The formation of the land around Dobbin Bay appeared curiously

contorted; the stratifications dipping, in some places, to the westward

at an angle of about 18°, whilst at others they assumed a perfectly

horizontal direction. This irregularity of the strata may probably be

accounted for by the trap, or other primary rock, forcing its way

upwards through the limestone formation. Where these contortions appear

the colour changes from the sombre grey of the surrounding limestone to

a bright red and brownish hue.

In the afternoon, it being deemed expedient for the safety of the ships

that they should be docked, the requisite instructions were given, and

in four hours they were securely placed in two large commodious docks,

cut out of the solid floe.

The process of docking is rendered necessary to prevent a ship from

being crushed between two floes should she be so unfortunate as to be

placed between them with the whole force of the pack driving against the

outer one. This operation is frequently necessary whilst following the

land-ice, although in these days of steam it is not so frequently

practised as of old.

Our ice-saw crews had previously been organized, and, as it is

absolutely necessary that the work of construction should be carried out

with the utmost expedition, the whole of the officers and ship's company

were stationed so as to take an active part in the proceedings. The

instant the order was given for "all hands to cut dock" a most animated

scene ensued. Triangles were quickly erected, saws placed in position,

the dock measured and marked out by boarding-pikes placed at the several

corners, and every one working as if their lives depended upon their own

individual exertions. Three persons only were left on board the

ship--namely, one officer in charge of the deck, the engineer at the

engines, and a man at the helm--and, as it was necessary to keep the

ship constantly moving so as to avoid pieces of ice, and also to place

her in a good position for being docked, these three had no sinecure

offices.

Occasionally a jet of water, followed by a loud report and a shower of

fragmentary ice, showed that powder was used to shatter the larger

pieces of ice that had been cut, but unless great care is taken in the

use of this explosive, it is liable to damage the sides of the dock.

This was our first attempt at dock cutting, which will account for the

time occupied in its construction. Ordinarily the work should be

completed in about a couple of hours. When two or more ships are in

company time is saved by employing all hands to cut one dock large

enough to take in all the ships.

The diagram on next page will serve to illustrate the system employed by

us whilst engaged in making one of these docks. The last triangular

piece of ice that is taken out--namely, the portion marked on the plan

by the letters C B F--is removed intact, and being placed across the

entrance serves to close the dock and thus keep out all stray pieces of

ice.

After four hours of such work as dock cutting entails, it was poor

comfort for us to return on board wet, cold, and hungry, only to find

that our fires had been allowed to burn out, and that we could neither

get a cup of tea to refresh ourselves with, nor a chance of warming

ourselves at the stove.[1] The Eskimo dogs, being turned out on the floe

and tied to one of our anchor lines, made night hideous by their dreary

and lamentable wailing.

[Illustration: PLAN OF ICE DOCK.

No. 1 saw cuts from A to B 200 ft.

No. 2 " " D to C 200 ft.

No. 3 " " B to C 35 ft., and then on to F 115 ft.

No. 4 saw cuts from F to D 120 ft., and, if necessary, from E to F 48

ft.

DIMENSIONS OF DOCK.

Length 200 ft.

Breadth, at entrance 65 "

Ditto, at head 35 "]

For two days were the ships kept close prisoners; but on Sunday, August

15th, as soon as divine service was finished, a large party of men was

actively engaged in cutting and blasting a passage between the floe in

which we were imprisoned and the shore, for a lead of water had been

observed in the channel which we were naturally desirous of reaching.

Although Sunday was as much as possible observed as a day of rest, it

was quite out of the question to a party situated as we were altogether

to abstain from work on the Sabbath. Our navigable season, we knew, was

a short one; no opportunity could we afford to lose; and therefore we

were compelled to work as much on Sunday as on week-days should

circumstances arise which would make it necessary for us to do so. After

about nine hours' hard work we succeeded in making a passage

sufficiently broad for the ships to pass through. Our last explosion was

a most effective one; no less than eight blasting charges, or torpedoes,

were exploded simultaneously--these varied in size from five to twelve

pound charges.

[Illustration: "THE MOANING OF THE TIED."]

The result of this, designated by the men, "feu de joy" was wonderful;

the floe split and cracked in all directions, enabling us with our long

ice points and poles to clear a splendid channel. Hauling the ships out

of dock, we steamed through the passage and into a fine stream of water

round Cape Louis Napoleon. So narrow, however, was our channel that in

rounding the point, to our great dismay, the "Discovery" grounded. A

delay at this moment might have proved fatal to us, and it was therefore

with no small amount of satisfaction, after a short detention, that we

observed her again afloat. Our joy at being again on the move was

short-lived. A few hours sufficed to bring us to the edge of a field of

ice, to penetrate which seemed utterly impossible. To cut a dock in such

ice, the floes being from ten to twenty feet in thickness, was also out

of the question, even had we been provided with saws sufficiently long

to do so. Blasting was resorted to, and by this means we were enabled to

secure the ship in a small indentation in the ice that afforded some

slight protection. So high was the ice that our boats, hanging from the

midship davits on the outside of the ship, had to be turned inboard to

prevent their being crushed. For three days were we kept in a state of

feverish excitement without being able to make any progress, and yet

constantly moving the ship to avoid destruction from drifting bergs and

closing floes.

The shore was frequently visited, and the heights of Mount Joy and Cape

Hayes ascended; but always the same scene met our view to northward--an

impassable plain of ice.

Twice in one day were the ships nearly destroyed. A large iceberg that

was aground close to us, and therefore protecting us from the pack,

suddenly floated and drifted away. This released a large floe to which

we were secured, and with which we drifted down rapidly towards another

large berg that remained aground. It was an anxious time for us, for in

five minutes, unless we could move out of the way, we must be inevitably

crushed between the two. All hands were quickly summoned, a line laid

out astern and made fast to some large hummocks, and by this we

fortunately succeeded in hauling the ship clear; but only just in time,

for as our bowsprit cleared the berg, the floe came into contact with it

with such irresistible force that hummock was piled upon hummock in a

truly alarming manner. Had we been caught, nothing short of a miracle

could have saved us.

The noise of the ice as it squeezed against the berg was anything but

pleasant to listen to; but still it was better than hearing our own

timbers crashing to pieces in the same manner, and we all experienced a

strong feeling of relief when the danger was past.

Little rest was enjoyed by any on these days during which we were

subjected to the wayward will of the pack. Unshipping and replacing the

rudder, and lifting and lowering the screw, were duties that had to be

carried out several times during each day, and, although this sort of

work is rather depressing and irksome, the spirits of the crew never

flagged. They were always ready, cheerful, and willing. No matter what

duty they were called upon to perform, it was invariably carried out in

the same zealous, hearty manner that was so conspicuously manifested

during the whole period of the absence of the expedition as to elicit

the unbounded praise and confidence of their leader.

On the 19th of August the ice slackened sufficiently to enable us to

proceed, and on that evening, to the intense delight of every one, we

succeeded in rounding Cape Fraser.

During the last three weeks we had advanced exactly ninety miles, or at

the rate of about four and a quarter miles a day. This cannot be

considered a rapid rate of travelling, yet to accomplish even this

necessitated a constant and vigilant look-out.

Cape Fraser is a bold promontory some thousand feet in height,

terminating in a short projecting point of land about two hundred feet

above the level of the sea. Above the talus appeared numerous caves in

the cliffs, a peculiarity noticed for the first time, and the summit was

studded with irregularities that, to an imaginative mind, might be

perverted into gigantic beings, animals, or castellated towers. On one

of these ridges was a heap of stones supposed to represent the "Twelve

Apostles," and was so marked on the chart; but as we could never

distinguish more than half the number at one time from any point of

bearing, it was generally supposed on board that they adhered to true

man-of-war regulations, and only appeared in their "watch on deck," half

the number belonging of course to the watch below!

At 10 P.M., being again temporarily stopped, the ships were secured in a

little harbour called Maury Bay. During our detention in the vicinity of

Cape Fraser, we were able to confirm the observations made by Dr.

Bessels of the "Polaris," relative to the meeting of two tides at or

about this point. This fact materially strengthens the argument in

favour of the insularity of Greenland, for it has been deduced from a

series of tidal observations obtained by us that the tide to the

northward of Cape Fraser--that is, the tide in Kennedy and Robeson

Channels--is undoubtedly the same as the North Atlantic one, and

therefore flows along the northern coast of Greenland.

Contrary to what might generally be expected, we did not encounter any

very great accumulation of broken up ice in consequence of the meeting

of these two tides: not more than would be caused by the fact of the

channel decreasing in size to the northward at this point, and therefore

offering greater obstruction to the ice whilst drifting northward, but

facilitating its general drift, which is to the southward.

From the summit of Cape John Barrow, which forms one extreme of the

little bay in which we were secured, we obtained a good view, and one

which delighted and gladdened our hearts.

Northwards we could see as far as Cape L. von Buch; between us leads of

water, although covered with much loose ice. To the eastward we could

plainly distinguish Cape Constitution, with a large sheet of water along

its base; but to get to it we should have had to penetrate a large

expanse of pack. This pool of water was in all probability similar to

one seen by Morton in the same place in 1855, and reported by him as an

"open Polar sea," on which many imaginative theories have been based!

Our return to the ship was not accomplished without much difficulty, in

consequence of our little harbour of refuge having filled with drifting

ice, during the time we were on shore, which beset our boat. We were

therefore compelled to haul and drag it over and through innumerable

fragments of ice, reaching the ship wet and fatigued, but delighted with

the intelligence we possessed and the prospect of pushing on.

_Friday, August 20th._--At one o'clock this morning, being the top of

high water, we made another start.

Taking advantage of the different broad lanes of water, we steamed

rapidly past Cape Norton Shaw, and opened out Scoresby Bay--a grand

harbour that would suit admirably for a ship's winter quarters, provided

animal life existed. From the appearance of the land we imagined that

game would be found in large quantities. A perfect cone-shaped hill on

the north-west side is a very prominent feature of this bay. Indeed, the

entire coast along which we are passing is composed of long ranges of

hills more or less coniform, varying from one to two thousand feet in

height. The coast line is very imperfectly delineated on our charts, the

distance between the various bays and headlands are erroneous, and the

positions are wrong; the error always being that they are placed too

much to the northward.

Off Cape McClintock we had another narrow escape from being severely

nipped, in consequence of attempting to pass through a channel between

two closing floes. Although jammed for a short time, the pressure was

not very great, and, the nip easing, the ship was released. Passing Cape

Collinson we were again obliged to make fast to a large floe, as all the

leads to the northward had closed up, thereby preventing farther

progress.

