ETAH TO NEW YORK
As we left Etah loose ice was streaming down past the mouth of the
fiord. Cape Alexander was reached at midnight and the _Roosevelt_ headed
for Cape Isabella to run a line of soundings across Smith Sound as far
as the ice would permit. About ten miles from Alexander the solid edge
of the ice was encountered extending unbroken from there to the
Ellesmere Land shore. This ice was very heavy and appeared to have no
cracks or openings in it. The sounding here was 438 fathoms. The
_Roosevelt_ then headed away for Cape Chalon steaming around a point of
the pack which reached nearly in to the Greenland shore above Sonntag
Bay. Steaming into Whale Sound, which was filled with icebergs,
fragments of ice and sheets of newly formed young ice, numbers of walrus
were seen and ten secured, though with great difficulty as the young ice
made it almost impossible to approach them. We then steamed into Kookan
to land more of my Eskimos, and the anchor was hardly down off the delta
of the stream, when a large sheet of comparatively heavy young ice drove
against us and pushed the _Roosevelt’s_ stern ashore almost at the crest
of high-water.
This extremely annoying incident held us here until the following noon,
but the occurrence was turned to account by additional calking of the
stern and again tightening and this time wedging the bolts of the
propeller blades. Steaming out from Kookan the tough young ice now
several inches in thickness, retarded our progress seriously for some
three miles. As we got out of the bay it became less dense. Heading for
the passage between Herbert and Northumberland islands, six walrus of
those that were directly on our route were secured and passing between
the islands, we steamed for Cape Parry. Off this cape we got out of the
young ice entirely, and steamed southward in open water. Another
contingent of my Eskimos wishing to be landed at Oomunui on the south
side of Wolstenholm Sound, we steamed in behind Saunders Island securing
six large bull walrus. Young ice of too great thickness for us to
penetrate, prevented our reaching Oomunui and an attempt was made to
land the Eskimo at Narksami between Oomunui and Cape Athol. The anchor
was dropped off this place but the movement and thickness of the young
ice was such that I did not think it advisable to delay here even for an
hour, and the anchor was immediately hoisted again and we forged slowly
out through young ice which required all the power we could summon to
negotiate it.
[Illustration:
CAPE YORK, 76° NORTH LATITUDE
Northern limit of Melville Bay and most southerly settlement of the
Whale Sound Eskimos
]
[Illustration:
HANGING OUR NEW RUDDER AT HOPEDALE
]
[Illustration:
SAWING WOOD TO FEED THE FURNACES ALONG THE LABRADOR COAST
]
The nights now were very dark. Off Cape Athol we got free of the young
ice again, and steaming south in open water, were off Cape Dudley Diggs
early the following morning and steamed into Parker Snow Bay to land the
last of my Eskimos. This day was a perfect one of brilliant sunshine and
pronounced warmth. The Eskimos worked with a will landing their
belongings, their dogs, and the walrus meat which I had secured for the
purpose of carrying them through the winter, as I was bringing them back
at the close of the hunting season when they could hope to secure only a
scanty supply of food before the winter set in. By night everything was
landed, and several tents set up on the shore. As the darkness came down
it began to snow, accompanied by light wind from the southeast. In the
morning the whole country was white with snow and a vicious southeaster
in progress which held us here until the following morning. This time
was occupied in getting the _Roosevelt_ ready for rough water. From Cape
Union to here all provisions, ammunition and equipment of all kinds had
been carried on deck ready to be thrown ashore or out upon the ice
whenever the necessity arose. This deck load was now transferred to the
hold, and the ship generally put in better trim for the mauling which we
were sure to receive at this season of the year once we got clear of the
ice. As soon as the weather moderated sufficiently we steamed to Cape
York where four families were found. Here we made fast to the newly
formed land ice and remained three or four hours while repairing a bent
eccentric. The natives here reported that the ice in Melville Bay had
gone out but a short time previous, and during the entire season no ship
had been able to approach the Cape, an occurrence which has not happened
before since my acquaintance with this region, dating back to 1891.
