do such hunting as he could without the aid of -his dogs, all of which he loaned to me; but, in any event, my stores -were to be his reliance, and I bound myself to supply him with all that -he required for the support of himself and his family. - -On the following day the hut at Etah was cleared out and put in order, -and this interesting family took up their abode there, while Myouk, as -eager to place himself under the protection of a man high in favor as -if his skin had been white and he knew the meaning of "public office" -and lived nearer the equator, followed the great man to his new abode, -and crawled into a corner of his den as coolly as if he was a deserving -fellow, and not the most arrant little knave and beggar that ever -sponged on worth and industry. - -[Sidenote: PETER'S DEAD BODY.] - -Kalutunah brought a solution of the Peter mystery. As soon as the -daylight began to come back, one of the Iteplik hunters, named Nesark, -determined to travel up to Peteravik, and there try his fortunes in -the seal hunt. Arriving at the hut (these Esquimau huts are common -property) at that place, he was surprised to discover, lying on the -floor, a much emaciated corpse. It was that of an Esquimau dressed in -white man's clothing, and the description left no doubt that it was -the body of Peter. Nesark gave it Esquimau burial. And thus, after the -lapse of three months, this strange story was brought to a close; but -I was still as far as ever from an explanation of the hapless boy's -strange conduct. - -I had now become the possessor of seventeen dogs, and awaited only one -principal event to set out on a preliminary journey northward. The sea -had not yet closed about Sunrise Point, and I could not get out of -the bay on that side. To travel over the land was, owing to its great -roughness, impracticable for a sledge, even if without cargo; and to -round the Point at that season of the year, through the broken ice and -rough sea, in an open boat, was, for obvious reasons, not to be thought -of. - -My plan had always been to set out with my principal party, when the -temperature had begun to moderate toward the summer, which was likely -to be about the first of April; but I had looked forward to doing some -serviceable work with my dogs prior to that time. March is the coldest -month of the Arctic year; but while I had no hesitation in setting -out with dog-sledges at that period, the recollection of Dr. Kane's -disasters were too fresh in my mind to justify me in sending out a foot -party in the March temperatures. - -[Sidenote: THE SITUATION.] - -While waiting for the frost to build a bridge for me around Sunrise -Point, I was feeding up and strengthening my dogs. They soon proved to -be very inferior to the animals which I had lost, and it was necessary -to give them as much rest and good rations as possible. I went -repeatedly to Chester Valley in pursuit of reindeer. Along the borders -of the lake these beasts had flocked in great numbers during the -winter, and whole acres of snow had been tossed up with their hoofs, -while searching for the dead vegetation of the previous summer. The -rabbits and the ptarmigan had followed them, to gather the buds of the -willow-stems which were occasionally tossed up, and which form their -subsistence. During one of my journeys I secured a fine specimen skin -of a doe, but in order to do this I was obliged to take it off with -my own hands before it should freeze. The temperature at the time was -33° below zero, and I do not ever remember to have had my regard for -Natural History so severely tested. - -I was exceedingly anxious to recover the body of Mr. Sonntag before I -left the vessel; and, desiring to secure the assistance of Kalutunah -for that purpose, I drove over to Etah a few days after he had become -fixed there. I had eleven of my new dogs harnessed to the sledge, and -Jensen "was himself again." - -[Sidenote: KALUTUNAH AT HOME.] - -I found Kalutunah very comfortably fixed and apparently well contented. -I carried with me as a present for a house-warming a quarter of a -recently-captured deer, and a couple of gallons of oil. Observing -our approach, he came out to meet us, and, some snow having drifted -into the passage, he scraped it away with his foot, and invited us to -enter. This we did on our hands and knees, through a sort of tunnel -about twelve feet long; and thence we emerged into a dimly lighted den, -where, coiled up in a nest of reindeer-skins which I had given them, -was the family of the chief and the wife and baby of Myouk. Kalutunah's -wife was stitching away quite swiftly at a pair of boots for my use, -and I brought her some more "work," and also some presents, among -which was a string of beads and a looking-glass, which much amused the -children. Myouk's wife, on the other hand, was quite idle, not even -looking after her child, which, startled by our approach, rolled down -on the floor about our feet, and thence into the entrance among the -snow which lay scattered along the passage. The poor little creature, -being almost naked, set up a terrible scream, and its amiable mother, -promptly seizing it by one of its legs, hauled it up and crammed into -its mouth a chunk of blubber which quickly stopped its noise. - -Both this woman and her husband were evidently a great annoyance to -the frugal proprietors of the hut; but, with a generous practice of -hospitality which I have not found elsewhere, in history or fiction, -except in Cedric the Saxon, such a worthless crew are suffered to -settle themselves upon a thrifty family without fear of being turned -out of doors. - -I sat for some time talking to Kalutunah and his industrious wife. -There was not room, it was true, with so many people in the hut, to be -greatly at one's ease, and I had to dodge my head when I moved, to -keep from striking the stone rafters. Besides, the smell of the place -had rather a tendency to fill one's mind with longings for the open -air; but I managed to remain long enough to conclude some important -arrangements with my ally and his useful spouse, and then I took my -leave with mutual protestations of friendship and good-will. I said to -him at parting, "You are chief and I am chief, and we will both tell -our respective people to be good to each other;" but he answered, "Na, -na, I am chief, but you are the great chief, and the Esquimaux will -do what you say. The Esquimaux like you, and are your friends. You -make them many presents." I might have told him that this all-powerful -method of inspiring friendship was not alone applicable to Esquimaux. - -[Sidenote: A MORNING CALL.] - -This visit was a pleasant little episode. I was much pleased at the -honest heartiness with which Kalutunah entered into my plans; while the -childish simplicity of his habits and the frankness of his declarations -won for him a conspicuous place in my regard. - -[Sidenote: AN ESQUIMAU FEAST.] - -He was greatly amused with our guns, and begged for one of them, -declaring that he could sit in his hut and kill the reindeer as they -passed by. He would put the gun through the window, and he pointed to -a hole in the wall about a foot square, where the light was admitted -through a thin slab of hard snow. In the centre of it he had made -a round orifice, which he said, laughingly, was for the purpose of -looking out for the Nalegaksoak,--a well-turned compliment, if it did -come from a savage, and all the more adroit that the orifice was really -for ventilation, at least it was the only opening by which the foul air -could possibly escape. Both himself and wife were highly delighted with -the presents which I had brought them. Although they are surrounded by -reindeer, venison is a luxury which they rarely enjoy, as they possess -no means of capturing the animals. They have not the bows and arrows -of the Esquimaux of some other localities. Without waiting for it to -be cooked, Kalutunah commenced a vigorous attack upon the raw, frozen -flesh. His wife and children were not slow to follow his example, -crowding round it where it lay on the dirty floor; and, without -halting for an invitation, Mrs. Myouk joined in the feast. And I have -never witnessed a feast which seemed to give so much satisfaction to -the actors in it, not even hungry aldermen at a corporation banquet. -Kalutunah was grinning all over with delight. He was eminently happy. -His teeth were unintermittingly crushing the hard kernels which he -chipped from the frozen "leg," and a steady stream of the luscious food -was pouring down his throat. His tongue had little chance, but now and -then it got loose from the venison tangle, and then I heard much of the -greatness and the goodness of the Nalegaksoak. The man's enjoyment was -a pleasant thing to behold. - -But if the reindeer-leg gave satisfaction, the oil gave comfort. The -hut was dark and chilly, not having yet become thoroughly thawed out. -Kalutunah now thought that he could afford another lamp, and in a few -minutes after we had entered a fresh blaze was burning in the corner. -I have before explained that the Esquimau lamp is only a shallow dish, -cut out of a block of soap-stone. The dried moss which they use for -wick is arranged around the edge, and the blaze therefrom gives their -only light and heat. Over the lamps hung pots of the same soap-stone, -and into these Mrs. Kalutunah put some snow, that she might have the -water for a venison-soup, of which she invited us to stay and partake. -I knew by former experience too well the nature of the Esquimau -_cuisine_ to make me anxious to learn further, so I plead business, and -left them to enjoy themselves in their own way. How long they kept up -their feast I did not learn, but when Kalutunah came over next morning, -he informed me that there was no more venison in the hut at Etah,--a -hint which was not thrown away. - -[Sidenote: MY ESQUIMAU PEOPLE.] - -My Esquimau people now numbered seventeen souls; namely, six men, -four women, and seven children; and they presented as many different -shades of character and usefulness. The inconveniences to which they -subjected us were amply compensated for by the sewing which the wives -of Kalutunah and Tcheitchenguak did for us; for, in spite of all -our ingenuity and patience, there was no one in the ship's company -who could make an Esquimau boot, and this boot is the only suitable -covering for the foot in the Arctic regions. Of the men, Hans was the -most useful; for, in spite of his objectionable qualities, he was, -Jensen excepted, my best hunter. Kalutunah came on board daily, and, -as a privileged guest, he sought me in my cabin. My journey over to -Etah made him supremely happy; for, like the sound of coming battle to -the warrior who has long reposed in peace, a new life was put into him -when I offered him the care of one of my newly acquired teams. He came -on board the next morning and took charge of the dogs; and when, a few -days afterward, I further exhibited my confidence in him by sending him -down to Cape Alexander to see if the ice was firm, the cup of his joy -was full to the brim. - -[Sidenote: RECOVERY OF SONNTAG'S BODY.] - -The report of Kalutunah being favorable, I dispatched Mr. Dodge to -bring up the body of Mr. Sonntag. He took the two teams, Kalutunah -driving one and Hans the other. - -Mr. Dodge performed the journey with skill and energy. He reached -Sorfalik in five hours, and had no difficulty in finding the locality -of which they were in search, Hans remembering it by a large rock, or -rather cliff, in the lee of which they had built their snow-hut. But -the winds had since piled the snow over the hut, and it was completely -buried out of sight. They were therefore compelled to disinter the body -by laboriously digging through the hard drift; and it being quite dark -and they much fatigued when the task was completed, they constructed a -shelter of snow, fed their dogs, and rested. Although the temperature -was 42° below zero, they managed to sleep in their furs without serious -inconvenience. This was the first of Mr. Dodge's experience at this -sort of camping out, and he was justly elated with the success of the -experiment. - -Setting out as soon as the daylight returned, the party came back by -the same track which they had before pursued; but, greatly to their -surprise, the tides and wind had, in the interval, carried off much -of the ice in the neighborhood of the cape, so that they had before -them the prospect of the very difficult task of crossing the glacier. -This, not particularly embarrassing to an empty sledge, would have been -exceedingly so to them. Fortunately, however, they succeeded with some -risk in getting over a very treacherous place where the ice-foot, to -which they were forced to adhere, was sloping, and one of the sledges -had nearly gone over into the sea. Kalutunah saved it by a dexterous -movement which could have been performed with safety only by one -familiar, by long experience, with such dangers and expedients. - -[Sidenote: BURIAL OF SONNTAG.] - -The body of our late comrade was placed in the observatory, where a few -weeks before his fine mind had been intent upon those pursuits which -were the delight of his life; and on the little staff which surmounted -the building the flag was raised at half-mast. - -The preparations for the funeral were conducted with fitting solemnity. -A neat coffin was made under the supervision of Mr. McCormick, and the -body having been placed therein with every degree of care, it was, -on the second day after the return of Mr. Dodge, brought outside and -covered with the flag, and then, followed by the entire ship's company, -in solemn procession, it was borne by four of the sorrowing messmates -of the deceased to the grave which had, with much difficulty, been dug -in the frozen terrace. As it lay in its last cold resting-place, I read -over the body the burial-service, and the grave was then closed. Above -it we afterward built, with stones, a neatly shaped mound, and marked -the head with a chiseled slab, bearing this inscription:-- - -[Illustration: - | - ————+———— - | - | - | - - AUGUST SONNTAG. - - Died - - December, 1860, - - AGED 28 YEARS. -] - -[Sidenote: SONNTAG'S TOMB.] - -And here in the drear solitude of the Arctic desert our comrade sleeps -the sleep that knows no waking in this troubled world,--where no loving -hands can ever come to strew his grave with flowers, nor eyes grow -dim with sorrowing; but the gentle stars, which in life he loved so -well, will keep over him eternal vigil, and the winds will wail over -him, and Nature, his mistress, will drop upon his tomb her frozen tears -forevermore. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - STARTING ON MY FIRST JOURNEY.--OBJECT OF THE JOURNEY.--A MISHAP.--A - FRESH START.--THE FIRST CAMP.--HARTSTENE'S CAIRN.--EXPLORING A - TRACK.--A NEW STYLE OF SNOW-HUT.--AN UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT.--LOW - TEMPERATURE.--EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE SNOW.--AMONG THE - HUMMOCKS.--SIGHTING HUMBOLDT GLACIER.--THE TRACK IMPRACTICABLE - TO THE MAIN PARTY.--VAN RENSSELAER HARBOR.--FATE OF THE - ADVANCE.--A DRIVE IN A GALE. - - -On the 16th of March I found myself able for the first time to get -around Sunrise Point. Except during a brief interval, the temperature -had now fallen lower than at any previous period of the winter; and, -the air having been quite calm for two days, the ice had formed over -the outer bay. This long desired event was hailed with satisfaction, -and I determined to start north at once. - -My preparations occupied but a few hours, as every thing had been ready -for weeks past. The charge of one of the sledges was given to Jensen, -the other to Kalutunah, the former having nine and the latter six dogs. -One of the dogs had died and another had been crippled in a fight, thus -leaving me only fifteen for service. - -My object in this preliminary journey was chiefly to explore the track, -and determine whether it were best to adhere to the Greenland coast, -following up the route of Dr. Kane, or to strike directly across the -Sound from above Cape Hatherton, in the endeavor to reach, on Grinnell -Land, the point of departure for which I had striven, without success, -the previous autumn. It was evident that every thing depended upon -being now able to make good what I had lost by that failure, through a -chain of circumstances which I have no need to repeat, as the reader -will recall the struggle which resulted in the crippling of my vessel, -and which had nearly caused its total wreck among the ice-fields in the -mouth of the Sound. If the state of the ice should prove favorable to -a speedy crossing of the Sound to Grinnell Land, or even to securing, -without much delay, a convenient point of departure on the Greenland -side beyond Humboldt Glacier, I had little doubt as to the successful -termination of my summer labors. - -[Sidenote: A MISHAP.] - -Upon reaching Sunrise Point we found the ice to be very rough and -insecure, and the tide of the previous night had opened a wide crack -directly off the point, which it was necessary for us to cross. This -crack had been closed over but a few hours, and the dogs hesitated -a moment at its margin; but Jensen's whip reassured them, and they -plunged ahead. The ice bent under their weight, and, as if by a mutual -understanding, the team scattered, but not in time to save themselves, -for down they all sank, higgledy-piggledy, into the sea, dragging the -sledge after them. Being seated on the back part of it, I had time to -roll myself off, but Jensen was not so fortunate, and dogs, sledge, -driver and all were floundering together in a confused tangle among the -broken ice. Kalutunah, who was a few paces in the rear, coming up, we -extricated them from their cold bath. Jensen was pretty well soaked, -and his boots were filled with water. Being only five miles from the -schooner, I thought it safest to drive back as rapidly as possible -rather than construct a snow-hut to shelter my unlucky driver from the -cold wind which was beginning to blow. Besides, our buffalo-skins were -as wet as they could be, and we should have precious little comfort on -our journey if we did not return and exchange them for dry ones. The -dogs, too, ran great risk of injury by being allowed to rest in their -wet coats in so low a temperature. The whip was not spared, and the -vessel was reached without serious consequences either to Jensen or the -team. An hour or so sufficed for us to refit, when we started again; -and being this time more cautious, we got around the point without -further trouble. - -The ice was found to be smooth and the traveling good as we moved up -the coast; and, not being very heavily laden, we got on at a good pace. -The snow had been packed very hard by the winds, and wherever there -had been hummocks it had collected between them, so that, although -the surface was somewhat rolling and uneven, yet it was as firm as a -country road. Darkness coming on, (we had not yet reached the constant -sunlight of summer,) we hauled in under Cape Hatherton and made our -first camp. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST CAMP.] - -It was a real Arctic camp;--picketing the dogs and burrowing in a -snow-bank are very simple operations, and require but little time. -Jensen made the burrow, and Kalutunah looked after the animals; and -when all was ready we crawled in and tried our best to be comfortable -and to sleep; but the recollection of the ship's bunk was too recent -to render either practicable, except to Kalutunah, who did not seem -to mind any thing, and snored all through the night in a most awful -manner. The outside temperature was 40° below zero. - -[Sidenote: HARTSTENE'S CAIRN.] - -I was not sorry when we got under way again next morning, and we were -soon warmed up with the exercise. The same condition of ice continuing -after passing Cape Hatherton, we quickly reached the north horn of Fog -Inlet. Here, as we approached the point, I discovered a cairn perched -upon a conspicuous spot, and, not having remembered it as the work of -any of Dr. Kane's parties, I halted the sledges and went ashore to -inspect it. It proved to have been built by Captain Hartstene, while -searching for Dr. Kane, as shown by a record found in a glass vial at -its base. The record was as follows:-- - - "The U. S. Steamer _Arctic_ touched here and examined thoroughly - for traces of Dr. Kane and his associates, without finding any - thing more than a vial, with a small piece of cartridge-paper - with the letters 'O. K. Aug. 1853,' some matches, and a ship's - rifle-ball. We go from this unknown point to Cape Hatherton for a - search. - - "H. J. Hartstene, - Lieut. Comdg. Arctic Expedition. - - "8 P. M. August 16th, 1855. - - "P. S. Should the U. S. bark _Release_ find this, she will - understand that we are bound for a search at Cape Hatherton. - - "H. J. H." - - -I was much gratified with this discovery, for it brought to my mind the -recollection of the protecting care of our government, and a gallant -effort to rescue from the jaws of the Arctic ice a very forlorn party -of men. I was only sorry that the author of this hastily written -evidence of his spirited search had not reached Cape Hatherton some -time earlier, for then we should have been saved many a hard and weary -pull. The locality will hereafter be known as _Cairn Point_. - -Climbing to an elevation, I had a good view of the sea over a radius of -several miles. The prospect was not encouraging. In every direction, -except immediately down the coast toward Cape Hatherton, the ice was -very rough, being jammed against the shore and piled up over the sea in -great ridges, which looked rather unpromising for sledges. - -The view decided my course of action. Cairn Point would be my -starting-place if I crossed the Sound, and a most convenient position -for a depot of supplies in the event of being obliged to hold on up -the Greenland coast. Accordingly, I took from the sledges all of the -provisions except what was necessary for a six days' consumption, and -discovering a suitable cleft in a rock, deposited it therein, covering -it over with heavy stones, to protect it from the bears, intending to -proceed up the coast for a general inspection of the condition of the -ice on the Sound. - -These various operations consumed the day; so we fed the dogs and dug -into another snow-bank, and got through another night after the fashion -of Arctic travelers, which is not much of a fashion to boast of. We -slept and did not freeze, and more than this we did not expect. - -[Sidenote: EXPLORING A TRACK.] - -The next day's journey was made with light sledges, but it was much -more tedious than the two days preceding; for the track was rough, and -during the greater part of the time it was as much as the dogs could -do to get through the hummocked ice with nothing on the sledge but our -little food and sleeping gear. As for riding, that was entirely out -of the question. After nine hours of this sort of work, during which -we made, lightened as we were, not over twenty miles, we were well -satisfied to draw up to the first convenient snow-bank for another -nightly burrow. - -[Sidenote: A NEW STYLE OF SNOW-HUT.] - -Being naturally inclined to innovation, I had busied my mind all -through the day, as I tumbled among the ice and the drifts, in devising -some better plan of hut than the cavern arrangement of the nomadic -Kalutunah. The snow-bank which I selected had a square side about -five feet high. Starting on the top of this, we dug a pit about six -feet long, four and a half wide, and four deep, leaving between the -pit and the square side of the bank a wall about two feet thick. Over -the top of this pit we placed one of the sledges, over the sledge the -canvas apron used, while traveling, to inclose the cargo, and over that -again we shoveled loose snow to the depth of some three feet. Then we -dug a hole into this inclosure through the thin wall, pushed in our -buffalo-skin bedding, and all articles penetrable by a dog's tooth and -not inclosed in tin cases, (for the dogs will eat any thing, their -own harness included,) then a few blocks of hard snow, and finally we -crawled in ourselves. The blocks of snow were jammed into the entrance, -and we were housed for the night. - -Being bound on a short journey, I thought that I could afford a little -extra weight, and carried alcohol for fuel, as this is the only fuel -that can be used in the close atmosphere of a snow-hut. A ghastly blue -blaze was soon flickering in our faces, and in our single tin-kettle -some snow was being converted into water, and then the water began -to hum, and then after a long while it boiled, (it is no easy matter -to boil water in such temperature with a small lamp,) and we were -refreshed with a good strong pint pot of tea; then the tea-leaves were -tossed into one corner, some more snow was put in the tea-kettle and -melted, and out of desiccated beef and desiccated potatoes we make a -substantial hash; and when this was disposed of we lit our pipes, -rolled up in our buffaloes, and did the best we could for the balance -of the night. - -[Sidenote: COLD LODGINGS.] - -My invention did not, however, turn out so satisfactory as was -expected. The hut, if more commodious, and admitting of a little -movement without knocking down the loose snow all over us, was much -colder than either of our dens of the Kalutunah plan, the temperature -in each of which stood about zero through the night, elevated to that -degree by the heat radiated from our own persons, and from the lamp -which cooked the supper. But this pit under the sledge could not be -warmed above 20° below zero. No amount of coaxing could induce the -thermometer to rise. - -Notwithstanding all this I still adhered to my theory about snow-huts, -and I very unjustly threw the blame on Jensen for carelessness in the -construction; so I sent him out to pile on more snow. This did not mend -matters in the least, but rather made them worse; for, through the now -open door-way, what little warmth we had managed to get up made its -escape; and when Jensen came back and we shut ourselves in again, the -temperature was -35°, and never afterwards reached higher than -30°. -Even Kalutunah was troubled to sleep, and, as he rubbed his eyes and -pounded his feet together to keep them from freezing, he made a grimace -which told more plainly than words in what low estimation he held the -Nalegaksoak's talents for making snow-huts. - -[Sidenote: LOW TEMPERATURE.] - -The cause of all this trouble was, however, explained next morning. -The hut was well enough, and I stuck ever afterward to the plan, and -even Kalutunah was compelled to own that it was the correct thing. -It was perfectly tight. The thermometer told the story. As it hung -against the snow wall I called Jensen's attention to it. The top of the -delicate red streak of alcohol stood at 31° below zero. - -We crawled out in the open air at last, to try the sunshine. "I will -give you the best buffalo-skin in the ship, Jensen, if the air outside -is not warmer than in that den which you have left so full of holes." -And it really seemed so. Human eye never lit upon a more pure and -glowing morning. The sunlight was sparkling all over the landscape and -the great world of whiteness; and the frozen plain, the hummocks, the -icebergs, and the tall mountains, made a picture inviting to the eye. -Not a breath of air was stirring. Jensen gave in without a murmur. -"Well, the hut must have been full of holes, after all; but I'll fix it -next time." - -I brought out the thermometer and set it up in the shadow of an iceberg -near by. I really expected to see it rise; but no, down sank the little -red column, down, down, almost to the very bulb, and it never stopped -until it had touched 68½° below zero,--100½° below the freezing point -of water.[7] - -[Footnote 7: It is worthy of observation that the lowest temperature -recorded at Port Foulke, during my absence, was 27° below zero.] - -I do not recall but two instances of equally low temperature having -been previously recorded, one of which, by Niveroff, at Yakoutsk, in -Siberia, was -72° of the Fahrenheit scale. I am not, however, aware -that any traveler has ever noted so low a temperature while in the -field. - -It struck me as a singular circumstance that this great depression of -temperature was not perceptible to the senses, which utterly failed -to give us even so much as a hint that here in this blazing sunlight -we were experiencing about the coldest temperature ever recorded. -But this would have held good only in the profound calm with which -we were favored. At such low temperature the least wind is painful -and even dangerous, especially if the traveler is compelled to face -it. It is also a singular circumstance that, while the sun's rays, -penetrating the atmosphere, seem to impart to it so little warmth, they -are powerful enough to blister the skin, so that in truth the opposite -conditions of heat--positive and negative--are operating upon the -unfortunate face at one and the same time. - -The effect of these low temperatures upon the snow is very striking. -It becomes hardened to such a degree that it almost equals sand -in grittiness, and the friction to the sledge-runner is increased -accordingly. The same circumstance was noted by Baron Wrangel, but -it is not new to the Esquimaux. The sledge runs most glibly when the -snow is slightly wet. To obviate in some measure the difficulty thus -occasioned, the native covers the sole of his runner with moisture. -Dissolving in his mouth a piece of snow, he pours it out into his hand -and coats with it the polished ivory sole, and in an instant he has -formed a thin film of ice to meet the hardened crystals. Kalutunah -stopped frequently for this purpose; and, upon trying the experiment -with my own sledge, I found it to work admirably, and to produce a very -perceptible difference in the draft. - -It would be needless for me to give from day to day the details of this -journey. As I have said before, it was merely experimental, and it was -continued until I had satisfied myself fully that the route northward -by the Greenland coast was wholly impracticable. The condition of the -ice was very different from what it was in 1853-54. Then the coast ice -was mainly smooth, and the hummocks were not met until we had gone -from ten to twenty miles from the shore. Now there was no such belt. -The winter had set in while the ice was crowding upon the land, and -the pressure had been tremendous. Vast masses were piled up along the -track, and the whole sea was but one confused jumble of ice-fragments, -forced up by the pressure to an enormous height, and frozen together -in that position. The whole scene was the Rocky Mountains on a small -scale; peak after peak, ridge after ridge, spur after spur, separated -by deep valleys, into which we descended over a rough declivity, and -then again ascended on the other side, to cross an elevated crest and -repeat the operation. The traveling was very laborious. It was but an -endless clambering over ice-masses of every form and size. - -[Sidenote: KALUTUNAH PUZZLED.] - -Kalutunah was much puzzled to understand my object. He had never heard -of a journey into that region except to catch bears, and then only in -great emergencies; and when bear-track after bear-track was crossed -without our giving chase, he became even more and more concerned. He -had a double motive,--to have the sport and to see the effect of our -rifles; but none of the tracks were fresh, and the chase would have -been too long to agree with my purposes. At length, however, we came to -a trail evidently not an hour old, and which we might have pursued to a -successful issue, for the tracks were made by a mother and a small cub. -Kalutunah halted his team, and was loud in his pleadings for leave to -make a dash. He argued for the sport, for the skin which would make -the Nalegaksoak such a fine coat, for his wife and children, who had -not tasted bear-meat for ever so long a time, and finally for his dogs. -"See how unhappy they are," said he, pointing to his tired team, which -seemed to possess little appreciation of the eloquence that was being -wasted upon them, for they had all fallen down in their tracks as soon -as we had halted the sledges. Four days of hauling through drifts and -hummocks had made them care little for a bear-hunt. - -[Sidenote: SIGHTING HUMBOLDT GLACIER.] - -Despite the difficulties of the traveling, three days more brought me -within view of the great Humboldt Glacier, but the ice was becoming -worse and worse, the icebergs were multiplying, my dogs were being worn -out to no purpose; and much as I should have liked to continue the -journey, there was no object to be gained by doing so. The ground had -been covered by Dr. Kane's parties, and there was nothing to be learned -further than I had experienced already, namely, that, in no event, -could I get my boat to the polar sea in this direction. Whether I could -do any better by the passage across the Sound to Grinnell Land remained -to be seen. In any case, this last was clearly my only route. - -The Humboldt Glacier was visible from the top of an iceberg. It -revealed itself in a long line of bluish whiteness. Cape Agassiz, the -last known point of the Greenland coast, bounded it on the right, -and to the left it melted away in the remote distance. The line of -its trend appeared to me to be more to the eastward than given in -the original survey of Mr. Bonnsall, of Dr. Kane's expedition; and, -although of little practical importance, yet this circumstance, coupled -with observations hereafter to be recorded, have caused me to deviate -somewhat, in the small chart which accompanies this volume, from the -chart of Dr. Kane. - -[Sidenote: FATE OF THE "ADVANCE."] - -The coast along which I had been traveling was a succession of -well-remembered landmarks. The tall sandstone cliffs were as familiar -as the rows of lofty warehouses and stores on Broadway. Both up and -down the coast I had gone so often from Van Rensselaer Harbor that I -knew every point of land, and gorge, and ravine as if I had seen them -but yesterday. But when I got down into the harbor itself how changed -was every thing! Instead of the broad, smooth ice over which I had so -often strolled, there was but a uniform wilderness of hummocks. In the -place where the _Advance_ once lay, the ice was piled up nearly as -high as were her mast-heads. Fern Rock was almost overridden by the -frightful avalanche which had torn down into the harbor from the north, -and the locality of the store-house on Butler Island was almost buried -out of sight. No vestige of the _Advance_ remained, except a small bit -of a deck-plank which I picked up near the site of the old Observatory. -The fate of the vessel is of course a matter only of conjecture. When -the ice broke up--it may have been the year we left her or years -afterward--she was probably carried out to sea and ultimately crushed -and sunk. From the Esquimaux I obtained many contradictory statements. -Indeed, with the best intentions in the world, these Esquimaux have -great trouble in telling a straight story. Even Kalutunah is not to -be depended upon if there is the ghost of a chance for invention. He -had been to the vessel, but at one time it was one year and then again -it was another; he had carried off much wood, as many other Esquimaux -had done. Another Esquimau had seen a vessel drifting about in the -North Water among the ice, and finally it was sunk in the mouth of -Wolstenholme Sound. This was four summers ago. Another had seen the -same vessel, but the event had happened only two years before; while -still another had accidentally set fire to the brig and burned her up -where she lay in Van Rensselaer Harbor. No two of them gave the same -account. Indeed, one of them asserted quite positively that the vessel -had drifted down into the bay below, was there frozen up the next -winter, and he had there boarded her when on a bear-hunt. Kalutunah had -nothing positive to say on the subject, but he rather inclined to the -story of the burning. - -Every object around me was filled with old associations, some pleasant -and some painful. I visited the graves of Baker and the jovial cook, -Pierre, and looked for the pyramid which Dr. Kane mentions as "our -beacon and their tomb-stone," but it was scattered over the rocks, and -the conspicuous cross which had been painted on its southern face was -only here and there shown by a stone with a white patch upon it. - -[Sidenote: A DRIVE IN A GALE.] - -On our homeward journey we camped again at Cairn Point, and made there -a long halt, as I desired to get another view, from a loftier position -than before. Jensen was fortunate enough to shoot a deer, and our weary -and battered dogs were refreshed with it. Thence to the schooner was -one of the wildest rides that I remember ever to have made. A terrible -gale of wind set upon us, and, with the thermometer at -52°, it carried -a sting with it. The drifting snow was battering us at a furious rate; -but the dogs, with their heads turned homeward, did their best, and the -thirty miles were made in three and a half hours. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - SENDING FORWARD SUPPLIES.--KALUTUNAH AS A DRIVER.--KALUTUNAH - CIVILIZED.--MR. KNORR.--PLAN OF MY PROPOSED JOURNEY.--PREPARING - TO SET OUT.--INDUSTRIOUS ESQUIMAU WOMEN.--DEATH AND BURIAL OF - KABLUNET.