The ice was moving rapidly to the southward--the whole pack drifting

bodily--at the rate of from one and a half to two knots an hour. The

floe to which we were secured was kept stationary by a couple of

grounded icebergs that effectually resisted all its efforts to extricate

itself. This rapid drift seemed to indicate the presence of a "North

Water," or at any rate a very loose pack.

Advantage was taken of our temporary delay to establish a small depôt of

provisions, consisting of two hundred and forty rations, near Cape

Collinson, for the use of a travelling party which, according to

existing arrangements, would be dispatched to the southward by the

"Discovery" during the following year, for the purpose of visiting Cape

Isabella, and bringing up any letters that might have been deposited

there for us.

_Saturday, August 21st._--Lanes of water appearing continuous to the

northward, we got under weigh at half-past two this morning; but after

two or three hours' boring and working under steam and sail we were

forced to relinquish the attempt, being unable to penetrate the pack in

the direction we wished to proceed. We therefore returned to our former

anchorage, under the lea of a friendly berg, the ice continuing to drift

south with marvellous rapidity.

Whilst detained here we were assailed by some furious squalls from the

S.E., accompanied by a heavy fall of snow. During one of these the

"Discovery" was blown away from her anchors, and it was with no little

difficulty that she was again secured to the floe in safety. Thinking we

should be able to reach some open water to the northward by the removal

of the large floe to which we were fast, both ships' companies were

employed in sawing off a large piece of it, which, impinging on one of

the stranded icebergs, would, it was thought, release the floe if

detached. The distance to cut through was one thousand feet.

Notwithstanding the magnitude of the undertaking, every one set to work

with a will and resolution that betokened confidence in being able to

succeed in anything that was required of them.

Before the work was fairly commenced the ice appeared to slack to the

eastward, and the captain, abandoning his former intention, determined

to seek a passage through the pack instead of hugging the coast.

Getting under weigh at 9.30 P.M., we bored through a large extent of

slack ice, into a fine piece of open water, which, when reached, we

found possessed no outlet. It was a perfect salt-water lake surrounded

by ice. In this we were obliged to dodge about under sail, waiting

patiently for the ice to open and thus allow us a free passage.

As we proceed northwards the ice appears to be heavier and more

formidable, and animal life seems to be getting more scarce. Few birds

are seen. Occasionally the head of an inquisitive seal is protruded out

of the water, but immediately withdrawn (if not killed) on being saluted

by half a dozen bullets from the rifles of our keen and enthusiastic

sportsmen, who are for ever on the watch to display their prowess in

their endeavours to procure food for our dogs, by shooting these

animals, who thus pay for their curiosity with their lives.

We appeared to be leaving the region of icebergs, for, although those

met with lately were of great size, they were few in number. The one

affording us protection this forenoon was no less than six hundred feet

in length.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] An amusing story is related of one of the officers. Whilst

engaged in cutting the dock, he, without thinking, put his pipe in

his trousers pocket, so as to enable him the more readily to work at

his ice-saw. Feeling, after a time, a little warm about his legs, he

attributed it to his exertions in working the saw, until a sharp and

intolerable pain caused him to put his hand into his pocket. This

speedily afforded an explanation: his pipe, being still alight, had

burnt a hole through his trousers and shirt and was burning his leg!

CHAPTER IX.

KENNEDY CHANNEL.

_2nd Keeper._--"I'll stay above the hill so both may shoot."

_1st Keeper._--"That cannot be: the noise of thy cross-bow will scare

the herd, and so my shoot is lost. Here stand we both, and aim we at

the best."--_Henry VI._

"Within a long recess there lies a bay,

An island shades it from the rolling sea,

And forms a port secure for ships to ride,

Broke by the jutting land on either side."

VIRGIL.

_Sunday, August 22nd._--The rapidity of the changes that take place in

these icy seas is almost inconceivable. In a few hours from being

helplessly imprisoned by a dense pack of ice, we were actually plying,

under steam and sail, in a vast expanse of water containing only a few

loose streams of ice, through which we had no difficulty in penetrating.

Our predictions were indeed realized, and to a greater extent than we

had even anticipated. We had reached a "North Water," in which we were

sensible of a very perceptible motion on board the ship. It is true that

the pack, apparently as solid and as impenetrable as ever, extended

along the west side of Kennedy Channel; but to the northward and along

the east side was a clear and open sea, free of ice, with its surface

agitated by the fresh northerly wind that was blowing, and rising and

falling with true oceanic undulations.

Unfortunately for us, at least so far as making headway was concerned,

the wind was not only very strong but directly ahead, compelling us to

beat to windward under steam and fore and aft sails. We consoled

ourselves, however, with the hope that the same wind would blow all the

ice to the southward, and thus enable us to make good progress. The

temperature being some six or seven degrees below freezing point caused

us to feel the sharp wind in a very unpleasant manner, and made both the

crow's-nest and bridge very disagreeable places of resort. The pleasure

of feeling that we were really doing good work was, however, sufficient

compensation for the discomfort that was felt.

Stretching over to the eastern side of the channel we passed close to

Crozier Island, having Cape Constitution full in view. Its appearance

coincides exactly with the description given by Morton.

This cape is the northern extreme of a bay called, by Kane, Lafayette

Bay. It is steep and precipitous, and has no ice-foot adhering. Indeed,

the base of the headland, as well as the adjacent one, Cape

Independence, has the appearance of having been partially undermined by

the action of the sea, thus forming an overhanging terrace, up which it

would be impossible to ascend. Morton found its ascent totally

impracticable, on account of the steep and rugged nature of the cliff.

We were unable to detect any signs of a _mer de glace_ over this land,

although a light tinge along the summit to the southward of Lafayette

Bay would lead one to suppose that it existed. This, however, was the

only indication of an ice-cap that was perceived, and it was one on

which little or no reliance was placed.

The positions of the various points along this coast are very fairly

correct, being as nearly as possible in the latitudes ascribed to them

by Dr. Bessels of the "Polaris," affording a striking contrast to the

places on the opposite side of the channel, where the positions are so

egregiously inaccurate. The deep inlet on the American chart called Carl

Ritter Bay was not to be seen. The only indentation in the land in its

assigned position was Richardson Bay, which we must naturally conclude

was the one seen and named Carl Ritter by Dr. Hayes.

It was a curious fact that, whereas the land on the west side of the

channel was completely covered with snow, the land on the east side was

entirely free. This was not the only peculiar feature in which the two

sides of the channel differed. Although apparently of the same

geological formation, there was a great dissimilarity between the

physical appearance of the land on either side. That on the east was

flat and table-topped, rising to the height of about one thousand feet,

separated into hills by broad valleys, whilst the stratification of the

cliffs was regular and horizontal. That on the west side was, on the

contrary, composed of conical-shaped hills, rising to an altitude of

from two to four thousand feet, and intersected by deep ravines, whilst

the stratifications were so distorted that the dip varied as much as

from 10° to 45°.

Whilst the land on the east side appeared to have undergone a regular

and steady upheaval, that on the west seemed to have been raised

suddenly, the deep ravines between the numerous hills resembling the

beds of ancient and extinct glaciers.

_Monday, August 23rd._--A glorious run has been made during the last

twenty-four hours, assisted, for a short time, as we have been, by a

strong southerly wind; but alas! by 10 A.M. we arrived at the end of our

tether!

Passing the entrance to Bessels Bay, we reached Cape Morton, from whence

extended right across Hall Basin our implacable enemy, the ice--solid

floes of immense area stretching to the northward as far as the eye

could reach, with no opening, no outlet of any description, and no

indications of water.

Polaris Bay was ahead of us, and we could plainly discern the position

of the Americans' winter quarters; but with no hopes, for the present,

of our reaching so far. We must again, as we have so often had to do

before, exercise our patience, and wait for a more favourable

opportunity for pushing on. The strong southerly wind now blowing will,

in all probability, be succeeded by a calm or a breeze from the

northward, either of which will have the effect of opening the ice. The

"Discovery" having landed a small depôt of two hundred and forty rations

at Cape Morton, for the use of travelling parties that will hereafter be

dispatched for the purpose of exploring Petermann Fiord, both ships made

sail and beat back to Bessels Bay, where we dropped anchor in seven

fathoms, just inside, and under the protection of Hannah Island.

Bessels Bay is a long and narrow indentation in the land, extending in a

N.W. and S.E. direction, having numerous small glaciers on either side,

the majority of them discharging ones. The bay is in consequence nearly

choked with small bergs.

This bay or fiord gives one the idea of having been originally the bed

of some large glacier, now extinct, whilst Hannah Island, which lies

directly across its mouth, has every appearance of having been its

terminal moraine, not only from its position, but also from its

composition, for it consists of an immense heap of pebbles and drift,

possessing apparently no determined basis, no underlying rock.

We were also able to observe here the undoubted _mer de glace_ under

which Greenland is supposed to be buried, and whose outpourings in this

locality find their escape in Petermann Fiord and Bessels Bay.

A few eider-ducks, a seal, and some dovekies, with an ivory gull, were

seen to-day.

Captain Feilden and Mr. Parr landed on the northern side of the bay,

and, ascending a high hill, obtained a good and unobstructed view to the

northward. Their report was very desponding--ice, nothing but ice, as

far as they could see.

From what we can now observe, the land on the western side of Hall Basin

appears to end abruptly somewhere about Cape Union, and does not

continue to the northward, as represented in the last American Chart. I

put no belief in the land reported to have been seen by some of the men

of the "Polaris," and named President Land. Should the land terminate,

as I anticipate, in about lat. 83° N. our chance of reaching a high

latitude will of course be much reduced, although we shall have a grand

field of exploration to the eastward and westward.

In the evening the captain and myself visited Hannah Island, and erected

a cairn, in which a record detailing our movements was deposited, on its

summit, in the most conspicuous place about the centre of the island.

Here we had an uninterrupted view to the northward; but what we saw

only confirmed the report brought on board in the earlier part of the

day. The western side of the channel appeared free of ice as far as Cape

Lieber, and a lane of water was visible extending from us as far as this

cape. By this stream of water appears our only chance of getting on.

_Tuesday, August 24th._--The captain left the ship early this morning to

ascend the hill immediately above Cape Morton (two thousand feet in

height), in order to ascertain from the nature of the ice what our

prospects of pushing on were likely to be. During his absence a haul

with the dredge was obtained, but with unimportant results: the

continual movement of icebergs in the bay, all more or less aground,

would hardly admit of much organic life at the bottom. Fossils abounded

in the limestone on shore, and a large collection of specimens was made.