Leaving Cape York late in the afternoon of the 26th, in a dense
snowstorm, which doubled the gloom of the already descending night, we
groped our way in almost complete darkness out through the numerous
icebergs, and felt that we had really begun the homeward voyage. The
darkness during this night was so intense that we slowed down to
half-speed. The following afternoon a fresh breeze accompanied by a
heavy swell set in from the southeast, and the rolling of the ship
washed out some ashes in the fire-room, clogging the suctions of all the
pumps, and allowing the water in the fire-room to rise to the stoke-hole
plates before it was noticed. During the next two days the _Roosevelt_
was hove-to while the fire-room was cleared of water, the pumps
overhauled and got in commission again, and steps taken to prevent a
recurrence of the trouble. During this time the weather remained thick
and the wind continued from the southeast. When we got under way it was
impracticable to make the Greenland coast and we continued down the
middle of Baffin’s Bay. At midnight of September 30th we rounded the end
of the middle pack and in the afternoon of October 1st, in a fresh
southeast breeze and heavy swell, the foretopmast broke off at the
springstay, and went overboard carrying with it the topmast rigging,
barrel, and flying jib. October 3d we made the west coast just above
Cape Dyer and followed it past Walsingham and Mercy, and across the
mouth of Cumberland Sound, until 4 A. M. of the 6th, when about seven
miles north of Monumental Island, a sea striking under the starboard
quarter broke the rudder-stock square off, rendering us helpless.
It was very thick at the time and the _Roosevelt_ was hove-to heading
eastward to avoid being drifted upon the ragged coast about Cape Haven.
A spar was got ready and rigged out as a jury rudder, but we were
scarcely under way again when the wind came on from the northeast, and
in two or three hours the rising sea had carried away the improvised
rudder. After this we hove-to again, the storm increasing to almost
hurricane violence for some thirty-six hours and raising a heavy sea.
The _Roosevelt_ proved herself a fine sea boat, lying to under
double-reefed foresail with the same ease as one of the best of our
Banks fishing schooners, and though she repeatedly rolled her rail to
the water, she did not ship a bucketful of green sea.
With the slackening of the gale followed some twenty-four hours of chop
sea off the mouth of Hudson Strait and work was commenced on a second
rudder which, after two days of work under extreme difficulties, was
finally completed and hung, the men being flung back and forth across
the deck as they worked. The next day we made the Labrador coast at what
is perhaps the worst locality in its northern portion, known as the Pot
Rocks. Threading our way through these in fog and driving snow, with the
breakers on either side, we kept off the coast and had no distinct view
of it until the 13th, when it could be seen clearly enough for us to
determine that we were just north of Sagdlek Bay. As we were now
entirely out of water and had but a few tons of coal left, I determined
to put into Hebron in hopes that we might secure a few tons of coal
there. Darkness fell while we were still several miles from Hebron, but
Captain Bartlett had been there some years before and he skilfully
worked the ship through the crooked channels to her anchorage. No coal
was to be had here but we obtained water and a few essential supplies,
and early Monday morning started for Nain, taking the inside passage
from Cape Mugford with which Captain Bartlett fortunately was familiar.
Lying to during the night we reached Nain shortly after noon the
following day.
Here some wood and a little blubber and two or three tons of coal-dust
were obtained after much delay, due to heavy squalls which prevented the
passage of boats from the ship to the shore. These squalls were so
violent that they tore one of our boats loose and drifted it away. The
Eskimo women here did all the work of loading and unloading the wood.
Still following the inside route, we proceeded to Hopedale where more
wood was obtained, and more delay experienced from heavy wind. The
second night the squalls were so violent that even in the inner harbour
the _Roosevelt_ dragged both anchors and went aground; coming off
easily, however, at the next high tide.