--THE START. - - -During the next few days the dog-sledges were going and coming between -the schooner and Cairn Point continually, carrying to the latter place -the stores needed for our summer campaign. The temperature still held -very low, and I did not deem it prudent to send out a foot party. I -knew by former experience how important it is for a commander to keep -inexperienced men under his own eye, for one frozen man will demoralize -a dozen, and a frosted foot is as contagious as the small-pox. - -[Sidenote: KALUTUNAH CIVILIZED.] - -Kalutunah's team was turned over to Mr. Knorr, and in doing this I -gratified both parties and served my own interests. The novelty of -serving me, and of traveling with me, had by this time worn off, and I -could plainly see that the chief was quite as well satisfied to remain -with his wife and babies as to trust himself to the uncertain fortunes -of the ice-fields, more especially as his curiosity to see how this man -that he called the big chief behaved himself had been fully gratified. -The recent journey had convinced him that I was fully entitled to his -respect, since I did not freeze, and altogether conducted myself as -well as an Esquimau would have done under like circumstances; and this -was a great deal in his eyes. It was not difficult to perceive that -Kalutunah started with me expecting to take me under his protecting -wing; and if he did not have the pleasing satisfaction of seeing me -groaning with the cold, at least he should have the opportunity to -instruct me how to live and how to travel; but when I began to instruct -him, and turned the tables on him, he was much disappointed; and when -to this violation of propriety I added the still more unpardonable -offense of refusing him a bear-hunt, his enthusiasm oozed out very -rapidly; and if he admired the Nalegaksoak the more he desired to -follow him the less, particularly as the dangers of the service -preponderated over the emoluments. Indeed, the fellow was disposed to -avail himself fully of the advantages of his new situation, and I soon -made up my mind that he was henceforth a pensioner upon my bounty, so -I doubled his riches and made him the happiest Esquimau that ever was -seen. My thoroughly energetic, daring and skillful hunter, who prided -himself upon the excellence of his equipments and the abundance of -his supplies, for once in his life found himself so situated that he -was freed from all necessity of giving thought to the morrow. It was -truly a novel sensation, and it is not surprising that he should wish -to enjoy the short-lived holiday. He was greatly amused,--amused with -himself, amused with the Nalemaksoak who had made him so rich and -allowed him to be so lazy, and amused with the white man's dress with -which he was bedecked, and in which he cut such a sorry figure. His -face was never without a full-blown grin. I gave him a looking-glass, -and he carried it about with him continually, looking at himself and -laughing at his head with a cap on it, and at his reel shirt which -dangled beneath an old coat. It was all very fine and very wonderful. -"Don't I look pretty?" was the poser which he put to everybody. - -[Sidenote: KALUTUNAH UNCIVILIZED.] - -But this pleasing state of mind into which he had been thrown by this -new style of costume was doomed to be short-lived. The novelty wore off -in a few days. It ceased to amuse him; and he discovered, no doubt, -that in gratifying his vanity he was vexing the flesh. One day he -appeared on board in his old suit of furs. "What has become of the cap -and red shirt and coat?" "Oh! I tumbled into the water, and my wife is -drying them!" The truth leaked out afterward that he had gone home, -changed the white man's finery for the cold-resisting fox-skins, and -had chucked the whole suit among the rocks. - -Kalutunah's team fell to Mr. Knorr from sheer necessity, since there -was no one else in the ship except Hans who could handle the whip. -Knorr, with commendable foresight, had commenced his exercises early -in the winter, plainly foreseeing that his chances of accompanying me -throughout my northern journey were not likely to be diminished by -knowing how to drive dogs. The labor properly devolved upon one of the -sailors; but the field was open to all alike; and the young gentleman, -finding that official dignity stood in the way of his ambition, with a -spirit which I was not slow to appreciate, did not long hesitate in his -choice. - -I have elsewhere mentioned that the labor of driving dogs is not an -easy one. Indeed, of all the members of my party, Mr. Knorr was the -only one who succeeded well. Even in Southern Greenland, among the -Danes long resident there, it is rare to find a skillful driver. -Neither of the sailors, Carl nor Christian, whom I had taken from -Upernavik, could throw the lash anywhere else than about their legs, or -into the face of whomsoever might happen to sit upon the sledge. As for -hitting a dog, they could scarcely do it by any chance. - -[Sidenote: PREPARING TO START.] - -My recent journey had decided my course of action. The last view which -I had from the top of the lofty cliff behind Cairn Point convinced -me that my only chance for the season was to cross the Sound from -that place, for my observations up the Greenland coast had shown me, -as has been already observed, the impracticability of reaching the -Polar Sea by that route. McCormick had immediate charge of the work of -preparation, and pushing every thing forward with his customary energy, -we were ready to start before the close of March. But the temperature -still continued to range too low for safety, and I only awaited a rise -of the thermometer. Our little community was now full of life and -business. - -The Esquimaux were not an unimportant element in the hive. The most -useful service came, however, from the ancient dames who presided over -the domestic affairs of the snow house and the hut at Etah. They were -sewing for us constantly, and were probably the first women in the -world who ever grew rich - - "Plying the needle and thread." - -[Sidenote: AN ESQUIMAU FUNERAL.] - -But misfortune fell at length within the snow-hut. Poor old Kablunet, -the voluble and kind-hearted and industrious wife of Tcheitchenguak, -took sick. Her disease was pneumonia, and it ran its course with -great rapidity. All my medicines and all my efforts to save her were -of no avail, and she died on the fourth day. This unhappy event had -nearly destroyed my prestige as a Narkosak, and indeed it would have -done so completely had it not been for the fortunate occurrence of an -auroral display, during which time Jensen, whom my journal mentions as -"a convenient and useful man," informed the Esquimaux that the white -man's medicine will not operate. And thus was saved my reputation. -She died at five o'clock in the evening; at six she was sewed up in -a seal-skin winding-sheet, and before it was yet cold the body was -carried on Hans's sledge to a neighboring gorge and there buried among -the rocks and covered with heavy stones. The only evidences of sorrow -or regret were manifested by her daughter, Merkut, the wife of Hans, -and these appeared to be dictated rather from custom than affection. -Merkut remained by the grave after the others had departed, and for -about an hour she walked around and around it, muttering in a low -voice some praises of the deceased. At the head of the grave she then -placed the knife, needles, and sinew which her mother had recently been -using, and the last sad rites to the departed savage were performed. -Tcheitchenguak came over and told me that there was no longer anybody -to keep his lamp burning, and that his hut was cold, and with a very -sorrowful face he begged to be allowed to live with Hans. My consent -given, that of Hans was not deemed necessary; and so the snow-hut -became deserted, and the cheerful family that had there dispensed a -rude hospitality was broken up; and the "house of feasting" had become -a "house of mourning," and Tcheitchenguak had come away from it to -finish alone his little remaining span of life. Old and worn down by -a hard struggle for existence, he was now dependent upon a generation -which cared little for him, while she who alone could have soothed -the sorrows of his declining years had gone away before him to the -far-off island where the Great Spirit, Torngasoak the Mighty, regales -the happy souls with an endless feast on the ever green banks of the -boundless lake, where the ice is never seen and the darkness is never -known,--where the sunshine is eternal, in the summer of bliss that is -everlasting,--the Upernak that has no end. - -The temperature having somewhat moderated, I determined to set out in -the evening of the third of April. Although the sun had not yet reached -the horizon at midnight, there was quite light enough for my purposes, -and by traveling in the night instead of the day we would have greater -warmth while in camp, which is really the time of greatest danger from -the cold; for when on the march men have usually little difficulty -in keeping warm, even at the lowest temperatures, provided there is -no wind. Besides this, there is still another difficulty obviated. -The constant glare of the mid-day sun is a very severe tax upon the -eye, and great caution is needed to guard against that painful and -inconvenient disease known as "snow-blindness." In order to protect my -men against it, as much as possible, I had supplied each of them with a -pair of blue-glass goggles. - -[Sidenote: THE FIELD PARTY.] - -[Sidenote: THE START.] - -My field party consisted of every available officer and man in the -schooner, twelve in number. We were all ready to start at seven -o'clock; and when I joined them on the ice beside the schooner their -appearance was as picturesque as it was animated. In advance stood -Jensen, impatiently rolling out his long whip-lash; and his eight -dogs, harnessed to his sledge, "The Hope," were as impatient as -he. Next came Knorr with six dogs and the "Perseverance," to the -upstander of which he had tied a little blue flag bearing this, his -motto, "_Toujours prêt_." Then came a lively group of eight men, each -with a canvas belt across his shoulder, to which was attached a line -that fastened him to the sledge. Alongside the sledge stood McCormick -and Dodge, ready to steer it among the hummocks, and on the sledge -was mounted a twenty-foot metallic life-boat with which I hoped to -navigate the Polar Sea. The mast was up and the sails were spread, and -from the peak floated our boat's ensign, which had seen service in -two former Arctic and in one Antarctic voyage, and at the mast-head -were run up the Masonic emblems. Our little signal-flag was stuck in -the stern-sheets. The sun was shining brightly into the harbor, and -everybody was filled with enthusiasm, and ready for the hard pull that -was to come. Cheer after cheer met me as I came down the stairway from -the deck. At a given signal Radcliffe, who was left in charge of the -vessel, touched off the "swivel," "March," cried McCormick, crack went -the whips, the dogs sprang into their collars, the men stretched their -"track ropes," and the cavalcade moved off. - -The events which follow I will give from my "field-book," trusting that -the reader will have sufficient interest in my party to accompany them -through the icy wilderness into which they plunged; but for this we -will need a new chapter. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - THE FIRST DAY'S JOURNEY.--A FALL OF TEMPERATURE.--ITS - EFFECT UPON THE MEN.--CAMPED IN A SNOW-HUT.--THE - SECOND DAY'S JOURNEY.--AT CAIRN POINT.--CHARACTER OF - THE ICE.--THE PROSPECT.--STORM-STAYED.--THE COOKS IN - DIFFICULTY.--SNOW-DRIFT.--VIOLENCE OF THE GALE.--OUR SNOW-HUT. - - - April 4th. - -[Sidenote: THE FIRST DAY'S JOURNEY.] - -Buried in a snow-bank, and not over well pleased with my first day's -work. The temperature of the air has tumbled down to -32°, and inside -the hut it is now, two hours after entering it, a degree above zero, -and steadily rising. Three of the party succumbed to the cold on the -march, and I had much difficulty in keeping them from being seriously -frozen. We got on finely until we reached Sunrise Point, where the -ice was very rough, and we were bothered for more than two hours in -getting over it with our long and cumbersome boat and sledge. It was -probably only a little foretaste of what is to come when we strike -across the Sound. Once over this ugly place, we halted to melt some -water, for the men had become very warm and thirsty. Unluckily, just at -this time a smart breeze sprung up, chilling us through and through, -for we had been perspiring freely with the violent exercise. The first -cold blast put an extinguisher upon the enthusiasm which the party had -carried along with them from the ship, and it was singular to observe -the change which came over their spirits. It was the contrast of -champagne and sour cider. Some of them looked as if they were going -to their own funerals, and wore that "My God! what shall I do?" look -that would have been amusing enough had it not been alarming. One of -these, without sufficient energy to keep himself in motion, crouched -behind a snow-drift, and when discovered he had squarely settled -himself for a freeze. In half an hour his inclination would have been -accomplished. When I came up to him he said very coolly, and with a -tone of resignation worthy a martyr, "I'm freezing." His fingers and -toes were already as white as a tallow-candle. There was no time to be -lost. I rubbed a little circulation back into them, and, placing him -in charge of two men with orders to keep him moving, I saved him from -the serious consequences which would otherwise have resulted from his -faint-heartedness. Without waiting for more of the coveted drops of -water, I pushed on for the first snow-bank, and got my party out of -the wind and under cover. But this was not done without difficulty. It -seemed as if two or three of them were possessed with a heroic desire -to die on the spot, and I really believe that they would have done it -cheerfully rather than, of their own accord, seize a shovel and aid -in constructing, if not a place of comfort, at least a place of rest -and safety. This sort of thing at the start is not encouraging, but I -cannot say that I am much surprised at it; for my former experience has -shown the hazard of exposing men in the wind in such low temperatures. -This, however, is one of those things against which no foresight -can provide. No serious consequences appear to have resulted from -the event, and the sufferers are growing more comfortable as the -temperature of the hut rises. We have had our rude camp supper, and I -have started an alcohol lamp; the door is closed tightly; the party are -all drawn under the sleeping-furs; the plucky ones smoke their pipes, -and the balance of them shiver as if they would grow warm with the -exercise. The chattering of teeth is not pleasant music. - - April 5th. - -Under the snow again near Cape Hatherton. Our halt at the last camp -was continued for eighteen hours, until the men had got fairly thawed -out, and the wind had entirely subsided. The short march hence was made -slowly and steadily, as I do not wish at first to urge upon the men -too much work, nor to keep them long exposed to the cold. There are no -frost-bites of consequence resulting from the exposure of yesterday. -The spirits of the party have somewhat revived. The temperature has -risen, and the hut is warmer than that of last night,--that is, my -thermometer, hanging from the runner of the sledge over my head shows -10° above zero. - - April 6th. - -[Sidenote: AT CAIRN POINT.] - -We have reached Cairn Point, and are comfortably housed. The men have -come up to the work reasonably well. The depression of spirits which -followed the blast of cold wind that overtook us above Sunrise Point -has passed away, and all hands are gay and lively. I had no need to -urge or instruct or use the snow-shovel myself at this camp. The weak -in spirit have profited by their lessons, and have learned that in -providing for one's comfort and safety on the ice-fields the shovel -materially assists appeals to Heaven,--a very wholesome change, and, as -a result of it, instead of being upward of two hours in constructing -our hut, as on the first night, we have this time accomplished the -task in less than one, and everybody seemed ambitious of doing the work -in the shortest possible space of time. - -[Sidenote: THE PROSPECT.] - -The traveling to-day has been very fair for the dog-sledges, but very -bad for the boat. It runs easily enough on the smooth surface, but -dragging its long length over a snow-drift even four feet deep, or, -worse still, over hummocks even half as high, is a troublesome task; -and we have crossed many strips of rough ice to-day which could not -be passed until we had broken a track. In consequence of this we were -obliged to leave some of the load behind, especially as I wished to -reach Cairn Point before camping. Knorr and Jensen had already cached -one of their cargoes of March at Cape Hatherton, and this was left with -it. It will cost us a day's labor to bring it up. - -The difficulties in transporting the boat among the hummocks, and the -very light load which either the men or dogs can carry over the broken -ice, as shown by this day's experience, convince me that the boat and -cargo can hardly be transported to the west coast at one journey; and -I have therefore concluded to leave the boat here for the present, at -least until the track is further explored, and set out with the two -dog-sledges and a foot party dragging the other sledge, laden with such -stores as they can carry, for a depot on Grinnell Land. I can at any -time send the party back for the boat; and if it should turn out that -the boat cannot be got across the Sound, then I shall, in any event, -have a depot of supplies for my explorations over the ice with the -dog-sledges, before the thaw of June and July shall have put an end to -that species of traveling. - -[Sidenote: STORM-STAYED.] - -The track before me looks unpromising enough. After the party was -housed, I climbed up to a considerable eminence, and have had the -melancholy satisfaction of looking out over the ugliest scene that my -eye has ever chanced to rest upon. There was nothing inviting in it. -Except a few miles of what has evidently, up to a very late period of -the fall, been open water, which has frozen suddenly, there is not -a rod of smooth ice in sight. The whole Sound appears to have been -filled with ice of the most massive description, which, broken up into -a moving "pack" in the summer, has come down upon this Greenland coast -with the southerly setting current, and has piled up all over the sea -in a confused jumble. I know what it is from having crossed it in 1854; -and if it is as bad now as then (and it appears to be much worse) there -is every prospect of a severe tussle. - - April 7th. - -Did anybody ever see such capricious weather as this of Smith Sound? -It is the torment of my life and the enemy of my plans. I can never -depend upon it. It is the veriest flirt that ever owned Dame Nature for -a mother. - -[Sidenote: THE COOKS IN DIFFICULTY.] - -We camped in a calm atmosphere, but in the middle of the -night--bang!--down came a bugle-blast of Boreas, and then the old god -blew and blew as if he had never blown in all his life before, and -wanted to prove what he could do. We could hardly show our noses out -of doors, and have lain huddled together in this snow den all day,--a -doleful sort of imprisonment. It is with much difficulty that we have -got any thing to eat, and we never should if I had not turned cook -myself, and shown these innocents of mine how to keep the furnace-lamp -from being blown out; for we can use only lard for fuel, and the smoke -is so great that we cannot have the cooking done inside. It seems to me -that nothing takes the wits out of a man so quickly as the cold. The -cooks had not sense enough left to inclose themselves in a snow wall, -and I had to teach them how to keep up the proper proportion of lard -and rope-yarns in the lamp to prevent the flame from smothering on the -one hand, and from being whiffed out on the other. We were more than -two hours in making a pot of coffee, and came in out of the pelting -snow-drift with our furs all filled with it; and now it melts, and the -clothing is getting damp, for we do not change our dress when we crawl -in between our buffalo-skin sheets. - - April 8th. - -Could any thing be more aggravating? The gale holds on and keeps us -close prisoners. My people could no more live in it than in a fiery -furnace. I never saw any thing like it. Last night it fell warmer, and -snowed, which gave us encouragement; but the wind blew afterward more -fierce than ever, and human eye never beheld such sights. There was -nowhere any thing else but flying snow. The sun's face was blinded, -and the hills and coast were hidden completely out of sight. Once in a -while we can see the ghost of an iceberg, but that is rarely. We tried -to brave it yesterday, and again to-day, for I wanted to go down to -Cape Hatherton to bring up our cargo there. So we commenced tearing -down the hut to get at the sledge; but ten minutes convinced me that -half the party would freeze outright if we undertook to face the storm, -and I sent the flock again under cover, and went behind the snow wall -to help the cooks with their fire. - -[Sidenote: IN A SNOW BANK.] - -The poor dogs were almost buried out of sight. They had all crouched -together in a heap; and as the drift accumulated over them they poked -their heads further and further up into it; and when I came to count -them to see if any had left us and run back to the ship or been frozen -to death, it was truly counting noses. There were fourteen of them. - -It seems rather strange to be writing on at this rate in a snow-hut, -but the truth is I have no more trouble in writing here than if I were -in my cabin. The temperature has come up almost to the freezing point, -and it is a great relief to write. What else should I do? I have two -small books which I have brought along for just such emergencies as -this, and while my companions play cards and bet gingerbread and oyster -suppers and bottles of rum to be paid in Boston, I find nothing better -to do than read and write; and, since I cannot remain unoccupied, but -must kill time in some manner, or else sleep, suppose I describe this -den in the snow-bank. - -[Sidenote: THIRTEEN IN A BED.] - -[Sidenote: THE SOURCE OF HAPPINESS.] - -[Sidenote: "ALL IS VANITY."] - -It is a pit eighteen feet long by eight wide and four deep. Over the -top of said pit are placed the boat-oars, to support the sledge, which -is laid across them; and over the sledge is thrown the boat's sail; -and over the sail is thrown loose snow. In one end of the den thus -formed there is a hole, through which we crawl in, and which is now -filled up tightly with blocks of snow. Over the floor (if the term -is admissible) there is spread a strip of India-rubber cloth; over -this cloth a strip of buffalo-skins, which are all squared and sewed -together; and over this again another just like it. When we want to -sleep we draw ourselves underneath the upper one of these buffalo -strips, and accommodate ourselves to the very moderate allowance of -space assigned to each person as best we can. The post of honor is at -the end furthest from the door; and, except the opposite end, this -post of honor is the least desirable of all other places, for, somehow -or other, the twelve sleepers below me manage to pull the "clothes" -off and leave me jammed against the snow wall, with nothing on me but -my traveling gear; for we go to bed without change of costume except -our boots and stockings, which we tuck under our heads to help out a -pillow, while what we call "reindeer sleeping stockings" take their -place on the feet. And, furthermore, there is not much that I can say. -This can hardly be called comfort. I have a vague remembrance of having -slept more soundly than I have done these last four nights, and of -having rested upon something more agreeable to the "quivering flesh" -than this bed of snow, the exact sensations communicated by which are -positively indescribable,--a sort of cross between a pine board and a -St. Lawrence gridiron. And yet the people are busy and merry enough. -Harris, one of my most energetic and ambitious men, is sewing a patch -on his seal-skin pantaloons, stopping "a hole to keep the winds away;" -Miller, another spirited and careful man, is closing up a rip in his -Esquimau boot; and Carl, who has a fine tenor voice, has just finished -a sailor's song, and is clearing his throat for "The Bold Soldier -Boy." Several packs of cards are in requisition, and altogether we are -rather a jolly party,--the veriest Mark Tapleys of travelers. We are -leading a novel sort of life, and I can imagine that the time will come -when I shall turn over the pages of this diary and be amused at the -strangeness of the contrast of these events with the humdrum routine of -ordinary existence. I have no doubt that I shall then wonder if this -is not all set down in a dream, so singular will it appear; and yet so -quickly do the human body and the human mind accommodate themselves -to the changing circumstances of life that, in every thing we do, the -events seem at the time always natural, and cause us no astonishment; -still, when we review the past, we are continually amazed that we have -undergone so many transformations, and can scarcely recognize ourselves -in our chamelion dresses. If it should ever again be my luck to eat -canvas-back at Delmonico's I shall no doubt very heartily despise -the dried beef and potato hash which now constitute, with bread and -coffee, my only fare; and yet no canvas-back was ever enjoyed as much -as this same hash; and no coffee distilled through French percolator -was ever so fine as the pint pot which is passed along to me, smoking -hot, in the morning; and the best treasures of Périgord forest were -never relished more than are the few little chips of ship's biscuit -which the coffee washes down. In fact, our pleasures are but relative. -They are never absolute; and happiness is quite probably, as Paley has -wisely hinted, but a certain state of that "nervous net-work lining the -whole region of the præcordia;" and, therefore, since this cold pencil -only gives me pain in the fingers, while nothing disturbs the harmony -of the præcordia, I do not know but that I am about as well off as I -ever was in my life. True, I have not the means which I expected to -have for the execution of my designs, and I am beset with difficulties -and embarrassments; but if happiness lies in that quarter, pleasure -lies in the future, for we willingly forget the present in the -anticipations,--in the delights to come from the contests and struggles -ahead; and it is well that this is so; for that which we spend most -time in getting is often not worth the having. The Preacher tells us -that "All is vanity;" and what says the Poet?-- - - "----pleasures are like poppies spread; - You seize the flower--its bloom is shed; - Or like the snow-fall in the river-- - A moment white, then melts forever; - Or like the borealis race, - That flits ere you can point the place." - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - THE STORM CONTINUES.--AT WORK.--AMONG THE HUMMOCKS.--DIFFICULTIES - OF THE TRACK.--THE SNOW-DRIFTS.--SLOW PROGRESS.--THE SMITH - SOUND ICE.--FORMATION OF THE HUMMOCKS.--THE OLD ICE-FIELDS - GROWTH OF ICE-FIELDS.--THICKNESS OF ICE.--THE PROSPECT. - - -I will not lay so heavy a tax upon the reader's patience as to ask -him to follow the pages of my diary through the next three weeks. -Diaries are of necessity so much taken up with matters that are purely -personal and contain so much of endless repetition, so many events that -are of daily recurrence, that it is impossible in the very nature of -things that they can have much interest for anybody but the writers -of them. Suffice it, therefore, to say that the storm continued with -unabated violence during the day succeeding that which closed the last -chapter, and it did not fairly subside until the end of the tenth day. -Meanwhile, however, we were busily occupied. The storm did not keep us -housed. - -[Sidenote: DIFFICULTIES OF THE TRACK.] - -Our first duty was to bring up the stores left at Cape Hatherton. This -accomplished, we broke up our camp and set out to cross the Sound with -a moderate load, the men dragging the large sledge, while the dogs -were attached as before. The wind had, fortunately, hauled more to the -south, and, coming nearly on our backs, we found little inconvenience -from this source. But difficulties of another kind soon gave us warning -of the serious nature of the task which we had undertaken. By winding -to the right and left, and by occasionally retracing our steps when we -had selected an impracticable route, we managed to get over the first -few miles without much embarrassment, but farther on the track was -rough past description. I can compare it to nothing but a promiscuous -accumulation of rocks closely packed together and piled up over a vast -plain in great heaps and endless ridges, leaving scarcely a foot of -level surface and requiring the traveler to pick the best footing he -can over the inequalities,--sometimes mounting unavoidable obstructions -to an elevation of ten, and again more than a hundred feet above the -general level. - -[Sidenote: SLOW PROGRESS.] - -The interstices between these closely accumulated ice masses are -filled up, to some extent, with drifted snow. The reader will readily -imagine the rest. He will see the sledges winding through the -tangled wilderness of broken ice-tables, the men and dogs pulling -and pushing up their respective loads, as Napoleon's soldiers may be -supposed to have done when drawing their artillery through the steep -and rugged passes of the Alps. He will see them clambering over the -very summit of lofty ridges, through which there is no opening, and -again descending on the other side, the sledge often plunging over -a precipice, sometimes capsizing, and frequently breaking. Again he -will see the party, baffled in their attempt to cross or find a pass, -breaking a track with shovel and handspike; or, again, unable even -with these appliances to accomplish their end, they retreat to seek a -better track; and they may be lucky enough to find a sort of gap or -gateway, upon the winding and uneven surface of which they will make -a mile or so with comparative ease. The snow-drifts are sometimes -a help and sometimes a hindrance. Their surface is uniformly hard, -but not always firm to the foot. The crust frequently gives way, and -in a most tiresome and provoking manner. It will not quite bear the -weight, and the foot sinks at the very moment when the other is lifted. -But, worse than this, the chasms between the hummocks are frequently -bridged over with snow in such a manner as to leave a considerable -space at the bottom quite unfilled; and at the very moment when all -looks promising, down sinks one man to his middle, another to the neck, -another is buried out of sight, the sledge gives way, and to extricate -the whole from this unhappy predicament is probably the labor of -hours; especially, as often happens, if the sledge must be unloaded; -and this latter is, from many causes, an event of constant occurrence. -Not unfrequently it is necessary to carry the cargo in two or three -loads. The sledges are coming and going continually, and the day is one -endless pull and haul. The nautical cry of the sailors, intended to -inspire unison of action, mingles with the loud and not always amiable -commands of Jensen and Knorr, each urging on his fatigued and toil-worn -dogs. - -It would be difficult to imagine any kind of labor more disheartening, -or which would sooner sap the energies of both men and animals. The -strength gave way gradually; and when, as often happened, after a long -and hard day's work, we could look back from an eminence and almost -fire a rifle-ball into our last snow-hut, it was truly discouraging. - -I need hardly say that I soon gave up all thought of trying to get the -boat across the Sound. A hundred men could not have accomplished the -task. My only purpose now was to get to the coast of Grinnell Land with -as large a stock of provisions as possible, and to retain the men as -long as they could be of use; but it soon became a question whether the -men themselves could carry over their own provisions independent of the -surplus which I should require in order that the severe labor should -result to advantage. In spite, however, of every thing the men kept -steadfastly to their duty, through sunshine and through storm, through -cold, and danger, and fatigue. - -[Sidenote: SMITH SOUND.] - -The cause of this extraordinary condition of the ice will need but -little explanation in addition to that which has been given in the -preceding chapter. The reader will have no difficulty in comprehending -the cause by an examination of the Smith Sound map. He will observe -that the Sound is, in effect, an extensive sea, with an axis running -almost east and west, and having a length of about one hundred and -sixty miles and a width of eighty. The name "Sound," by which it is -known, was first given to it by its discoverer, brave old William -Baffin, two hundred and fifty odd years ago. The entrance from Cape -Alexander to Cape Isabella is but thirty miles over, and by referring -to the map it will be seen that this gateway rapidly expands into the -sea to which I have invited attention,--a sea almost as large as the -Caspian or Baltic, measured from the terminus of Baffin Bay to where -Kennedy Channel narrows the waters before they expand into the great -Polar Basin. This extensive sea should bear the name of the leader of -the expedition which first defined its boundaries--I mean, of course, -Dr. Kane. - -Now into this sea the current sets from the Polar Basin through the -broader gateway above mentioned, known as Kennedy Channel; and the -ice, escaping but slowly through the narrow Sound into Baffin Bay, -has accumulated within the sea from century to century. The summer -dismembers it to some extent and breaks it up into fragments of varying -size, which are pressing together, wearing and grinding continually, -and crowding down upon each other and upon the Greenland coast, thus -producing the result which we have seen. - -[Sidenote: DIMENSIONS OF AN ICE FIELD.] - -In order fully to appreciate the power and magnitude of this -ice-movement, it must be borne in mind that a very large proportion -of the ice is of very ancient formation,--old floes or ice-fields -of immense thickness and miles in extent, as well as of icebergs -discharged from Humboldt Glacier. These vast masses, tearing along with -the current in the early winter through the sea as it is closing up and -new ice is making rapidly, are as irresistible as a tornado among the -autumn leaves. As an illustration, I will give the dimensions of an old -field measured by me while crossing the Sound. Its average height was -twenty feet above the sea level, and about six by four miles in extent -of surface, which was very uneven, rising into rounded hillocks as much -as eighty feet in height, and sinking into deep and tortuous valleys. - -To cross such a floe with our sledges was almost as difficult as -crossing the hummocks themselves; for, in addition to its uneven -surface, like that of a very rough and broken country, it was covered -with crusted snow through which the sledge-runners cut continually, -and which broke down under the foot. I estimated its solid contents, -in round numbers, at 6,000,000,000 of tons, its depth being about one -hundred and sixty feet. Around its border was thrown up on all sides -a sort of mountain chain of last year's ice, the loftiest pinnacle of -which was one hundred and twenty feet above the level of the sea. This -ice-hill, as it might well be called, was made up of blocks of ice -of every shape and of various sizes, piled one upon the other in the -greatest confusion. Numerous forms equally rugged, though not so lofty, -rose from the same ridge, and from every part of this desolate area; -and if a thousand Lisbons were crowded together and tumbled to pieces -by the shock of an earthquake, the scene could hardly be more rugged, -nor to cross the ruins a severer task. - -[Sidenote: ORIGIN OF A FLOE.] - -The origin of such a floe dates back to a very remote period. That -it was cradled in some deep recess of the land, and there remained -until it had grown to such a thickness that no summer's sun or water's -washing could wholly obliterate it before the winter cold came again, -is most probable. After this it grows as the glacier grows, from above, -and is, like the glacier, wholly composed of fresh ice,--that is, of -frozen snow. It will be thus seen that the accumulation of ice upon -the mountain tops is not different from the accumulation which takes -place upon these floating fields, and each recurring year marks an -addition to their depth. Vast as they are to the sight, and dwarfs as -they are compared with the inland _mer de glace_, yet they are, in all -that concerns their growth, truly glaciers--pigmy floating glaciers. -That they can only grow to such great depth in this manner will be at -once apparent, when it is borne in mind that ice soon reaches a maximum -thickness by direct freezing, and that its growth is arrested by a -natural law. [Sidenote: AVERAGE THICKNESS OF THE ICE.] - -This thickness is of course dependent upon the temperature of the -locality; but the ice is itself the sea's protection. The cold air -cannot soak away the warmth of the water through more than a certain -thickness of ice, and to that thickness there comes a limit long before -the winter has reached its end. The depth of ice formed on the first -night is greater than on the second; the second greater than the third; -the third greater than the fourth; and so on as the increase approaches -nothing. The thickness of ice formed at Port Foulke was nine feet; -and, although the coldest weather came in March, yet its depth was -not increased more than two inches after the middle of February. In -situations of greater cold, and where the current has less influence -than at Port Foulke, the depth of the table will of course become -greater. I have never seen an ice-table formed by direct freezing that -exceeded eighteen feet. But for this all-wise provision of the Deity, -the Arctic waters would, ages ago, have been solid seas of ice to their -profoundest depths. - -The reader will, I trust, bear patiently with this long digression; -but I thought it necessary, in order that he might have a clear -understanding as well of our situation as of the character of these -Arctic seas; in which I shall hope that I have inspired some interest. -As for ourselves, we were struggling along through this apparently -impassable labyrinth, striving to reach the coast which now began to -loom up boldly before us, and thence stretching away into the unknown -North, there receives the lashings of the Polar Sea. - -[Sidenote: SLOW PROGRESS.] - -To come back to the narrative which we abandoned so suddenly. The 24th -of April found us on the margin of the very floe which I have been -describing, weary, worn, and much dispirited. Since we broke camp at -Cairn Point, we had made in a direct line from that place not over -thirty miles. The number of miles actually traveled could not be easily -estimated; but it was scarcely less than five times that distance, -counting all our various twistings and turnings and goings and comings -upon our track. But I propose again to let my diary speak for itself; -and, as on a former occasion, when the evil genius of that unhappy -manuscript led it into type, we will resort to a new chapter. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - THE DIFFICULTIES MULTIPLYING.--SLEDGE BROKEN.--REFLECTIONS ON - THE PROSPECT.--THE MEN BREAKING DOWN.--WORSE AND WORSE.--THE - SITUATION.--DEFEAT OF MAIN PARTY.--RESOLVE TO SEND THE PARTY - BACK AND CONTINUE THE JOURNEY WITH DOGS. - - - April 24th. - -These journal entries are becoming rather monotonous. I have little to -set down to-day that I did not set down yesterday. There is no variety -in this journeying over the same track, week in and week out, in the -same endless snarl continually,--to-day almost in sight of our camp of -yesterday, the sledge broken, the men utterly exhausted, and the dogs -used up. We are now twenty-two days from the schooner, and have made on -our course not more than an average of three miles a day. From Cairn -Point we are distant about thirty miles, and our progress from that -place has been slow indeed. Grinnell Land looms up temptingly above the -frozen sea to the north of us, but it rises very slowly. I have tried -to carry out my original design of striking for Cape Sabine, but the -hummocks were wholly impassable in that direction, and I have had to -bear more to the northward. The temperature has risen steadily, but it -is still very low and colder than during the greater part of the winter -at Port Foulke. The lowest to-day was 19° below zero, calm and clear, -and the sun blazing upon us as in the early spring-time at home. - - April 25th. - -[Sidenote: REFLECTIONS ON THE PROSPECT.] - -A most distressing day. The sledge was repaired in the morning with -much difficulty, but not so that it held without renewal through -the march. The traveling grows even worse the further we proceed. -The hummocks are not heavier, but the recent snows have not been -disturbed by the wind and lie loose upon the surface, making the labor -of dragging the sledge much greater than before, even in those few -level patches with which we have been favored since setting out in the -morning. - -My party are in a very sorry condition. One of the men has sprained his -back from lifting; another has a sprained ancle; 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. - -Thus far I have not ventured to express in this journal any doubts -concerning the success of this undertaking; but of late the idea has -crossed my mind that the chances of ever reaching the west coast with -this party look almost hopeless. The question of the boat was decided -days ago, and it becomes now a very serious subject for reflection, -whether it is really likely that the men can get over these hummocks -to the west coast with even provisions enough to bring them back. It -is almost as much as they can do to transport their own camp fixtures, -which are neither weighty nor bulky. - - April 26th. - -[Sidenote: THE SITUATION.] - -The progress to-day has been even more unsatisfactory than yesterday. -The men are completely used up, broken down, dejected, to the last -degree. Human nature cannot stand it. There is no let up to it. Cold, -penetrating to the very sources of life, dangers from frost and dangers -from heavy lifting, labors which have no end,--a heartless sticking -in the mud, as it were, all the time; and then comes snow-blindness, -cheerless nights, with imperfect rest in snow-huts, piercing storms -and unsatisfying food. This the daily experience, and this the daily -prospect ahead; to-day closing upon us in the same vast ice-jungle as -yesterday. My party have, I must own, good reason to be discouraged; -for human beings were never before so beset with difficulties and -so inextricably tangled in a wilderness. We got into a _cul-de-sac_ -to-day, and we had as much trouble to surmount the lofty barrier which -bounded it as Jean Valjean to escape from the _cul-de-sac Genrot_ to -the convent yard. But our convent yard was a hard old floe, scarce -better than the hummocked barrier. - -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!" They are brave and spirited men enough, lack not -courage nor perseverance; but it does seem as if one must own that -there are some difficulties which cannot be surmounted. But I have in -this enterprise too much at stake to own readily to defeat, and we will -try again to-morrow. - - April 27th. - -[Sidenote: THE SITUATION.] - -Worse and worse! We have to-day made but little progress, the sledge is -badly broken, and I am brought to a stand-still. There does not appear -to be the ghost of a chance for me. Must I own myself a defeated man? I -fear so. - -I was never in all my life so disheartened as I am to-night; not even -when, in the midst of a former winter, I bore up with my party through -hunger and cold, beset by hostile savages, and, without food or means -of transportation, encountered the uncertain fortunes of the Arctic -night in the ineffectual pursuit of succor. - -[Sidenote: MEN USED UP.] - -Smith Sound has given me but one succession of baffling obstacles. -Since I first caught sight of Cape Alexander, last autumn, as the -vanishing storm uncovered its grizzly head, I have met with but ill -fortune. My struggles to reach the west coast were then made against -embarrassments of the most grave description, and they were not -abandoned until the winter closed upon me with a crippled and almost -a sinking ship, driving me to seek the nearest place of refuge. Then -my dogs died, and my best assistant became the victim of an unhappy -accident. Afterward I succeed in some measure in replacing the lost -teams, on which I had depended as my sole reliance; and here I am once -more baffled in the middle of the Sound, stuck fast and powerless. -My men have failed me as a means of getting over the difficulties, -as those of Dr. Kane did before me. Two foot parties sent out by -that commander to cross the Sound failed. Ultimately I succeeded in -crossing with dogs, but the passage was made against almost insuperable -difficulties, so great that my companion, convinced that starvation and -death only would result from a continuance of the trial, resolved to -settle it with a Sharp's rifle-ball; but the ball whizzed past my ear, -and I got to the shore notwithstanding,--discovered Grinnell Land, and -surveyed two hundred miles of its coast. But the ice is now infinitely -worse than it was then; and I am convinced that the difficulties of -this journey have now culminated and the crisis has been reached. -The men are, as I have before observed, completely exhausted from -the continued efforts of the past week, and are disheartened by the -contemplation of the little progress that was made as well as by the -formidable nature of the hummocks in front, which they realize are -becoming more and more difficult to surmount as they penetrate farther -and farther into them. Their strength has been giving way under the -incessant and extraordinary call upon their energies, at temperatures -in which it is difficult to exist even under the most favorable -circumstances, each realizing that upon his personal exertions depends -the only chance of making any progress, and recognizing that after all -their efforts and all their sacrifices the progress made is wholly -inadequate to accomplish the object in view. Besides this prostration -of the moral sentiments, there is the steady and alarming prostration -of the physical forces. One man is incapacitated from work by having -his back sprained in lifting; another is rendered useless by having -his ancle sprained in falling; the freezing of the fingers and toes -of others renders them almost helpless; and the vital energies of -the whole party are so lowered by exposure to the cold that they are -barely capable of attending to their own immediate necessities, without -harboring a thought of exerting themselves to complete a journey to -which they can see no termination, and in the very outset of which they -feel that their lives are being sacrificed. - -[Sidenote: THE CONCLUSION.] - -It is, therefore, in consideration of the condition of my men, that -I have been forced to the conclusion that the attempt to cross the -Sound with sledges has resulted in failure; and that my only hope to -accomplish that object now rests in the schooner. Having the whole of -the season before me, I think that I can, even without steam, get over -to Cape Isabella, and work thence up the west shore; and, even should -I not be able to get as far up the Sound as I once hoped, yet I can, -no doubt, secure a harbor for next winter in some eligible position. -Coming to this conclusion, I have determined to send back the men, and -I have given McCormick full directions what to do, in order that the -vessel may be prepared when the ice breaks up and liberates her. He is -to cradle the schooner in the ice by digging around her sides; repair -the damage done last autumn, and mend the broken spars, and patch the -sails. - -For myself, I stay to fight away at the battle as best I can, with my -dogs. - -The men have given me twenty-five days of good service, and have aided -me nearly half way across the Sound with about eight hundred pounds of -food; and this is all that they can do. Their work is ended. - -[Sidenote: ONE MORE EFFORT.] - -Although the chance of getting through with the dogs looks hopeless; -yet, hopeless though the prospect, I feel that, when disembarrassed -of the men, I ought to make one further effort. I have picked my -companions, and have given them their orders. They will be Knorr, -Jensen, and sailor McDonald,--plucky men all, if I mistake not, and -eager for the journey. There are others that are eager to go with -me; but, if they have courage and spirit, they have little physical -strength; and, besides, more than two persons to one sledge is -superfluous. And now when I think of this new trial which I shall make -to-morrow, my hopes revive; but when I remember the fruitless struggles -of the past few days and think of these hummocks, with peak after peak -rising one above the other, and with ridge after ridge in endless -succession intersecting each other at all angles and in all directions, -I must own that my heart almost fails me and my thoughts incline me -to abandon the effort and retreat from what everybody, from Jensen -down, says cannot be done, and rely upon the schooner for crossing -the Sound. But I have not failed yet! I have fourteen dogs and three -picked men left to me; and now, abandoning myself to the protecting -care of an all-wise Providence, who has so often led me to success and -shielded me from danger, I renew the struggle to-morrow with hope and -determination. Away with despondency! - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - - THE MAIN PARTY SENT BACK.--PLUNGING INTO THE HUMMOCKS - AGAIN.--ADVANTAGES OF DOGS.--CAMP IN AN ICE-CAVE.--NURSING - THE DOGS.--SNOW-BLINDNESS.--A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS.--CAPE - HAWKS.--CAPE NAPOLEON.--STORM STAYED.--GRINNELL LAND LOOMING - UP.--DISCOVERING A SOUND.--RAVENOUS DISPOSITION OF DOGS.--A - CHEERLESS SUPPER.--CAMPING IN THE OPEN AIR.--PROSTRATION OF MEN - AND DOGS.--MAKING THE LAND AT LAST. - - - April 28th. - -I sent the main party back this morning. The separation was quite -affecting. They were the worst used-up body of men that I have ever -chanced to see. I accompanied them for a short distance, and, with much -sadness, parted from them and returned to camp. Upon looking around to -see what progress they were making, I observed that they had halted and -were facing toward us, evidently designing to give us three parting -cheers. But the case was hopeless--there was not a squeak left in them. -Soon after the party had gone, we plunged again into the hummocks. -We had a terrible ridge to get over, and took only half the cargo, -intending to return for the balance. Knorr's sledge broke down, and it -was repaired with difficulty. Jensen's sledge tumbled over a declivity -which we were descending, and injured a leg of one of the dogs. The -poor animal was turned loose, and has hobbled along with us to camp. We -made about a mile and a half, and then turned back for the balance of -the stores. - -[Illustration: CROSSING THE HUMMOCKS. - -(FROM A SKETCH BY DR. HAYES.)] - -[Sidenote: SNOW BLINDNESS.] - -This mile and a half has, by the tortuous route pursued, been prolonged -into near four,--making, with the three times going over it, about -twelve. I have not before had so bad a day; and yet the men could not -possibly have brought their sledge through at all. The dogs climb the -hummocks with the facility of the chamois mounting the Alpine crags. -One advantage they possess is, that they are not so heavy as the men -and do not so readily break through the crusted snow; and then, the -sledges being smaller, are more easily managed. We have reached a most -formidable ridge of hummocks which we were too much exhausted to scale; -and have camped in a sort of cave made by the crowding over of some -ice-tables, thus saving the labor of making a burrow; and it came most -opportunely; for Jensen, owing to the uncertain footing, discarded his -glasses, and is in consequence suffering from incipient snow-blindness, -and would have been unable to assist in digging our usual nightly pit -into a snow-drift. Our quarters are very tight and more than usually -comfortable,--the temperature being up to within 10° of the freezing -point, while, outside, it is 12° below zero. - -We set out in the morning with much spirit, but are gloomy enough -to-night. Such slow progress, with so much labor, is not inspiring. -Sleep is our only consolation, and I am glad the temperature is -sufficiently high to enable us to repose without freezing. Sleep, that -has before drowned many a sorrow for many a weary and care-worn man, -has drowned many a one of mine during these past twenty-five days. It is - - "Tired Nature's sweet restorer," - -among these ice-deserts, even more than elsewhere; and our sleep -is truly the "sleep of the laboring man." Foolish Sancho Panza! -yet wise in thy folly! Mankind will long remember thee for thy sage -reflection,--"Now blessings light on him that first invented sleep." -I will cover myself all over with it, as thou didst; and, if I cannot -find in it "heat for the cold," I will cloak with it for a few brief -hours the recollection of my disappointed hopes. - - April 29th. - -Back again under our last night's shelter. The hummocks were much the -same to-day as yesterday, and we made about the same progress--with, -however, only half our stores. The load was left buried in the snow, -and we returned for the balance; but, upon arriving here, the dogs were -not able for the second trip. So here we are under our buffaloes once -more in the ice-cave, seeking sleep. It is the best hut that I have -ever had. The temperature of the air came up at noon to 4° above zero, -and in the sun it was 38°. The thermometer hanging above my head in the -cave now shows 31°. - - April 30th. - -[Sidenote: CANINE FEROCITY.] - -It was all we could do to bring up the balance of our cargo to where -we cached our load yesterday. I must not overtax the dogs; for, if -they give out, I am done for. They are much fatigued to-night and must -be nursed; so I directed Jensen to make them a warm supper of meat -and potatoes and lard, and plenty of it. Nothing could exceed their -ravenous hunger. The ferocity with which they tear into their food -exceeds any thing that I have ever seen, and nothing escapes their -sharp fangs. They eat up their harness if not closely watched, and we -are obliged to bring every thing made of skin inside the hut. Several -of the traces have disappeared down their rapacious throats; and, -with these swallowings and the breakings, we are now so badly off that -we must fall back upon rope to replace the skin lines. To add to our -embarrassments, Jensen forgot last night to cover over his sledge, -(Knorr's makes the roof of our hut,) and when we went out in the -morning, the sledge was torn to pieces, the lashings were all eaten, -and the pieces of the sledge were scattered over the snow all around -the camp. - -I have nearly eight hundred pounds of dog food, but the daily drain -is very great; and this, taken in connection with the slowness of our -progress, looks unpromising. - - May 1st. - -[Sidenote: THE COAST IN VIEW.] - -We found it impossible to get on to-day with even one half the cargo, -and were therefore forced to make three parcels of it,--one of which I -estimate that we have brought nine miles, as traveled, though probably -not one third that distance in a straight line. It is impossible to -describe the nature of the ice over which we have struggled. It is even -worse than any thing we have encountered before. The run of to-day has -brought the coast quite conspicuously in view. I am coming upon my old -survey of 1854, and am not far from my return track at that time; but -how different the condition of the ice! Then my principal difficulty -was in the outward journey, due north from Van Rensselaer Harbor. -Returning further down the Sound, near where we now are, the ice was -found to be but little broken, and I crossed from shore to shore in two -days. - -I have now a much finer opportunity for observation than I had then, -for there was on the former occasion much fog, and I was constantly -snow-blind. The coast of Grinnell Land is clearly somewhat further -north than I then placed it; for we are by my observation and -reckoning, within ten miles of the shore, if the map is correct. The -two bold capes to which Dr. Kane applied the names Bache and Henry (the -Victoria Head and Cape Albert, of Captain Inglefield) appear to be -large islands, in the mouth of a sound from thirty to forty miles wide. -I reserve further judgment for further observation. - -Two very conspicuous headlands appear upon the coast: one, lying almost -due north, stands out with a dark front, presenting a mural face at -least 1500 feet high. On my former journey I gave to it the name of -Louis Napoleon, in honor of the remarkable man who, as Emperor of -France, was then first beginning to exhibit to the world the greatness -of his powers. It stands on the north side of a very conspicuous bay. -More directly in our course and nearer to us is the other bold cape, to -which Dr. Kane, on my return from the survey of this coast, appended -my own name; but, since there was some confusion in the maps afterward -between the names Hawks and Hayes, I have discarded the latter; and -this immense rock, to which Gibraltar is a pigmy, will hereafter bear -the name of Cape Hawks. The whole coast before us is very bold, and the -mountain-peaks loom up loftily. - - May 2d. - -[Sidenote: STORM-STAYED.] - -Storm-stayed in the camp of yesterday, and miserable enough. We came -back in the morning for another load, and, when ready to return, it -was blowing and drifting so hard from the north that we could not -face it, and so were forced to seek shelter. The rest is much needed -by the dogs, and this is my only satisfaction. Our camp fixtures were -all left in the camp of last night, and we have nothing to lie upon -but the snow, which is only a shade softer than ice. Out of one of our -provision tins we made a kettle, and of another a lamp, and so got -some supper. Jensen is still partially snow-blind, and his sufferings -have not diminished. This snow-blindness is simply an inflammation -of the entire eye-ball, originating in the retina in consequence of -the intense light produced by the glare of the sun reflected from the -universal whiteness. - - May 3d. - -The storm detained us in our miserable den for twelve hours. The rest -did the dogs good, and we have made the cheeriest day's work yet. But, -as every rose has its thorn, so every day must have its drawback. -Jensen, stumbling along with his bad eyes, got his leg into a crack and -gave it a severe wrench. He tells me that the leg was broken two years -ago; and the fracture having been oblique, and the parts allowed to -overlap each other while healing, the union has been imperfect. - - May 4th. - -[Sidenote: A FINE DAY'S RUN.] - -A fine day's run. We had some smooth ice, and got on briskly. Jensen's -snow-blindness has disappeared, and our route having led us over -old floes, his leg has not hurt him much and has improved. He is -now digging a pit for our night shelter, and sings a Danish song as -cheerily as the grave-digger in Hamlet. Knorr and McDonald are chopping -up the cakes of desiccated beef for the dogs; and the wolfish brutes -fill the air with the most hideous cries. The spectral pack of the wild -Hartz huntsman never split the ear of belated traveler with more awful -sounds than those which come from the throats of my wild beasts at -this present moment. The wretches would eat us up if we gave them the -least chance. Knorr stumbled among the pack yesterday, while feeding -them, and, had not McDonald pounced upon them on the instant, I believe -they would have made a meal of him before he could rise. - -[Sidenote: THE "DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS."] - -The hour is exactly midnight, and, for the first time since starting, -I write in the open air. The temperature is only one degree below -zero, and a more beautiful sunshine never was beheld. This vast sea -of whiteness, this great wilderness of glittering peaks, possesses a -stern, quiet sublimity that is wonderfully imposing. The mountains -before us, unlike those of the Greenland coast, stand up in -multiplied lines of heaven-piercing cones, looking like giant stacks -of cannon-balls, sprinkled with snow. The midnight sun streams over -them from the north, and softens their outlines through tinted vapors -which float from the eastward. Oh! that I was across the barrier that -separates me from that land of my desires! Those mountains are my -"delectable mountains,"--the fleecy clouds which rest upon them are the -flocks of the "city" of my ambitious hopes--the mystic sea which I am -seeking through these days of weariness and toil. - -I have had some fine sights and excellent solar bearings from a -position determined by solar altitude, and am now firmly convinced that -a Sound opens westward from Smith Sound, overlooked by me in 1854; and -that the whole coast of Grinnell Land was placed by me too far south. - - May 5th. - -A perfectly killing day, and I have little progress to record. Our -affairs look rather blue. Jensen complains again of his leg, and was -unable to proceed further when we camped. He is groaning with the pain. -Knorr sticks at the work with a tenacity and spirit most admirable. He -has never once confessed fatigue; and yet, to-night, after the severe -labors of the day in lifting the sledge, and the endless trouble and -confusion with the dogs, when I asked him if he was tired and wanted -to camp, his answer was a prompt, "No, sir." And yet, when we did camp -and the work was done, I found him keeled over behind a hummock, where -he had gone to conceal his prostration and faintness,--but there was no -faintness of the spirit. McDonald never shows eagerness for the halt, -but the labor is beginning to tell upon him. He has the true grit of -the thorough-bred bull-dog, and holds to his work like a sleuth-hound -to the scent. - -[Sidenote: A RAVENOUS PACK.] - -Let me finish my grievances. The dogs again show symptoms of -exhaustion,--my own fault, however, in some measure, for I have watched -with miserly care every ounce of food; and, last night, I gave to -each animal only one and a half pounds. Result--as I have stated; -and, besides, to revenge themselves, they broke into Jensen's sledge, -which, owing to the fatigue of everybody, was not unlashed, but -covered instead with three feet of snow. The brutes scattered every -thing around, tried to tear open our tin meat-cans with their wolfish -fangs, and ate up our extra boots, the last scrap of skin-line that was -left, some fur stockings, and made an end of Knorr's seal-skin covered -meerschaum pipe, which he had imprudently hung upon the upstander. Hemp -lines now make the sledge lashings and traces, and, as a consequence, -the sledges are continually tumbling to pieces and the traces are -constantly breaking. Another dog tore open a seal-skin tobacco-pouch, -shook out its contents, and ate it; and another bolted our only piece -of soap. This looks bad for our future cleanliness, but thirty-two -days, at these low temperatures, have worn off the sharp edge of -fastidiousness. At first we had always a morning wash with a handful of -snow; but latterly we are not so particular, and we shall not grieve -over the soap as much as we might have done some weeks ago. - -Our provisions are disappearing with alarming rapidity; and yet, -whenever I stint the dogs in the least, down they go. If the dogs fail -me, then nothing can be done, and I am completely at fault. Two days -more must surely bring us to land. We are making in for Cape Hawks, but -we are compelled to own that the Cape grows from day to day very little -bolder. The numerous baitings to rest the dogs, and the forced halts -caused by the breaking of the sledges and traces, when I can do nothing -to speed the start, give me fine opportunities for plotting the coast; -and my "field-book" and "sketch-book" are both well used. - - May 6th. - -[Sidenote: A COLD SUPPER.] - -A most miserable day's work brought to a most miserable end. McDonald -spilled our smoking-hot supper on the snow; and, as we could not -afford a second allowance of fuel (lard and rope-yarns), we were in -as great danger of going to bed supperless as Baillie Nicol Jarvie, -at the Clachan of Aberfoil, before the red-hot coulter brought the -churly Highlanders to reason; but, luckily, McDonald managed, much -to our satisfaction, to scrape up the greater part of the hash along -with the snow, and we ate it cold. The coffee was, however, of course, -irrecoverable, and we are turning in cheerless enough in consequence. -The temperature has tumbled down again to 10° below zero, and writing -is not pleasant to the fingers when the thermometer behaves in this -manner. - - May 7th. - -[Sidenote: BROKEN SLEDGES.] - -Another edition of all the other days. We have made but little -progress, to reward us for a most energetic day's labor, and are flat -down with two broken sledges. Of one a runner is split, and Jensen -declares that he has mended it so often that he can mend it no more; -but a few hours' sleep will sharpen his wits, I hope. We are a rather -lamentable-looking set of travelers. With too little energy to build a -snow-hut, we have drawn the sledges together and are going to sleep on -them, in the open air. The night is reasonably warm,--temperature above -zero, and sleeping may be managed; but we miss the grateful warmth of -the snow-hut. The truth is, that the labors of the day cause us to -perspire as if we were in the tropics, and hence our clothing becomes -wet through and through; the coat freezes stiff and solid as sheet-iron -as soon as we halt, and we experience all over the uncomfortable -sensation of "packing" in wet sheets at a water-cure. - - May 8th. - -Battling away as before. I felt sure that we would reach the land -to-day, but it appears no nearer than when we set out this morning. -Sledges, harness, dogs and men are all tumbling to pieces. - - May 9th. - -Still battling away; but, this time, through fog and snow, bedeviled -all the day in a lifeless atmosphere, thick as the gloom of Hades. - - May 10th. - -At the same hopeless work again; and again we go into camp among the -hummocks. I dare not hope that we will reach the shore to-morrow, for I -have been so often disappointed; but the shore _will_ be reached some -time, if there is an ounce of food left or a dog left alive to drag it -with. I have settled down into a sort of dogged determination. - - May 11th. - -In camp at last, close under the land; and as happy as men can be who -have achieved success and await supper. - -[Sidenote: "CAPE FLY-AWAY."] - -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 -out in a serio-comic tone: "Well, I wonder if that _is_ land, or only -'Cape Fly-away,' after all?" - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - - THE PROSPECT AHEAD.--TO CAPE NAPOLEON.--TO CAPE FRAZER.--TRACES - OF ESQUIMAUX.--ROTTEN ICE.--KENNEDY CHANNEL.--MILDNESS OF - TEMPERATURE.--APPEARANCE OF BIRDS.--GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF - COAST.--VEGETATION.--ACCIDENT TO JENSEN. - - -Although much gratified with the success which I had achieved against -such desperate obstacles, yet, when I came to reflect upon my -situation, in connection with the expectations which I had entertained -at setting out, I had little heart to feel triumphant. The thirty-one -days occupied in crossing the Sound, the failure to get the boat, or -even a foot party over, had disarranged my original plans; while the -severity of the labor, and the serious and unexpected draft made upon -my provisions by the extra feeding of the dogs, in order to keep up -their strength, had so much reduced my resources that, for the present -season, I could have little hope of making any extended exploration. -Under ordinary conditions of traveling, much less than one half the -amount of food which I gave to the animals daily would have amply -sufficed for their sustenance. As it was, the eight hundred pounds -of dog-food which I had when the foot party left me, was reduced by -consumption and small depots for our return journey to about three -hundred pounds,--in no case more than sufficient for twelve days. The -most that I could now expect to do was to explore the route to the -shores of the Polar Sea, as a basis for further exploration to follow -the event of my reaching the west side of Smith Sound with my vessel -late in the summer; in other words, to ascertain what chance there was -of carrying into effect my original design, which the circumstance of -being forced into a winter harbor on the Greenland coast, instead of -the coast opposite, had disturbed. - -[Sidenote: SLOWNESS OF PROGRESS.] - -The extracts from my field diary, given in the last chapter, will have -shown the reader the slowness of our progress; while a former chapter -will have so far satisfied him concerning the track over which we -had recently traveled as to make any review of it in this connection -unnecessary. Although anticipating at the outset a grave obstacle in -the hummocks, I was unprepared to encounter them in such formidable -shape; and the failure of the foot party to make headway through them -was a serious blow to my expectations. I had, however, prepared myself -for every emergency, and looked forward to making up what I had lost by -remaining in Smith's Sound another year. - -The journey across the Sound from Cairn Point was unexampled in Arctic -traveling. The distance from land to land, as the crow flies, did -not exceed eighty miles; and yet, as hitherto observed, the journey -consumed thirty-one days,--but little more than two miles daily. The -track, however, which we were forced to choose, was often at least -three times that of a straight line; and since almost every mile of -that tortuous route was traveled over three and often five times, in -bringing up the separate portions of our cargo, our actual distance -did not probably average less than sixteen miles daily, or about five -hundred miles in all, between Cairn Point and Cape Hawks. The last -forty miles, made with dog-sledges alone, occupied fourteen days--a -circumstance which will of itself exhibit the difficult nature of the -undertaking, especially when it is borne in mind that forty miles to -an ordinary team of dogs, over usually fair ice, is a trifling matter -for five hours, and would not fatigue the team half so much as a single -hour's pulling of the same load over such hummocks as confronted us -throughout this entire journey. - -In order to obtain the best result which the Esquimau dog is capable -of yielding, it is essential that he shall be able to trot away with -his load. To walk at a dead drag is as distressing to his spirits and -energies as the hauling of a dray would be to a blooded horse; and he -will much more readily run away with a hundred pounds over good ice -than to pull one-fourth of that weight over a track which admits only -of a slow pace. - -[Sidenote: WADING THROUGH DEEP SNOW.] - -We did not halt longer at Cape Hawks than was needful to rest the -teams, when we commenced our journey up the coast. The first day's -march carried us across the wide bay between Capes Hawks and Napoleon. -We were rejoiced to find ourselves now, for the first time, able -to carry our cargo all at one load; and yet the traveling was far -from good. Owing to the conformation of the coast, the bay had been -sheltered from the winds, and the snows of the winter, in consequence, -lay loose upon the surface of the ice. We had, however, no alternative -but to cross the bay, for to go outside was to plunge again into the -hummocks. The snows had accumulated to the depth of more than two feet, -through which the wading was very toilsome. The sledge cut in to the -cross-ties, and the dogs sank to their bellies; and, to make the matter -worse, Jensen's leg gave out so that it became necessary to transfer -a part of his load to Knorr's sledge, in order that he might ride. -Not wishing to be detained by this circumstance, I put a belt across -McDonald's shoulders, took one myself, and gave one to Knorr, and we -each pulled, I dare say, as much as the best dog in the team. - -On the second day's march the ice was found to be jammed in a terrible -manner upon Cape Napoleon, so that we were quite unable to reach the -shore at that place, and were forced to hold out into the Sound and -become once more entangled among the hummocks. A thick fog, completely -veiling the land, coming upon us from the north, and a shower of snow -following after, caused us so much bewilderment that we were obliged to -camp and await better weather. - -The land-ice was reached next morning, and during that day we made a -brisk run to the north side of Cape Frazer--the first time that we had -struck a trot since leaving Cairn Point. Our camp was made near the -furthest point reached by me in 1854. - -[Sidenote: KENNEDY CHANNEL.] - -We were now within Kennedy Channel, which I had before barely entered. -The ice in the entrance of the Channel was much like that of the Sound -below; so that we were obliged to adhere to the land-ice, even while -crossing Gould Bay,[8] which lies between Capes Leidy and Frazer, and -which I once thought would furnish a good winter harbor. Indeed, this -was the bay which it was my aim to reach with my vessel the previous -autumn. The little flag-staff, which I had before planted at this -place, was discovered, still standing erect among the rocks; but not a -vestige of the flag remained. The winds had whipped it entirely away. - -[Footnote 8: So named in honor of Dr. B. A. Gould, of Cambridge.] - -[Sidenote: TRACES OF ESQUIMAUX.] - -While rounding the head of Gould Bay, I observed that, as at Port -Foulke, Van Rensselaer Harbor, and indeed in almost every bay of -the Greenland coast which I have visited above Cape York, the land -rises with a gentle slope, broken into steppes of greater or less -regularity,--a series of terraced beaches, the highest of which I -estimated to be from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty -feet above the sea. To these terraces I shall have occasion hereafter -to refer, and will not now longer detain the reader than merely to -observe that they indicate a consecutive elevation of the two coasts. -I also found in that Bay the remains of an Esquimau camp. The marks -were quite unmistakable in their character although of very ancient -date. The discovery was the more gratifying, that it confirmed the -native traditions which had been recited to me by Kalutunah. They were -a single circle of heavy stones lying upon the shingly terrace. The -circle was about twelve feet in diameter, and is such as may be seen -in all places where Esquimaux have been in the summer time. The stones -answer the purpose of securing the lower margin of their seal-skin -tent; and, when they break up camp, the skins are drawn out, leaving -the stones in the situation above described. - -[Sidenote: ROTTEN ICE.] - -The journey of the next day was the most satisfactory of any that had -been made, yet it had its drawbacks. As we proceeded, we began to -experience in even a greater degree than in Smith Sound the immense -force of ice-pressure resulting from the southerly set of the current. -Every point of land exposed to the northward was buried under ice of -the most massive description. Many blocks from thirty to sixty feet -thick, and of much greater breadth, were lying high and dry upon the -beach, pushed up by the resistless pack even above the level of the -highest tides. The first embarrassment to our progress occasioned -by this cause occurred soon after setting out from our camp above -Cape Frazer, and being wholly unable to pass it, we were obliged to -take once more to the ice-fields. But this was a matter not easily -accomplished. The tide was out, apparently at full ebb, and the -land-ice formed a wall, down which we were obliged to scramble. By -lashing the two sledges together we made a ladder, and thus secured our -own descent; while the dogs were lowered by their traces, and the cargo -piece by piece with a line. The field-ice was, however, found to be, -in addition to its roughness, in many places very rotten and insecure, -so that after one of the teams had broken through and was rescued not -without difficulty, we found ourselves compelled to haul in shore and -take once more to the land-ice. Being thenceforth under the necessity -of following all the windings of the shore line, our distance was at -least doubled, and when we hauled up for the night both ourselves and -the dogs were very weary. - -Although much exhausted with the day's journey, I availed myself of -the time consumed by my companions in preparing the camp and supper -to climb the hill-side for a view. The air was quite clear, and I -commanded an uninterrupted horizon to the eastward. The ice was much -less rough than that which we had crossed in Smith Sound, owing to the -old floes having been less closely impacted while that part of the -sea was freezing up during the last autumn or winter. Hence, there -was much more new ice. It was evident that the sea had been open to a -very late period; and, indeed, like the water off Port Foulke, had not -closed up completely until the spring. I was much surprised to see the -ice so thin and washed away thus early in the season. Small patches of -open water were visible at points where the conformation of the coast -warranted the conclusion that an eddy of the current had operated upon -the ice more rapidly than in other places. - -I was struck with the circumstance that no land was visible to -the eastward, as it would not have been difficult through such an -atmosphere to distinguish land at the distance of fifty or sixty miles. -It would appear, therefore, that Kennedy Channel is something wider -than hitherto supposed. To the northeast the sky was dark and cloudy, -and gave evidence of water; and Jensen, who watched the rapid advance -of the season with solicitude, was not slow to direct my attention to -the "water-sky." - -[Sidenote: MILDNESS OF TEMPERATURE.] - -The temperature of the air was strangely mild, and indeed distressingly -so for traveling, although it possessed its conveniences in enabling -us to sleep upon our sledges in the open air with comfort. The lowest -temperature during the day was 20°; while, at one time, it rose to the -freezing-point,--the sun blazing down upon us while we trudged on under -our heavy load of furs. The day seemed really sultry. To discard our -furs and travel in our shirt-sleeves was of course our first impulse; -but to do so added to the load on the sledges, and it was of the first -importance that the dogs should be spared every pound of unnecessary -weight; so each one carried his own coat upon his back, and perspired -after his own fashion. - -[Sidenote: APPEARANCE OF BIRDS.] - -This unseasonable warmth operated greatly to our disadvantage. The snow -became slushy, and with so great a distance of ice between us and Port -Foulke, Jensen, whose experience in the rapid dissolution of ice about -Upernavik, at the same season of the year, had brought him into many -serious difficulties, kept a sharp eye open upon our line of retreat. -But danger from a general break-up I did not consider as likely to -come for at least a month. Yet the spring (if such it might be called) -was approaching rapidly, as was shown by the appearance of birds. As I -stood upon the hill-side some little snow-buntings came chirping about -me, and a burgomaster-gull flew over our heads wheeling his flight -northward. He seemed to have caught the sound of tumbling seas, and was -leading his mate, who came sailing along after him with modest mien, -to a nuptial retreat on some wave-licked island; and he screamed as if -he would inquire, were we too bound on the same errand. A raven, too, -came and perched himself upon a cliff above our camp, and croaked a -dismal welcome, or a warning. One of these birds had kept us company -through the winter, and this one looked very much as if he was bent -upon adhering to my fortunes; though, I suppose, in truth, he was only -looking for crumbs. He stuck by us for several days, and always dropped -down into our abandoned camp as soon as we were on our way. - -[Sidenote: GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF COAST.] - -The coast along which we were now traveling possessed much interest. It -presented a line of very lofty cliffs of Silurian rocks[9]--sandstone -and limestone--much broken down by the wasting influences of the -winter frosts and summer thaws. Behind these cliffs the land rose -into lofty peaks, such as I have before described. Upon the sides of -these peaks the snow rested, clothing them with a uniform whiteness; -but nowhere was there any evidence of mountain-ice. Along the entire -coast of Grinnell Land no glacier appears, presenting thus a striking -contrast to Greenland and the land on the south side of the Channel -which I discovered while crossing Smith Sound--the Ellesmere Land of -Captain Inglefield. - -[Footnote 9: At Capes Leidy, Frazer, and other points of the coast I -subsequently obtained a considerable collection of fossils,--all of -which were forwarded to the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, -soon after my return home. Unhappily, the finest of them were lost -after having been sent from Philadelphia; but a sufficient number of -specimens were found among the geological collections to enable Prof. -F. B. Meek, to whom I intrusted them, to establish some interesting -points of comparison. In a short paper published in Silliman's Journal, -for July, 1865, Prof. Meek enumerates and describes twelve species. -Some of the specimens were imperfect, and their specific character -could not be determined. The list is as follows:-- - - 1. _Zaphrentis Hayesii._ - 2. _Syringopora * * * *._ - 3. _Favosites * * * *._ - 4. _Strophomena Rhomboidalis._ - 5. _Strophodonta Headleyana._ - 6. _Strophodonta Beckii._ - 7. _Rhynchonella * * * *._ - 8. _Cœlospira concava._ - 9. _Spirifer * * * *._ - 10. _Loxonema Kanei._ - 11. _Orthoceras * * * *._ - 12. _Illænus * * * *._ - -Prof. Meek makes this observation:--"From the foregoing list, it is -believed that geologists will agree that the rocks at this highest -locality at which fossils have ever been collected, belong to the -Upper Silurian era. The most remarkable fact, however, is, that they -are nearly all very closely allied to, and some of them apparently -undistinguishable from species found in the Catskill shaly Limestone of -the New York Lower Helderberg group."] - -During this day's journey I had discovered numerous traces of the -former presence of Esquimaux. They were similar to those which I had -before found in Gould Bay. I also picked up some fossils at Cape Frazer -and other places, which clearly exhibited the character of the rock. -There were but few traces of vegetation in those places where the -land had been bared of snow by the winds. A willow stem (probably, -_Salix arctica_), a single specimen of a dead saxifrage (_Saxifraga -oppositifolia_), and a tuft of dried grass (_Festuca ovina_), were all -that I found. - -[Sidenote: ACCIDENT TO JENSEN.] - -If fortunate in point of distance accomplished, yet the day was not -all that I had hoped. The land-ice was exceedingly rough, and it was -not without much difficulty that we effected a passage around some of -the points. In one of our most difficult encounters of this nature, -Jensen slipped, and again injured his leg, and afterwards sprained his -back while lifting his sledge. In consequence of these accidents our -progress was much retarded during the following day, and involved me -again in serious embarrassment. My diary thus sums up our situation:-- - - May 15th. - -Jensen, my strongest man and the one upon whose physical endurance -I have always relied most confidently, is not only fatigued but -completely broken down. He lies on the sledge, moaning and groaning -with pain from a sprained back and his injured leg; and what to do with -him I do not see. He appears to be unable to go further, and the only -question concerning him seems to be, how he is to be got home. With -anything like a fair field, I ought to reach about lat. 83°, but the -loss of Jensen's muscular strength is damaging to me. The track has -been execrable to-day; and yet, all things considered, we have done -very well. We have made, at the least, twenty miles. McDonald is pretty -well used up, and Knorr is quite as bad, if he could be got to own it. -Jensen's sufferings have naturally affected his spirits; and with these -long hundreds of miles lying behind us, it is perhaps not surprising -that his only present expectation will be realized, if his bones are -left to bleach among these barren rocks. What I shall do to-morrow, the -morrow must determine. Thanks to careful nursing, I have yet my dogs in -fair condition; and that is the best part of the battle. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - - A NEW START.--SPECULATIONS.--IN A FOG.--POLAR SCENERY.--STOPPED - BY ROTTEN ICE.--LOOKING AHEAD.--CONCLUSIONS.--THE OPEN - SEA.--CLIMAX OF THE JOURNEY.--RETURNING SOUTH. - - -The unexpected breaking down of my strong man, Jensen, was a misfortune -only one degree less keenly felt than the previous failure of the foot -party, and it troubled me much; for, while I lost the services of a -stout arm and an active body, I was naturally anxious about his safety. -With a helpless man on my hands, and with four hundred and fifty miles -of rough ice between me and the schooner, and with but scant depots of -provision by the way, calculated only for a journey with empty sledges, -I must own that I was somewhat perplexed. - -When the morning came, Jensen was found to have improved but little and -was scarcely able to move. I promptly determined to leave him in charge -of McDonald, and to push on with Knorr alone. Lest accident from rotten -ice (the only one that I had to fear) should befall me, I left with -McDonald five dogs, with directions to await us as many days, and then -make the best of his way back to Port Foulke. - -Our simple breakfast over, I was once more plunging through the -hummocks, making my last throw. Our track lay across a bay so deep that -the distance would be more than quadrupled if we followed its tortuous -windings of the shore upon the land-ice. - -My purpose now was to make the best push I could, and, traveling as -far as my provisions warranted, reach the highest attainable latitude -and secure such a point of observation as would enable me to form a -definite opinion respecting the sea before me, and the prospects of -reaching and navigating it with a boat or with the schooner. I had -already reached a position somewhat to the northward of that attained -by Morton, of Dr. Kane's expedition, in June, 1854, and was looking -out upon the same sea from a point probably about sixty miles to the -northward and westward of Cape Constitution, where, only a month later -in the season, his further progress was arrested by open water. - -It only remained for me now to extend the survey as far to the north -as possible. By the judicious husbanding of my resources I had still -within my hands ample means to guarantee a successful termination to a -journey which the increasing darkness and extent of the water-sky to -the northeast seemed to warn me was approaching its climax. - -[Sidenote: IN A FOG.] - -Our first day's journey was not particularly encouraging. The ice in -the bay was rough and the snow deep, and, after nine hours of laborious -work, we were compelled to halt for rest, having made, since setting -out, not more than as many miles. Our progress had been much retarded -by a dense fog which settled over us soon after starting, and which, by -preventing us from seeing thirty yards on either side, interfered with -the selection of a track; and we were, in consequence, forced to pursue -our course by compass. - -[Sidenote: POLAR SCENERY.] - -The fog clearing up by the time we had become rested, and the land -being soon reached, we pursued our way along the ice-foot with much -the same fortune as had befallen us since striking the shore above -Cape Napoleon. The coast presented the same features--great wall-sided -cliffs rising at our left, with a jagged ridge of crushed ice at our -right, forming a white fringe, as it were, to the dark rocks. We were, -in truth, journeying along a winding gorge or valley, formed by the -land on one side and the ice on the other; for this ice-fringe rose -about fifty feet above our heads, and, except here and there where a -cleft gave us an outlook upon the sea, we were as completely hemmed -in as if in a cañon of the Cordilleras. Occasionally, however, a bay -broke in upon the continuity of the lofty coast, and as we faced to the -westward along its southern margin, a sloping terraced valley opened -before us, rising gently from the sea to the base of the mountains, -which rose with imposing grandeur. I was never more impressed with the -dreariness and desolation of an Arctic landscape. Although my situation -on the summit of the Greenland _mer de glace_, in October of the last -year, had apparently left nothing unsupplied to the imagination that -was needed to fill the picture of boundless sterility, yet here the -variety of forms seemed to magnify the impression on the mind, and to -give a wider play to the fancy; and as the eye wandered from peak to -peak of the mountains as they rose one above the other, and rested upon -the dark and frost-degraded cliffs, and followed along the ice-foot, -and overlooked the sea, and saw in every object the silent forces of -Nature moving on through the gloom of winter and the sparkle of summer, -now, as they had moved for countless ages, unobserved but by the eye -of God alone, I felt how puny indeed are all men's works and efforts; -and when I sought for some token of living thing, some track of wild -beast,--a fox, or bear, or reindeer,--which had, elsewhere, always -crossed me in my journeyings, and saw nothing but two feeble men and -our struggling dogs, it seemed indeed as if the Almighty had frowned -upon the hills and seas. - -Since leaving Cairn Point we had looked most anxiously for bears; -but although we had seen many tracks, especially about Cape Frazer, -not a single animal had been observed. A bear, indeed, would have -been a godsend to us, and would have placed me wholly beyond anxiety -respecting the strength of the dogs, as it would not only have put -new life into them, but would have given them several days of more -substantial rations than the dried beef which they had been so long fed -upon. - -[Sidenote: QUITTING THE LAND-ICE.] - -After a ten hours' march, we found ourselves once more compelled to -camp; and four hours of the following day brought us to the southern -cape of a bay which was so deep that, as in other cases of like -obstruction, we determined to cross over it rather than to follow the -shore line. We had gone only a few miles when we found our progress -suddenly arrested. Our course was made directly for a conspicuous -headland bounding the bay to the northward, over a strip of old ice -lining the shore. This headland seemed to be about twenty miles from -us, or near latitude 82°, and I was very desirous of reaching it; but, -unhappily, the old ice came suddenly to an end, and after scrambling -over the fringe of hummocks which margined it, we found ourselves upon -ice of the late winter. - -[Illustration: - - Mt. Murchison. C. Lieber. C. Eugénie. C. Union. - Church's Pk. Mt. Parry. C. Frederick VII. - -THE SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. - -(FROM A SKETCH BY DR. HAYES.)] - -[Sidenote: STOPPED BY ROTTEN ICE.] - -The unerring instinct of the dogs warned us of approaching danger. -They were observed for some time to be moving with unusual caution, -and finally they scattered to right and left, and refused to proceed -further. This behavior of the dogs was too familiar to me to leave -any doubt as to its meaning; and moving forward in advance, I quickly -perceived that the ice was rotten and unsafe. Thinking that this might -be merely a local circumstance, resulting from some peculiarity of -the current, we doubled back upon the old floe and made another trial -further to the eastward. Walking now in advance of the dogs they were -inspired with greater courage. I had not proceeded far when I found -the ice again giving way under the staff, with which I sounded its -strength, and again we turned back and sought a still more eastern -passage. - -Two hours consumed in efforts of this kind, during which we had worked -about four miles out to sea, convinced me that the ice outside the -bay was wholly impassable, and that perseverance could only end in -disappointment; for if we happened to break through, we should not -only be in great jeopardy but would, by getting wet, greatly retard, -if not wholly defeat our progress to the opposite shore. Accordingly -we drew back toward the land, seeking safety again upon the old floe, -and hauling then to the westward, endeavored to cross over further -up the bay; but here the same conditions existed as outside, and the -dogs resolutely refused to proceed as soon as we left the old ice. Not -wishing to be defeated in my purpose of crossing over, we held still -further west and persevered in our efforts until convinced that the bay -could not be crossed, and then we had no alternative but to retreat to -the land-ice and follow its circuit to our destination. - -With the view of ascertaining how far this course was likely to carry -us from a direct line, I walked, while the dogs were resting, a few -miles along the shore until I could see the head of the bay, distant -not less than twenty miles. To make this long _détour_ would occupy at -least two if not three days,--an undertaking not justified by the state -of our provisions,--and we therefore went into camp, weary with more -than twelve hours' work, to await the issue of further observation on -the morrow. - -[Sidenote: VIEW FROM THE CLIFF.] - -Surprised at the condition of the ice in the bay, I determined to climb -the hill above the camp, with the view of ascertaining the probable -cause of our being thus baffled; and to ascertain if a more direct -route could not be found further to the eastward than that by the -land-ice of the bay; for it was now clear that it was only possible to -continue our journey northward in one or the other of these directions. -The labors of the day made it necessary, however, that I should procure -some rest before attempting to climb the hill to such an elevation as -would enable me to obtain a clear view of the condition of the ice to -the opposite shore. - -After a most profound and refreshing sleep, inspired by a weariness -which I had rarely before experienced, to an equal degree, I climbed -the steep hill-side to the top of a ragged cliff, which I supposed to -be about eight hundred feet above the level of the sea. - -The view which I had from this elevation furnished a solution of the -cause of my progress being arrested on the previous day. - -The ice was everywhere in the same condition as in the mouth of the -bay, across which I had endeavored to pass. A broad crack, starting -from the middle of the bay, stretched over the sea, and uniting with -other cracks as it meandered to the eastward, it expanded as the delta -of some mighty river discharging into the ocean, and under a water-sky, -which hung upon the northern and eastern horizon, it was lost in the -open sea. - -Standing against the dark sky at the north, there was seen in dim -outline the white sloping summit of a noble headland,--the most -northern known land upon the globe. I judged it to be in latitude 82° -30′, or four hundred and fifty miles from the North Pole. Nearer, -another bold cape stood forth; and nearer still the headland, for which -I had been steering my course the day before, rose majestically from -the sea, as if pushing up into the very skies a lofty mountain peak, -upon which the winter had dropped its diadem of snows. There was no -land visible except the coast upon which I stood. - -The sea beneath me was a mottled sheet of white and dark patches, these -latter being either soft decaying ice or places where the ice had -wholly disappeared. These spots were heightened in intensity of shade -and multiplied in size as they receded, until the belt of the water-sky -blended them all together into one uniform color of dark blue. The old -and solid floes (some a quarter of a mile, and others miles, across) -and the massive ridges and wastes of hummocked ice which lay piled -between them and around their margins, were the only parts of the sea -which retained the whiteness and solidity of winter. - -I reserve to another chapter all discussion of the value of the -observations which I made from this point. Suffice it here to say that -all the evidences showed that I stood upon the shores of the Polar -Basin, and that the broad ocean lay at my feet; that the land upon -which I stood, culminating in the distant cape before me, was but a -point of land projecting far into it, like the Ceverro Vostochnoi Noss -of the opposite coast of Siberia; and that the little margin of ice -which lined the shore was being steadily worn away; and within a month, -the whole sea would be as free from ice as I had seen the north water -of Baffin Bay,--interrupted only by a moving pack, drifting to and fro -at the will of the winds and currents. - -To proceed further north was, of course, impossible. The crack which -I have mentioned would, of itself, have prevented us from making the -opposite land, and the ice outside the bay was even more decayed than -inside. Several open patches were observed near the shore, and in one -of these there was seen a flock of _Dovekie_. At several points during -our march up Kennedy Channel I had observed their breeding-places, -but I was not a little surprised to see the birds at this locality so -early in the season. Several burgomaster-gulls flew over head, making -their way northward, seeking the open water for their feeding grounds -and summer haunts. Around these haunts of the birds there is never ice -after the early days of June. - -[Sidenote: THE JOURNEY ENDED.] - -And now 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 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. - -[Sidenote: PLANTING THE FLAG.] - -It now only remained for us to plant our flag in token of our -discovery, and to deposit a record in proof of our presence. The -flags[10] 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 F. Knorr, traveling with a 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 19th, 1861._" - - -[Footnote 10: These were a small United States flag (boat's ensign), -which had been carried in the South Sea Expedition of Captain Wilkes, -U. S. N., and afterwards in the Arctic Expeditions of Lieut. Comg. -DeHaven and Dr. Kane; a little United States flag which had been -committed to Mr. Sonntag by the ladies of the Albany Academy; two -diminutive Masonic flags intrusted to me,--one by the Kane Lodge of New -York, the other by the Columbia Lodge of Boston; and our Expedition -signal-flag, bearing the Expedition emblem, the Pole Star--a crimson -star, on a white field--also a gift from fair hands. Being under the -obligation of a sacred promise to unfurl all of these flags at the most -northern point attained, it was my pleasing duty to carry them with -me--a duty rendered none the less pleasing by the circumstance that, -together, they did not weigh three pounds.] - -This record being carefully secured in a small glass vial, which I -brought for the purpose, it was deposited beneath the cairn; and -then our faces were turned homewards. But I quit the place with -reluctance. 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 far beyond -the limits of previous observation, the reflections which crossed -my mind respecting the vast ocean which lay spread out before me, -the thought that these ice-girdled waters might lash the shores of -distant islands 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 Frobrisher, and that I had achieved the hope of matchless Parry. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - - THE OPEN POLAR SEA.--WIDTH OF THE POLAR BASIN.--BOUNDARIES - OF THE POLAR BASIN.--POLAR CURRENTS.--POLAR ICE.--THE - ICE-BELT.--ARCTIC NAVIGATION AND DISCOVERY.--THE RUSSIAN - SLEDGE EXPLORATIONS.--WRANGEL'S OPEN SEA.--PARRY'S BOAT - EXPEDITION.--DR. KANE'S DISCOVERIES.--EXPANSION OF SMITH - SOUND.--GENERAL CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM MY OWN DISCOVERIES AND - THOSE OF MY PREDECESSORS. - - -Let us pause here a few moments, in order that we may take a brief -survey of the Polar Basin and arrive at a correct understanding of what -is meant by the term, "Open Polar Sea," so often used. - -[Sidenote: BOUNDARIES OF THE POLAR BASIN.] - -By referring to the circumpolar map, the reader will be able to -form a more accurate judgment than he could from the most elaborate -description. He will observe that about the North Pole of the earth -there is an extensive sea, or, more properly, ocean, with an average -diameter of more than two thousand miles. He will observe that this -sea is almost completely surrounded by land, and that its shores -are, for the most part, well defined,--the north coasts of Greenland -and Grinnell Land, which project farthest into it, being alone -undetermined. He will note that these shores occupy, to a certain -extent, a uniform distance from the Pole, and are everywhere within the -region of perpetual frost. He will remember that they are inhabited -everywhere by people of the same race, to whom the soil yields no -subsistence, who live exclusively by hunting and fishing, and confine -their dwelling-places either to the coast or to the banks of the -rivers which flow northward. He will observe that the long line of -coast which gives lodgment to these Arctic nomads is interrupted in -three principal places; and that through these the waters of the Polar -Sea mingle with the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans,--these -breaks being Baffin Bay, Behring Strait, and the broader opening -between Greenland and Nova Zembla; and if he traces the currents on -the map and follows the Gulf Stream as it flows northward, pouring -the warm waters of the Tropic Zone through the broad gateway east of -Spitzbergen and forcing out a return current of cold waters to the -west of Spitzbergen and through Davis Strait, he will very readily -comprehend why in this incessant displacement of the waters of the Pole -by the waters of the Equator the great body of the former is never -chilled to within several degrees of the freezing-point; and since it -is probably as deep, as it is almost as broad, as the Atlantic between -Europe and America, he will be prepared to understand that this vast -body of water tempers the whole region with a warmth above that which -is otherwise natural to it; and that the Almighty hand, in the all-wise -dispensation of His power, has thus placed a bar to its congelation; -and he will read in this another symbol of Nature's great law of -circulation, which, giving water to the parched earth and moisture to -the air, moderates as well the temperature of the zones--cooling the -Tropic with a current of water from the Frigid, and warming the Frigid -with a current from the Tropic.[11] - -[Footnote 11: The temperature of the air at the North Pole has -furnished a fruitful theme of speculation, both in connection with -the influence of the sea and of the sun. I have before me a highly -instructive paper on the climate of the North Pole, read before the -Royal Geographical Society of London, April 10th, 1865, by W. E. -Hickson, Esq., from which I extract the following:-- - -"It had always been supposed that the immediate areas of the Poles -must be the coldest regions of the globe, because the farthest points -from the equator. Hence the argument that the higher the latitude the -greater must be the difficulties and dangers of navigation. Quite an -opposite opinion, however, had begun to prevail among meteorologists -on the publication, in 1817, of the Isothermal system of Alexander Von -Humboldt, which showed that distance from the equator is no rule for -cold, as the equator is not a parallel of maximum heat. The line of -maximum heat crosses the Greenwich meridian, in Africa, fifteen degrees -north of the equator, and rises, to the eastward, five degrees higher, -running along the southern edge of the Desert of Sahara. In 1821, Sir -David Brewster pointed out, in a paper on the mean temperature of the -globe, the probability of the thermometer being found to range ten -degrees higher at the Pole than in some other parts of the Arctic -Circle. No new facts have since been discovered to invalidate this -conclusion--many, on the contrary, have come to light tending to -confirm it."] - -[Sidenote: POLAR CURRENTS] - -Bearing these facts in mind, the reader will perceive that it is the -surface-water only which ever reaches so low a temperature that it is -changed to ice; and he will also perceive that when the wind moves the -surface-water, the particles which have become chilled by contact with -the air mingle in the rolling waves with the warm waters beneath, and -hence that ice can only form in sheltered places or where the water of -some bay is so shoal and the current so slack that it becomes chilled -to the very bottom, or where the air over the sea is uniformly calm. -He will remember, however, that the winds blow as fiercely over the -Polar Sea as in any other quarter of the world; and he will, therefore, -have no difficulty in comprehending that the Polar ice covers but a -small part of the Polar water; and that it exists only where it is -nursed and protected by the land. It clings to the coasts of Siberia, -and springing thence across Behring Strait to America, it hugs the -American shore, fills the narrow channels which drain the Polar -waters into Baffin Bay through the Parry Archipelago, crosses thence -to Greenland, from Greenland to Spitzbergen, and from Spitzbergen to -Nova Zembla,--thus investing the Pole in an uninterrupted land-clinging -belt of ice, more or less broken as well in winter as in summer, and -the fragments ever moving to and fro, though never widely separating, -forming a barrier against which all the arts and energies of man have -not hitherto prevailed. - -[Sidenote: THE ICE-BELT.] - -If the reader would further pursue the inquiry, let him place one leg -of a pair of dividers on the map near the North Pole (say in latitude -86°, longitude 160° W.), and inscribe a circle two thousand miles in -diameter, and he will have touched the margin of the land and the mean -line of the ice-belt throughout its wide circuit, and have covered an -area of more than three millions of square miles. - -Although this ice-belt has not been broken through, it has been -penetrated in many places, and its southern margin has been followed, -partly along the waters formed near the land by the discharging rivers -of the Arctic water-sheds of Asia and America, and partly by working -through the ice which is always more or less loosened by the summer. It -was in this manner that various navigators have attempted the northwest -passage; and it was after following the coast line from Behring Strait -to Banks Land, and then pushing through the broken ice that Sir -Robert McClure finally succeeded in effecting this long-sought-for -passage--not, however, by carrying his ship completely through, but -by traveling over the winter ice three hundred miles to Wellington -Channel, whence he returned home through Baffin Bay in a ship that had -come from the eastward. And it was in this same manner that Captain -Collinson, passing from west to east, reached almost to the spot where -perished Franklin, who had entered the ice from the opposite direction. -And it is thus, also, that the Russians have explored the coasts of -Siberia, meeting but two insurmountable obstacles to the navigation -from the Atlantic to the Pacific side, namely, Cape Jakan, against -which the ice is always jammed, and which Behring tried in vain to -pass, and Cape Ceverro Vostochnoi, which the gallant young Lieutenant -Prondtschikoff made such heroic efforts to surmount. And it was by the -same method of navigation that the Amsterdam pilot, earnest old William -Barentz, strove, in 1598, to find by the northeast a passage to Cathay. - -[Sidenote: ICE NAVIGATION.] - -The efforts to break through the belt, with the expectation of finding -clear water about the Pole, have been very numerous, and they have -been made through every opening from the southern waters to the Polar -Sea. To follow the history of those various attempts would not fall -within my present purpose. It is but a long record of defeat, so far as -concerned the single object of getting to the Pole. Cook, and all who -have come after him, have failed to find the ice sufficiently open to -admit of navigation northward from Behring Strait, as Hudson and his -followers have through the Spitzbergen Sea; and all the efforts through -Baffin Bay have been equally futile. The most persevering attempts to -break through the ice-belt have been made to the west of Spitzbergen, -and in this quarter ships have approached nearer to the Pole than in -any other. The highest well-authenticated position achieved by any -navigator was that of Scorsby, who reached latitude 81° 30′, although -it is claimed that Hudson had gone still further; and if the stories -which Daines Barrington picked up from the fishermen of Amsterdam and -Hull are to be relied on, then the old Dutch and English voyagers -have gone even beyond this, seeking new fishing-grounds and finding -everywhere an open sea. There is, however, as before observed, no -well-authenticated record of any ship having attained a higher latitude -than that of Scorsby. - -[Sidenote: WRANGEL'S OPEN SEA.] - -Failing to get through the ice, explorers have next tried to cross it -with sledges. In this the Russians have done most. Many enterprising -officers of the Russian service, using the dog-sledges of the native -tribes inhabiting the Siberian coast, have, in the early spring, -boldly struck out upon the Polar Sea. Most conspicuous among them -was Admiral Wrangel, then a young lieutenant of the Russian Navy, -whose explorations, continued through several years, showed that, at -all seasons of the year, the same condition of the sea existed to -the northward. The travelers were invariably arrested by open water; -and the existence of a _Polynia_ or open sea above the New Siberian -Islands, became a fact as well established as that the rivers flow -downward to the sea. - -Sir Edward Parry tried the same method above Spitzbergen, using, -however, men instead of dogs for draft, and carrying boats for safety -in the event of the ice breaking up. Parry traveled northward until -the ice, becoming loosened by the advancing season, carried him south -faster than he was traveling north; and after a while it broke up under -him, and set him adrift in the open sea. - -[Sidenote: KANE'S OPEN SEA.] - -Next came Captain Inglefield's attempt to get into this circumpolar -water through Smith Sound; and then Dr. Kane's. The latter's vessel -could not be forced further into the ice than Van Rensselaer Harbor; -and, like the Russians, he continued the work with sledges. After -many embarrassments and failures in his attempts to surmount the -difficulties presented by hummocked ice of the Sound, one of his -parties succeeded finally in reaching the predicted open water; and, to -quote Dr. Kane's words, "from an elevation of five hundred and eighty -feet, this water was still without a limit, moved by a heavy swell, -free of ice, and dashing in surf against a rock-bound shore." This -shore was the shore of the land which he named Washington Land. - -Next, after Dr. Kane's, came my own undertaking; and the last chapter -leaves me with my sledge upon the shores of that same sea which Dr. -Kane describes, about one hundred miles to the north and west of the -point from which one of his parties looked out upon the iceless waters. -My own opinion of what I saw and of the condition of this sea, which -Wrangel found open on the opposite side from where I stood, and which -Kane's party had found open to my right, and which Parry's journey -showed to be open above Spitzbergen, may be inferred from what I have -already briefly stated, and may be more briefly concluded. - -[Sidenote: EXPANSION OF SMITH SOUND.] - -The boundaries of the Polar Basin are sufficiently well defined to -enable us to form a rational estimate of the unknown coast-lines of -Greenland and Grinnell Land,--the only parts of the extensive circuit -remaining unexplored. The trend of the northern coast-line of Greenland -is approximately defined by the reasonable analogies of physical -geography; and the same process of reasoning forbids the conclusion -that Grinnell Land extends beyond the limit of my explorations. I -hold, as Inglefield did before me, that Smith Sound expands into the -Polar Basin. Beyond the narrow passage between Cape Alexander and -Cape Isabella, the water widens steadily up to Cape Frazer, where it -expands abruptly. On the Greenland side the coast trends regularly -to the eastward, until it reaches Cape Agassiz, where it dips under -the glacier and is lost to observation. That cape is composed of -primitive rock, and is the end of a mountain spur. This same rock is -visible at many places along the coast, but is mostly covered with the -deposit of sandstone and greenstone, which forms the tall cliffs of -the coast-line, until it crops out about thirty miles in the interior -into a mountain chain, which, (in company with Mr. Wilson), I crossed, -in 1853, to find the _mer de glace_ hemmed in behind it. Further to -the north the _mer de glace_ has poured down into the Polar Sea, and -pushing its way onward through the water, it has at length reached -Washington Land, and swelled southward into Smith Sound. That the face -of Humboldt Glacier trends more to the eastward than is exhibited on -Dr. Kane's chart, I have shown; and that Washington Land will be found -to lie much farther in the same direction, I have sufficient grounds -for believing. According to the report of Morton, it is to be inferred -that this island is but a continuation of the same granitic ridge which -breaks off abruptly at Cape Agassiz, and appears again above the sea -at Cape Forbes, in a line conformable with the Greenland range. It is -probable then that at some remote period this Washington Land stood -in the expansion of Smith Sound, washed by water on every side,--that -lying to the eastward being now supplanted by the great glacier of -Humboldt; that lying to the westward now bearing the name of Kennedy -Channel. - -[Sidenote: THE OPEN POLAR SEA.] - -With the warm flood of the Gulf Stream pouring northward, and keeping -the waters of the Polar Sea at a temperature above the freezing -point, while the winds, blowing as constantly under the Arctic as -under the Tropic sky, and the ceaseless currents of the sea and the -tide-flow of the surface, keep the waters ever in movement, it is -not possible, as I have before observed, that even any considerable -portion of this extensive sea can be frozen over. At no point within -the Arctic Circle has there been found an ice-belt extending, either -in winter or in summer, more than from fifty to a hundred miles from -land. And even in the narrow channels separating the islands of the -Parry Archipelago, in Baffin Bay, in the North Water, and the mouth -of Smith Sound,--everywhere, indeed, within the broad area of the -Frigid Zone, the waters will not freeze except when sheltered by the -land, or when an ice-pack, accumulated by a long continuance of winds -from one quarter, affords the same protection. That the sea does not -close except when at rest, I had abundant reason to know during the -late winter; for at all times, as this narrative frequently records, -even when the temperature of the air was below the freezing point of -mercury, I could hear from the deck of the schooner the roar of the -beating waves. - -[Sidenote: THE OPEN WATER.] - -It would be needless for me to detain the reader with the conclusions -to be drawn from the condition of the sea as observed by me at the -point from which the last chapter left us returning, as the facts speak -for themselves. It will not, however, be out of place to observe that -no one whose eye has ever rested upon the Arctic ice or witnessed the -changes of the Arctic seasons, could fail to realize that in a very -short time, as the summer advanced, the open water would steadily eat -its way southward, through Kennedy Channel, into Smith Sound. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - - ON BOARD THE SCHOONER.--REVIEW OF THE JOURNEY.--THE RETURN DOWN - KENNEDY CHANNEL.--A SEVERE MARCH IN A SNOW-STORM.--ROTTEN - ICE.--EFFECTS OF A GALE.--RETURNING THROUGH THE HUMMOCKS.--THE - DOGS BREAKING DOWN.--ADRIFT ON A FLOE AT CAIRN POINT.--THE - OPEN WATER COMPELS US TO TAKE TO THE LAND.--REACHING THE - SCHOONER.--PROJECTING A CHART.--THE NEW SOUND.--MY NORTHERN - DISCOVERIES. - - - Port Foulke, June 3d. - -Back again on board the schooner after two months' toiling and -journeying on the ice. - -Since I left her deck on the 3d of April, I have traveled not less than -1300 miles, and not less than 1600 since first setting out in March. -I am somewhat battered and weather-beaten, but a day or so of rest -and civilized comfort, the luxury of a wash and a bed, and of a table -covered with clean crockery filled with the best of things that my old -Swedish cook can turn out, are wondrously rejuvenating,--potent as the -touch of Hebe to the war-worn Iolas. - -[Sidenote: REVIEW OF THE JOURNEY.] - -Affairs seem to have gone on well at the schooner. Radcliffe has given -me his report, and it is satisfactory. McCormick has presented a full -history of events since leaving me among the hummocks; but I refrain -now from recording them until I have set down some of the leading -incidents of my journey, while they are yet fresh in my mind. Besides, -McCormick tells me that he is unable to repair the schooner that she -may be ice-worthy; and, as I am unwilling to accept this conclusion -without a further examination than I have yet been able to make, I -postpone any further allusion to the matter. To confess the truth, the -last days of the homeward journey used us all up pretty thoroughly; -and, although the confined atmosphere of the cabin is oppressive to me -after so long an exposure in the open air, yet the doctor (which is my -_doppelganger_) warns me to keep to this lounge for a day or so. I am -not, however, forbidden to write. - -I have returned well satisfied that Kennedy Channel is navigable; and -it remains only to be proven whether Smith Sound will open sufficiently -to permit a passage through. With steam, I should have no doubt -whatever of my ability to force it; with sails, of course, the effort -is filled with greater uncertainty; and yet, I think, the chances are -with me. - -I am fully convinced that a route to the Pole,--a route, certainly, -not wholly unobstructed by ice, yet free enough at least for steam -navigation, is open every summer from Cape Frazer; and if I can pull -through to that point, then I shall have accomplished the full measure -of my desires. In truth, this is the real difficulty. My views of the -whole matter will be set down here on the spot as opportunity offers -from day to day. To-morrow, I hope to be sufficiently recovered from -the fatigues of the journey to begin the discussion of my materials, -and the projection of my chart. - -And now, with a heart filled with thankfulness to that Great Being -who suffereth not even a sparrow to fall to the ground without His -notice, I have here the happiness to record that in these two months of -perilous traveling, He has spared me and every member of my party from -serious accident or permanent injury. - - June 4th. - -[Sidenote: THE RETURN.] - -I have worked up some of my sights, and rudely sketched in the -coast-line of my track-chart. It makes a respectable show for our -summer's sledging. Since the middle of March, I have covered the entire -ground gone over by Dr. Kane's various parties, except the coast of -Washington Land, and have extended the former surveys considerably -to the north and west. But the important additions which I have been -enabled to make to the geographical knowledge of the region I regard as -of secondary interest to the circumstance that my journey has shown the -practicability of this route into the Polar Basin. - -My return southward from the shores of the Polar Sea is not recorded -in my field-diary. There is no record after we had turned our faces -homeward. That water-soaked and generally dilapidated-looking book, -which now lies open on the table before me, breaks off thus:-- - -"Halted in the lee of a huge ice-cliff, seeking shelter from a fierce -storm that set upon us soon after we started south. We have made about -ten miles, and have from forty to fifty yet to make before we reach -Jensen. We have given the dogs the last of our food. It is snowing and -blowing dreadfully." - -[Sidenote: LONG AND WEARY MARCH.] - -The storm continued with unabated violence through the next day; and as -the wind shrieked along the tall cliffs, carrying with it the drifting -snow, I thought that I had scarcely ever seen or heard any thing more -dismal. Unable to bear the chilliness of our imperfect shelter, (we -had no means of making a snow-hut,) we pushed on, wading through deep -drifts in addition to climbing the rocks and masses of ice, which, in -going north, had everywhere more or less embarrassed our progress. The -snow-drifts were often so deep that the dogs had much trouble in wading -through them, and it was all that they could do to drag the now quite -empty sledge. After a time they became so much exhausted that it was -with the utmost difficulty that we could force them forward. The poor -beasts fell in their tracks the moment the whip ceased to be applied. I -had never before seen them so much broken. To halt was of little use, -as rest, without food, would do harm rather than good; and as we had no -shelter, and in the item of food were as badly off as the dogs, there -was nothing for us to do but to hold on and get through to Jensen's -camp, or perish in the storm. Fortunately, the wind was at our backs. - -We kept on in our winding course through the pelting snow, and reached, -finally, the north side of the bay above Jensen's camp; and then the -hardest part of the journey was to come. The tramp across that bay -comes back to me now as the vague recollection of some ugly dream. -I scarcely remember how we got through it. I recall only an endless -pounding of the dogs, who wanted to lie down with every step, the -ceaseless wading, the endless crunch of the wearied feet breaking -through the old snow-crust, the laborious climbing over hummocks, the -pushing and lifting of the sledge,--and, through the blinding snow, I -remember, at length, catching sight of the land and of hearing the cry -of Jensen's dogs; and then of crawling up the ice-foot to his snow-hut. -Through all these last hours, we were aware of a desire to halt and -sleep; and it is fortunate for us that we did not lose consciousness of -its dangers. - -Without waiting to be fed, the dogs tumbled over on the snow the -moment they were left to themselves; and we, dragging ourselves inside -the hut which McDonald had made to shelter his sick companion, fell -into a dead, dead sleep. Jensen noted the time. We had been twenty-two -hours on the way, since leaving our shelter beneath the ice-cliff. - -[Sidenote: A LAST LOOK.] - -When we awoke, the storm had died away, and the sun was shining -brightly. McDonald had looked after the dogs, and had ready for us a -hot pot of coffee and an abundant breakfast, which thirty-four hours' -fasting had prepared us fully to appreciate. Refreshed by this, I -climbed the hill-side for a last look at the sea which we were leaving. -The gale had told somewhat upon it. The dark water-sky to the northeast -had followed us down the coast, the wind had acted upon the open places -in the ice, and the little waves had eaten away their margins, and -magnified them greatly, while many of the old floes had finally yielded -to the immense pressure of the wind, and had moved in their winter -moorings, tearing up the rotten ice about them. Several cracks had -opened almost to the shore, and the "hinge" of the ice-foot had mainly -tumbled away. - -Jensen was better, but still moved with much difficulty and pain. By -sitting on the sledge, however, he thought that he should be able -to drive his dogs; so I gave Knorr our entire cargo. This cargo was -now reduced to small dimensions, and consisted of nothing but our -buffalo-skins, rifle, my instruments, and a few geological specimens. -Our food was consumed to the last pound, and hence we must go -supperless if we did not reach our next cache, where, if the bears -should not have discovered it, we had one meal buried under a heap of -stones. - - June 5th. - -I resume the narrative. - -The march to the cache was a very tedious one, but we took it -leisurely, and got through with it in sixteen hours, to find our food -unmolested. The repeated halts to rest the dogs gave me abundant -leisure to search among the limestone cliffs for further fossil -remains, and my exertions were rewarded with a valuable collection. It -is, perhaps, too much to say that they are fossils of the Silurian era, -from a hasty examination; but I think it more than probable. - -[Sidenote: THE SHORE-ICE.] - -I had also opportunity to measure some of the masses of ice which had -been forced upon the shore. In many places these masses were crowded -together, forming an almost impassable barrier. In other places the -ice-foot had been torn through, and in one spot a table sixty feet in -thickness and forty yards across had been crowded on the sloping shore, -pushing up the loose, rocky _débris_ which lay at the base of the -cliffs; and when the pack that had caused the disturbance had drifted -away, this fragment was left with its lower edge above the tide. Around -it were piled other masses; and, in order to pass it, we were obliged -to climb far up the hill-side. - -Our next day's journey was even more difficult, as we became entangled -among deep snow-drifts below Cape Frazer, and, on account of the -rotten condition of the ice lining the shore, we could not take to -the ice-fields. We tried twice, and came near paying dearly for the -experiment. One of the teams got in bodily, and was extricated with -difficulty; while, on the other occasion, I, acting in my usual -capacity of pilot, saved myself from a cold bath with my ice-pole, -which, plunging through the rotten ice and disappearing out of sight, -gave me timely warning; so we put back again to the more secure -land-ice. - -In the bay below Cape Napoleon we found, on the following day, secure -footing, and reached Cape Hawks without difficulty, in two more -marches. Thence we proceeded to follow our outward track through -the hummocks. The sledges being now light, and Jensen having so far -improved as to be able to walk, we experienced less embarrassment than -on our outward journey; but the dogs were now in a very different -condition, and lightness of load leveled not the hummocks and made not -the steep places smooth, nor the ice less sharp, nor the snow-crusts -less treacherous. The task was wearisome and exhausting to the last -degree,--a hard struggle, destructive to the energies of men and dogs -alike. - -Some snow had fallen, but, fortunately, the wind had drifted it from -our tracks in many places, and we found our way to the small provision -caches which we had left going north, and, luckily, they had all -escaped the observation of the bears except one; but, having made a -good march on the first day from Cape Hawks, we picked up the first -cache we came to, and thus saved a day's food,--a piece of good fortune -which we had not counted upon. - -[Sidenote: SIGHTING GREENLAND.] - -The coast of Greenland rose at length into view, and, steadily rising -day by day, we came within sight of Cairn Point; but, for some time -previous, we were warned of the rapid advance of the season by the dark -water-sky which lay before us, showing that the open water extended up -to the Point, for which we were shaping our course. On the north side -of it, however, the ice appeared to be solid. Thinking that we could -make the land in that direction, we pushed on, picking our way over -the rough and thicker ice, and avoiding the younger ice, which was -everywhere porous, and occasionally worn completely away. At length, -when about a mile from land, we came upon a crack, which had opened not -more than a foot. Crossing this, we held in directly for the Point, -but, unfortunately, the wind was blowing heavily down the Sound; and, -as we neared the land, we found that the water had eaten in between -the ice and the shore, obliging us to keep up the coast. To our horror -and dismay, we now discovered that the crack which we had crossed had -opened at least twenty yards, and we were adrift upon an ice-raft in an -open sea, without power to help ourselves. - -[Sidenote: ADRIFT ON AN ICE-RAFT.] - -The movement of the ice was slow. After waiting a short time, -irresolute as to what course we should pursue, it was observed that -the outer end of the loosened floe was moving, while the inner edge -was almost stationary, owing to a small iceberg, which, being aground -and fastened to the floe itself, formed a pivot about which we were -revolving. If this berg held, it was evident that the floe would strike -the land, and we approached nearer to its margin. - -The event which we had so eagerly desired now happened; and, dashing -forward when the collision came, we managed to get upon the land-ice. -The tide, being at full flood, facilitated the undertaking. The contact -did not long continue. The rotten edge of the floe broke loose from the -little berg which had given us this most fortunate assistance, and we -were not sorry to see the ice-raft drifting away without us. - -[Sidenote: TAKING TO THE LAND.] - -By this time, the dogs had become more broken. They had borne up -admirably during the journey north, but the scant rations which we had -left behind for the return journey were found to be insufficient to -support their strength, especially as they had, for some time, Jensen's -additional weight to carry. One of them gave out completely, and died -in a fit, during the first day's journey in the hummocks; two others -followed soon afterward; while another, having become unable either to -pull or follow, was shot. Much to my surprise, as soon as the bullet -struck the animal, wounding him but slightly and causing him to set -up a terrible cry, his companions in the team flew upon him and tore -him to pieces in an instant, and those who were lucky enough to get a -fragment of him were tearing the flesh from his bones almost before the -echo of his last howl had died away in the solitude. - -The sea below Cairn Point was filled with loose ice, evidently broken -adrift by a very recent gale. By keeping to the land-ice we managed -to work our way down the coast, and got around Cape Hatherton; but, -below this, the ice-foot, too, was gone, thus obliging us to take to -the land. To cross the mountains with our sledges was, of course, -impracticable; so we were compelled to abandon them until such time as -we could come for them in a boat. - -The land journey was very tedious and tiresome, exhausted and foot-sore -as we were already; but we managed better than the dogs. Most of them -sneaked away as soon as loosened from the sledges, and would not follow -us; and when sought for could not be found. I did not feel apprehensive -for them, as I supposed they merely needed rest, and would follow -our tracks to the vessel. Three of them only stuck to us. One is the -noble old beast, Oosisoak; another is his brave queen, Arkadik; and -the third Nenook, the finest of Kalutunah's dogs. Three others have -come in since; but four are yet missing. I have sent out to seek them, -without success. I much fear that they will not have strength to drag -themselves on board. - -[Sidenote: A NEW SOUND.] - -And so my journey ended. If it has had its disappointments, it has had, -too, its triumphs and successes. It was unfortunate that I did not get -the boat over the Sound, together with a good supply of provisions; -but, failing in this, the failure of the foot-party was of little -moment. No amount of assistance could, with sledges alone, have helped -me further north; or, if I had got further, could have ever got me back -again. - - June 8th. - -I have finished the plotting of my chart, and I find, as I have already -had occasion to observe, that the coast-line from Cape Sabine to Cape -Frazer differs somewhat from that shown from my journey in 1854, -which was made under the embarrassments of partial snow-blindness -and a vapory atmosphere. The most important feature in connection -with this old survey is the fact that the Sound opening westward from -Smith Sound, above Cape Sabine, formerly escaped my observation. The -existence of this Sound was abundantly confirmed during my return -journey; and my materials, now reduced and put on paper, give me the -correct conformation of the coast. The Sound is somewhat wider than -Smith Sound, narrowing, however, steadily, from a broad entrance, -something like Whale Sound. Whether it continues to the westward, -parallel with Jones and Lancaster Sounds, separating the Ellesmere -Land, of Inglefield, from the Grinnell Land of my former exploration, -of course, remains to be proven; but, that such is the fact, I have no -doubt. - -[Sidenote: NOMENCLATURE.] - -I give to this Sound the name of my vessel. The first conspicuous -Cape which appears on its south side I name Cape Seward, and the -most remote point of visible land lying beyond it, Cape Viele. The -three last conspicuous Capes on the north side I name as follows: -the most westerly, Cape Baker; that next to it, Cape Sawyer; and the -third, Cape Stetson. The apparently deep indentations of the coast -which lie between these bold headlands are designated as Joy Bay and -Peabody Bay. The two large islands lying in the mouth of the Sound -I have distinguished as Bache Island and Henry Island. Eastward of -Cape Stetson I have applied such names as seemed to me appropriate to -distinguish the prominent landmarks; but it is unnecessary to mention -them here, as the map tells its own story. In those parts of the coast -which were plotted by Dr. Kane from my old survey, I have endeavored -to adhere, as far as practicable, to his nomenclature; and such parts -of the shores of Kennedy Channel as were seen by Morton alone, I have, -for the most part, simply applied Dr. Kane's names, without inquiring -very particularly as to their corresponding places on the two maps. I -think this course, in the main, preferable to that somewhat confusing -system which deprived Captain Inglefield of the benefits of his survey -of Smith Sound; and I have, besides, the additional satisfaction -of joining Dr. Kane in paying respect to many distinguished men of -science, dead and living, and among them to none that contribute -more gratification than that of M. de la Roquette, Vice-President of -the Geographical Society of Paris; and to Sir Roderick Murchison, -President of the Royal Geographical Society, London, and Dr. Norton -Shaw, its Secretary. The coast-range, which forms such a conspicuous -feature of Grinnell Land, I have followed Dr. Kane in designating as -Victoria and Albert Mountains. - -The highest point attained by me I have called Cape Lieber; a -remarkable peak rising above it, Church's Monument; and the Bay, which -lies below it, is named in respectful remembrance of Lady Franklin. The -conspicuous headland which I vainly attempted to reach, on the last day -of my northward journey, I have named Cape Eugénie, thinking, in this -manner, to express my high appreciation of the many acts of kindness -to this expedition and to myself which I owe to French citizens, by -remembering their Empress. Another prominent headland appearing beyond -it I designate as Cape Frederick VII., in honor of the King of Denmark, -to whose subjects in Greenland I am indebted for so many serviceable -attentions. And to the noble headland which, in faint outline, stood -against the dark sky of the open sea--the most northern known land upon -the globe--I name Cape Union, in remembrance of a compact which has -given prosperity to a people and founded a nation. In naming the bay -which lies between Cape Union and Cape Frederick VII., I am desirous of -expressing my admiration of Admiral Wrangel, whose fame in connection -with Arctic discovery is equaled by that of Sir Edward Parry only. And -the lofty peak which overlooks the Polar Sea from behind Cape Eugénie, -I name Parry Mountain. With this eminent explorer I will now divide -the honors of extreme northern travel; for, if he has carried the -British flag upon the sea nearer to the North Pole than any flag had -been carried hitherto, I have planted the American flag further north -upon the land then any flag has been planted before. The Bay between -Capes Frederick VII. and Eugénie I name in honor of the distinguished -geographer, Dr. Augustus Peterman; and two large bays lower down the -coast I call, respectively, after Carl Ritter and William Scorsby. - -[Sidenote: WASHINGTON LAND.] - -In plotting my survey I have been a little puzzled with the Washington -Land of Dr. Kane's map, and I am much tempted to switch it off twenty -miles to the eastward; for it is not possible that Kennedy Channel can -be less than fifty miles wide; and, since I believe that Smith Sound -expands into the Polar Basin, I must look upon Washington Land merely -as an island in its centre,--Kennedy Channel lying between it and -Grinnell Land on the west, and Humboldt Glacier filling up what was -once a channel on the right. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - - INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.--METHOD OF REPAIRING.--THE SERIOUS - NATURE OF THE INJURY.--THE SCHOONER UNFIT FOR ANY FURTHER - ICE-ENCOUNTERS.--EXAMINATION OF MY RESOURCES.--PLANS FOR THE - FUTURE. - - -The extracts from my journal quoted in the preceding chapter will -have sufficed to give the reader an understanding of the results of -my spring and summer sledging, and he will have perceived that they -were regarded by me as having laid down a correct basis for future -exploration. With the character of the Smith Sound ice I had become -more familiar, and the accurate determination of the coast-lines -enabled me more readily to calculate upon the influence of the summer -drift; while the rotten state of the ice in Kennedy Channel, even at so -early a period of the season as May, and the existence of open water -beyond it, left no doubt upon my mind as to the practicability of -getting a vessel through under ordinarily favorable conditions of the -season. - -It will be perceived, therefore, that my future course was dependent -upon the condition of the schooner. - -Although I have not made more than a passing allusion to the report of -Mr. McCormick as to the damage sustained by the vessel, yet the reader -will have gathered from my journal that it caused me much anxiety. I -was too much prostrated after my return from the journey to make, -during the first few days, that thorough inspection which was needed to -form a correct judgment. I was consoled, however, in some measure for -the delay, by realizing the necessity of writing up the occurrences of -my return journey, while they were fresh in my mind, and of defining on -my chart the observations and geographical discoveries which I had made. - -[Sidenote: INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.] - -These duties performed, and my strength sufficiently restored to -justify me in leaving my cabin, I made a careful examination of the -schooner and the means which had been adopted for repairing her. These -means were altogether unexceptionable, and reflected much credit upon -Mr. McCormick and also upon the mate, Mr. Dodge, who had given him -zealous assistance. - -McCormick had begun by digging the ice away from the bows down to -the very keel, thus exposing all the forward part of the vessel as -completely as if she lay in a dry-dock. The damage proved to have been -even greater than we had anticipated, and it seemed remarkable that -the forward planks and timbers had not opened to such a degree as to -let the water through in torrents and sink us at once. The heads of -the planks which were let into the stem were all started; the outer -planking was loose and gaping open; the iron sheathing of the cut-water -and bows was torn and curled up as if it had been pine-shavings; the -stem-post was started, and the cut-water itself was completely torn -away. - -[Sidenote: REPAIRING THE SCHOONER.] - -By dint of much earnest exertion 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. - -The stern of the schooner had been dry-docked in the same manner as -the bows; and it was found that the severe wrench which she had got -off Littleton Island had started the stern-post, upon which hangs -the rudder; and the rudder itself had been twisted off,--the pintles -having been snapped asunder as if they had been made of pipe-clay. -This accident to the rudder had been quite unavoidable, for we were -so situated at the time of its occurrence that we could not avail -ourselves of the facilities with which we were provided for unshipping -it. - -McCormick had succeeded in getting in some stout screw-bolts, and had -managed, by an ingenious device, in hanging the rudder in such a manner -that we could rely upon it to steer the schooner; but it would not bear -contact with the ice, or another wrench, and it could not be unshipped. -The schooner's sides were much torn and abraided, but no material -damage seemed to have been done which was not repaired with some -additional spikes to secure the started planks, and a general calking -to close the seams. - -I felt much disappointment at the turn of affairs. It seemed very -probable that, in view of the crippled condition of the schooner, the -project of getting into Kennedy Channel and of navigating the Polar Sea -with her would have to be abandoned for the present, and that I had now -no chance for another year but with boat and sledge. In this direction -there was nothing to give encouragement. To transport a boat across -such ice as that of Smith Sound was wholly impracticable, and I was now -more poorly off for dogs than before. Only six animals survived the -late journey. Of these one died after a few days, apparently from sheer -loss of vitality; and one was returned to Kalutunah. - -[Sidenote: MY RESOURCES.] - -Under these circumstances, it became a matter for serious reflection, -whether it were not wiser to return home, refit, add--what was of -much consequence--steam-power to my resources, and come back again -immediately. Once at Cape Isabella with a proper vessel, I was fully -persuaded that I could get into the northern water, and find a free -route to the Pole, although it might be a hard struggle and somewhat -hazardous. The chances of success would be greatly enhanced by _steam_. - -On the other hand, by remaining, I could not clearly see my way -to accomplish any thing more of northern discovery than had been -accomplished already; and I was now called upon to consider whether -my time and means could be employed to better advantage by promptly -returning to refit than to postpone that inevitable result to another -year. The responsibilities of the expedition had been wholly assumed -by myself; and, from the time of leaving Boston until I should have -completed the exploration which I had undertaken, I proposed to make -the costs which, hitherto, various associations and individuals had -shared with me, now exclusively my own. I was, therefore, compelled to -husband my resources and to act with caution and deliberation. - -[Sidenote: PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.] - -I will not now detain the reader with the full details of my plans for -the future, arranged to meet this new exigency; suffice it here to -observe that, after taking Jensen and Kalutunah into my counsels, I -was fully convinced that, by bringing out two ships,--mooring one of -them in Port Foulke, and pushing north with the other,--a practicable -scheme of exploration could be inaugurated, and that its success as -well as safety would be secured. To this end, I proposed to myself to -establish a permanent hunting station or colony at Port Foulke; to -collect about that place all of the Esquimaux;[12] organize a vigorous -hunt; and make that hunt yield whatever was essential for sustaining -indefinitely an extended system of exploration toward the North Pole. -In the practicability of establishing such a station, Jensen, whose -experience in the Greenland colonies was extensive, fully agreed -with me, and he was much delighted with the plan, accepting without -hesitation my proposal to make him superintendent of it; Kalutunah was -overjoyed with the prospect of bringing all of his people together; -and, in this aspect alone, the scheme possessed much that was to me -personally gratifying. My intercourse with this fast-dwindling race had -caused me to feel a deep interest in them and to sympathize with their -unhappy condition. The hardships of their life were telling upon them -sadly, and, if not rescued by the hand of Christian philanthropy and -benevolence, in less than half a century these poor wanderers of the -icy sea will have all passed away. - -[Footnote 12: The Esquimaux may, to a limited extent, be even made -available in exploration, as has been shown by the experience of Mr. -C. F. Hall, who is now, with no other reliance than the natives, -energetically pushing his discoveries westward from Repulse Bay.] - -My plans for the future did not, however, assume definite shape at the -period of which I write, nor could they until the schooner should be -set free. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXV. - - THE ARCTIC SPRING.--SNOW DISAPPEARING.--PLANTS SHOW SIGNS OF - LIFE.--RETURN OF THE BIRDS.--CHANGE IN THE SEA.--REFITTING THE - SCHOONER.--THE ESQUIMAUX.--VISIT TO KALUTUNAH.--KALUTUNAH'S - ACCOUNT OF THE ESQUIMAU TRADITIONS.--HUNTING-GROUNDS - CONTRACTED BY THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE.--HARDSHIPS OF THEIR - LIFE.--THEIR SUBSISTENCE.--THE RACE DWINDLING AWAY.--VISIT TO - THE GLACIER.--RE-SURVEY OF THE GLACIER.--KALUTUNAH CATCHING - BIRDS.--A SNOW-STORM AND A GALE.--THE MID-DAY OF THE ARCTIC - SUMMER. - - -Having determined to be guided by circumstances, as set forth in -the last chapter, I had now only to await the breaking up of the -ice and the liberation of the schooner,--an incident which I could -not anticipate wholly without anxiety, owing to our exposure to the -southwest rendering the disruption liable to come in the midst of a -heavy swell from the sea that would set us adrift in a rolling pack. - -[Sidenote: THE ARCTIC SPRING.] - -The spring had already fairly set in when I returned from the north, -and each day added to the encroachment of the water upon the ice. A -wonderful change had taken place since my departure in April. The -temperature had risen steadily from 35° below zero to as many degrees -above it; the wintry cloak of whiteness which had so long clothed the -hills and valleys was giving way under the influence of the sun's -warm rays; and torrents of the melted snow were dashing wildly down -the rugged gorges, or bounding in cascades from the lofty cliffs; -and the air was everywhere filled with the pleasing roar of falling -waters. A little lake had formed in a basin behind the Observatory, -and a playful rivulet gurgled from it over the pebbles down into the -harbor, wearing away the ice along the beach, and the banks of the -lake and stream were softened by the thaw, and, relieved of their -winter covering, were, thus early in June, showing signs of a returning -vegetation; the sap had started in the willow-stems, while ice and -snow yet lay around the roots, and the mosses, and poppies, and -saxifrages, and the cochlearia, and other hardy plants, had begun to -sprout; the air was filled with the cry of birds, which had come back -for the summer; the cliffs were alive with the little auks; flocks -of eider ducks swept over the harbor in rapid flight, seemingly not -yet decided which of the islands to select for their summer home; the -graceful terns flitted, and screamed, and played over the sea; the -burgomaster-gulls and the ger-falcons sailed about us with solemn -gravity; the shrill "_Ha-hah-wee_" of the long-tailed duck was often -heard, as the birds shot swiftly across the harbor; the snipe were -flying about the growing fresh-water pools; the sparrows chirped from -rock to rock; long lines of cackling geese were sailing far overhead, -winging their way to some more remote point of northness; the deep -bellow of the walrus came from the ice-rafts, which the summer had -set adrift upon the sea; the bay and the fiord were dotted over with -seal, who had dug through the ice from beneath, and lay basking in the -warm sun; and the place which I had left robed in the cold mantle of -winter was now dressed in the bright garments of spring. The change had -come with marvelous suddenness. The snow on the surface of the ice was -rapidly melting; and, whenever we went outside of the ship, we waded -through slush. The ice itself was decaying rapidly, and its sea-margin -was breaking up. The "Twins" had been loosened from their bonds and had -floated away; and a crowd of icebergs, of forms that were strange to -us, had come sailing out of the Sound in stately and solemn procession, -wending their way to the warmer south--their crystals tumbling from -them in fountains as they go. - -Every thing about me gave warning that I had returned from the north in -the nick of time. - -[Sidenote: REFITTING THE SCHOONER.] - -McCormick had been at work as well on the inside as on the outside -of the vessel. The temporary house had been removed from the upper -deck, and the decks, and bulwarks, and cabins, and forecastle had been -furbished up; and, after all this spring house-cleaning, the little -schooner looked as neat and tidy as if she had never been besmeared -with the soot and lamp-smoke of the long winter. The men were setting -up the rigging; the bow-sprit, and jib-boom, and foretop-mast had -been repaired; the yards had been sent aloft; the masts were being -scraped down; and a little paint and tar fairly made our craft shine -again. The sailors had moved from the hold to their natural quarters -in the forecastle; and Dodge was busy getting off and stowing away the -contents of the store-house, except such articles as I had proposed -leaving behind, which were carefully deposited in a fissure of a rock, -and covered over with heavy stones. - -[Sidenote: A CHIEF WAXED FAT.] - -The Esquimaux still hung round us. Tcheitchenguak had set up a tent on -the terrace, and had for a companion a new-comer, named Alatak, and for -house-keeper a woman, who appeared to have a roving commission, without -special claim on anybody, and whom I had seen before at Booth Bay, -where she figured among my companions as "The Sentimental Widow." Hans -had gone, with his family, up to Chester Valley, where he was catching -auks by hundreds, and living in the seal-skin tent that he brought -from Cape York. Angeit still prowled round the galley and pantry, and -continued, alternately, to annoy and amuse the cook and still stoutly -to resist the steward's efforts at conversion. Kalutunah, my jolly -old chief, held on at Etah, and looked to my abundant commissariat -and fruitful bounty as the source of all human bliss. He had grown so -rich that he did not know where to put all his wealth; and when I went -over to Etah to look after him, I found him waxing fat on laziness, -and stupid with over-feeding. I discovered him lounging behind a rock, -basking in the warm sunshine, like the monk in the "Monastery," sitting -before the fire, "thinking of nothing." He was much rejoiced at seeing -me again, asked me many questions about my journey, and where I had -been; said that he had never been so happy in all his life before; and -he stole the thoughts, if not the Spanish, of honest Sancho, in his -emphatic declaration, "You have filled my belly, and therefore have won -my heart." I was sorry to have but one dog; to restore to him of the -eight with which he had supplied me; but he declared himself satisfied. -He appeared, at first, strongly to fear that, in returning his dog, I -was withdrawing my support, and was much gratified when I told him to -come over and get as much food as he could carry away. - -[Sidenote: TRACES OF ESQUIMAUX.] - -Kalutunah's first question was, whether I had found any Esquimaux. -Before starting, I had frequently spoken to him concerning the -extension of his people to the north, and he recited to me a -well-established tradition of the tribe, that the Esquimaux once -extended both to the north and the south; and that, finally, the tribe -now inhabiting the coast from Cape York to Smith Sound were cut off by -the accumulation of ice as well above as below them; and he believed -that Esquimaux were living at this present time in both directions. -That there was once no break in the communication between the natives -of the region about Upernavik, along the shores of Melville Bay, -there can be no doubt; and Kalutunah appeared to think that the same -would hold good in the opposite direction. The ice has accumulated in -Smith Sound as it has in Melville Bay; and what were evidently once -prosperous hunting-grounds, up to the very face of Humboldt Glacier, -are now barren wastes, where living thing rarely comes. At various -places along the coast Dr. Kane found the remains of ancient huts; and -lower down the coast, toward the mouth of the Sound, there are many -of more recent date. Near Cairn Point there is a hut which had been -abandoned but a year before Dr. Kane's visit, in 1853, and has not been -occupied since. In Van Rensselaer Harbor there were several huts which -had been inhabited by the last generation. - -The simple discovery of traces of Esquimaux on the coast of Grinnell -Land was not altogether satisfactory to Kalutunah, for he had -confidently expected that I would find and bring back with me some -living specimens of them; but he was still gratified to have his -traditions confirmed, and he declared that I did not go far enough or -I should have found plenty of natives; for, said he, in effect, "There -are good hunting-grounds at the north, plenty of musk-ox (oomemak), and -wherever there are good hunting-grounds, there the Esquimaux will be -found." - -[Sidenote: THE ESQUIMAUX.] - -Kalutunah grew more sad than I had ever before seen him, when I spoke -to him of the fortunes of his own people. "Alas!" said he, "we will -soon be all gone." I told him that I would come back, and that white -men would live for many years near Etah. "Come back soon," said he, "or -there will be none here to welcome you!" - -To contemplate the destiny of this little tribe is indeed painful. -There is much in this rude people deserving of admiration. Their brave -and courageous struggles for a bare subsistence, against what would -seem to us the most disheartening obstacles, often being wholly without -food for days together and never obtaining it without encountering -danger, makes their hold on life very precarious. The sea is their -only harvest-field; and, having no boats in which to pursue the game, -they have only to await the turning tide or changing season to open -cracks, along which they wander, seeking the seal and walrus which come -there to breathe. The uncertain fortunes of the hunt often lead them -in the winter time to shelter themselves in rude hovels of snow; and, -in summer, the migrating water-fowl come to substitute the seal and -walrus, which, when the ice-fields have floated off, they can rarely -catch. - -From the information which I obtained through Hans and Kalutunah, -I estimated the tribe to number about one hundred souls,--a very -considerable diminution since Dr. Kane left them, in 1855. Hans made -for me a rude map of the coast from Cape York to Smith Sound, and set -down upon it all of the villages, if by such name the inhabited places -may be called. These places are always close by the margin of the sea. -They rarely consist of more than one hut, and the largest village of -but three. Of the nature of these habitations the reader will have -already gathered sufficient from my description of Kalutunah's den at -Etah. - -[Sidenote: SCIENTIFIC COLLECTIONS.] - -Awaiting the thawing out of the schooner, I could only employ my -time in the immediate vicinity of Port Foulke with such work as I -found practicable. The pendulum experiments of the previous autumn -were repeated, and several full sets of observations were made for -the determination of the magnetic force. The survey of the harbor -and the bay was completed; the terraces were leveled and plotted; -and the angles on "My Brother John's Glacier" were renewed. In all -of these labors I found an intelligent and painstaking assistant -in Mr. Radcliffe. This gentleman also labored assiduously with the -photographic apparatus; and, through his patient coöperation, I was -finally enabled to secure a large number of reasonably good pictures. -Some valuable collections of natural history were also made, and in -this department I had much useful assistance from Mr. Knorr and Mr. -Starr. The ice in the harbor offered them a fine opportunity as the -cracks opened, and their labors were rewarded with one of the finest -collections of marine invertebrata that has been made from Arctic -waters.