At noon the captain was observed, in his boat, off Cape Morton, with the

signal flying for the ships "to weigh."

His orders were speedily executed; and, having picked him up, we were

soon running quickly across to the western side. He gave us the very

pleasing information that from the summit of Cape Morton he had observed

a magnificent lead of water along the west coast, and extending in all

probability as far as Cape Beechey. This was indeed delightful

intelligence, and served to raise the social barometer many degrees.

Our coal was rapidly diminishing, and we knew that many more days of

steaming such as those we had lately had would reduce our fuel to such

an extent that we could hope to do little more; for without steam a

vessel in these latitudes would indeed be helpless.

11 P.M.--Oh, the hopes and disappointments that we poor Arctic explorers

have to endure! First of all a confiding anticipation in the future

makes us joyous and expectant, and then we are plunged into the lowest

depths of despondency.

Two hours ago we were steaming through a grand expanse of water, looking

forward with confidence to reaching, in a few hours, Cape Beechey, or

perhaps even Cape Union, both being distinctly visible ahead, whilst

Capes Brevoort, Sumner, and Stanton were in sight on our starboard bow.

Passing Cape Baird, however, we were again met by our insatiable enemy,

the ice, which defied all our efforts to penetrate it.

We are now slowly picking our way across Lady Franklin Strait towards

Cape Bellot, in the hope of being able to reach some place of security

where we can remain patiently until a northerly wind shall have cleared

a passage for us. Whilst crossing Kennedy Channel we obtained a

magnificent view up Petermann Fiord. It is an extensive opening, with no

land visible at its head. This is a geographical problem which we hope

we shall soon be able to solve. It is difficult to determine at present

whether Lady Franklin Strait is really a strait or a deep inlet. We are

inclined to the latter belief. This is another question we hope will

soon be satisfactorily settled.

_Wednesday, August 25th._--At one o'clock this morning, whilst threading

our way amongst the ice-floes that bordered the coast, a herd of musk

oxen was observed browsing quietly on an adjacent hill. Such an

opportunity for obtaining fresh meat was not to be disregarded. A

shooting party was quickly organized, and, whilst the boats were being

prepared and the hunters getting ready their rifles, the ships were

taken into a beautifully snug and land-locked harbour, protected at its

mouth by a large island, situated on the northern coast of Lady Franklin

Bay.

Here the anchors were let go, and the sportsmen despatched in quest of

the game.

Separating into three distinct parties on landing, we advanced

cautiously towards the spot where they were last seen grazing, hoping to

be able to surround and capture the entire herd. Not only did we all

enter keenly into the sport, but our mouths watered at the prospect of

again indulging in fresh meat. We pictured to ourselves smoking-hot

beefsteaks and savoury calf's liver, dainties that we had for some time

been strangers to, being prepared for us after our return to the ship,

never even dreaming of a chance of returning empty-handed.

The disposition of our force was well calculated, for the musk oxen

being alarmed, in all probability by the blowing off of steam from one

of the ships, started in full flight in the direction of a deep ravine.

Here they were met by a couple of the hunters, who discharging their

rifles dropped two of the herd. The remainder turned and dashed up the

side of a steep hill, but only to be met by two more sportsmen, who made

such good use of their time and weapons, that they succeeded in shooting

the remainder, seven in number.

One of the first brought down was the bull of the herd, a noble fellow;

but so tenacious of life that several shots had to be expended, at a

very short range, before he bit the dust.

Elated with our success, and having sent back to the ship for assistance

in conveying the meat on board, we commenced skinning, cleaning, and

cutting up the animals, so as to guard against the possibility of any

delay in doing so being the means of tainting the flesh with the

disagreeable musky odour. This, in consequence of the scarcity of knives

amongst the party, was a long and tedious process; however, by nine

o'clock we had the satisfaction of seeing our "morning's bag" safely on

board, amounting altogether to 2,124 lbs. of good fresh meat. Not a bad

morning's work!

[Illustration: MUSK OXEN.]

These animals, from peculiarities they possess, are placed in a genus

between the sheep and the ox, and are called _ovibos moschatus_. They

are only met with in high latitudes, although traces of them, it is

reported, have been seen as far south as 59° N. lat., but they are

rarely seen in any numbers lower than 67° N. lat.

They have been seen, and shot, in large numbers, by the various search

expeditions wintering at and about Melville Island, and they were also

obtained on the opposite side of Kennedy Channel by the "Polaris" in

1872. The crew of this latter vessel succeeded in shooting twenty-six

during the twelve months they passed in this latitude. They are

gregarious, usually wandering in small herds, although occasionally

single specimens are found. The herd just obtained by us consisted of

one old bull and four old cows, and two young bulls and two young cows.

They subsist on the scant vegetation of these regions--principally

grasses and lichens--which they scrape up from under the snow, when the

ground is covered. They hardly give one the impression of being very

quick and agile, yet they ascend hills and climb over rocks and rough

surfaces with great ease. They are reputed to be very irascible, and

have frequently been known, when wounded, to attack a hunter and

seriously endanger his life. The horns are very broad, covering the brow

and crown of the head, and meeting at their base. Our bullets appeared

to have no effect when fired at the head. From the bull we obtained no

less than 385 lbs. of meat!

Finding that the harbour in which the ships were anchored possessed all

the necessary qualifications for rendering the winter quarters of a

vessel in the Arctic Regions comfortable and secure, Captain Nares

selected this spot as the place in which he would leave the "Discovery."

It appeared in every way adapted for this purpose. A secure harbour,

possessing two narrow entrances, with the water so shallow as to

effectually prevent the larger and heavier pieces of ice from drifting

into it, with a neighbourhood covered with a more luxuriant and richer

vegetation than had hitherto been seen, and giving evidences of being

well stocked with game--for, in addition to the musk oxen, numerous and

recent traces of wolves, foxes, hares, and lemmings had been

observed--the place seemed especially suited for passing the winter in;

and its selection as the winter quarters of our consort was never

regretted.

We all feel that the navigable season is rapidly drawing to a close, and

that very few more days are left us. During the last week the

temperature has never been above the freezing point; and the young ice

has been forming to an alarming extent, even at midday. An advance, if

farther advance is to be made, will be better and more speedily

accomplished with one ship only, than by having two to look after. The

responsibility is lessened, whilst the knowledge that there is another

ship to fall back upon, in case of accidents, removes all anxiety.

When the decision that the two ships were to part company was

promulgated, it was received with satisfaction, although we were all

sorry to lose the companionship of our numerous friends. The evening was

spent in an interchange of visits, and many a sincere and fervent "God

speed," with a silent but expressive squeeze of the hand, was exchanged

between the officers and the men of the two Arctic ships.

In order to strengthen our force on board the "Alert," and to have an

extra sledge party for the purpose, if required, of communicating with

our consort, an officer, Lieutenant Rawson, and seven men were received

from the "Discovery;" the only thing that we were able to give in

exchange being 900 lbs. of the musk oxen just procured--a by no means

despicable offering!

Everything having been satisfactorily arranged, the "Alert" steamed away

from Discovery Harbour on the morning of the 26th, exchanging hearty

cheers with her consort as she passed; she hoisting the signal "May

Providence prosper your efforts," to which we replied "Happy Winter;"

and thus we separated, happy in the knowledge that a safe refuge was

established in our rear, with the unknown before us, fervently praying

for a successful issue to our undertaking.

CHAPTER X.

THE CROSSING OF THE THRESHOLD.

"And now there came both mist and snow,

And it grew wondrous cold.

And ice, mast high, came floating by,

As green as emerald.

And through the drifts, the snowy cliffs

Did send a dismal sheen;

Nor shapes of men, nor beasts we ken,

The ice was all between.

* * * * *

With sloping masts and dripping prow,

As who pursued with yell and blow,

Still treads the shadow of his foe,

And forwards bends his head,

The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast,

And _Northwards_ aye we fled."

COLERIDGE.

Now that we are pursuing our solitary journey northwards, we can the

more fully realize that our real work has commenced--the real work

towards the achievement of that success which we all so ardently hope

will crown our efforts.

Now that we are alone we shall be the more ready to avail ourselves of

every opening in the ice that may present itself, every little chance

that may occur, which we should be unable to do, if hampered with a

second ship.

We had hardly advanced three miles, in fact were still just inside the

entrance to the harbour, when the ice, closing in round the point,

barred all egress. In endeavouring to steer clear of these fragments,

the ship grounded on a projecting spit off a small island, but sustained

no injury, floating again immediately she was lightened. As farther

advance was out of the question, for the present, in consequence of the

pack having drifted in, the vessel was secured under the lee of a

natural breakwater at the entrance to Discovery Harbour, ready to take

advantage of the first opportunity of making a start that should offer.

Accompanied by Feilden and Rawson, I made an expedition to Distant Cape,

whence we obtained a good view of Robeson Channel; but it was anything

but an inspiriting one. There appeared to be a perfect block of heavy

ice right across to the Greenland coast, although a few thin blue lines,

denoting streams of water, could be discerned radiating in the pack to

the eastward, but apparently leading to nothing.

Some terns, _Sterna Arctica_, were obtained on a small island, as also

their young and eggs. The nests were simply little round holes, some in

the snow, having a few small pebbles as a bed. Some knots, _Tringa

Canutius_, were also obtained; but no amount of search was successful in

discovering either the egg or the nest of this bird.

A fine sheet of water, situated on the breakwater, being frozen over,

afforded our skaters an opportunity of indulging in their favourite

pastime, and of practising both the inside and outside edges to their

hearts' content.

The following day was also one of enforced idleness, and no movement

could be made with the ship.

[Illustration: KNOTS.]

Snow fell heavily, much to our annoyance, as it prevented us from

keeping a perfect watch on the ice in the channel, in consequence of its

density. The ice was being set up Lady Franklin Bay at a great pace.

Once during the day it appeared inclined to open and give us a chance of

proceeding. The skaters and sportsmen were hurriedly called on board;

but before steam could be raised the opportunity was lost. In navigating

these waters it is necessary to be constantly on the alert, and

prepared, at any moment, to take advantage of any chance that may occur;

but with the small quantity of fuel we have remaining, it is also

necessary to economize and husband that essential aid to advance as much

as possible; our fires were therefore always kept low, except when the

engines were actually working.