On leaving the harbour the ship was found to be so light that in the
fresh northwester then blowing she would not answer her helm. Both
anchors were let go and when at night the wind moderated, she worked
back into the harbour where she was beached, rudder hoisted out and
rebuilt, the stern recalked, natives employed to bring ballast and work
the pumps, while we awaited the arrival of the mail steamer to secure
coal, without which I did not think it advisable to proceed farther
along this coast at this season of the year with the _Roosevelt_ in her
present condition.
[Illustration:
HULDA A LABRADOR ESKIMO GIRL AT NAIN
]
[Illustration:
HOPEDALE
Moravian missionary station on the Labrador coast
]
On the arrival of the mail steamer seven tons of coal were secured with
which in snowstorms and head winds except for the last few miles, still
following the inside passage through the intricacies of which Bartlett
handled the ship with masterly skill, we reached the whaling station at
Hawke’s Harbour and secured two more tons which brought us to Battle
Harbour, where we arrived in the evening of November 2d.
The following day forty tons of coal were taken on board and while the
work was in progress a southeaster set in accompanied by rain. From this
time until the 12th, the wind continued heavy from southeast, east, and
northeast, accompanied by rain, snow, generally thick weather and a
heavy sea. The 12th was a clear day but the sea heaving into the narrow
and tortuous entrance to the harbour, made it inexpedient to attempt to
go out. On the 13th another southeaster set in with driving snow but the
sea was down for a few hours and advantage was taken of this to steam
round into Assizes Harbour, which affords good shelter. The entire time
of our stay in Battle Harbour was a period of continuous anxiety and
efforts to keep the ship from being driven ashore by the violent
undertow which makes this harbour the worst on the Labrador coast when
any sea is running.
During this time the _Roosevelt_ was moored as follows: on the port bow
our heaviest anchor and cable let go in the middle of the harbour, a
heavy chain cable attached to a ring-bolt on shore, and a 4–inch line;
on the port quarter two 6–inch manila hawsers and a ¾–inch diameter
steel-wire cable; on the starboard bow our 1¼–inch light-house-test
chain cable made fast to a projection of the solid ledge on shore, and
two 4–inch manila lines; on the starboard side of the waist four 3½–inch
lines; on the starboard quarter four 3½–inch lines, and a chain cable
attached to a ring-bolt ashore.
With all these moorings the ship surged back and forth so violently as
to break several of the smaller lines, tear out two of the ring-bolts
let into the rocks, and break off the stock of our 2,200–pound anchor.
Bartlett’s unremitting efforts, however, kept her from going ashore.
Each mooring as it parted was replaced by another in spite of every
difficulty.
From Battle Harbour, the voyage was a series of head winds and sea and
innumerable delays of one kind and another.
At early dawn of November 23d the _Roosevelt_ steamed into Sydney
harbour and dropped anchor, over four months and a half from Cape
Sheridan.
This homeward voyage was the most wearing and annoying part of the
entire expedition, compensated for, in part at least, by the return of
every member of the expedition in as good or better condition than at
starting and the return of the ship with injuries of but a temporary
nature.
From Sydney, the ship as the weather permitted crept down the coast
arriving in New York Harbour Christmas Eve.
[Illustration:
OOBLOOYAH
Young Eskimo man of about twenty-three
]
[Illustration:
A GROUP OF ESKIMO WOMEN
]
The relations of the personnel of the party were particularly happy.
Personally, I never spent a year in the Arctic regions so entirely free
from the petty annoyances and friction which are usually a most
disagreeable feature of an Arctic expedition. Captain Bartlett proved
himself invaluable and was unsparing of himself in his efforts for the
success of the expedition and the safety of the _Roosevelt_. Chief
Engineer Wardwell, from the time of the failure of our water-tube
boilers, two days out from Sydney, had a particularly trying and
difficult time, and found the fullest scope for all his ingenuity and
resources.
