THE GREAT FROZEN SEA
[Illustration: "ALERT" AND "DISCOVERY."]
THE
GREAT FROZEN SEA
_A PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE
OF THE "ALERT"_
DURING THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION OF 1875-6
BY
REAR-ADMIRAL ALBERT HASTINGS MARKHAM, R.N.
(LATE COMMANDER OF H.M.S. "ALERT")
AUTHOR OF "A WHALING CRUISE TO BAFFIN'S BAY AND THE GULF OF BOOTHIA,"
AND "THE CRUISE OF THE 'ROSARIO'"
"There's a flag on the mast, and it points to the north,
And the north holds the land that I love;
I will steer back to northward, the heavenly course,
Of the winds guiding sure from above."
FRITHIOF'S "SAGA"
SEVENTH EDITION
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & CO., LT^D
1894
(_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._)
TO
The Memory of
REAR-ADMIRAL SHERARD OSBORN, C.B.,
WHO, WHILE HE LIVED, WAS THE MOVING SPIRIT IN SECURING THE DESPATCH OF
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION, AND WHOSE PAST DEEDS IN THE SAME FIELD
REFLECTED A BRIGHT RAY OF HOPEFUL LIGHT ON THOSE WHO STROVE TO EMULATE
HIS EXAMPLE WHILST FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS,
This little Work
IS REVERENTLY AND AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED BY
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
The History of the Arctic Expedition of 1875-76, and the record of its
results, will be found in the work of Sir George Nares. My object in
publishing the present volume is to furnish a popular narrative of
memorable events as they presented themselves to an individual member of
the Expedition, and especially of the work of sledge travelling over the
frozen polar ocean. It was written a few months after our return to
England, but its appearance has been purposely deferred until the
publication of the work by Sir George Nares.
The same reasons still exist for continuing the work of Arctic
exploration as were adduced for commencing it in 1875.
It is impossible to complete so great a work in one campaign, and the
results of the late Expedition ought only to whet our appetites, and
stimulate us to undertake further discoveries.
The narrative of Sir George Nares will show the completeness of the
work accomplished, so far as the route by Smith Sound is concerned, and
with the appendices containing the numerous and valuable scientific
results, will prove the importance of Arctic discovery. But there are
other routes remaining to be explored, which will yield equally useful
results.
Behring Strait is a portal leading to a vast region, the history of
which has hitherto been as a sealed book.
An expedition to the east coast of Greenland for the purpose of
connecting our discoveries at Cape Britannia with those of the Germans
at Cape Bismarck, and thus solving the interesting geographical problem
regarding the insularity of Greenland, would be of the greatest
importance.
The exploration of Jones and Hayes Sounds offer a rich field; but that
which, in my opinion, would yield the most profitable harvest, is the
continuation of the discoveries of the Austro-Hungarian expedition in
Franz-Josef Land. Once reach in a ship the position attained by Lieut.
Payer and his sledge party, and such a measure of success would follow
as would prove satisfactory even to the most sanguine. Although the
flags of Holland, Sweden, and America will this year float in the Arctic
Regions, that of England will be unrepresented.
It is hardly to be expected, in the present critical state of affairs,
that our Government can afford to give either time or attention to the
subject of Arctic exploration, but when the existing differences are all
happily settled, there will really be more reasons for following up the
work than were brought forward for undertaking it in 1875. We were never
in a better position for doing so than at the present time. We possess a
couple of ships whose capabilities for Arctic navigation have been
already thoroughly tested, and found perfect; we have officers and men
experienced in the navigation of those icy seas and in sledging, and we
have stores and provisions ready to equip another expedition.
The expense, seeing that the ships and stores are lying idle, would be
insignificant, and would hardly be more than equal to that of keeping a
couple of small gun-boats in commission. Surely this great nation could
easily afford, in the interests of science and for her own honour, to
incur such an expenditure. I trust so; and I, for one, look forward with
confident hope to the despatch, in a few years, of another Arctic
expedition as well equipped as the one of which I was lately a member.
A. H. M.
21, ECCLESTON SQUARE,
_March, 1878_.
OFFICERS AND SHIP'S COMPANY OF H.M.S. "ALERT."
OFFICERS.
_Captain_, GEORGE S. NARES, F.R.S.