A small fragment of driftwood was picked up on the island. It resembled

some hard wood, but was so wasted and worn by attrition that it was

impossible, without subjecting it to microscopic examination, to

determine to what species it belonged.

The large island off which we were secured, and which forms the main

protection to Discovery Harbour, was named Bellot Island, after the

distinguished young French naval officer who lost his life whilst

zealously prosecuting the search for Sir John Franklin and his ill-fated

companions.

_Saturday, August 28th._--A thick fog in the morning effectually

frustrated all our hopes of advancing; but clearing up towards midday,

we were rejoiced at seeing several leads through the ice in the

direction of Cape Beechey.

Steam was quickly raised; but, in attempting to cant, the ship took the

ground, and much to our chagrin and disappointment remained immovable.

This was indeed tantalizing, as we knew by sad experience how capricious

were the motions of the ice, and that every moment was of the utmost

value to us.

Lightening the ship as much as possible, the rising tide floated her in

about a couple of hours, and at 5 P.M., having hoisted up all our boats,

we were again able to proceed.

As we rounded the point we hoisted the colours and dipped them three

times as a parting farewell to our consort, who had just time to whip up

the signal "Good luck" before we were finally shut out from each other's

view.

Rounding Distant Cape, we found the channel full of ice, some of the

floes being very massive and of great extent; but between them existed

narrow lanes of water, in some places choked by loose slack ice, through

which we had little difficulty in penetrating, although at the expense

of our rudder, which was so severely injured by the heavy nature of the

ice as to be rendered almost useless.

At midnight, when within about a mile of Cape Beechey, ice was

encountered stretching right across the channel and pressing so tightly

in to the land as to form a dead block to our farther advance. We had

then by estimation reached the 82° parallel of latitude. This check was

a great damper to our hopes, especially as no bays, or protection of any

description for the ship from the pack, could be found in our immediate

vicinity.

Our only resource was to return a few miles to the southward and there,

in a slight indentation of the land, affording little or no protection,

secure the ship to an ice floe, and employ ourselves at once with the

rather heavy operations connected with shifting the rudder. This work

was performed in about three hours. In the mean time, a small herd of

musk oxen having been observed on shore, our sportsmen were despatched

in pursuit, and we soon had the satisfaction of hearing that they had

succeeded in shooting three, the remainder of the herd having escaped

over the hills. This was a very welcome addition to our stock of fresh

meat. Our mizzen-rigging was now literally groaning with the amount of

meat suspended there; for, in addition to the recent accumulation of

musk-ox flesh, the remainder of our sheep, some seven or eight in

number, had been slaughtered and added to the general stock. So hard

were the portions frozen, that they were very truthfully compared to

the legs of mutton and sides of sheep made of wood usually seen hanging

in the front of a butcher's shop in a pantomime!

The bay in which we had taken refuge was, in consequence of the work

there performed, named "Shift-Rudder Bay."

_Sunday, August 29th._--At noon we were again under weigh, Captain Nares

having ascended a high hill during the forenoon, from which he had

observed an opening in the pack by which we might proceed. Cape Beechey

was easily rounded; but, in consequence of the floes closing into the

land, we had a very narrow escape of being caught whilst going round

Cape Frederick VII., and it was only by pressing the ship at her utmost

speed that we succeeded in rounding it in safety. Two minutes after we

were round, the floe came into contact with the high steep side of the

cape, crumbling against it and piling up hummock on hummock from the

irresistible force of the outside pressure. What would have been the

fate of our poor little frail ship had she been caught between these two

stupendous works of nature?

The ice had now assumed a totally different character from any that we

had hitherto seen, being infinitely more massive and heavy. The

thickness was estimated at from eighty to one hundred feet, whilst the

hummocks formed along the shore and round the edges of the floes were

fully twenty-five and thirty feet in height.

These large hummocks received from us the name of "floe-bergs," the term

being intended to convey the idea of masses of ice more bulky than

ordinary hummocks, and formed in a different way. Some of these huge

fragments that fringed the coast line were fully sixty feet in height,

yet they were _aground_ in some ten and twelve fathoms of water! This

will give some idea of the massive nature of the ice with which we were

contending. The region of icebergs, the creation of land glaciers, had

been passed, and in their place were substituted these floe-bergs, the

production of a floating glacier.

To contend with this massive ice required the greatest care and

judgment, for little respect is shown to the unfortunate vessel that is

exposed to the fatal embrace of what has been aptly termed by our old

Arctic navigators "ye unmercifull yce." Before midnight the ship was

secured to a large floe in Lincoln Bay, the pack having again closed in

to the land, thereby obstructing our advance.

The positions of the different bays and headlands on the western side of

Robeson Channel we found strangely at variance with the positions

assigned to them on the latest American chart; indeed, the shore, as

delineated, was quite unrecognizable. The land on the opposite side of

the channel seemed, on the contrary, to be very accurately laid down.

With the exception of a little lemming (_Myodes torquatus_), captured by

Captain Nares when he landed in the morning, a solitary dovekie (_Uria

grylle_), fluttering about in the ice-encumbered waters, was the only

living thing seen during the day. The first-named little animal was the

first of its species caught alive, and excited considerable interest,

every one being desirous of obtaining a peep at the diminutive little

quadruped. One man, more fortunate than his messmates, was literally

besieged, by those less lucky than himself in seeing the animal, with

numerous questions regarding its appearance. When asked its colour the

man hesitated, finding it difficult to describe; but suddenly

brightening up he said, "Why, _lemon_ colour, of course!" an answer that

appeared quite satisfactory, agreeing, as it did, so well with its name!

These little mouse-like creatures are the smallest, yet the most

numerous and common, of all quadrupeds in the Arctic regions. They are

extremely pugnacious and fearless, and often attract attention, when

they would otherwise be unobserved, by their shrill cries of rage at an

approaching step. They hibernate in burrows under the snow, and live

during the summer on the scant vegetation of these regions. When roasted

and served up on toast, like sparrows, they were found to be excellent

eating, although provokingly small.

On the same hill where the capture of this little animal was effected,

our naturalist picked up a marine shell (_Astarte borealis_), about a

mile from the beach, and at least a hundred and fifty feet above the

level of the sea. This shell was in excellent preservation, the

epidermis still adhering, and in a perfect state.

The apparent freshness of this specimen gave rise to many conjectures

regarding the theory of the upheaval of the land, the evidence pointing

conclusively to its being both recent and rapid. These regions offer a

wide field for the geologist and student of natural history.

_Monday, August 30th._--During the forenoon, there being no prospect of

pushing forward, a large depôt of provisions, consisting of one thousand

rations, was landed. This depôt was established for the use of

travelling parties from the "Discovery," or from our own ship should it

be determined to despatch any to the southward. It was not without some

difficulty that the heavy casks were transported from the boats to a

suitable position sufficiently removed from the encroachments of the

pack. Their transit was only effected by a nautical process known as

"parbuckling," by which casks and barrels are either hauled up or

lowered down steep inclines.

On the brow of the hill immediately above the depôt a large cairn was

erected, in which the usual records were deposited; the provisions

themselves being so placed as to form a very conspicuous landmark to any

ship passing to the northward, or to any sledge party travelling along

the coast line. Whilst engaged in these operations, the pack was

observed to slacken considerably, several leads of water opening to the

northward, which we fondly hoped would afford us an easy passage towards

the attainment of that object which was ever uppermost in our thoughts,

and for which we were ready and willing to make any sacrifice--the

object of exploring the unknown region, and of reaching a high northern

latitude.

Steam was accordingly quickly raised, and another attempt made to

proceed; but alas! having incautiously been tempted by promising lanes

of water to stray farther from the land than had hitherto been our

custom, we were soon hopelessly beset by very heavy ice, of at least

eighty or one hundred feet in thickness, and fully ten feet above the

surface of the water. So high was it that our boats, suspended at the

davits, were seriously endangered, and had in consequence to be "turned

in" to avoid being crushed altogether. We were, fortunately, surrounded

by loose pieces of broken-off ice, which acting as cushions between the

ship and the more massive floes, thereby saved the "Alert" from an

unpleasant nip. As there was no saying when we might be deprived of the

friendly aid of these "buffers," by any sudden movement of the pack,

steam was kept ready in both boilers in order that we might take

immediate advantage of any such motion for the purpose of extricating

our vessel from her very unpleasant and perilous position.

An anxious night was spent by all on board, and many ineffectual

attempts were made to push our way through cracks in the pack that

appeared to be inclined to open. Sleep was out of the question--indeed,

was hardly thought of--every one being prepared, with his little bag of

necessaries, to abandon the ship when such an order, which seemed

inevitable, should be given.

On the following day, by dint of much labour, a space was cleared round

the stern of the vessel, which enabled us to ship our rudder, and, the

ice having slackened a little, by constantly steaming ahead and astern

we succeeded in clearing a larger space in which the ship could be

worked, when, boldly attacking the pack, we forced our way through, and

with relieved minds and thankful hearts extricated ourselves from our

dangerous position, and once more secured the ship in Lincoln Bay. The

time occupied in steaming through the pack, a distance of about a mile,

was exactly five hours!

The ice was observed to be still tightly packed against Cape Union, and

consequently hindered us from pushing on.

We had much reason to be grateful for our safe deliverance from the

pack, for, shortly after our extrication, a heavy gale sprang up from

the S.W., the effect of which on the ship, beset in such ponderous ice,

must have been disastrous in the extreme, and would in all probability

have been fatal. Ice navigators, however, are not, as a rule, prone to

indulge in ideas as to "what _might_ have occurred had this or that

happened:" their thoughts and minds must be directed entirely to the

present and the future, only too happy and thankful, as the days go by,

to find they still have their own good vessel to sustain them, and carry

them through another day. To our engines we owed a deep debt of

gratitude, for without the powerful aid of steam we should have been

unable, before the gale burst upon us, to have effected our deliverance.

Towards midnight the gale freshened considerably, snow fell, and the

weather altogether had a very ugly and threatening appearance. We,

however, consoled ourselves with the hope that it would clear the ice

out of the channel, and thus enable us to proceed. The noise of the pack

grinding and squeezing as it was tossed about by a short turbulent sea

was anything but pleasing to listen to, resembling in a measure the

sound created by the dashing of the surf over a rock-bound coast. One

can easily imagine the feelings of those old navigators, in their frail

little barks, which gave rise to the expression that "the irksome noyse

of the yce bred strange conceits among us." Very "irksome" indeed was

that noise to us, and many were the "strange conceits" that we indulged

in as we listened to the soughing of the wind and the crashing of the

ice!