[13] My journey to the glacier occupied me a week. We pitched -our tent near Alida Lake, and went systematically to work to measure -and photograph our old acquaintance of the last autumn. - -[Footnote 13: I am indebted to Dr. William Stimpson for a careful -examination and comparison of this collection, the results of which -were published by him in the "Proceedings" of the Academy of Natural -Sciences of Philadelphia, for May, 1863. The collection contains little -that is wholly new; but, as Dr. Stimpson has remarked, "They possess -great interest from having been found, in great part, in localities -much nearer the Pole than any previous expeditions have succeeded in -reaching on the American side of the Arctic Circle. They include some -species hitherto found only on the European side; and, we may add, the -number of species collected by Dr. Hayes is greater than that brought -back by any single expedition which has yet visited those seas, as -far as can be judged by published accounts." The collection embraces, -of _Crustacea_, 22 species; _Annelida_, 18 species; _Mollusca_, 21 -species; _Echinodermata_, 7 species; _Acalephæ_, 1 specie; and, besides -these, a considerable number of _Nudibranchiata_, _Actiniæ_, etc., -which cannot well be determined from alcoholic specimens.] - -[Sidenote: AN ENLIVENING SCENE.] - -We arrived at the lake in the midst of a very enlivening scene. The -snow had mainly disappeared from the valley, and, although no flowers -had yet appeared, the early vegetation was covering the banks with -green, and the feeble growths opened their little leaves almost -under the very snow, and stood alive and fresh in the frozen turf, -looking as glad of the spring as their more ambitious cousins of the -warm south. Numerous small herds of reindeer had come down from the -mountains to fatten on this newly budding life. Gushing rivulets and -fantastic waterfalls mingled their pleasant music with the ceaseless -hum of birds, myriads of which sat upon the rocks of the hill-side, -or were perched upon the cliffs, or sailed through the air in swarms -so thick that they seemed like a dark cloud passing before the sun. -These birds were the hitherto mentioned little auk (_uria allæ_), and -are a water-fowl not larger than a quail. The swift flutter of their -wings and their constant cry filled the air with a roar like that of a -storm advancing among the forest trees. The valley was glowing with the -sunlight of the early morning, which streamed in over the glacier, and -robed hill, mountain, and plain in brightness. - -Hans had pitched his tent at the further end of the lake, and Kalutunah -came up with Myouk and Alatak, and joined him. Jensen quickly shot -a deer, and Hans brought us some auks; and, before going to work, we -drew around a large rock, of which we made a table, and partook of a -substantial dinner of Carl's preparation, washing it down with purest -water from the glacier, while listening to the music of gurgling -streams and the song of birds. - -[Sidenote: GLACIER MOVEMENT.] - -The face of the glacier had undergone much change. Blocks of immense -size had broken from it, and lay strewn over the valley at its base; -while the glacier itself had pressed down the slope, crowding rocks, -and snow, and the _débris_ of ice before it in a confused, wave-like -heap. The progress toward the sea had been steady and irresistible. - -The journey to the top of the glacier was much more difficult than in -the previous autumn, the snow having in a great measure melted away, -exposing the rocks, and embarrassing us in the ascent of the glacier's -side, as well as of the gorge. Every thing was wet and mucky, overhead -as well as under foot. The glacier-surface was shedding water from -every side, like the roof of a house in a February thaw; and the -little streams which flowed down its side, joining the waters of the -melting snow, trickled underneath the glacier and reappeared in rushing -torrents in the valley below from the glacier front; and thence poured -into the lake, and from the lake to the sea. - -I was fortunate in finding my stakes all standing; and, having brought -up the theodolite, I repeated the angles which, with Sonntag, I had -taken the previous October. These angles, when afterwards reduced, -exhibited a descent of the centre of the glacier, down the valley, of -ninety-six feet. - -[Sidenote: THE MUSK-OX.] - -Chester Valley has in former times been quite a resort of the -Esquimaux. We found there several old ruins of huts, some of them -with bones strewn about them, which showed that they were not of very -ancient date. Among these bones, which were mostly of the walrus, -seal, and bears, I found a part of the head of a musk-ox, and in such -a position as appeared to render it probable that the animal of which -it had formed a part had been the food of the former inhabitants of -the ruin. Upon referring the matter to Kalutunah, he told me that the -musk-ox was supposed to have been once numerous along the entire coast, -and that they are still occasionally seen. No longer ago than the -previous winter, a hunter of Wolstenholme Sound, near a place called -Oomeak, had come upon two animals and killed one of them. It would -seem from this circumstance that the musk-ox is not yet extinct in -Greenland, as naturalists have supposed. - -One day of my stay in the valley was occupied with running a set of -levels down from the foot of the glacier to the sea, by which I found -the former to be ninety-two feet above the latter; and another day was -passed in hunting. - -It would be impossible to convey an adequate idea of the immense -numbers of the little auks which swarmed around us. The slope on both -sides of the valley rises at an angle of about forty-five degrees to a -distance of from three hundred to five hundred feet, where it meets the -cliffs, which stand about seven hundred feet higher. These hill-sides -are composed of the loose rocks which have been split off from the -cliffs by the frost. The birds crawl among these rocks, winding far in -through narrow places, and there deposit each a single egg and hatch -their young, secure from their enemy, the foxes, which prowl round in -great numbers, ever watching for a meal. - -[Sidenote: AUK-CATCHING.] - -Having told Kalutunah that I wanted to accompany him and help him at -auk-catching, that worthy individual came to my tent early one morning, -much rejoiced that the Nalegaksoak had so favored him, and, bright and -early, hurried me to the hill-side. The birds were more noisy than -usual, for they had just returned in immense swarms from the sea, -where they had been getting their breakfast.[14] Kalutunah carried a -small net, made of light strings of seal-skin knitted together very -ingeniously. The staff by which it was held was about ten feet long. -After clambering over the rough, sharp stones, we arrived at length -about half-way up to the base of the cliffs, where Kalutunah crouched -behind a rock and invited me to follow his example. I observed that -the birds were nearly all in flight, and were, with rare exceptions, -the males. The length of the slope on which they were congregated was -about a mile, and a constant stream of birds was rushing over it, but a -few feet above the stones; and, after making in their rapid flight the -whole length of the hill, they returned higher in the air, performing -over and over again the complete circuit. Occasionally a few hundreds -or thousands of them would drop down, as if following some leader; and -in an instant the rocks, for a space of several rods, would swarm all -over with them,--their black backs and pure white breasts speckling the -hill very prettily. - -[Footnote 14: The food of the little auk, as indeed the food of all -of the Arctic water-fowl, consists of different varieties of marine -invertebrata, chiefly _crustacea_, with which the Arctic waters abound. -It is owing to the riches of the North water in these low forms of -marine life that the birds flock there in such great number during the -breeding season, which begins in June and ends in August.] - -While I was watching these movements with much interest, my companion -was intent only upon business, and warned me to lie lower, as the birds -saw me and were flying too high overhead. Having at length got myself -stowed away to the satisfaction of my savage companion, the sport -began. The birds were beginning again to whirl their flight closer to -our heads,--so close, indeed, did they come that it seemed almost as -if I could catch them with my cap. Presently, I observed my companion -preparing himself as a flock of unusual thickness was approaching; and, -in a moment, up went the net; a half dozen birds flew bang into it, -and, stunned with the blow, they could not flutter out before Kalutunah -had slipped the staff quickly through his hands and seized the net; -with his left hand he now pressed down the birds, while with the right -he drew them out, one by one; and, for want of a third hand, he used -his teeth to crush their heads. The wing's were then locked across each -other, to keep them from fluttering away; and, with an air of triumph, -the old fellow looked around at me, spat the blood and feathers from -his mouth, and went on with the sport, tossing up his net and hauling -it in with much rapidity, until he had caught about a hundred birds; -when, my curiosity being amply satisfied, we returned to camp and made -a hearty meal out of the game which we had bagged in this novel and -unsportsman-like manner. While an immense stew was preparing, Kalutunah -amused himself with tearing off the birds' skins, and consuming the raw -flesh while it was yet warm. - -[Sidenote: HURRICANE.] - -Our stay at the glacier was brought suddenly to an end by a violent -storm of wind and snow, and both ourselves and our Esquimau companions -were forced to seek other shelter. The storm came from the northeast, -and the first mischief done was to pick Hans's tent up and carry it off -down the valley like a balloon, and finally to drop it in the lake. -Without waiting long to lament over the unhappy circumstance, the whole -Esquimau party set out for Etah. As they passed our tent, Kalutunah -stopped a moment at the door, and despite the fierce wind and the -snow which covered him all over, he still bore the same imperturbable -grin. "You should have seen Hans's tent!" said he; and the old fellow -fairly shook with laughter, as he recalled the ridiculous scene of the -suddenly unhoused party and their vanishing tent tearing away toward -the lake. But his satisfaction reached its climax when he informed -us that it was going to blow harder, and that our turn would come -directly. Sure enough it was as the savage had predicted; for, soon -afterward, we heard a great noise,--the photographic tent had given -way, the instruments and plates were scattering over the stones, the -glasses were being all crushed up into little bits; and, while we were -springing up to go out and save the wreck, our windward guys gave way, -and our canvas protection following the example of Hans's seal-skins, -left us standing in the very jaws of the storm. As may be supposed, we -did not delay long in finding our way back on board. - -I found the schooner in a somewhat critical situation. The spars had -been sent aloft and caught the wind, and the vessel being still firmly -locked in the ice, the masts were subjected to a dangerous strain. I -thought, at one time, that they would be carried bodily out of the -schooner, and had guys fastened to the mast-heads and secured to stakes -driven in the ice to windward. The loose ice was all blown out of the -bay, the icebergs were driven out of sight, and the open water was not -more than a quarter of a mile distant from us. - -[Sidenote: MID-SUMMER.] - -The sun reaching its greatest northern declination on the 21st, we were -now in the full blaze of summer. Six eventful months had passed over -since the Arctic midnight shrouded us in gloom, and now we had reached -the Arctic mid-day. And this mid-day was a day of wonderful brightness. -The temperature had gone up higher than at any previous time, marking, -at meridian, 49°, while in the sun the thermometer showed 57°. The -barometer was away up to 30.076, and a more calm and lovely air never -softened an Arctic landscape. - -[Sidenote: LITTLE JULIA'S GLEN AND FALL.] - -Tempted by the day, I strolled down into the valley south of the -harbor. The recent snow had mostly disappeared, and valley and -hill-side were speckled with a rich carpet of green, with only here and -there a patch of the winter snow yet undissolved,--an emerald carpet, -fringed and inlaid with silver and sprinkled over with fragments of a -bouquet,--for many flowers were now in full bloom, and their tiny faces -peeped above the sod. A herd of reindeer were browsing on the plain -beneath me, and some white rabbits had come from their hiding-places to -feed upon the bursting willow-buds. New objects of interest led me on -from spot to spot--babbling brooks, and rocky hill-sides, and little -glaciers, and softening snow-banks, alternating with patches of tender -green--until, at length, I came to the base of a lofty hill, whose -summit was surmounted with an imposing wall which overlooked the sea, -seemingly a vast turreted castle, guarding the entrance to the valley. -I thought of my late comrade, and named it Sonntag's Monument. Passing -this, I climbed to a broad plateau, probably five hundred yards above -the sea; and keeping along this toward Cape Alexander, came at length -upon a deep gorge at the bottom of which flowed a stream, some ten -yards over, which came from the melting snows of the mountains and the -_mer de glace_. Descending into this ravine I followed its rough banks -until they came abruptly to the tall cliff of the coast, over which the -water leaped wildly down into a deep and picturesque glen, which it -filled with a cloud of its own spray. The spot figures in my diary as -Little Julia's Glen and Fall. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVI. - - THE ARCTIC SUMMER.--THE FLORA.--THE ICE DISSOLVING.--A SUMMER STORM - OF RAIN, HAIL, AND SNOW.--THE TERRACES.--ICE ACTION.--UPHEAVAL - OF THE COAST.--GEOLOGICAL INTEREST OF ICEBERGS AND THE - LAND-ICE.--A WALRUS HUNT.--THE "FOURTH."--VISIT TO LITTLETON - ISLAND.--GREAT NUMBERS OF EIDER-DUCKS AND GULLS.--THE ICE - BREAKING UP.--CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE SCHOONER.--TAKING LEAVE - OF THE ESQUIMAUX.--ADIEU TO PORT FOULKE. - - -The reader will have observed the marvelous change that had come over -the face of Nature since the shadow of the night had passed away. -Recalling those chapters which recount the gloom and silence of the -Arctic night,--the death-like quiet which reigned in the endless -darkness,--the absence of every living thing that could relieve the -solitude of its terrors,--he will perhaps hardly have been prepared -to see, without surprise, the same landscape covered with an endless -blaze of light, the air and sea and earth teeming with life, the desert -places sparkling with green, and brightening with flowers,--the mind -finding everywhere some new object of pleasure, where before there was -but gloom. The change of the Arctic winter to the Arctic summer is -indeed the change from death to life; and the voice which speaks to the -sun and the winds, and brings back the joyous day, is that same voice -which said - - "She is not dead, but sleepeth,"-- - -and the pulseless heart was made to throb again, and the bloom returned -to the pallid cheek. - -[Sidenote: THE ARCTIC SUMMER.] - -There is truly a rare charm in the Arctic summer, especially if watched -unfolding from the darkness, and followed through the growing warmth, -until the snows are loosened from the hills and the fountains burst -forth, and the feeble flower-growths spring into being, and the birds -come back with their merry music; and then again as it passes away, -under the dark shadow of a sunless sky,--the fountains sealing up, -the hill-sides and valleys taking on again the white robes of winter -and the stillness of the tomb, the birds in rapid flight with the -retreating day, and the mantle of darkness settling upon the mountains, -and overspreading the plain. - -To describe the summer as I have before described the winter, and to -attempt fully to picture in detail those features which give it such a -striking contrast to the winter as is not seen in any other quarter of -the world, would too far prolong this narrative; and I will therefore -content myself with selecting from my diary such extracts as will -show the progress of the season, and those occupations of myself and -associates that bore upon the purposes which we had mainly in view. - - June 22d. - -It is just six months since I wrote, "The sun has reached to-day its -greatest southern declination, and we have passed the Arctic midnight;" -and now the sun has reached its greatest northern declination, and we -have passed the Arctic noonday. Constant light has succeeded constant -darkness, a bright and cheerful world has banished a painful solitude;-- - - "The winter is past and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the - time of the singing of birds is come;" - -and the long night which the glad day has succeeded is remembered as a -strange dream. - - June 23d. - -[Sidenote: ARCTIC FLORA.] - -A bright day, with the thermometer at 47°, and light wind from the -south. I have been out with my young assistants collecting plants and -lichens. The rocks are almost everywhere covered with the latter,--one -variety, orange in color, grows in immense patches, and gives a -cheerful hue to the rocks, while another, the _tripe de roche_, which -is still more abundant, gives a mournful look to the stony slopes -which it covers. I have brought in a fine assortment of flowers, and -it seems as if the plants are now mostly in bloom. They have blossomed -several days earlier than at Van Rensselaer Harbor in 1854. I have had -a bouquet of them in my cabin for many days past, and from the banks -of the little lake behind the Observatory I can always replenish it at -will.[15] - -[Footnote 15: Not wishing to interrupt the text with details which -would have little interest for the general reader, I give here the -complete flora (so far as a most persistent effort could make it so) of -the region northward from Whale Sound. Most of the plants were found at -Port Foulke. My collections numbered several thousand specimens, which -my kind friend, Mr. Elias Durand, of Philadelphia, was good enough to -assist me in arranging, and afterward to classify in a paper for the -"Proceedings" of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, from -which I give the following list:-- - - 1. _Ranunculus nivalis._ 28. _Saxifraga cornua._ - 2. _Papaver nudicaule._ 29. _Saxifraga nivalis._ - 3. _Hesperis Pallasii._ 30. _Leontodon palustre._ - 4. _Draba Alpina._ 31. _Campanula linifolia._ - 5. _Draba corymbosa._ 32. _Vaccinium uliginosum._ - 6. _Draba hirta._ 33. _Andromeda tetragona._ - 7. _Draba glacialas._ 34. _Pyrola chlorantha._ - 8. _Draba rupestris._ 35. _Bartsia Alpina._ - 9. _Cochlearia officinalis._ 36. _Pedicularis Kanei._ - 10. _Vesicaria Arctica._ 37. _Armeria Labradorica._ - 11. _Arenaria Arctica._ 38. _Polygonum viviparum._ - 12. _Stellaria humifusa._ 39. _Oxyria didyma._ - 13. _Stellaria Stricta._ 40. _Empetrum nigrum._ - 14. _Cerastium Alpinum._ 41. _Betula nana._ - 15. _Silene acaulis._ 42. _Salix Arctica._ - 16. _Lychnis apetala._ 43. _Salix herbacea._ - 17. _Lychnis panciflora._ 44. _Luzula_ (too young). - 18. _Dryas integrifolia._ 45. _Carex rigida._ - 19. _Dryas octopetala._ 46. _Eriophorum vaginatum._ - 20. _Potentilla pulchella._ 47. _Alopecurus Alpinus._ - 21. _Potentilla nivalis._ 48. _Glyceria Arctica._ - 22. _Alchemilla vulgaris._ 49. _Poa Arctica._ - 23. _Saxifraga oppositifolia._ 50. _Poa Alpina._ - 24. _Saxifraga flagellaris._ 51. _Hierocloa Alpina._ - 25. _Saxifraga cæspitosa._ 52. _Festuca ovina._ - 26. _Saxifraga rivularis._ 53. _Lycopodium annotinum._ - 27. _Saxifraga tricuspidata._ -] - - June 25th. - -[Sidenote: SUMMER SHOWERS.] - -A rainy day for a novelty. Nearly an inch of water has fallen already, -and it still continues to patter upon the deck. I was out completing -my geological collections when the shower began, and not only got -thoroughly soaked, but had like to have got killed into the bargain; -for, in attempting to cross a small glacier which lay on the side of -a hill, my feet flew up in consequence of the water making it more -slippery, and I slid down over the ice and the stones which stuck up -through it, and was finally landed among the rocks below with many -bruises and not much clothing. - -The thermometer has stood at 48°, and the continuance of the warmth -since the 20th, together with this "gentle rain from heaven," is -telling upon the ice. It is getting very rotten, and the sea is eating -into it rapidly. The "hinge" of the ice-foot is tumbling to pieces, and -we have trouble in getting ashore. - - June 26th. - -[Sidenote: A SUMMER STORM.] - -Our summer shower has changed its complexion, and the "gentle rain" -is converted into hail and snow, quite as unseasonable as it is -disagreeable. The white snow with which a fierce wind has bespattered -the cliffs gives a very un-June-like aspect to the prospect from the -deck. The wind is southerly, and the waves, coming into the bay with no -other resistance than that given by a few icebergs, begin to shake the -ice about the schooner, and we can see the pulsations of the seas in -the old fire-hole. I should not much relish seeing the ice crumbling to -pieces about us in the midst of such a storm. - - June 27th. - -The storm continues,--occasional rain, mixed up with a great deal of -hail. The scene from the deck, to seaward, was so wild that I was -tempted to the nearest island, (the only one of the three not in open -water,) to get a better view of it. I had much trouble facing the wind, -and was nearly blown into the sea, and the hail cut the face terribly. -The little flowers, which had been seduced by the warm sun of last week -into unveiling their modest faces, seemed shrinking and dejected. - -I was, however, repaid for some discomfort by the scene which I have -brought back in my memory, and which is to go down on a sheet of clean -white paper that is now drying on a drawing-board which I owe to -McCormick's ingenuity. I have not seen the equal of this storm except -once--a memorable occasion--last year, when we were fighting our way -into Smith Sound. The wind seemed, as it did then, fairly to shovel the -water up and pitch it through the air, until it had to stop from sheer -exhaustion, and then I could see away off under a dark cloud a vast -multitude of white specks creeping from the gloom, and moving along -in solid phalanx, magnifying as they came, and charging the icebergs, -hissing over their very summits, or breaking their heads upon the -islands, or wreaking their fury on the ice of the harbor, into which -their Titan touch opened many a gaping wound. - - June 28th. - -[Sidenote: FRESH EGGS.] - -The storm subsiding this morning, a party got a boat over the ice into -the water, and, pulling to the outer island, brought back the first -fresh eggs of the season. Those of the little tern or sea-swallow -are the most delightful eggs that I have ever tasted. Those of the -eider-duck are, like the eggs of all other duck, not very palatable. -Knorr lit upon a patch of cochlearia which had just sprouted up -around the bird-nests of the last year, and no head of the first -spring lettuce was ever more enjoyed. I had a capital salad. The -islands promise to give us all the eggs we want, and we shall have -little more trouble in getting them than a housewife who sends to the -farm-yard. The ducks have plucked the first instalment of down from -their breasts, and Jensen has brought in a good-sized bagful of it. -The poor birds have been, I fear, robbed to little purpose, and will -have to pick themselves again. Jensen tells me that, upon the islands -near Upernavik, where he has often gone for eider-down, the male bird -is sometimes obliged to pluck off his handsome coat, to help out his -unhappy spouse, when she has been so often robbed that she can pluck no -more of the tender covering for her eggs from her naked breast. - - June 30th. - -Another rain-storm, during which half an inch of water has fallen. The -temperature has gone down to 38°. The ice is loosening, and threatens -to break up bodily. - - July 2d. - -[Sidenote: UPHEAVAL OF THE GREENLAND COAST.] - -I have been occupied during the past two days with running a set of -levels from the harbor across to the fiord and with plotting the -terraces. These terraces are twenty-three in number and rise very -regularly to an altitude of one hundred and ten feet above the mean -tide-level. The lowest rises thirty-two feet higher than the tide, but -above this they climb up with great regularity. They are composed of -small pebbles rounded by water action. - -[Sidenote: GEOLOGICAL CHANGES.] - -Of these terraces I have frequently made mention in this journal, and -their existence in all similar localities has been before remarked. -They have much geological interest, as illustrating the gradual -upheaval of that part of Greenland lying north of latitude 76°; and -the interest attaching to them is heightened when viewed in connection -with the corresponding depression which has taken place, even within -the period of Christian occupation, in southern Greenland. These -evidences of the sinking of the Greenland coast from about Cape York, -southward, are too well known to need any comment in this place; but -I may dwell, for a few moments, upon the evidences of rising of the -coast here and northward. At many conspicuous points, where the current -is swift and the ice is pressed down upon the land with great force -and rapidity, the rocks are worn away until they are as smooth and -polished as the surface of a table,--a fact which may at any time be -observed by looking down through the clear water. This smoothness of -the rock continues above the sea, to an elevation which I have not been -able with positive accuracy to determine in any locality, but having a -general correspondence to the height of the terraces at Port Foulke, -which, as before observed, rise one hundred and ten feet above the -sea-level. At Cairn Point the abrasion is very marked, and, where the -polished line of syenitic rock leaves off and the rough rock begins, -is quite clearly defined. This same condition also exists at Littleton -Island (or, rather, McGary Island, which lies immediately outside of -it) to an almost equally marked degree. I have before mentioned the -evidences of a similar elevation of the opposite coast found in the -terraced beaches of Grinnell Land. - -It is curious to observe here, actually taking place before our eyes, -those geological events which have transpired in southern latitudes -during the glacier epoch, not only in the abrasion of the rock as seen -at Cairn Point and elsewhere, but in the changes which they work in the -deeper sea. In this agency the ice-foot bears a conspicuous influence. -This ice-foot is but a shelf of ice, as it were, glued against the -shore, and is the winter-girdle of all the Arctic coasts. It is wide or -narrow as the shore slopes gently into the sea or meets it abruptly. It -is usually broken away toward the close of every summer, and the masses -of rock which have been hurled down upon it from the cliffs above are -carried away and dropped in the sea, when the raft has loosened from -the shore and drifted off, steadily melting as it floats. The amount -of rock thus transported to the ocean is immense, and yet it falls -far short of that which is carried by the icebergs; the rock and sand -imbedded in which, as they lay in the parent glacier, being sometimes -sufficient to bear them down under the weight until but the merest -fragment rises above the surface. As the berg melts, the rocks and sand -fall to the bottom of the ocean; and, if the place of their deposit -should one day rise above the sea-level, some geological student -of future ages may, perhaps, be as much puzzled to know how they -came there as those of the present generation are to account for the -boulders of the Connecticut valley. - - July 3d. - -[Sidenote: A WALRUS HUNT.] - -I have had a walrus hunt and a most exciting day's sport. Much ice has -broken adrift and come down the Sound, during the past few days; and, -when the sun is out bright and hot, the walrus come up out of the water -to sleep and bask in the warmth on the pack. Being upon the hill-top -this morning to select a place for building a cairn, my ear caught the -hoarse bellowing of numerous walrus; and, upon looking over the sea I -observed that the tide was carrying the pack across the outer limit of -the bay, and that it was alive with the beasts, which were filling the -air with such uncouth noises. Their numbers appeared to be even beyond -conjecture, for they extended as far as the eye could reach, almost -every piece of ice being covered. There must have been, indeed, many -hundreds or even thousands. - -Hurrying from the hill, I called for volunteers, and quickly had a -boat's crew ready for some sport. Putting three rifles, a harpoon, and -a line into one of the whale-boats, we dragged it over the ice to the -open water, into which it was speedily launched. - -We had about two miles to pull before the margin of the pack was -reached. On the cake of ice to which we first came, there were perched -about two dozen animals; and these we selected for the attack. They -covered the raft almost completely, lying huddled together, lounging -in the sun or lazily rolling and twisting themselves about, as if to -expose some fresh part of their unwieldy bodies to the warmth,--great, -ugly, wallowing sea-hogs, they were evidently enjoying themselves, and -were without apprehension of approaching danger. We neared them slowly, -with muffled oars. - -As the distance between us and the game steadily narrowed, we began to -realize that we were likely to meet with rather formidable antagonists. -Their aspect was forbidding in the extreme, and our sensations were -perhaps not unlike those which the young soldier experiences who hears -for the first time the order to charge the enemy. We should all, very -possibly, have been quite willing to retreat had we dared own it. -Their tough, nearly hairless hides, which are about an inch thick, -had a singularly iron-plated look about them, peculiarly suggestive -of defense; while their huge tusks, which they brandished with an -appearance of strength that their awkwardness did not diminish, looked -like very formidable weapons of offense if applied to a boat's planking -or to the human ribs, if one should happen to find himself floundering -in the sea among the thick-skinned brutes. To complete the hideousness -of a facial expression which the tusks rendered formidable enough in -appearance, Nature had endowed them with broad flat noses, which were -covered all over with stiff whiskers, looking much like porcupine -quills, and extending up to the edge of a pair of gaping nostrils. The -use of these whiskers is as obscure as that of the tusks; though it is -probable that the latter may be as well weapons of offense and defense -as for the more useful purpose of grubbing up from the bottom of the -sea the mollusks which constitute their principal food. There were two -old bulls in the herd who appeared to be dividing their time between -sleeping and jamming their tusks into each other's faces, although -they appeared to treat the matter with perfect indifference, as they -did not seem to make any impression on each other's thick hides. As we -approached, these old fellows--neither of which could have been less -than sixteen feet long, nor smaller in girth than a hogs-head--raised -up their heads, and, after taking a leisurely survey of us, seemed to -think us unworthy of further notice; and, then punching each other -again in the face, fell once more asleep. This was exhibiting a degree -of coolness rather alarming. If they had showed the least timidity, we -should have found some excitement in extra caution; but they seemed to -make so light of our approach that it was not easy to keep up the bold -front with which we had commenced the adventure. But we had come quite -too far to think of backing out; so we pulled in and made ready for the -fray. - -Beside the old bulls, the group contained several cows and a few calves -of various sizes,--some evidently yearlings, others but recently born, -and others half or three quarters grown. Some were without tusks, while -on others they were just sprouting; and above this they were of all -sizes up to those of the big bulls, which had great curved cones of -ivory, nearly three feet long. At length we were within a few boats' -lengths of the ice-raft, and the game had not taken alarm. They had -probably never seen a boat before. Our preparations were made as we -approached. The walrus will always sink when dead, unless held up by a -harpoon-line; and there were therefore but two chances for us to secure -our game--either to shoot the beast dead on the raft, or to get a -harpoon well into him after he was wounded, and hold on to him until he -was killed. As to killing the animal where he lay, that was not likely -to happen, for the thick skin destroys the force of the ball before it -can reach any vital part, and indeed, at a distance, actually flattens -it; and the skull is so heavy that it is hard to penetrate with an -ordinary bullet, unless the ball happens to strike through the eye. - -To Miller, a cool and spirited fellow, who had been after whales on -the "nor-west coast," was given the harpoon, and he took his station -at the bows; while Knorr, Jensen, and myself kept our places in the -stern-sheets, and held our rifles in readiness. Each selected his -animal, and we fired in concert over the heads of the oarsmen. As soon -as the rifles were discharged, I ordered the men to "give way," and the -boat shot right among the startled animals as they rolled off pell-mell -into the sea. Jensen had fired at the head of one of the bulls, and -hit him in the neck; Knorr killed a young one, which was pushed off in -the hasty scramble and sank; while I planted a minie-ball somewhere -in the head of the other bull and drew from him a most frightful -bellow,--louder, I venture to say, than ever came from wild bull of -Bashan. When he rolled over into the water, which he did with a splash -that sent the spray flying all over us, he almost touched the bows of -the boat and gave Miller a good opportunity to get in his