Dr. Wolf looked after the health of the expedition with unremitting care
and skill and there was no serious illness. The Doctor also did his full
share of the spring sledge work.
Mr. Marvin, while on board ship and during the winter hunting in the
interior and throughout the spring and summer sledging campaigns assumed
his full share of the work. Henson, and Percy, my steward, tried in
years of Arctic experience, again proved their worth.
The officers and men were interested and willing. Mate Bartlett was in
charge of the _Roosevelt_ during the absence of Captain Bartlett and
myself. Boatswain Murphy was of material assistance in the field. Two of
the firemen, Clark of Massachusetts, and Ryan of Newfoundland, took an
active part in the spring sledge work.
The _Roosevelt_ was very effective even with her reduced power, forcing
her way through the heaviest ice and apparently impassable places, and
coming safely through experiences which I am satisfied no other ship
afloat would have survived. Young ice, even of very considerable
thickness, she trod under her with great facility, and under serious
pressures she rose readily and easily.
As a sea boat she was equally satisfactory, lying to in the October
North Atlantic gale off Resolution Island rudderless under double-reefed
foresail, with all the ease and dryness of one of our best Banks fishing
schooners. For this the fullest credit is due her builder, Captain Chas.
B. Dix, who put his whole heart and years of experience into her
construction.
The main results of the Expedition may be summarised as follows:
First.—The attainment of the “highest North” leaving a distance of but
174 nautical miles yet to be conquered this side of the Pole, narrowing
the unknown area between my highest and Cagni’s to less than 381 miles,
and throwing the major remaining unknown Arctic area into the region
between the Pole and Bering Strait.
Second.—The determination of the existence of a distant new land
northwest of the northwestern part of Grant Land, probably an island in
the westerly extension of the North American archipelago.
Third.—The distinct widening of our horizon as regards ice and other
conditions in the western half of the central Polar Sea.
Fourth.—The traversing and delineation of the unknown coast between
Aldrich’s farthest west in 1876, and Sverdrup’s farthest north in 1902.
Fifth.—The determination of the unique glacial fringe and floeberg
nursery of the Grant Land coast.
Tidal and meteorological observations have been made, soundings taken in
the Smith Sound outlet of the Polar Sea, also along the north coast of
Grant Land, and samples of the bottom secured; the existence of
considerable numbers of the Arctic reindeer in the most northern lands
determined; the range of the musk-ox widened and defined, a new
comparative census of the Whale Sound Eskimos made, etc., etc.
It seems proper also to note that the result of the last Expedition of
the Peary Arctic Club has been to simplify the attainment of the Pole
fifty per cent.; to accentuate the fact that man and the Eskimo dog are
the only two mechanisms capable of meeting all the various contingencies
of serious Arctic work, and that the American route to the Pole and the
methods and equipment used remain the most practicable for attaining
that object.
Had the winter of 1905 to 1906 been a normal season in the Arctic
regions and not, as it was, a particularly open one, there is not a
member of the Expedition who doubts that we would have attained the
Pole.
And had I known before leaving the land what actual conditions were to
the northward, as I know now, I could have so modified my route and my
disposition of sledges that I believe we could have reached the Pole
even in spite of the open season.
Another expedition, following in my steps, and profiting by my
experience, can not only attain the Pole, but can secure the other
remaining principal desiderata in the central Arctic Sea, namely, a line
of deep-sea soundings from the north shore of Grant Land to the Pole,
and the delineation of the unknown gap in the northeast coast line of
Greenland from Cape Morris Jesup southward to Cape Bismarck. This work
can be accomplished by an expedition absent for the same length of time
as the last one, and with a lesser expenditure.
It must be borne constantly in mind that the expedition which has
accomplished this work, has been the expedition of the Peary Arctic
Club, and that all results are due entirely to the generosity and public
spirit of the members of that Club, and particularly to the unfailing
interest and unflagging efforts of its President, Morris K. Jesup.