_Wednesday, September 1st_, must always be regarded, at least by all

those connected with, or interested in, Arctic research, as a red-letter

day in the annals of naval enterprise, and indeed in English history,

for on this day a British man-of-war reached a higher northern latitude

than had ever yet been reached by any ship, and we had the extreme

gratification of hoisting the colours at noon to celebrate the event.

Never was an ensign hoisted by such a number of eager and willing hands.

All were desirous of participating in this act, and of sharing the

honours of this important proceeding.

Our success in thus attaining a high position was due entirely to the

S.W. gale, which blew with such fury, that by nine o'clock in the

forenoon the pack was driven so far off the land that a narrow channel

of water was left extending to the northward along the coast line. We

were not long in availing ourselves of this grand opportunity. The ice

anchors were quickly hauled on board, sail was made, and, with the steam

ready in case it should be required, we were soon bowling along at the

rate of ten knots an hour, "and _northwards_ aye we fled." So far had

the pack been blown off the shore, that the channel of water was fully

three miles in breadth.

It would be impossible to describe the feelings of those on board the

"Alert" at this unexpected piece of good fortune; for the lateness of

the season, combined with the unprecedented solidity of the ice, had in

a measure damped our ardour and forced us to realize the apparent

hopelessness of attaining, this year, a high northern latitude. Eagerly

and anxiously were the different reports from the crow's-nest listened

to, and still to the delight of all came down the cheery words, "Water,

plenty of water ahead, and no ice in sight."

Every one was joyous and elated as, at noon, they assembled round the

ward-room table to inaugurate, in a glass of Madeira, generously

supplied by our wine caterer, the auspicious event, and to wish success

to their flag.

Unfortunately snow was falling heavily, and the weather was so thick

that little could be seen. We could just make out that the land along

which we were steering, and which trended to the N.E., was composed of

high cliffs with numerous ravines and valleys running down to the

water's edge; but, to our disappointment, we failed to observe either

harbour or bay, or any place that would afford a refuge or protection of

any description for the ship. Arctic navigation, like everything else,

has its dark as well as its bright side!

After rounding Cape Union the coast trended away to the westward of

north, and the wind, which had hitherto been blowing so fresh, suddenly

subsided. So did our joyful anticipations, for one short hour after our

ensign had fluttered out so gaily before the breeze, we were stopped by

a barrier of ice of great thickness, through which there was no prospect

of penetrating. The land also appeared to lose the bold rugged character

that had been such a prominent feature between Lincoln Bay and Cape

Union, and now assumed an undulating form as it trended away to the

N.W., the coast being low and entirely covered with snow.

Having set our minds at rest that a farther advance, for the present,

was perfectly impracticable, we reluctantly retraced our steps to the

southward for about a mile, and secured the ship inside a fringe of

grounded floe-bergs that lined the coast and which promised to afford us

protection, in fact, the only protection, from the irresistible pressure

of the pack. A depôt of provisions, consisting of two thousand rations,

was immediately landed, in order to guard against all accidents that

might happen to the ship, and also to be of use to our southern

travelling parties, should we succeed in reaching a higher latitude in

the ship. The weather still continued thick; but during a clear interval

we succeeded in getting a good view to the northward from the summit of

a hill about two hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea. But

it was a most cheerless scene that presented itself in that direction.

Nothing but ice, tight and impassable, was to be seen--a solid

impenetrable mass that no amount of imagination or theoretical belief

could ever twist into an "open Polar Sea"!

We were reluctantly compelled to come to the conclusion that we had in

reality arrived on the shore of the Polar Ocean; a frozen sea, of such a

character as utterly to preclude the possibility of its being navigated

by a ship; a wide expanse of ice and snow, whose impenetrable fastnesses

seemed to defy the puny efforts of mortal men to invade and expose their

hitherto sealed and hidden mysteries. Still we did not give up all hope

of reaching a higher northern position in the ship. We knew the

wonderful effect that a gale of wind would produce on the pack, and we

hoped when the weather cleared, we should still be able to see, and

reach, land to the northward.

For the present then we could only put our trust in Providence, who had

already guarded and favoured us almost beyond our most sanguine

expectations, and pray that He might still continue to watch over and

protect us, and grant us such a measure of success as would increase our

knowledge of this world and thereby add to His glory.

CHAPTER XI.

FLOE-BERG BEACH.

"The cold earth slept below,

Above the cold sky shone,

And all around

With a chilling sound,

From caves of ice and fields of snow

The breath of night like death did flow

Beneath the sinking moon."

SHELLEY.

In order more effectually to ensure the safety of the ship, the men were

at once employed in removing a large quantity of loose ice, directly

inside the line of friendly floe-bergs, so as to allow the vessel to be

hauled farther in and thus obtain more complete protection from the

encroachments of the pack. This was no easy work, for the wind had again

sprung up and blew with terrific violence, whilst the temperature had

fallen as much as ten degrees below the freezing point.

Before we had succeeded in completing our preparations a violent squall

struck the ship, the lines by which she was temporarily held parted, and

we were blown clean out from our harbour of refuge. Steam was instantly

raised, and an anchor let go, which fortunately brought us up. During

the succeeding hours the gale blew with increased fury, but being an

off-shore wind, we were in a measure protected, whilst it had the effect

of driving the pack off, so as to raise our hopes at the prospect of

again proceeding northward.

Suddenly, without any warning, the wind shifted, and drove the whole

body of the pack towards the land. Our danger now was imminent. To be

caught between the fast closing ice and the grounded floe-bergs would be

certain destruction, to escape to the southward before the pack impinged

on Cape Union was quite out of the question, and to steam into the pack

would be madness. Our only hope of safety was to endeavour to haul the

ship inside the grounded floe-bergs, and again avail ourselves of their

friendly protection. No time was to be lost; it was a case of almost

life and death to us. The men, always to be depended upon in a crisis

like the present, responded to the call with alacrity, and by dint of

hard work we succeeded in hauling the ship into a safe position. We were

not a moment too soon: it was a race between the ice and the ship, in

which the latter was, fortunately for us, the victor. Scarcely had we

reached our place of refuge when the pack came into contact with the

bergs, scrunching and squeezing in a most unpleasant manner as it swept

by, and serving to illustrate, in a very practical way, the dreadful

fate to which we should have been subjected had we not been fortunate

enough to escape in time.

It is difficult to imagine a more desolate position to pass a winter

than the one in which we were placed. Our ship was on an exposed and,

apparently, unsafe coast, without even the protection of a bay, within

one hundred yards of a low undulating beach, on which, should any

extraordinary pressure of the pack destroy our protecting bergs, we must

inevitably be forced and wrecked, exposed to all the rigours of an

Arctic winter; and yet, notwithstanding these unenviable drawbacks, the

official announcement that this place had been decided upon as our

winter quarters was received with a deep feeling of relief and

thankfulness. This determination was not, however, arrived at for some

days, when, from careful watching of the pack, it was decided that a

farther advance was absolutely impossible.

Winter was advancing upon us with rapid strides, eager to seize us in

its icy grasp; so quickly, indeed, that in two days we were able to

_walk on shore_ on the new and rapidly forming ice. The now steadily

falling temperature was another and a sure indication that the navigable

season was at an end.

Without a harbour or projecting headland of any description to protect

our good ship from the furious gusts that we must naturally expect, the

"Alert" lay, apparently, in a vast frozen ocean, having land on one

side, but bounded on the other by the chaotic and illimitable polar

pack.

The land had already assumed a wintry aspect, and the ship, to be in

unison with her surroundings, had also put on a garb of snow and ice,

each spar and each rope being double its ordinary thickness from the

accumulation of frost rime. Everything was white, solemn, and motionless

around us; no voice of bird or beast was heard to disturb the silence.

All was as still and silent as the tomb--a silence that until then had

never been broken by the presence of man.

"No other noyse, nor people's troublous cries,

As still are wont to annoy the walled towne,

Might there be heard, but carelesse quiet lyes,

Wrapt in eternal silence far from enemyes."

Night, to which we had long been strangers, gradually came upon us, the

darkness increasing perceptibly as each day passed away. From the 3rd of

September, on which day the sun set at midnight, the days decreased in

length, and the stars were again seen to twinkle in the heavens.

From a neighbouring hill we obtained a clear and unobstructed view of

our surroundings. The coast continued to the N.W. in a succession of

large bays, terminating in an abrupt cape some forty miles distant. In

order to assimilate the names of the various bays and headlands with

those of the American chart, this extreme point was called Cape Joseph

Henry. Beyond Cape Joseph Henry all was conjecture. It might be the

southern extreme of a large bay or inlet, or it might be the northern

termination of land. No land of any description could be seen to the

northward--nothing but the rugged pack. So formidable and compact

appeared this icy barrier that it seemed to stand out bold and resolute

in its strength, effectually setting at defiance the puny efforts of man

to penetrate its solidity, saying, as it were, "Thus far shalt thou go,

and no farther." And, indeed, we had much cause to be thankful to Him

who had hitherto watched over and protected us in many dangers, and who

had allowed us to penetrate thus far into this remote and unknown

portion of the globe.

A long range of high hills could be seen to the westward, whilst on the

opposite side of the channel the distant land of Greenland was

indistinctly observed, its most northern point bearing about N.E.

(_true_).[1]

The positions of the northern extremes of land, on either side of the

channel, were, for a time, a matter of some uncertainty, and it was

really doubtful which was situated in the highest latitude. It was not

until after the return of the autumn sledging parties that this

important question was definitely decided, the land on the western side

proving to be nearest the Pole.

It must not be imagined, because farther progress in the ship had

ceased, that our labours had in any way diminished; on the contrary, we

felt that our real work was about to commence: a work in which we should

all share in a greater or less degree, and a work the achievement of

which had been our sole engrossing thought since leaving England.

Before finally deciding upon the position of our winter quarters,

Captain Nares was desirous of ascertaining whether a more protected spot

could be found for the ship in the numerous bays to the N.W. than the

exposed position she then occupied.

Accordingly, early on the 5th of September, Aldrich and myself started

away with a couple of sledges, each drawn by a team of eight dogs, under

the guidance of Frederic the Eskimo, and Petersen, the Danish

dog-driver. Our route lay along the edge of the coast, where, at times,

we were able to take advantage of the ice-foot on which to travel; but

as a rule there was no continuity of this land-ice, and we were

compelled to strike across an undulating country, deeply covered with

snow, ascending hills frequently as high as two and three hundred feet

above the level of the sea, whence we obtained good views of the

surrounding country. The general direction in which we travelled was

N.W., the coast line being a series of indentations in the land, some of

such a size as to form fine harbours and bays; but, alas! they could not

be utilized for our ship, for they were rendered unapproachable by a

chain of high hummocks extending in every case across the entrances,

whilst the water in the harbours appeared to be permanently frozen, and

therefore inaccessible for a vessel.