_Commander_, ALBERT H. MARKHAM, F.R.G.S.
_Lieutenant_, PELHAM ALDRICH.
" ALFRED A. CHASE PARR.
" GEORGE A. GIFFARD.
" WILLIAM H. MAY.
_Sub-Lieutenant_, GEORGE LE C. EGERTON (promoted to Lieutenant during
the absence of the expedition).
_Fleet Surgeon_, THOMAS COLAN, M.D.
_Surgeon_, EDWARD L. MOSS, M.D.
_Engineer_, JAMES WOOTTON.
" GEORGE WHITE.
_Naturalist_, Captain H. WEMYSS FEILDEN, R.A., F.G.S., F.Z.S.
_Chaplain_, Rev. W. H. PULLEN.
SHIP'S COMPANY.
Joseph Good, chief boatswain's mate.
John R. Radmore, chief carp. mate.[1]
Geo. Burroughs, ship's steward.
Vincent Dominic, ship's cook.
David Deuchars, ice quartermaster.
John Thores, ice quartermaster.
James Berrie, ice quartermaster.
Edward Lawrence, 1st cl. P.O.[2]
Daniel Harley, 1st cl. P.O.[3]
Thomas Stuckberry, 1st cl. P.O.
Thomas Rawlings, 1st cl. P.O.
James Doidge, 1st cl. P.O.[4]
Thomas Jolliffe, 1st. cl. P.O.
Spero Capato, captain's steward.
George Kemish, W. R. steward.
Frederick Cane, armourer.
John Hawkins, cooper.
William F. Hunt, W. R. cook.
Robert Joiner, leading stoker.
John Simmons, 2nd cl. P.O.
Adam Ayles, 2nd cl. P.O.
William Ferbrache, A.B.
George Cranstone, A.B.
William Lorrimer, A.B.
George Winstone, A.B.
Reuben Francombe, A.B.
Thomas H. Simpson, A.B.
David Mitchell, A.B.
Alfred R. Pearce, A.B.
James Self, A.B.
William Woolley, A.B.
John Pearson, A.B.
William Maskell, A.B.
William Malley, A.B.
Robert Symons, A.B.
Henry Mann, shipwright.
William Gore, stoker.
John Shirley, stoker.
Edward Stubbs, stoker and blacksmith.
George Norris, carpenter's crew.
Neil Christian Petersen, Danish interpreter and dog driver.[5]
Frederic, Eskimo dog driver and hunter.
MARINES
William Wood, colour-sergeant R.M.L.I.
William Ellard, private R.M.L.I.
Thomas Smith, private R.M.L.I.
John Hollins, private R.M.L.I.
Elias Hill, gunner R.M.A.
George Porter, gunner R.M.A.[6]
Thomas Oakley, gunner R.M.A.
The following sledge crew from H.M.S. "Discovery" wintered on board the
"Alert":--
Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson.
George Bryant, 1st cl. P.O.[7]
George Stone, 2nd cl. P.O.
Michael O'Regan, A.B.
James Hand, A.B.[8]
Thomas Chalkley, A.B.
Alfred Hindle, A.B.
Elijah Rayner, private R.M.L.I.
The following "means" of ages, weights, and chest capacities of those
belonging to the "Alert" may be of interest:--
Chest
Age. Weight. Capacity
Officers 32.1 years 149.8 lbs. 266
Men 27.4 " 146.6 " 245.1
General Mean 28.4 " 147.3 " 249.5
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Promoted to carpenter.
[2] First class petty officer.
[3] Lost in H.M.S. "Eurydice."
[4] Promoted to boatswain.
[5] Died on May 14th from the effects of frost-bite whilst sledging.
[6] Died on the 8th of June of scurvy whilst sledging.
[7] Promoted to boatswain.
[8] Died in June of scurvy whilst sledging with Lieut. Beanmont.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
DEDICATION v
PREFACE vii
OFFICERS AND SHIP'S COMPANY OR H.M.S. "ALERT" xi
CHAPTER I. FITTING OUT.
Description of ships, 2; special fittings, 3; selection of officers and
men, 5; kindness of friends, 6; games and musical instruments, 7;
visitors to the ships, 8; departure, 9; arrival at Bantry Bay, 12; the
voyage commenced, 13.