harpoon, -which he did in capital style. - -The alarmed herd seemed to make straight for the bottom, and the line -spun out over the gunwale at a fearful pace; but, having several coils -in the boat, the end was not reached before the animals began to rise, -and we took in the slack and got ready for what was to follow. The -strain of the line whipped the boat around among some loose fragments -of ice, and the line having fouled among it, we should have been in -great jeopardy had not one of the sailors promptly sprung out, cleared -the line, and defended the boat. - -In a few minutes the whole herd appeared at the surface, about fifty -yards away from us, the harpooned animal being among them. Miller held -fast to his line, and the boat was started with a rush. The coming up -of the herd was the signal for a scene which baffles description. They -uttered one wild concerted shriek, as if an agonized call for help; and -then the air was filled with answering shrieks. The "huk! huk! huk!" -of the wounded bulls seemed to find an echo everywhere, as the cry -was taken up and passed along from floe to floe, like the bugle-blast -passed from squadron to squadron along a line of battle; and down from -every piece of ice plunged the startled beasts, as quickly as the -sailor drops from his hammock when the long-roll beats to quarters. -With their ugly heads just above the water, and with mouths wide open, -belching forth the dismal "huk! huk! huk!" they came tearing toward the -boat. - -In a few moments we were completely surrounded, and the numbers kept -multiplying with astonishing rapidity. The water soon became alive and -black with them. - -They seemed at first to be frightened and irresolute, and for a time it -did not seem that they meditated mischief; but this pleasing prospect -was soon dissipated, and we were forced to look well to our safety. - -[Illustration: WALRUS HUNT] - -That they meditated an attack there could no longer be a doubt. To -escape the onslaught was impossible. We had raised a hornet's nest -about our ears in a most astonishingly short space of time, and we must -do the best we could. Even the wounded animal to which we were fast -turned upon us, and we became the focus of at least a thousand gaping, -bellowing mouths. - -It seemed to be the purpose of the walrus to get their tusks over the -gunwale of the boat, and it was evident that, in the event of one -such monster hooking on to us, the boat would be torn in pieces and -we would be left floating in the sea helpless. We had good motive -therefore to be active. Miller plied his lance from the bows, and -gave many a serious wound. The men pushed back the onset with their -oars, while Knorr, Jensen, and myself loaded and fired our rifles as -rapidly as we could. Several times we were in great jeopardy, but the -timely thrust of an oar, or the lance, or a bullet saved us. Once I -thought we were surely gone. I had fired, and was hastening to load; -a wicked-looking brute was making at us, and it seemed probable that -he would be upon us. I stopped loading, and was preparing to cram my -rifle down his throat, when Knorr, who had got ready his weapon, sent a -fatal shot into his head. Again, an immense animal, the largest that I -had ever seen and with tusks apparently three feet long, was observed -to be making his way through the herd with mouth wide open, bellowing -dreadfully. I was now as before busy loading; Knorr and Jensen had just -discharged their pieces, and the men were well engaged with their oars. -It was a critical moment, but, happily, I was in time. The monster, -his head high above the boat, was within two feet of the gunwale, when -I raised my piece and fired into his mouth. The discharge killed him -instantly, and he went down like a stone. - -This ended the fray. I know not why, but the whole herd seemed suddenly -to take alarm, and all dove down with a tremendous splash almost at the -same instant. When they came up again, still shrieking as before, they -were some distance from us, their heads all now pointed seaward, making -from us as fast as they could go, their cries growing more and more -faint as they retreated in the distance. - -We must have killed at least a dozen, and mortally wounded as many -more. The water was in places red with blood, and several half-dead -and dying animals lay floating about us. The bull to which we were -made fast pulled away with all his might after the retreating herd, -but his strength soon became exhausted; and, as his speed slackened, -we managed to haul in the line, and finally approached him so nearly -that our rifle-balls took effect, and Miller at length gave him the -_coup de grace_ with his lance. We then drew him to the nearest piece -of ice, and I had soon a fine specimen to add to my Natural History -collections. Of the others we secured only one; the rest had died and -sunk before we reached them. - -I have never before regarded the walrus as a really formidable animal; -but this contest convinces me that I have done their courage great -injustice. They are full of fight; and, had we not been very active and -self-possessed, our boat would have been torn to pieces, and we either -drowned or killed. A more fierce attack than that which they made -upon us could hardly be imagined, and a more formidable looking enemy -than one of these huge monsters, with his immense tusks and bellowing -throat, would be difficult to find. Next time I try them I will arm my -boat's crew with lances. The rifle is a poor reliance, and, but for the -oars, the herd would have been on top of us at any time. - - July 4th. - -[Sidenote: THE "GLORIOUS FOURTH."] - -The "glorious Fourth" gives us a sorry greeting--rain and hail and snow -are unusual accompaniments to this national holiday. The thermometer -has gone down almost to the freezing point; but, nevertheless, we have -fired our salute, and have displayed our bunting, as in duty bound. -Thanks to the hunters, we have had a good dinner of venison and birds, -winding up with a cochlearia salad; and if we lacked the oration, we -did not the less turn our thoughts to the ever dear land, where all -are gay,--all alike forgetting for the time their differences of party -creeds and party interests, unite together under the nation's broad -banner, to hail the returning dawn of its wonderful career, and to -drink bumpers to fraternal union. God bless the day! - - July 7th. - -I have been up to Littleton Island for three days, watching the ice, -hunting, etc. We caught another walrus and had another fight, but this -time we had fewer enemies, and drove them off very quickly. - -Littleton and McGary Islands are literally swarming with birds, chiefly -eider-ducks and burgomasters. There was no end to the number that -could have been shot. The eggs have nearly all chicks in them, but -fortunately we have already collected from the islands of the harbor -a good supply. I found a flock of brant-geese, but could not discover -their nests. The burgomaster-gulls are very numerous, but there were -no ivory or other gulls, as I had hoped to find. They do not appear to -come so far north. - -[Sidenote: PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE.] - -The open water has made still further inroads upon the ice. The -islands are all now in the open sea, and it is but a few rods from -the ship to its margin. The ice still clings tightly to the schooner, -notwithstanding all our efforts to free her. In anticipation of a -southerly swell setting into the harbor and breaking the ice, I -have had the men at work for several days sawing a crack across the -harbor from the vessel's fore-foot in the one direction, and from the -stern-post in the other. The ice is now only 4½ feet thick. - -The sails are all bent on, the hawsers are brought on board, our depot -ashore is completed, and we are ready for any fortune. If blown with -the ice out to sea, we are fully prepared. - -Upon the hill-top of the north side of the harbor we have constructed a -cairn, and under it I have deposited a brief record of the voyage. The -Observatory I leave standing, and Kalutunah engages that the Esquimaux -will not disturb it during my absence. All of them who have been here -are so amply enriched that I think I ought to rely upon their good -faith; yet the wood will be valuable to them, and these poor savages -are not the only people who find it hard to resist temptation. - - July 9th. - -I have paid another visit to Chester Valley, and have had adieu to -"Brother John." If the latter continues to grow until I come again, the -stakes which I have stuck into its back will show some useful results. -The valley was clothed in the full robes of summer. The green slopes -were sparkling with flowers, and the ice had wholly disappeared from -Alida Lake. Jensen shot some birds and tried hard to catch a deer, and -while thus engaged I secured a yellow-winged butterfly, and--who would -believe it?--a mosquito. And these I add to an entymological collection -which already numbers ten moths, three spiders, two humble-bees, and -two flies,--a pretty good proportion of the genus _Insecta_ for this -latitude, 78° 17′ N., longitude 73° W. - - July 10th. - -A heavy swell is setting into the harbor from the southwest. There has -evidently been a strong southerly wind outside, although it has been -blowing but lightly here. The ice has been breaking up through the day, -and crack after crack is opening across the harbor. If it lasts twelve -hours longer we will be liberated. It is a sort of crisis, and may be -a dangerous one. The crashing of the ice is perfectly frightful. The -schooner still holds fast in her cradle. - - July 11th. - -[Sidenote: AFLOAT AGAIN!] - -We have passed through a day of much excitement, and are yet not free -from it. The seas continuing to roll in, more cracks opened across -the harbor, until the swell at length reached the vessel. Late this -afternoon, after more than thirty-six hours of suspense, the ice opened -close beside us, and after a few minutes another split came diagonally -across the vessel. This was what I had feared, and it was to prevent -it that I had sawed across the harbor. The ice was, however, quickly -loosened from the bows, but held by the stern, and the wrenches given -the schooner by the first few movements made every timber of her fairly -creak again; but finally the sawed crack came to the rescue, and, -separating a little, the schooner gave a lurch to port, which loosened -the ice from under the counter, and we were really afloat, but grinding -most uncomfortably, and are grinding still. - - July 12th. - -[Sidenote: WAITING FOR A WIND.] - -The swell has subsided, the storm clouds have cleared away, and the -tide is scattering the ice out over the sea. We are fairly and truly -afloat, and once more cannot leave the deck without a boat. It is just -ten months to a day since we were locked up, during which time our -little craft has been a house rather than a ship. We are glad to feel -again the motion of the sea; and "man the boat" seems a novel order to -give when one wants to go ashore. We await only a wind to send us to -sea. - - July 13th. - -Still calm, and we are lying quietly among the ice which so lately -held us prisoners. I have been ashore, taking leave of my friends the -Esquimaux. They have pitched their tents near by, and, poor fellows! I -am truly sorry to leave them. They have all been faithful, each in his -way, and they have done me most important service. The alacrity with -which they have placed their dogs at my disposal (and without these -dogs I could have done absolutely nothing) is the strongest proof that -they could give me of their devotion and regard; for their dogs are to -them invaluable treasures, without which they have no security against -want and starvation, to themselves and their wives and children. True, -I have done them some good, and have given them presents of great -value, yet nothing can supply the place of a lost dog; and out of all -that I obtained from them, there were but two animals that survived the -hardships of my spring journey. These I have returned to their original -owners. I have given them high hopes of my speedy return, and in this -prospect they appear to take consolation. - -It is sad to reflect upon the future of these strange people; and yet -they contemplate a fate which they view as inevitable, with an air -of indifference difficult to comprehend. The only person who seemed -seriously to feel any pang at the prospect of the desolation which -will soon come over the villages, is Kalutunah. This singular being--a -mixture of seriousness, good-nature, and intelligence--seems truly to -take pride in the traditions of his race, and to be really pained at -the prospect of their downfall. When I took his hand to-day and told -him that I would not come ashore any more, the tears actually started -to his eyes, and I was much touched with his earnest words,--it was -almost an entreaty,--"Come back and save us." Save them I would and -will, if I am spared to return; and I am quite sure that upon no beings -in the whole wide world could Christian love and Christian charity more -worthily fall. - - July 14th. - -[Sidenote: ADIEU TO PORT FOULKE.] - -Moving out to sea under full sail, with a light wind from the eastward. -We make little progress, but are able to pick our way among the loose -ice. As we pass along, I see shoals of old tin cans, dead dogs, piles -of ashes, and other débris of the winter, floating on ice-rafts upon -the sea,--relics of the ten months which are gone, with all its dreary -and all its pleasant memories. As I retreated from the deck, I saw the -Esquimaux standing on the beach, gazing after us; the little white -Observatory grew dim in the distance; and I have come below with a -kindly "Adieu, Port Foulke," lingering on the lip. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVII. - - LEAVING PORT FOULKE.--EFFORT TO REACH CAPE ISABELLA.--MEET THE PACK - AND TAKE SHELTER AT LITTLETON ISLAND.--HUNTING.--ABUNDANCE OF - BIRDS AND WALRUS.--VISIT TO CAIRN POINT.--REACHING THE WEST - COAST.--VIEW FROM CAPE ISABELLA.--PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.--OUR - RESULTS.--CHANCES OF REACHING THE POLAR SEA DISCUSSED.--THE - GLACIERS OF ELLESMERE LAND. - - -The schooner glided gently out to sea, but the wind soon died away and -the current carried us down into the lower bay, where we moored to a -berg, and I went ashore and got some good photographs of Little Julia's -Glen and Fall, Sonntag's Monument, Crystal Palace Glacier, and Cape -Alexander. - -Although doubtful as to the prospect ahead, I was determined not -to quit the field without making another attempt to reach the west -coast and endeavor to obtain some further information that might be -of service to me in the future. I had still a vague hope that, even -with my crippled vessel, some such good prospect might open before me -as would justify me in remaining. Accordingly, as soon as the wind -came, we cast off from the friendly berg, and held once more for Cape -Isabella. The wind rose to a fresh breeze as we crawled away from the -land, and the schooner, as if rejoiced at her newly acquired freedom, -bounded over the waters with her old swiftness. But, unhappily, a heavy -pack lay in our course, through which, had the schooner been strong, -a passage might have been forced; but as it could not be done without -frequent collisions with the ice, the intention was not entertained. -The pack was not more than ten miles from the Greenland shore, and I -therefore put back to Littleton Island, and from that point watched the -movements of the ice. - -[Sidenote: AT LITTLETON ISLAND.] - -We found a convenient anchorage between Littleton and McGary Islands, -and we reached it just in time; for a severe gale, with thick snow, -set in from the northward as I had anticipated from the appearance -of the sky, and held for several days. Meanwhile the people amused -themselves with hunting. A herd of deer was discovered on Littleton -Island, and the walrus were very numerous. Four of the latter were -captured,--this time, however, not from a boat, but by Hans, in the -true Esquimau style. They came along the shore in great numbers, lying -upon the beach in the sun, where Hans approached them stealthily, and -got fast to them one by one with his harpoon. The line being secured -to a rock, the animals were held until they were exhausted, and then -drawn in, when they soon became a prey to the rifles. Wishing to obtain -a young one for a specimen, I joined the hunters; and, selecting from -the herd which lay upon the rocks one to suit my purposes, I fired upon -and killed it. The others plunged quickly into the water. The mother of -the dead calf was the last to leave the rock, and seemed to do so very -reluctantly. In a few moments she came to the surface, and, wheeling -around, discovered the young one still lying upon the rock. Finding -that it did not answer to her cries, she rushed frantically into the -face of danger, and in full view of the cause of her woes, (for I had -approached very near the spot,) the unhappy creature, intent only -upon rescuing her offspring, drew herself out of the water, crying -piteously all the while, and, crawling around it, pushed it before her -into the sea. I endeavored first to frighten her off, and then tried -to arrest her, and save my specimen, with a fresh bullet; but all to -no effect. Although badly wounded, she succeeded in her purpose, and, -falling upon the dead calf with her breast, carried it down with her, -and I saw them no more. I have never seen a stronger or more touching -instance of the devotion of mother to its young, among dumb animals, -and it came from a quarter wholly unexpected. - -Having leisure while the snow-storm lasted, I went up to Cairn Point -to see how the ice appeared from that place. After waiting there for a -day, the atmosphere cleared up, and I could see with much distinctness -to Cape Isabella. The line of the solid ice extended in a somewhat -irregular curve up the Sound from that cape to a few miles above Cairn -Point. The sea thence down into the North Water was filled with a loose -pack. - -[Sidenote: AT CAPE ISABELLA.] - -The day after my return we put to sea. The pack being now much -scattered, we entered it and penetrated to the margin of the fast ice -without difficulty. In two days we reached the coast near Gale Point, -about ten miles below Cape Isabella. Thence to the cape I went in a -whale-boat; but the cape itself could not be passed; so we hauled into -the first convenient bight, and climbed the hill. The view convinced -me, if I was not convinced already, of the folly of attempting any -thing further with the schooner. I no longer hesitated, even in -thought. My opinions were thus recorded at the time:-- - - "I am fully persuaded, if there still remained a lingering doubt, - of the correctness of my decision to return home, and come out next - year strengthened and refitted with steam. If my impulses lead me - to try conclusions once more with the ice, my judgment convinces - me that it would be at the risk of every thing. As well use a - Hudson-river steamboat for a battering-ram as this schooner, with - her weakened bows, to encounter the Smith Sound ice. - - "I have secured the following important advantages for the future, - and, with these I must, perforce, rest satisfied, for the present:-- - -[Sidenote: RESULTS OF THE VOYAGE.] - - "1. I have brought my party through without sickness, and have thus - shown that the Arctic winter of itself breeds neither scurvy nor - discontent. - - "2. I have shown that men may subsist themselves in Smith Sound - independent of support from home. - - "3. That a self-sustaining colony may be established at Port - Foulke, and be made the basis of an extended exploration. - - "4. That the exploration of this entire region is practicable from - Port Foulke,--having from that starting-point pushed my discoveries - much beyond those of my predecessors, without any second party - in the field to coöperate with me, and under the most adverse - circumstances. - - "5. That, with a reasonable degree of certainty, it is shown that, - with a strong vessel, Smith Sound may be navigated and the open sea - reached beyond it. - - "6. I have shown that the open sea exists. - -[Sidenote: RESOURCES OF PORT FOULKE.] - - "And now, having proven this much, I shall return to Boston, repair - the schooner, get a small steamer, and come back as early next - spring as I can. The schooner I will leave at Port Foulke; and, - remaining there only long enough to see the machinery set in motion - for starting the hunt, collecting the Esquimaux, and establishing - the discipline of the colony, I will seek Cape Isabella, and thence - steam northward by the route already designated. If I cannot reach - the open sea in one season, I may the next; in any event, I shall - always have at Port Foulke a productive source of food and furs, - and a vessel to carry them to Cape Isabella, upon which I may fall - back; and if I need dogs, they will be reared at the colony in - any numbers that may be required. Besides, if in this exploration - I should be deficient in means, and the expedition should be - hereafter left entirely to its own resources, a sufficient profit - may be made out of the colony in oils, furs, walrus ivory, eider - down, etc., to pay at least a very considerable proportion of the - wages of the employés, beside subsisting them. The whole region - around Port Foulke is teeming with animal life, and one good hunter - could feed twenty mouths. Both my winter and summer experience - proves the correctness of this opinion. The sea abounds in walrus, - seal, narwhal, and white whale; the land in reindeer and foxes; the - islands and the cliffs, in summer, swarm with birds; and the ice is - the roaming-ground of the bears." - -Thus much for the future; let me now come back to the present. - -Inglefield has very correctly exhibited the expansion of Smith Sound, -as I have had most excellent opportunity for observing, both in my -passage over, and from Cape Isabella. He has placed some of the capes -too far north, and his local attraction, probably, has caused a slight -error in the axis of the Sound. His Victoria Head is the eastern cape -of my Bache Island, and his Cape Albert is the eastern cape of Henry -Island. - -[Sidenote: CAPE ISABELLA.] - -The view up the Sound from Cape Isabella was truly magnificent. The -dark, wall-sided coast, rendered more dark in appearance by the -contrast with the immense cloak of whiteness that lay above it, was -relieved by numerous glaciers, which pour through the valleys to the -sea. The _mer de glace_ is of great extent, and, rising much more -rapidly and being more broken, gives a picturesque effect not belonging -to the Greenland side, and adds much to the grandeur of its appearance. -The mountains are lofty, and are everywhere uniformly covered with -ice and snow; and the glacier streams which descend to the sea convey -the impression almost as if there had once been a vast lake on the -mountain-top, from which the overflowing waters, pouring down every -valley, had been suddenly congealed. - -Off Cape Sabine there are two islands, which I name Brevoort and -Stalknecht; and another, midway between them and Wade Point, which I -name Leconte. A deep inlet running parallel with the Cadogen Inlet of -Captain Inglefield, fringed all around with glaciers set into the dark -rocks like brilliants into a groundwork of jet, opens between Wade -Point and Cape Isabella. I leave the naming of it until I see whether -Inglefield has not a bay set down there, as I have not with me the -official map of his explorations. - -Cape Isabella is a ragged mass of Plutonic rock, and looks as if it had -been turned out of Nature's laboratory unfinished and pushed up from -the sea while it was yet hot, to crack and crumble to pieces in the -cold air. Its surface is barren to the last degree; immense chasms or -cañons cross it in all directions, in which there was not the remotest -trace of vegetation,--great yawning depths with jagged beds and -crumbling sides,--sunless as the Cimerian caverns of Avernus. - -[Sidenote: A "DIAMOND OF THE DESERT."] - -As I clambered over crag after crag, I thought that I had not in the -summer-time anywhere lit upon a place so devoid of life; but, as if -to compensate for this barrenness, or through some freak of Nature, a -charming cup-like valley nestled among the forbidding hills, and upon -it I stumbled suddenly. Balboa could hardly have been more surprised -when he climbed the hills of Darien and first saw the Pacific Ocean. It -was truly a "Diamond of the Desert," and the little hermitage in the -wilderness of Engadi was not a more pleasing sight to the Knight of the -Couchant Leopard than was this to me. - -The few hardy plants which I had found in all other localities had -failed to find a lodgment upon the craggy slopes of this rough cape, -and the rocks stood up in naked barrenness, without the little fringe -of vegetation which usually girdles them elsewhere; but down into this -valley the seeds of life had been wafted; the grass and moss clothed -it with green; and the poppies and buttercups sprinkled it over with -leaves of gold. In its centre reposed a little sparkling lake, like a -diamond in an emerald setting--a little "charmed sea," truly, - - "Girt by mountains wild and hoary;" - -and weird and wonderful as any that ever furnished theme for Norland -legend. - -From the lower margin of this lake a stream rushed in a series of -cascades through a deep gorge to the sea, and from the valley a number -of little rivulets gurgled among the stones, or wound gently through -the soft moss-beds. Tracing one of these to its source, I came upon -a glen which was terminated abruptly by a glacier, appearing at a -little distance like a draped curtain of white satin drawn across the -narrow passage, as if to screen some sacred chamber of the hills. As I -approached nearer this white curtain assumed more solid shape, and I -observed that a multitude of bright fountains fluttered over it. Near -its centre a narrow Gothic archway led into a spacious grotto filled -with a soft cerulean light, fretted with pendants of most fantastic -shape and of rare transparency, which were reflected, as in a silver -mirror, on the still surface of a limped pool, from which gushed forth -a crystal rivulet, pure and sparkling as the cypress-embowered waters -that laved the virgin limbs of the huntress-queen. - -[Sidenote: A GLACIER GROTTO.] - -While peering into the deep recesses of this wonderful cave, so chaste -and exquisite, where solitude appeared to dwell alone and undisturbed -except by the soft music of streams, I became suddenly conscious of -having been enticed into danger, Actæon-like, unawares. A mass of ice -broke from the glacier front and, splitting into numerous fragments, -the shower came crushing down upon the rocks and in the water near -me, and sent me flying precipitately and with my curiosity still -unsatisfied. - -Returning to the lake, I followed around its green border, plucking, -as I went, a nosegay of bright flowers, which have so pleasing -an association that they will not find place in the "botanical -collections," but, rather, in another collection,--mementos, if less -prized, more cherished; and the recollection which I shall carry with -me of this charming valley, and the silvery lake, and the gushing -rivulets, and the grottoed glacier, will be enhanced when I name them -in remembrance of the fairest forms that ever flitted across the memory -of storm-beaten traveler, and the fairest fingers that ever turned -Afghan wool into a cunning device to brighten the light of a dingy -cabin! - - * * * * * - -[Sidenote: TRACES OF ESQUIMAUX.] - -[Sidenote: THE MER DE GLACE.] - -Upon going ashore at Gale Point, I discovered traces of Esquimaux much -more recent than those at Gould Bay and other places on the shores of -Grinnell Land. Indeed they were of such a character as to cause me -strongly to suspect that the shore is at present inhabited. The cliffs -are composed of a dark sandstone which, to the northward of the Point, -breaks suddenly away into a broad plain that slopes gently down to -the water's edge. This plain is about five miles wide, and is bounded -at the north much as at the south, by lofty cliffs, which rise above -the primitive rocks back of Cape Isabella. The plain was composed of -loose shingle, covered over in many places with large patches of green, -through which flowed a number of broad streams of water. These streams -sprang from the front of a glacier which bulged down the valley from -the _mer de glace_. It was about four miles from the sea, and bounded -the green and stony slope with a great white wall several hundred feet -high, above which the snow-covered steep of the _mer de glace_ led the -eye away up to the bald summits of the distant mountains. As I looked -up at this immense stream of ice it seemed as if a dozen Niagaras had -been bounding together into the valley and were frozen in their fall, -and the discharging waters of the river below had dried up, and flowers -bloomed in the river-bed. My journal compares it to a huge white sheet, -hung upon a cord stretched from cliff to cliff. - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXVIII. - - LEAVING SMITH SOUND.--CROSSING THE NORTH WATER.--MEETING THE - PACK.--THE SEA AND AIR TEEMING WITH LIFE.--REMARKABLE - REFRACTION.--REACHING WHALE SOUND.--SURVEYING IN A BOAT.--THE - SOUND TRACED TO ITS TERMINATION.--MEETING ESQUIMAUX AT - ITEPLIK.--HABITS OF THE ESQUIMAUX.--MARRIAGE CEREMONY.--THE - DECAY OF THE TRIBE.--VIEW OF BARDEN BAY.--TYNDALL GLACIER. - - -The ice coming in at length with an easterly wind, and being unable to -find any harbor (Cadogen Inlet was completely filled with ice), we had -no alternative but to stand away to the south; and this we did at a -fortunate moment, for the ice crowded in against the shore with great -rapidity; and, had we waited longer, we should have been unable to -escape, and would have been driven upon the beach by the irresistible -pack. - -We carried the wind along with us down the coast until we reached below -Talbot Inlet, when we came upon a heavy pack, and held our course -for Whale Sound, which I was desirous of exploring. Passing close to -the land, I had an excellent opportunity for observing the coast and -perfecting the chart, especially of Cadogen and Talbot Inlets, both of -which were traced around their entire circuit. The coast is everywhere -bristling with glaciers. A large island lies below Talbot Inlet, inside -of the Mittie Island of Captain Inglefield, and not before laid down. - -[Sidenote: A RARE DAY.] - -[Sidenote: ARCTIC MIRAGE.] - -Skirting the northern margin of the ice, we made a course to the -northeastward, across the North Water, through one of the most -charming days that I have spent under the Arctic skies. There was but -the feeblest "cat's-paw" to ruffle the sea, and we glided on our way -over the still waters through a bright sunshine. The sea was studded -all over with glittering icebergs and bits of old floes, and here and -there a small streak of ice which had become detached from the pack. -The beasts of the sea and the fowls of the air gathered around us, and -the motionless water and the quiet atmosphere were alive. The walrus -came snorting and bellowing through the sea as if to have a look at us; -the seals in great numbers were continually putting up their cunning -heads all around the vessel; the narwhal in large schools, "blowing" -lazily, thrust their horns out of the sea, and their dappled bodies -followed after with a graceful curve, as if they enjoyed the sunshine -and were loathe to quit it; great numbers of white whale darted -past us; the air and the icebergs swarmed with gulls; and flocks of -ducks and auks were flying over us all the time. I sat upon the deck -much of the day, trying, with indifferent success, to convey to my -portfolio the exquisite green tints of the ice which drifted past us, -and watching a most singular phenomenon in the heavens. These Arctic -skies do sometimes play fantastic tricks, and on no occasion have I -witnessed the exhibition to such perfection. The atmosphere had a -rare softness, and throughout almost the entire day there was visible -a most remarkable mirage or refraction,--an event of very frequent -occurrence during the calm days of the Arctic summer. The entire -horizon was lifting and doubling itself continually, and objects at a -great distance beyond it rose as if by strange enchantment and stood -suspended in the air, changing shape with each changing moment. -Distant icebergs and floating ice-fields, and coast-lines and mountains -were thus brought into view; sometimes preserving for a moment their -natural shapes, then widening or lengthening, rising and falling as the -wind fluttered or fell calm over the sea. The changes were as various -as the dissolving images of a kaleidoscope, and every form of which the -imagination could conceive stood out against the sky. At one moment -a sharp spire, the prolonged image of a distant mountain-peak, would -shoot up; and this would fashion itself into a cross, or a spear, or -a human form, and would then die away, to be replaced by an iceberg -which appeared as a castle standing upon the summit of a bill, and the -ice-fields coming up with it flanked it on either side, seeming at one -moment like a plain dotted with trees and animals; again, as rugged -mountains; and then, breaking up after a while, disclosing a long line -of bears and dogs and birds and men dancing in the air, and skipping -from the sea to the skies. To picture this strange spectacle were an -impossible task. There was no end to the forms which appeared every -instant, melting into other shapes as suddenly. For hours we watched -the "insubstantial pageant," until a wind from the north ruffled the -sea; when, with its first breath, the whole scene melted away as -quickly as the "baseless fabric" of Prospero's "vision;" and from -watching these dissolving images, and wooing the soft air, we were, in -a couple of hours, thrashing to windward through a fierce storm of rain -and hail, under close-reefed sails. - -[Sidenote: LOST IN THE FOG.] - -We had some ugly knocking about and some narrow escapes in the thick -atmosphere, before we reached Whale Sound. A heavy pack, apparently -hanging upon the Carey Islands, drove us far up the North Water; and, -to get to our destination, we were obliged to hold in close to Hakluyt -Island. Here, the air having fallen calm, I pulled ashore; and, when we -set out to return, we found ourselves enveloped in a fog which caused -us some alarm. Observing its approach, we pulled to catch the schooner -before the dark curtain closed upon us, but were overtaken when almost -a mile away. Having no compass we became totally ignorant of which way -to steer; and, although we heard the ship's bell and an occasional -discharge of guns to attract our attention, yet, so deceptive is the -ear where the eye is not concerned in guiding it, that no two of us -caught the sound from the same direction; so we lay on our oars, and -trusted to fortune. After a while, a light wind sprung up; and the -schooner, getting under way, by the merest chance bore right upon us, -and came so suddenly in view out of the dark vapors that we had like to -have been run down before we could get headway on the boat. - -We had much difficulty, owing to the fogs, current, and icebergs, -in getting up Whale Sound; but, after much patient perseverance, we -arrived at length in Barden Bay, and came to anchor off the native -settlement of Netlik. - -The settlement was found to be deserted. The fog lifting next day, -disclosing much heavy ice, among which it would be dangerous to trust -the schooner, I took a whale-boat and pulled up the Sound. - -The Sound narrows steadily until a few miles beyond Barden Bay, where -the coasts run parallel until the waters terminate in a deep bay or -gulf, to which I gave the name of the enterprising navigator, Captain -Inglefield, who first passed the entrance to it. The coast on the north -side runs much further south than appears on the old charts; and two -conspicuous headlands, which Inglefield mistook for islands, I have -designated on my chart by the names which the supposed islands have -on his. A cluster of islands at the farther end of the gulf I called -Harvard Islands, in remembrance of the University at Cambridge, to -members of whose faculty I am indebted for many courteous attentions -while fitting out in Boston; and a range of noble mountains which -rise from the head of the gulf and with stately dignity overlook the -broad _mer de glace_, holding the vast ice-flood in check, I named the -Cambridge Hills. - -On the south side of the Sound, toward which the Harvard Islands seem -to trend, there are two prominent capes which I named respectively -Cape Banks and Cape Lincoln;[16] while two deep bays are designated -as Cope's Bay and Harrison Bay. Another, on the north side, I called -Armsby Bay. - -[Footnote 16: In honor of His Excellency N. P. Banks, Governor of -Massachusetts, and of His Honor F. W. Lincoln, Mayor of Boston, at the -time of my sailing, in 1860.] - -[Sidenote: AN ESQUIMAUX VILLAGE.] - -I had to regret that I could not reach the further end of the gulf. The -ice for about twenty miles remained quite solid and impenetrable, so -that I was obliged to draw back. Skirting along the southern coast we -came upon the village of Itiplik and found it inhabited by about thirty -people. They were living in seal-skin tents, three in number, and were -overjoyed to see us. Near by, there was a rookery of auks similar to -that near Port Foulke, which, together with the seal and walrus that -were observed to be very numerous in all parts of the Sound, furnished -them ample subsistence. There were in all nine families, but there was -no family that consisted of more than four persons,--the parents and -two children. The largest family that I have seen among them was that -of Kalutunah. Hans told me of several families of three children; and -Tattarat, now a lonely widower, lives on Northumberland Island, near -the auk-hill of that place, with three orphans; and his wife bore him -a fourth, which disappeared in some mysterious manner soon after its -mother died and while it was yet a babe at the breast. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU STATISTICS.] - -With the aid of Hans, I endeavored to get at a correct estimate of the -whole tribe, and, commencing with Cape York, took down their names. In -this community there can be no domestic secrets, and everybody knows -all about everybody else's business,--where they go for the summer, and -what luck they have had in hunting,--and talk and gossip about it and -about each other just as if they were civilized beings, having good -names to pick to pieces. But I strongly suspect that Hans grew tired of -my questioning and cross-questioning, and stopped short at seventy-two. -I have good reason to believe, however, that the tribe numbers more -nearly one hundred. I obtained a complete list of the deaths which -had taken place since Dr. Kane left them, in 1855. They amounted to -thirty-four; and, during that time, there had been only nineteen births. - -[Sidenote: ESQUIMAU MARRIAGE CEREMONY.] - -Their marriage engagements are, of necessity, mere matters of -convenience. Their customs allow of a plurality of wives; but among -this tribe, even if there were sufficient women, no hunter probably -could support two families. The marriage arrangement is made by the -parents, and the parties are fitted to each other as their ages best -suit. When a boy comes of age, he marries the first girl of suitable -years. There is no marriage ceremony further than that the boy is -required to carry off his bride by main force; for, even among these -blubber-eating people, the woman only saves her modesty by a sham -resistance, although she knows years beforehand that her destiny -is sealed and that she is to become the wife of the man from whose -embraces, when the nuptial day comes, she is obliged by the inexorable -law of public opinion to free herself if possible, by kicking and -screaming with might and main until she is safely landed in the hut of -her future lord, when she gives up the combat very cheerfully and takes -possession of her new abode. The betrothal often takes place at a very -early period of life and at very dissimilar ages. A bright-looking boy -named Arko, which means "The spear thrower," who is not over twelve -years of age, is engaged to a girl certainly of twenty, named Kartak, -"The girl with the large breasts." Why was this? I inquired. "There -is no other woman for him." I thought he looked rather dubious of his -future matrimonial prospects when I asked him how soon he proposed to -carry off this big-breasted bride. Two others, whom I judged to be -about ten years each, were to be married in this romantic style as soon -as the lover had caught his first seal. This, I was told, is the test -of manhood and maturity. - -I talked to the oldest hunter of the tribe, an ancient, -patriarchal-looking individual named Kesarsoak,--"He of the white -hairs,"--about the future of the tribe. The prospect to him was the -same as to Kalutunah,--"Our people have but a few more suns to live!" -Would they all come up to Etah if I should return, and stay there, and -bring guns and hunters? His answer was a prompt, "Yes." He told me, as -Kalutunah had done before, that Etah was the best hunting-place on the -coast, only the ice broke up so soon and was always dangerous; while -Whale Sound was frozen during nearly all the year, and gave the hunters -greater security. - -[Sidenote: TYNDALL GLACIER.] - -After returning to the schooner, I pulled up into Barden Bay, taking -with me the magnetic and surveying instruments and facilities for -completing my botanical and other collections, and for photographing -the fine scenery of the bay. Landing on its north shore, we found -the hill-side covered in many places with a richer green sward than -I had ever seen north of Upernavik, except once on a former occasion -at Northumberland Island. The slope was girdled with the same tall -cliffs which everywhere meet the eye along this coast; and the same -summer streams of melted snow tumbled over them, and down the slope -from the mountain sides. The day was quite calm and the sky almost -cloudless. The sun shone broadly upon us, and the temperature was 51°. -Immense schools of whales and walrus, with an occasional seal, were -sporting in the water; flocks of sea-fowl went careering about the -icebergs and through the air, and myriads of butterflies fluttered -among the flowers; while from the opposite side of the bay an immense -glacier,[17] whose face was almost buried in the sea, carried the eye -along a broad and winding valley, up steps of ice of giant height, and -over smooth plains of whiteness, around the base of the hills, until -at length the slope pierced the very clouds, and, reappearing above the -curling vapors, was lost in the blue canopy of the heavens. - -[Footnote 17: I have named this glacier in honor of Professor John -Tyndall.] - -[Sidenote: TYNDALL GLACIER.] - -Three glaciers were visible from my point of observation,--a small -one, to the right, barely touching the water, and hanging, as if in -suspensive agony, in a steep declivity; another, at the head of the -bay, was yet miles away from the sea; while before us, in the centre -of the bay, there came pouring down the rough and broken flood of -ice before alluded to, which, bulging far out into the bay, formed a -coast-line of ice over two miles long. - -The whole glacier system of Greenland was here spread out before me -in miniature. A lofty mountain ridge, like a whale's back, held in -check the expanding _mer de glace_, but a broad cleft cut it in twain, -and the stream before me had burst through the opening like cataract -rapids tumbling from the pent-up waters of a lake. The sublimity and -picturesqueness of the scene was greatly heightened by two parallel -rocky ridges, whose crests were to the left of the glacier. These -crests are trap-dykes, left standing fifty feet perhaps above the -sloping hill-side below them, by the wasting away of the sandstone -through which they have forced their way in some great convulsion of -Nature. - -On the day following, I visited this glacier and made a careful -examination of it, pulling first along its front in a boat and then -mounting to its surface. - -[Sidenote: GOTHIC GLACIER.] - -It would be difficult to imagine any thing more startling to the -imagination or more suggestive to the mind than the scene presented by -this two miles of ice coast-line, as I rowed along within a few fathoms -of it. The glacier was broken up into the most singular shapes, and -presented nothing of that uniformity usual to the glacier's face. It -was worn and wasted away until it seemed like the front of some vast -incongruous temple,--here a groined roof of some huge cathedral, and -there a pointed window or a Norman door-way deeply molded; while on -all sides were pillars round and fluted, and pendants dripping crystal -drops of the purest water, and all bathed in a soft, blue atmosphere. -Above these wondrous archways and galleries there was still preserved -the same Gothic character,--tall spires and pinnacles rose along the -entire front and multiplied behind them, and new forms met the eye -continually. The play of light and the magical softness of the color of -the sea and ice was perfectly charming, as the scene I have heretofore -described among the icebergs. Strange, there was nothing cold or -forbidding anywhere. The ice seemed to take the warmth which suffused -the air, and I longed to pull my boat far within the openings, and -paddle beneath the Gothic archways. The dangers from falling ice alone -prevented me from entering one of the largest of them. - -[Sidenote: GLACIER STREAM.] - -Pulling around to the west side of the glacier, I clambered up a steep -declivity over a pile of mud and rock, which the expanding and moving -ice had pushed out from its bed. Once at the top of this yielding -slope, the eye was met by a perfect forest of spires; but it was not -easy to get on the glacier itself. Along its margin, half in mud and -rock and half in ice, a torrent of dirty water came tearing along at -a furious pace, disclosing the laminated structure of the ice in a -very beautiful manner; and this was not easily crossed. At length, -however, I came to a spot where the chief feeder of this rushing stream -branched off at right angles, coming from the glacier itself, and I -had no difficulty in wading across above the junction of the two arms. -Following thence up the eastward branch as it dashed wildly down in a -succession of cataracts, cutting squarely across the laminæ or strata -(which lay at an angle of about 35°), I came at length to a place where -the ice was much disturbed, and rose by broken steps from the plain on -which I stood to the height of about one hundred and fifty feet, and -right out from this wall came the rushing torrent, hissing and foaming -from a monstrous tunnel, to which the Croton Aqueduct would be a pigmy. -It was a strange sight. The ice was perfectly pure and transparent; and -yet, out of its very heart, was pouring the muddy stream of which I -have made mention, and which, although the comparison is rather remote, -reminded me of the image which Virgil draws of the Tiber, when Æneas -first beheld its turbid waters, pouring out from beneath the bright and -lovely foliage which overspread it. - -The tunnel out of which the waters poured was about ten yards wide -and as many high, the supporting roof being composed of every form of -Gothic arch, fretted and fluted in the most marvelous manner, and pure -as the most stainless alabaster; yet the distant effect within the -tunnel was quite different,--the dark stream beneath being reflected -above; and truly, if I might be allowed to paraphrase a line of -Dryden,-- - - "The muddy bottom o'er the arch was thrown." - -I clambered within this tunnel as far as I could, along a slippery -shelf above the tumbling waters, until the light was almost shut out -behind me, but far enough to perceive that, on my right hand, other -tunnels discharged into this main sewer, as the underground culverts -which drain into the main artery the refuse of a city. - -[Sidenote: CLIMBING THE GLACIER.] - -Returning to the open air, I pursued my way up the glacier for a couple -of miles further, and discovered that this stream had its origin in the -mountain on the right, where the melting snows rolled over the rocky -slope, evidently by a newly formed channel, for the water was tearing -through moss-beds and deposits of sand and silt, and, rushing thence on -the glacier, tumbled headlong hundreds and hundreds of feet, down into -a yawning chasm. This chasm or crevasse no doubt extended to the bottom -of the glacier, and the water, after winding along the rocky bed under -the ice, finally has found its way into the cracks formed by the ice in -its descent over a steep and rugged declivity, and has slowly worn away -the tunnels or culverts which I have described. - -I had now come to the gorge in the mountain through which the glacier -descends to the sea. The view of the glacier from the margin is, -at this point, somewhat like what I fancy the _mer de glace_ at -Trélaporte, in the Alps, would be if the Grande Jorasse and Mont Tacul, -and the other mountains which form the cradle for the _glacier de -Léchaud_ and the _glacier du Géant_, and their tributaries, were all -leveled. Instead of the variety disclosed in the Alpine view, the eye -lights here upon one expanding stream instead of many streams, which -narrows as it approaches the pass until it is about two miles over; -thence descending the steep declivity to the sea, breaking up as it -moves over the rougher places in the manner before described. - -[Sidenote: GRANDEUR OF THE GLACIERS.] - -In all my glacier experience I had not seen any thing so fully -exhibiting the principles of glacier movement or so forcibly -illustrating the river-like character of the crystal stream. To scale -the glacier further was not in my power; but the eye climbed up, step -by step, through the mountain-pass to the giddy summit, and as the -imagination wandered from this icy pinnacle over sea and mountain, it -seemed to me that the world did not hold any more impressive evidence -of the greatness and the power of the Almighty hand; and I thought how -feeble were all the efforts of man in comparison. As I turned away and -commenced my descent, I found myself repeating these lines of Byron, -penned as his poet-fancy wandered up the ice-girdled steeps and over -the ice-crowned summits of the Alps:-- - - "... these are - The palaces of Nature, whose vast walls - Have pinnacled in clouds their snowy scalps, - And throned Eternity in icy halls - Of cold sublimity." - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration: TYNDALL GLACIER--WHALE SOUND - -(FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY DR. HAYES.)] - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIX. - - HOMEWARD BOUND.--ENTERING MELVILLE BAY.--ENCOUNTER WITH A - BEAR.--MEETING THE PACK.--MAKING THE "SOUTH WATER."--REACHING - UPERNAVIK.--THE NEWS.--TO GOODHAVEN.--LIBERALITY OF THE - DANISH GOVERNMENT AND THE GREENLAND OFFICIALS.--DRIVEN OUT - OF BAFFIN BAY BY A GALE.--CRIPPLED BY THE STORM AND FORCED - TO TAKE SHELTER IN HALIFAX.--HOSPITABLE RECEPTION.--ARRIVAL - IN BOSTON.--REALIZE THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.--THE - DETERMINATION.--CONCLUSION. - - -My story is soon ended. Having completed the exploration of Whale -Sound, we tripped our anchor and stood southward. The heavens were -bright and the air soft with a summer warmth; and as we glided down the -waveless waters, all sparkling with icebergs, watching the scene of our -adventures slowly sinking away behind us under the crimson trail of the -midnight sun, it seemed truly as if smooth seas and gentle winds had -come to invite us home. - -But this repose of the elements was of short duration. A dark curtain -rose after a while above the retreating hills, and sent us a parting -salute, in the shape of a storm of snow and wind, so that we were soon -obliged to gather in some of our canvas, and keep a sharp lookout. - -My purpose was to reach the "West Water," by making a course toward -Pond's Bay, then round the "middle ice" to the southward, and make an -easterly course for the Greenland coast. - -The atmosphere cleared up at length, but the wind held on fiercely. -Being from the north-northeast, it seemed to me then to favor an -easterly rather than a westerly passage; so, having reached a little -below the latitude of Cape York, on the meridian of 73° 40′ without -discovering any signs of ice, I changed my original purpose, and, -altering the course of the schooner, struck directly across Melville -Bay for Upernavik. The result proved the prudence of this change. -In twenty-four hours we ran down nearly two degrees of latitude, -and hauled in seven degrees of longitude, finding ourselves at noon -of August 10th in latitude 74° 19′, longitude 66°, without having -encountered any ice seriously to trouble us. The air still holding -clear, we had no difficulty in avoiding the bergs. - -The sea had by this time become very angry, and I was almost as anxious -as I had been the year before, when entering the bay from the south. -The atmosphere was, however, perfectly clear. - -[Sidenote: ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR.] - -While bounding along, logging ten knots an hour, we almost ran over -an immense polar bear, which was swimming in the open water, making a -fierce battle with the seas, and seemingly desirous of boarding us. -He was evidently much exhausted, and, seeing the vessel approach, -doubtless had made at her in search of safety. The unhappy beast had -probably allowed himself to be drifted off on an ice-raft which had -gone to pieces under him in the heavy seas. Although these polar bears -are fine swimmers, I much feared that the waves would in the end prove -too much for this poor fellow, as there was not a speck of ice in sight -on which he could find shelter. As we passed, he touched the schooner's -side, and Jensen, who had seized a rifle, was in the act of putting -an end to his career, when I arrested his hand. The beast was making -such a brave fight for his life that I would not see him shot, more -especially as the waves were running too high to lower a boat for his -carcass, without a risk which the circumstances did not warrant. - -[Sidenote: RECROSSING MELVILLE BAY.] - -The presence of this bear warned me that the pack could not be very -remote, and accordingly we shortened sail, and I took my old station -aloft on the fore-yard. Sure enough the pack was there, as was soon -evidenced by an "ice-blink," and in a little while we were close upon -it. Hauling by the wind, we skirted its margin for some time without -discovering any termination to it; and, the ice appearing to be very -loose and rotten, I stood away again on our southerly course, and -entered the first favorable lead. It was something of a venture, as we -could not, although the ice was wholly different front that of Smith -Sound, owing to the condition of the schooner's bows, strike it with -safety. Luckily the wind favored us, and the schooner answering her -helm promptly, we managed to avoid the floes for about twelve hours, at -least without a thump of any serious consequence, at the end of which -time the wind had fallen to calm; and this continuing for some time, -with the temperature several degrees below freezing, new ice was formed -more than half an inch thick, all over the sea. - -A light and fair breeze springing up again, we were once more under -way, crunching through this crystal sheet much to the damage of the -schooner's sides, where there was no iron, and very embarrassing to our -progress, for we were often absolutely stuck fast. We were glad enough -when the breeze stiffened and knocked the ice to pieces, giving us a -free passage into the "East Water." - -We made land on the morning of the 12th, and found it to be the Horse's -Head. The pack was now far behind us, and our southern passage through -Melville Bay had been made in about five hours less time than our -northern. - -From the Horse's Head we jogged on through a foggy atmosphere with -occasional thick squalls of snow and light variable winds, until after -three days' groping we found ourselves again at anchor in Upernavik -harbor. - -[Sidenote: NEWS FROM HOME.] - -While the chain was yet clicking in the hawse-hole, 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 Esquimau -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 Eumæus to the quarter-deck. Had he any news from America? - -"Oh! 'tis 'merica me speak! De Sout' States, you see? dey go agin de -Nort' States, you see? and dere's plenty fight!" - -Yes, I did see! but I did not believe that he told the truth, and -awaited the letters which I knew must have come out with the Danish -vessel, and which were immediately sent for to the Government-House. - -It proved that letters had been brought for us by our old friend, Dr. -Rudolph, who had returned a few weeks before from Copenhagen, and who -kindly brought them aboard himself as soon as he knew of our arrival, -and almost before my messenger had reached the shore. - -[Sidenote: THE REBELLION.] - -These and some files of papers, and the Doctor's memory, gave us the -leading occurrences which had taken place at home up to near the end -of March, 1861. We learned of the inauguration of the new President -and of the leading events following his election, but of the startling -incidents of a later period we were ignorant. We could not apprehend -that war had actually broken out. We knew only of the intrigues for -a division of the States and of the acts looking to that design. We -learned that suspicion on the one hand, and treason on the other, ruled -the hour; that threats of violence and irresolute counsels had thrown -society into a ferment; and that the national safety was imperiled; -but we knew not of the firing on Fort Sumter, nor of the bloody wound -which the Nation had received at Bull Run; nor that a vast army for -the protection of the Capital and the defense of the Government was -then growing up on the banks of the Potomac. We little thought, that -in every city, and town, and hamlet, the occupations of peace had -already given place to the passionate excitements of war; that a cry -of indignation and anger had gone up throughout the land against men -who, pledged to protect the national flag and the national name, had -abandoned and repudiated them; or, that under the banner of States' -rights and under the impulse of ambition, a powerful party had boldly -bid defiance to the Federal power and declared their purpose to break -the Federal compact. And, even had we heard these things, it would have -been difficult for us to have thus suddenly realized that, in a single -year, human folly and human madness had so completely got the better of -right and reason. - -I occupied myself while the schooner lay at Upernavik with visiting -a magnificent glacier nine miles wide, which discharges into a fiord -named Aukpadlatok, about forty miles from the town. Near this glacier -there is a hunting-station of the same name which is superintended by -a Dane, called Philip, who lives there in the enjoyment of peace and -plenty, with an Esquimau wife and a large family of children, among -whom are four full-grown half-breed boys,--the best hunters, I was -told, north of Pröven. My surveys detained me several days at Philip's -hut, and, before I left, I had made full arrangements with himself and -his seal-skin-coated boys and his wife and daughters, to make sledges, -for which I gave them abundant materials, and fur-clothing, and -skin-lines; and I engaged them to rear and accumulate dogs for me, that -I might be well supplied when I came back the next year. - -After leaving Upernavik, light and baffling winds kept us at our old -trade of dodging the icebergs for four days, at the end of which time -we were at anchor in Goodhaven, and I was enjoying, as I was sure to -do, the courteous hospitality of my old friend, Inspector Olrik. - -This settlement is situated on the south side of Disco Island, and -takes its name from the excellence of the harbor, which is completely -land-locked. It is the principal colony of North Greenland, and, being -the residence of the Viceroy or Royal Inspector, has attached to it an -air of importance not belonging to the other stations. - -[Sidenote: LIBERALITY OF THE DANISH GOVERNMENT.] - -Mr. Olrik exhibited to me an order from his Government, commanding the -Greenland officials to give attention to my requirements, and offering -me at the same time as well his official as personal good offices. -Being on my way home, I had little occasion to avail myself of this -gracious act of the Danish Government; but I informed the Inspector -of my future purposes and signified to him my desire to avail myself -of its privileges next year. I am glad of an opportunity publicly to -express my admiration of the conduct of the Danish Government toward -the Arctic expeditions of whatever nationality; and in my own case it -was the more personally gratifying, and the more highly appreciated, -that I had no "Department" orders wherewith to back up my claims to -consideration. - -[Sidenote: LEAVING GREENLAND.] - -From the Chief Trader, Mr. Anderson, as well as from the Inspector, -I had much kindly assistance in perfecting my collections and in -completing my series of photographic views, and I found myself so -agreeably as well as profitably occupied that I was truly loath to quit -the good harbor; but it was necessary for me to be hastening home, as -the nights were growing dark, and I did not wish to be caught among the -icebergs without some sunlight to guide me; so, when the first fine -wind came, I huddled my collections aboard, bade good-by, saluted the -Danish ensign for the last time, and--well, we did over again what we -had done a dozen times before--dove into a villainous fog-bank, out of -which came a rush of wind that sent us homeward a little faster than we -cared to go. - -[Sidenote: FLYING BEFORE THE GALE.] - -It was a regular equinoctial storm, and, from the time of leaving -Disco until we had passed Newfoundland, it scarcely once relaxed its -grip of us. We were blown out through Davis Strait even more fiercely -than we had been blown in. At one time we were beset with a perfect -hurricane, and how the schooner staggered through it was little short -of a miracle. Ulysses could hardly have had a worse dusting, when his -stupid crew let loose all the winds which Æolus had so kindly bagged -up for him. Every stitch of canvas was ripped up but the little rag of -a topsail, under which we scudded before the gale through four days, -running down in one four-and-twenty hours two hundred and twenty miles -of latitude. The seas which came tumbling after us, each one seemingly -determined to roll over the poop, were perfectly frightful; especially -when one looked aloft and saw the little patch of canvas threatening -every moment to give way, and heard the waters gurgling under the -counter as the stern went down and the bows went up, while a very -Niagara was roaring and curveting after us, as if maddened with defeat, -and with each new effort the more determined to catch the craft before -she should mount the crest ahead. But she slipped from under every -threatening danger as gracefully, if not as - - "Swift, as an eagle cleaving the liquid air," - -and, leaving the parted billows foaming and roaring behind her, passed -on triumphant and unharmed. - -[Sidenote: CRIPPLED BY THE STORM.] - -When off Labrador, the wind hauled suddenly to the westward, and we -had to give up the chase, and get the schooner's head to it. McCormick -had managed to patch up the foresail, and, getting a triangular piece -of it rigged for a storm-sail, we proposed to heave her to. There did -not appear to be much chance of a successful termination to this new -venture, but it was clearly this or nothing. The sail was set and the -determination come to just in time, for we shipped a terrible sea -over the quarter, the schooner gave a lurch to leeward, and then -righted so suddenly that the little topsail which had done us such good -service went into ribbons, the topmast cracked off at the cap, and -crash went the jib-boom right away afterward. "Hard a-lee!" was rather -a melancholy sort of order to give under the circumstances, and, as -was to be expected, when the helm went down we were thrown into the -trough of the next sea, where we were caught amidships by the ugliest -wave that I ever happened to look upon, and down it thundered upon us, -staving in the bulwarks, sweeping the decks from stem to stern, and -carrying every thing overboard, our water-casks included. The schooner -shivered all over as if every rib in her little body was broken, and -for a moment I felt sure that she was knocked over on her beam ends; -but the craft seemed to possess more lives than a cat, and, righting -in an instant, shook herself free of the water, took the next wave on -the bow, rose to it nobly, and then shot squarely into the wind's eye. -"Bravely done, little lady!" was McCormick's caressing approval of her -good behavior. - -We lay hove to for three days, at the end of which time we found -ourselves drifted from our course two hundred miles. Meanwhile, there -had been a good deal of alarm caused by the loss of our water-casks. -We had an extra cask or so in the hold, but these could not be got up -without removing the main-hatch, an effort not to be thought of, as -the decks were flooded and the vessel would be swamped; so I at once -set myself to work to remedy the evil, and succeeded perfectly. With -a tea-kettle for a retort and a barrel for a condenser, I managed to -distill water enough for the entire ship's company; and, in less than -three hours after the disaster, all alarm vanished when it was known -that a stream of pure water was trickling from this novel contrivance -in the officers' cabin, at the rate of ten gallons a day. - -[Sidenote: RECEPTION IN HALIFAX.] - -The damaged condition of the schooner compelled us, when off Nova -Scotia, to make a port as speedily as possible, and accordingly we put -into Halifax. Our reception there was most gratifying, and among a -people famed for hospitality we had abundant reason to rejoice over the -ill winds which had blown us so much good. The admiral of Her Britannic -Majesty's fleet, then in Halifax Harbor, generously tendered the use -of the Government conveniences for repairing my crippled vessel; and -from the officers of Her Majesty's civil service and of the squadron -and garrison; from the Mayor and many other citizens of Halifax,--most -especially from the Medical Society,--the Expedition received -attentions which exhibited not less a friendliness of disposition for -ourselves than respect for the flag under which our explorations had -been made. - -Up to the time of our arrival at Halifax we had, of course, no further -news than what reached us at Upernavik. We had scarcely dropped our -anchor before a a citizen of the town and a countryman of my own, -neither of whom was long a stranger to my friendship or my gratitude, -hurried off to give us greetings, and to bring the news. They had -picked up some files of New York papers on the way, and we soon learned -of the terrible struggle that had been going on for many months. -Although not wholly unprepared for this by the intelligence received -at Upernavik, yet we had confidently cherished the expectation that -hostilities had been averted by wise and prudent counsellors. The -shock was to us such as those who had watched at home the progress -of events from day to day could perhaps hardly realize. The first -intelligence I had of the war was the account of the Bull Run battle, -next I heard of the firing on Sumter, and then of the riots in -Baltimore, and the destruction of Norfolk Navy-Yard, and the capture of -Harper's Ferry; and then followed an account of the universal arming -and volunteering. - -[Sidenote: ARRIVAL IN BOSTON.] - -We remained at Halifax not longer than was necessary to complete the -repairs of the schooner, when we again put to sea, and in four days -made the Boston Lights. We picked up a pilot out of the thickest fog -that I have ever seen south of the Arctic Circle, and with a light -wind stood into the 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. - -The sun was beginning to pour into the atmosphere a dim light when -we let go our anchor; but it did not seem that we were at home, or -that a great city lay near by. No one was anxious to go ashore. It -appeared as if each one anticipated some personal misfortune, and -wished to postpone the shock foreboded by his fears. I landed on Long -Wharf, 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 news-boy 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, every -thing 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. - -[Sidenote: REALIZATION OF THE REBELLION.] - -[Sidenote: THE DETERMINATION.] - -The terrible reality was now for the first time present to my -imagination. The land which I had left in the happy enjoyment of peace -and repose was already drenched with blood; a great convulsion had come -to scatter the old landmarks of the national Union, and the country -which I had known before could be the same no more. Mingled with these -reflections were thoughts of my own career. To abandon my pursuits; -to give up a project in which I had expended so much time and means; -to have nipped, as it were, in the very bud, a work upon which I had -set my heart, and to which I had already given all the early years of -my manhood; to sacrifice all the hopes and all the ambitions which -had encouraged me through toil and danger, with the promise of the -fame to follow the successful completion of a great object; to abandon -an enterprise in which I had aspired to win for myself an honorable -place among the men who have illustrated their country's history and -shed lustre upon their country's flag, were thoughts which first -seriously crossed my mind while returning on board, carrying in my -hand the bloody record of Ball's Bluff. In the face of the startling -intelligence which had crowded upon me since reaching Halifax, and -which had now culminated; in the face of the duty which every man owes, -in his own person, to his country when his country is in peril, I could -not hesitate. Before I had reached my cabin, while our friends were yet -in ignorance of our presence in the bay, I had resolved to postpone the -execution of the task with which I had charged myself; and I closed as -well the cruise as the project, by writing a letter to the President, -asking for immediate employment in the public service, and offering my -schooner to the government for a gun-boat. - - * * * * * - -Five years have now elapsed since the schooner _United States_ crept -to anchorage through the murky vapors of Boston Harbor. The terrible -struggle then first realized by me, as at hand, is now over, and has -become an event of history. The destinies of individuals are ever -subordinate to the public weal; and in the presence of great social -and political revolutions, when ideas are fringed with bayonets, -and great interests are in conflict, men have little leisure for -the consideration of questions of science, or of remote projects -unconnected with the national safety. - -[Sidenote: PLANS POSTPONED, NOT ABANDONED.] - -Therefore it is that the further exploration of the Arctic regions -was lost sight of by me during the past few years. The facilities -which I had acquired, and the advantages which I had gained, have been -in a great measure sacrificed since my return to Boston in October, -1861, and I cannot therefore speak with confidence as to the time when -the exploration will be renewed. The scheme has not, however, been -abandoned, nor are my views in any respect changed. I still contemplate -the execution of my original design, and hope at an early day to -carry into effect the plan of discovery indicated in the concluding -chapters of this narrative. It is still my wish to found at Port -Foulke such a colony as I have hitherto described, and, with a corps -of scientific associates, to make that the centre of a widely extended -system of exploration. The value of such a centre will be evident to -every instructed mind without illustration, and the availability of -the situation is shown by the experience of my own party. The project -has the more interest at this time in connection with the effort by -way of the Spitzbergen Sea, contemplated by the Prussian government, -the inception of which is due to the eminent geographer, Dr. Augustus -Petermann. As with my own enterprise, that of Dr. Petermann has -temporarily given place to the necessities of war; but I have been -informed that the expedition is contemplated for the coming spring. The -organization of this expedition is founded upon, I think, a correct -assumption that the Open Sea and the North Pole may be reached with -steam-vessels by pushing through the ice-belt to the west and north of -Spitzbergen. This route possesses some advantages over that of Smith -Sound, while it has some disadvantages. The temporary colonization at -Port Foulke gives to the Smith Sound route its chief claim over the -other, to the consideration of the explorer. - -[Sidenote: ADVANTAGES OF ARCTIC EXPLORATION.] - -[Sidenote: CONCLUSION.] - -It is not needful that I should here demonstrate the advantages to -be derived from a continuation of the line of exploration which I -have indicated;--the age in which we live has too much profited by -researches into every department of science, which, not immediately -prosecuted with the view to practical advantage, have, by a steady -enlargement of the boundaries of human knowledge, promoted the -interests of commerce, of navigation, of the arts, and of every thing -which concerns the convenience and the comfort and the well-being of -mankind. In truth, civilization has profited most by those discoveries -which possessed at the outset only an abstract value, and excited no -interest beyond the walls of the academy. The vast system of steam -communication, which weaves around the world its endless web of -industry, began in the apparently useless experiments of a thoughtful -boy with the lid of his mother's tea-kettle; that wonderful net-work -of wires which spreads over the continents and underlies the seas, and -along which the thoughts of men fly as with the wings of light, results -from the accidental touching of two pieces of metal in the mouth -of Volta; the lenses of the mammoth telescope of Lord Rosse, which -reduced to practical uses the celestial mechanism, came from observing -the magnifying powers of a globule of water; the magnetic needle -which guides the navies of the world to their distant destinations, -succeeds the casual contact of a piece of loadstone and a bit of steel: -everywhere, indeed, we witness the same constant growth from what -seemed unprofitable beginnings;--the printing-press, the loom, the art -of solar painting, all sprang from the one same source,--from minds -intent only upon interrogating Nature, and revealing her mysteries, -without knowledge of the good to come therefrom. The progress of -scientific discovery is indeed the progress of the human race, and the -question, _Cui bono?_ is now no longer asked of him who would reveal -hidden truths. Wherever men have sought wider fields of gain, or power, -or usefulness, there has been science in the midst of them,--guiding, -supporting, and instructing them. Wherever men have sought to plant, -among barbarous peoples, the emblem of the only true religion, there -has she gone before,--opening the gates and smoothing the pathway. -She has lifted the curtain of ignorance from the human mind, and -Christianity, following her advancing footsteps, has banished from the -West the ancient superstitions, and the dark Pantheism of the East and -the Fetich worship of the savage tribes are passing away. The light of -science and the gospel of our Christian faith have moved hand in hand -together through the world, and, overriding the barriers of custom, -have, with unselfish zeal, steadily unfolded to the human understanding -the material interests which concern this life, and to the human soul -the sacred truths of Revelation which concern the life to come. - - -[Illustration: END] - - - * * * * * - - -Transcriber Note - -Minor typos were corrected. Both Esquimau and Esquimaux were retained. -Some paragraphs were split or moved to accommodate placement of the -images or Side-notes. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OPEN POLAR SEA *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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