It was a novel sensation to us to be thus dashing along on our light

sledges, exploring a perfectly unknown country: a wild and barren tract

of land, a snow-covered expanse, receding from our view in long

undulations into the interior, until lost amongst the high

conical-shaped hills of from one to two thousand feet in height, that

invariably form the chief feature of Arctic scenery in these high

latitudes. At noon we made a brief halt for luncheon, our appetites

having been rendered doubly keen by the sharp cold air of a temperature

some twenty degrees below freezing point; but which had, until the halt

was called, been unheeded, the constant jumping on and off the sledge

and assisting the dogs over difficulties having kept us in a perfect

glow. Innocently pulling off our mitts, we commenced a vigorous

onslaught upon the Australian beef with which we had supplied ourselves;

but the first contact of our fingers with the handles of the knives

proved the folly of such a proceeding, and compelled us again to resume

our mitts. These, however, were now frozen so hard that they were with

difficulty put on! Petersen using a tin cup to drink a little rum mixed

with snow, and disregarding his mitts, burnt his hand rather severely,

whilst we were all obliged to rub the edge of the cup well with our

hands before putting it to our lips!

These little inconveniences were to us a source of great merriment; in

fact, they must really be experienced before they can be properly and

thoroughly appreciated!

The Eskimo dogs appear to me to be very differently constituted to their

more civilized brethren. In England a halt for lunch whilst shooting is

a signal for all the dogs to assemble and importune for fragments of the

feast, which they greedily devour. My own dog "Nellie" would never be

satisfied without obtaining a very large share of any impromptu meal.

With the Eskimo dogs it is quite different. As soon as the sledges are

halted they lie down and sleep, and rarely attempt to move until they

are required to do so. Should a piece of meat be thrown to them they may

condescend to swallow it; but they turn up their noses at a piece of

biscuit, utterly despising it as an article of food. Yet these dogs are

excessively voracious, and always hungry! Nothing in the shape of fresh

meat, or even skin, is safe from their insatiable voracity; even the

thongs that are used for lashing the different parts of a sledge

together, unless they have been well rubbed over with tar, are unsafe,

and will most assuredly be gnawed off. Notwithstanding this, they have

little liking for cooked meat, positively refuse biscuit, and are not

troublesome when they observe you eating.

We were _en route_ again directly our luncheon was consumed, the dogs

starting off with renewed vigour and speed after their short rest, when

we came suddenly upon a precipitous ravine, almost too late to stop our

team in their headlong career. By springing out of the sledge and

holding on with might and main, we just succeeded in stopping them in

time, pulling up almost on the very brink of the precipice. Retracing

our steps for a short distance, we left the hills, and continued our

course along the coast line, until our farther progress was checked by

water, a channel connecting two large bays, which from their shape

afterwards went by the name of Dumb-bell Bay.

[Illustration: DOG-SLEDGE IN DIFFICULTIES.]

Swimming about in this little sheet of water was a small flock of

eider-ducks, eleven in number, that appeared to be as much surprised at

beholding us as we were at seeing them. They did not, however, seem

disposed to fly away. The only weapon we had was a rifle with twelve

rounds of ammunition. With this we commenced hostilities, rejoicing in

the anticipation of a fresh-meat meal when we returned to the ship. So

utterly unconcerned did they appear that we actually succeeded in

shooting five before the remainder took flight; but to our great chagrin

we were unable to possess ourselves of any of our victims, as they had

unfortunately all fallen into the water _just_ out of our reach. This

was very tantalizing, as neither of us felt inclined to risk being

frozen for the sake even of roast duck by plunging in after them. We

were reluctantly compelled to leave them. During the following week,

however, they were recovered, having all been frozen together in the

water. With the exception of these birds, no animal life was seen,

although we observed numerous traces of ptarmigan and lemmings. Tufts of

saxifrage and some grasses were seen, but so thickly was the land

covered with snow that it was impossible to arrive at any conclusion

regarding the vegetation of the country.

In consequence of the report that we brought back, Floe-berg Beach was

decided upon as the position of the "Alert's" winter quarters, and

preparations were immediately made for securing the ship, and for making

as extensive an exploration of the land to the northward as the duration

of light would admit.

The land in our immediate vicinity was also very naturally an object of

special interest to us. Speculations were rife regarding its extent and

formation. The possibility of obtaining game of any description was a

matter of much importance to us who were doomed to pass so many months

in these icy solitudes. Alas! any hopes that we had cherished in this

respect were soon found to be fallacious. The land, for the succeeding

eight months, proved to be as devoid of life as its appearance was

sterile and desolate.

On the 9th of September Aldrich went away with the dog-sledges,

accompanied by two or three of his messmates, for three days, for the

purpose of more thoroughly exploring the country in the hopes of

obtaining game.

On the 11th I left the ship with Parr and Egerton and eighteen men, with

the object of advancing a couple of boats to the northward along the

proposed route of exploration. It was thought that they might prove

useful during the future sledging operations of the expedition. We came

back in four days, having successfully accomplished our mission.

On our return journey we encountered a furious gale of wind, which broke

up the ice along the coast line, and forced us to drag our sledges over

the hills, the summits of which were almost bare, the force of the gale

having blown the snow completely off. Any one who has ever attempted to

drag a sledge over a rough stony road will know the severe toil and

labour that is required to be exerted in order to make any progress.

Crossing a bay we made a short halt for luncheon on the ice, under the

lee of a high hummock, and narrowly escaped destruction from having

selected such a spot for a halt. Without our observing it, the ice began

breaking up, and it was only by strenuous exertions that we succeeded in

reaching the shore in safety, whence we observed the ice on which we had

recently been encamped drifting in small fragments to seaward. If this

disruption had not been observed in time, nothing short of a miracle

could have saved us.

The violence of the gale was so terrific that pebbles and shingle were

blown along by its force, mercilessly striking our faces and causing

acute pain. Still we had to struggle onwards, for there was no possible

lee under which we could pitch our tents and obtain shelter. An attempt

to do so was unsuccessful, and had to be abandoned.

One of the men, failing from sheer exhaustion, had to be carried on the

sledge. This seriously added to our difficulties, for it increased the

load which the wearied sledgers had to drag, whilst it diminished the

power of the draggers. But the indomitable spirit and pluck of the

British sailor overcame all obstacles, and after an arduous march of

eighteen hours in the face of a furious hurricane, we arrived, to our no

small relief, alongside the "Alert." Never was a goal attained with more

pleasure and satisfaction than was our Arctic home reached that night by

the fatigued and half-blinded sledge travellers. Untrained as they were,

this forced march had seriously overtaxed their strength and entailed

much suffering. Some few were, on their return, placed under the

doctor's hands.

Meanwhile those remaining on board the ship, but few in number, spent an

anxious and trying time.

The young ice, by which the ship was surrounded, had been completely

broken up by the fury of the gale, and had disappeared; and had it not

been for the protecting grounded floe-bergs, small mercy would have been

shown to the good ship "Alert," by "ye thick-ribbed ice."

Small fragments of the pack, large enough, however, to be unpleasant

and disagreeable neighbours, would occasionally find their way between

the floe-bergs, and drift about in our immediate vicinity. These it was

our object to secure as speedily as possible, otherwise their incessant

movement backwards and forwards with the tide would break up the young

ice, or even prevent it from forming. The ominous grinding noise of the

pack, as it swayed to and fro in the channel, and the terrible war that

appeared to be raging between the floes as they came into furious

contact with each other, pulverizing their sides or rending huge

fragments from their edges, was a sound and sight that struck us with

wonder and awe.

The grandeur and solemnity of the scene gave rise to thoughts of our own

weakness and insignificance amidst these wonders of the far north.

On the morning after our return on board, the wind having subsided

considerably, and a large channel of water existing between the land and

the pack, Captain Nares determined upon seeking more secure and

sheltered winter quarters in one of the numerous bays immediately to the

northward of our present position, in the hope that the gale would have

broken up the ice and so afforded us an entrance.

Steam was quickly raised and the rudder shipped; but from some, at that

time, unknown cause we were unable to lower the screw into its place, or

rather to enter the shaft. Our chance therefore of getting away was

lost, as before midnight the gale was blowing as furiously as ever. The

following day, however, the weather again cleared up, and renewed

attempts were made to ship the screw, but always without success. Whilst

so engaged a shift of wind occurred, and we had the mortification of

seeing the whole body of the pack close the channel of water and resume

its place along the coast, where it remained during the entire winter,

effectually sealing us up. We had good reason to be thankful to our

screw for causing our detention, for a subsequent examination of the

coast proved only too plainly that the ice had not been broken up and

blown out of any of the harbours that we should have sought, and that we

should not have found any better sheltered position than the one we then

occupied. In all probability we should have been caught by the fast

closing ice--an occurrence rather unpleasant even to speculate upon. We

afterwards discovered the reason for the failure of our attempts to ship

the screw. On lowering it into the water, the ice formed so quickly in

the "boss" that it effectually prevented the shaft from entering!

The ship was now secured by lines to the floe-bergs, and by anchors and

cables to the shore, until she should be permanently frozen in.

We also busily engaged ourselves in making the necessary preparations

for the autumn sledging operations. Travelling garments were issued,

tents thoroughly overhauled, and sledges prepared.

On the 22nd of September Aldrich was despatched with three men and two

dog-sledges, provisioned for fourteen days, as a sort of pioneering

expedition; his orders being to proceed, if possible, as far as Cape

Joseph Henry, there to erect a cairn and deposit a record with full

information regarding the practicability of travelling, that would be of

use to the main party which would follow him in a few days.

By the 25th the ice had again formed around the ship, and was of

sufficient thickness to bear heavy weights. This was the day selected

for the departure of the sledging parties. The force consisted of three

eight-men sledges, officered by Parr and May, the whole under my

command. My sledge was named the "Marco Polo;" Parr's, the "Victoria;"

and May's, the "Hercules." My orders were to advance as far to the

northward, along the land, as possible, and at our extreme position to

establish a large depôt of provisions in readiness for the use of the

main exploring parties that would be despatched in that direction during

the ensuing spring. Our provisions were all carefully weighed and

packed; the maximum weight dragged by each man on leaving the ship was

201 lbs., decreasing at the rate of 3 lbs. per diem due to the

consumption of provisions. The slight experience that we obtained during

the previous few days' sledging stood us now in good stead; the men who

had recently been so employed being regarded as veterans in sledge work

by those who were for the first time being initiated into its mysteries.

All started in the very best spirits, animated by the same desire to do

their utmost, and to achieve, so far as in them lay, success and honour

for the expedition.

The details connected with the sledging operations must have a chapter

to themselves. I make no apology for not entering more fully into the

journeys performed by Aldrich and others, as the description of one

sledging expedition suffices for all, and I am, of course, best able to

describe those in which I was myself personally engaged.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] All compass bearings referred to are _true_, unless stated to be

_magnetic_.

CHAPTER XII.

AUTUMN TRAVELLING.

"When suddenly a grosse fog over spred,

With his dull vapour all that desert has,

And heaven's cheerfull face enveloped;

That all things one, and one as nothing was,

And this great universe seemed one confused mass.

"Thereat they greatly were dismay'd, ne wist

How to direct theyr way in darknes wide;

But feared to wander in that wastefull miste,

For tombling into mischiefe unespyde:

Worse is the danger hidden than descride."

SPENSER.

There are, I am sure, many among those "who stay at home at ease" who

have little or no idea of what sledge travelling in the Arctic Regions

is like, and who even fail to realize that it entails hard work of any

description.

Their imaginations picture the travellers seated on sledges, comfortably

wrapped up in shawls and furs, and drawn by a team of dogs or reindeer

gaily caparisoned, with their bells jingling as they dash along at a

rapid pace over a smooth plain of snow and ice. They imagine that after

the toil of the day is over a large fire is built up, and, having

obtained some salmon, venison, or other product of the chase, a

sumptuous meal is cooked and discussed, after which the sledge

travellers compose themselves to sleep in a nice warm snow-house or

wooden hut constructed by their attendants. All this sounds very

delightful, and is, to my personal knowledge, believed to be a fairly

true picture of Arctic life by a large majority of people. Unfortunately

it is the very reverse of sledge life on the shores of the Polar Ocean.

Let us see what it is like in reality. There, great climatic hardships

have to be endured, combined with physical labour of no ordinary

description. No change or variety of any sort can be made in the fare,

nor can more than a certain allowance be allotted to each individual.

When that is consumed, hunger must be borne with patience until the time

has arrived for the next meal, for until that is due nothing is

obtainable.

For shelter at night time, a tent made of the very lightest material

(for economy of weight is the most important point to be considered in

sledge travelling) is all the covering to protect the travellers from

the furious onslaughts of a biting wind, always accompanied by a

blinding snow-drift. So searching is the latter that in spite of all

efforts it will penetrate through every little orifice into the tent,

covering everything inside with a layer of minute snow crystals, and

rendering an uncomfortable night still more comfortless and

disagreeable. Rolled up in their bags, with the hard frozen sea as their

couch, affording little rest to their aching and frost-bitten limbs, the

wearied sledgers vainly attempt in sleep to become oblivious to the

present. As for a fire by which circulation might be restored in their

numbed extremities, that is quite out of the question. A limited amount

of spirits of wine, barely sufficient to cook the allowance of

provisions, is all the fuel with which they are supplied. Even if the

material for making a fire, such as driftwood, was available, it would

be impossible to benefit by it, for it could not be lighted in the tent,

whilst outside, under such circumstances as I have related, it would be

impracticable.

This is a slight sketch of what has to be endured by the Polar sledge

traveller; but a cheerful spirit, a contented mind, and an ardent desire

to achieve success are quite sufficient to enable him to withstand the

attendant hardships, and even to laugh at and treat them with contempt.

I cannot do better than quote the words of Sir George Nares, who,

addressing our men before leaving England, whilst explaining to them the

nature of the work that they were about to engage in, and speaking from

his own personal previous experience of sledge life, said, "That if they

could imagine the hardest work they had ever been called upon to perform

in their lives intensified to the utmost degree, it would only be as

child's play in comparison with the work they would have to perform

whilst sledging!"

These prophetic words were fully realized, and were often recalled and

commented on by the men during their initiation into the work of

sledging.

The autumn sledge travelling has been alluded to by a very distinguished

and successful explorer in the Arctic Regions, as "the very acme of

discomfort." In the accuracy of this statement we, one and all, fully

concurred.

The principal reasons that sledging at this period of the year is more

disagreeable than in the spring are, first, because the rapidly

decreasing light caused by the sun's altitude lessening day by day is

decidedly opposed to either work or comfort. Before our return from

sledging, the sun had illumined for the last time, until its

reappearance the following year, the summits of the snow-covered hills

in the vicinity of the "Alert's" winter quarters, and had sunk, slowly

and majestically, beneath the southern horizon, bequeathing to us only

for a short time a few bright rays until the long polar night wrapped us

in its sombre mantle, and enveloped us in gloom and obscurity for many

months.

"'Tis gone, that bright and orbèd blaze,

Fast fading from our wistful gaze;

Yon mantling cloud has hid from sight

The last faint pulse of quivering light."

A few hours of twilight, therefore, were all we had in which to work.

Candles we had none. Our breakfast before we started in the morning and

our supper after we halted in the evening had to be discussed in gloomy

darkness. Our notes had to be written in our journals before entering

the tent, even at the risk of frost-bitten fingers.

In the second place, at this time of the year the ice, over which the

sledges have to be dragged, is of very recent formation, and is

consequently weak and dangerous. The travellers are therefore more

liable to immersion by breaking through the thin ice at this period of

the season than they are during the spring, or indeed at any other time.

Young, and therefore smooth and level ice, covered with a treacherous

layer of snow, often entices the unwary to turn from the rougher but

stronger floes to travel on its flat plain surface. An immersion is

invariably the result. Sometimes the leading men on the drag-ropes break

through this weak ice first, and, by so doing, time is given to stop and

save the sledge; but very often the ice directly under the sledge gives

way without previous warning, when every effort must be at once directed

to save the sledge. Although this is always successful it is generally

at the expense of the greater part of the biscuit, which is so saturated

with salt water as to be uneatable, and the wetting, and the consequent

freezing, of the tent with all its appurtenances. Nothing more wretched

and miserable can be conceived than having to pass the night in a

stiffly frozen sleeping bag, inside a tent, which at the best of times

is barely large enough to accommodate the party of men for whom it is

allotted, but which has been considerably shrunk by being frozen. Not

the least unpleasant part is the process of pitching it, for having

become as hard as a piece of board, it is with great difficulty

unfolded; more especially as this operation has to be performed after

the fatigues of a hard day's sledging, by wearied men, in such a

temperature that it is impossible to expose the hands bare to the cold,

and it must therefore be carried out with mittens on.

The constant wetting of the feet also renders the men more liable to

frost-bites; whilst the heavy fall of snow, usually experienced in these

regions during the autumn, renders the work ten times more arduous. For

the air thus becomes so thick that it is impossible to see many yards

ahead, and we have to trust solely to a compass as a guide. We might, in

truth, fairly quote the lines from Spenser's "Faërie Queene," at the

heading of the present chapter, as illustrating our difficulties in

this respect--

"That all things one, and one as nothing was,

And this great universe seemed one confused mass."

And lastly this continual breaking through the ice of both men and

sledge, combined with the heavy and incessant fall of snow, renders the

task of walking and dragging a sledge one of extreme labour and anxiety.

These were the little difficulties we had to experience during our

novitiate in this autumn sledge travelling, and they must be generally

expected by explorers who go away so late in the year.

[Illustration: START OF THE AUTUMN SLEDGES.]

In a future chapter I propose to give a full account of the routine of

sledge life, of the equipment and scale of provisions, and of all other

details connected with sledging operations in the Arctic Regions. I will

now, therefore, proceed at once to give a brief account of our journey,

for the purpose of laying out a depôt in the autumn, which occupied

three weeks of very severe and harassing work.

At eight o'clock, on the 25th of September, the three officers

commanding sledges, myself and Lieutenants Parr and May, assembled at

breakfast in sledging costume, and a rattling good breakfast our caterer

gave us. At 8.15 our standards were displayed on the sledges, the ship

hoisting the ensign. At 8.30 the crews took up their stations alongside

their respective sledges, and the order was given to march. Our men

stepped out bravely, and as they did so three hearty cheers resounded

from the ship. I called a halt and returned the salute with as much

emphasis as twenty-four powerful pairs of lungs could give, and then

continued the march. The young ice seemed strong enough to bear, so

leaving the ice foot, on which the travelling was heavy, we ventured on

the new ice. But we had not gone more than a mile when, to my horror,

Parr's sledge, the "Victoria," went through! It was a case of all hands

to the rescue, and after fifteen minutes of hard tugging and hauling we

succeeded in dragging it upon a firm piece of ice. But everything was

thoroughly saturated. There was nothing for it but to send back at once

for another sledge and dry things. This being done, we again proceeded

for about three miles, when suddenly I heard a crack, and looking round,

there was my sledge through! We dragged it on shore, and unpacking at

once, I was glad to find that we had suffered less than the "Victoria;"

but it was bad enough. Our tent and gear at the top were of course

saturated, and nearly all our biscuit spoilt. However, I did not think

it advisable to return, so re-packing we made another start, and shortly

afterwards were rejoined by Parr. After marching for twelve miles I

halted for the night with the temperature 3° below zero, the tent frozen

hard and shrunk considerably. Next day we marched thirteen miles over

ice whose blue uneven surface was as smooth as glass, making it very

hard work for the men, who were sorely put to it to maintain their

footing. They worked splendidly, trudging merrily along, making light of

the heavy loads and the treacherous ice, thinking only of performing a

good day's work, and of advancing the depôt as far north as possible.

On the third day, being unable to round a point of land owing to several

lanes of water, we were obliged to unload the sledges and carry the

things piecemeal across a neck of land about two miles in width and a

hundred feet above the level of the sea. On the same evening snow began

to fall, and from that time it fell incessantly until our return to the

ship, increasing in depth day by day. This, combined with the softness

of the snow as it fell, seriously impeded our advance, and we were

frequently obliged to halt our sledges whilst the men were employed

clearing a road with the shovels. So impervious was the air, owing to

the heavy fall of snow, that it was only occasionally that we were able

to obtain glimpses of the land as we journeyed onwards, rendering it

most difficult to make out its conformation, or even the direction in

which the coast line trended.

From the unaccustomed work of dragging, the shoulders of the men began

to evince symptoms of rawness, although they constantly shifted their

drag belts from one shoulder to the other. In spite of these little

drawbacks, and the dull overcast weather that generally prevailed, the

spirits of the men never flagged, and every night the labour of the day

would be forgotten, and singing and laughter would be the only sounds

heard issuing from our little camp, long after we had comfortably

settled ourselves in our sleeping bags.

It was amusing to listen to the quaint remarks and witty conversation of

the men, as, reclining in their bags and smoking their pipes, they

would, regardless of the generally dreaded presence of the commander,

broach lower deck topics, and freely discuss and criticize them. I was

much surprised at the extensive Arctic knowledge which they possessed,

showing that they had read largely on this subject, and were anxious to

learn yet more.

I must own that the subject of eating and drinking monopolized a very

large share of the conversation; nor did they only occupy our minds

whilst awake, for they frequently formed the subject of our dreams. On

one occasion when I aroused the men in the morning one of them said,

"Oh! I am sorry you called me so soon, sir, for I was dreaming that I

was eating plum pudding, and if you had let me finish it would have been

as good as a breakfast to me!" Gales of wind were, of course, serious

impediments to our advance, and were of not unfrequent occurrence. They

invariably necessitated a halt, as, irrespective of the cold wind being

productive of frost-bites, it was almost impossible to make way through

the blinding snow-drift, which did not admit of anything being seen even

at the distance of a yard or two!

On the 4th of October, half our provisions being consumed, and there

being the prospect of very heavy travelling before us on our homeward

journey, it was decided to return. The depôt was therefore established,

on the brow of a ridge just above our encampment. It consisted of 870

lbs. of pemmican and 240 lbs. of bacon. May and myself pushed on, with

the object of reaching Cape Joseph Henry; but the weather was too thick

to obtain any view, and, for the same reason, it was impossible to

ascertain the trend of the coast or the nature of the travelling to the

northward. The floes seemed to be composed of very heavy ice, and the

hummocks were piled up to a great height along the coast, especially off

any projecting points of land. Lieutenant Aldrich had, however, ascended

a hill some two thousand feet in height, and was fortunate in having a

fine clear day. From Cape Joseph Henry the land, he saw, trended away to

the westward, but there was no indication of anything but the

impenetrable polar pack to the north. We reached a latitude of about 82°

50´ N. before turning our steps homewards.

On the return journey the dragging became infinitely more irksome and

laborious. The snow had accumulated to such a depth as to render some of

the ravines and promontories almost impassable, being above the men's

knees nearly all the time. On one occasion we were compelled to take our

sledges up a range of hills two hundred and fifty feet above the level

of the sea, in order to pass a precipitous cliff, off which was a stream

of water, and then to lower them down a steep incline on the opposite

side. To add to our difficulties, a sudden fall of temperature produced

many severe frost-bites, principally on the feet and toes. Circulation

was always restored as speedily as possible by the application of the

warm hand, and the injured part was then dressed with glycerine ointment

and lint.

The hills, over which we were obliged to take our sledges, subsequently

went by the name of the "Frost-bite Range," in consequence of the many

casualties sustained during the time we were on them.

On the 9th the temperature was 15° below zero, and the boots, stockings,

and foot wrappers were frozen to the men's feet. On coming down the

hills the sledges had literally to be lowered to the ice-foot from a

height of two hundred and fifty feet, at a very steep angle. Thence it

was necessary to follow the shore, where enormous hummocks of ice were

piled up, having huge cracks and fissures, into which we sunk to our

necks in snow. In crossing some sludgy ice between the hummocks, on the

11th, Lieutenant May unfortunately went through, and was so severely

frost-bitten that he eventually had to suffer amputation of one of his

great toes.

The sun set at about one in the afternoon. A glorious sight: the colours

of the sunrise and sunset seeming to be blended together. This was on

Tuesday, and at breakfast on the following Friday all the provisions

would be expended. The 13th was the last day of the sun's appearance.

On the 14th the temperature was down to 25° below zero, and the

travelling very heavy; but our sufferings were nearly over. At seven we

sighted the ship, and hoisted our sledge standards. All the officers and

ship's company came out to meet and help us, and by 8.50 P.M. we were on

board.

Some of the frost-bites were so severe as to render amputation

necessary. This arose from the difficulty of finding out the injury in

time. A frost-bite steals upon one like a thief in the night, and before

the victim is aware it often happens that mortification has set in. No

less than half the party were placed on the sick list from being more or

less severely frost-bitten.

It was a very great relief and comfort to us to be again on board, and

extremely gratifying to receive such a welcome as that extended to us by

our messmates. They were already feeling a little anxious at our

prolonged absence, knowing that we were only provisioned for twenty

days, and fearing that our return journey would be greatly delayed by

the late excessive fall of snow.

How comfortable the ward-room looked, with the lamps burning brightly, a

cheerful fire blazing in the stove, and, what delighted us almost still

more, a clean white cloth spread upon the table, and on it a sumptuous

repast, made doubly inviting by a couple of decanters of madeira and

port! These little comforts and luxuries, though they may appear to

casual readers unimportant and insignificant, are thoroughly enjoyed and

appreciated by wearied and foot-sore travellers who have been strangers

to light, comfort, and a good meal, though only for three short weeks.

The pleasure of a warm bath and the enjoyment of brushing one's hair are

beyond all description! We were all a little thinner when we returned;

but, with the exception of the frost-bites, none the worse for our

expedition.

So far as the results were concerned we were quite satisfied,

considering them perfectly successful.

We had established a depôt of provisions some forty miles to the

northward of the ship, which would very materially assist the sledging

campaign of the ensuing spring. A large amount of thorough practical

experience had been gained, which we hoped would bear good fruit in the

coming year. And we had succeeded in reaching and passing the highest

latitude attained, to the northward of Spitzbergen, by that

distinguished Arctic navigator, Sir Edward Parry, forty-eight years

before, during his memorable journey over the frozen sea towards the

North Pole.

These were the most important results gained by the autumn sledging.

The disappearance of the sun before our return necessarily prevented a

more protracted exploration being made. As it was we only had sufficient

light during midday for a very few hours' work.

Perhaps, as it was our first experience in sledging, it was as well we

were not able to remain absent for a greater length of time. As an

instance of the manner in which the different articles increased in

weight during the autumn travelling, we found on our return to the ship

that the tent which had previously weighed 32 lbs. had increased to 55

lbs., the coverlet from 21 lbs. to 48 lbs., the lower robe from 18 lbs.

to 40 lbs., the floor-cloth from 11 lbs. to 29 lbs., and everything else

in proportion! This increase is due to the absorption of all moisture,

which instantly freezes. In the spring, although the temperature is far

lower, this moisture, even when frozen, is extracted by exposure to the

sun. In the autumn this is impossible, as the sun has disappeared.

[Illustration: WINTER QUARTERS, H.M.S. "ALERT."]

CHAPTER XIII.

WINTER QUARTERS.

"Let winter come! let polar spirits sweep

The dark'ning world and tempest-troubled deep.

Though boundless snows the withered heath deform,

And the dim sun _ne'er_ wanders through the storm,

Yet shall the smile of social love repay

With mental light the melancholy day."

CAMPBELL.

The sledge travellers having all returned, the necessary preparations

for passing the winter were immediately taken in hand.

Notwithstanding the loss of the sun, which took its final departure on

the 11th of October, we had for many days sufficient light, during five

or six hours of the day, to enable us to carry out the manifold duties

connected with the preparations for a winter in the Arctic Regions.

Although the ship was completely frozen in, and the ice in which she was

imprisoned was increasing in thickness day by day, additional

precautions for her safety were taken by burying a couple of the largest

anchors on shore, and freezing them into their holes by pouring water

over them; to these were attached the chain cables. These we felt would

be a perfect security for us against any off-shore gale.

Provisions in large quantities were landed as a precaution, in case any

unforeseen event should, during the winter, cause the destruction of our

ship, and so at one fell swoop deprive us both of home and supplies. Out

of the casks and cases so landed a spacious house was constructed,

capable, if necessary, of affording accommodation to our entire party.

This house, which went by the name of "Markham Hall," was used as a

receptacle for sails, rope, sledge gear, and all articles that could not

be conveniently stowed under hatches on board. Its dimensions were

forty-nine feet long, by twelve feet wide, and ten feet high. The

mainsail was used to roof it over. It was altogether a very grand

edifice, and we were, and I think with some reason, very proud at the

result of our architectural skill.

The building mania seemed to be very prevalent amongst the officers, the

majority of whom employed themselves in constructing snow-houses for

various purposes near the ship. One officer went so far as to commence a

_colonnade_, reaching from the shore to the ship, the pillars to be made

of frozen blocks of snow, but the undertaking was of too gigantic a

nature to be carried out with any hope of success, and was abandoned

after a few days' work.

A wooden observatory, brought out from England for the express purpose,

was set up for the transit instrument, and this with a house adjoining,

in which was placed the alt-azimuth instrument, being the head-quarters

of our astronomical observers, Parr and May, went by the name of

"Greenwich."

[Illustration: DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING THE MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY AT "KEW."

EXPLANATION OF PLAN.

A The Unifilar House.

B The Barrow Dip Circle House.

C The Declinometer House.

DD Passage connecting A and B, 37½ ft. in length.

EEE The main passage, 120 ft. long.

F Passage leading to Declinometer House, 44 ft. from entrance.

G The main, and only, entrance. Distant from the _Alert_ 504 ft.

All houses and passages were "sub-glacial."]

Snow-houses were constructed on shore for the several magnetic

instruments, and these latter were securely fixed by being firmly frozen

on snow pedestals. The three houses in which the instruments were

placed were connected, one with the other, by sub-glacial passages, one

being no less than a hundred and twenty feet in length. The whole

establishment, which was most complete and reflected great credit on

its architect, was called "Kew." Giffard and myself were the two

officers entrusted with the charge of the magnetic observations, and

many a cold and comfortless hour had we to spend, in our endeavours to

add to the slight knowledge we possess in this interesting branch of

science.

Several other snow-houses were built for various purposes. One was for

the reception of our powder, as it is most important that such a

dangerous and combustible article should be removed from the ship, where

of necessity so many fires have to be kept up. The place in which the

powder was stored was called "Woolwich." Others were constructed in

which were deposited all our salt beef for present use, and these

buildings, of course, went by the name of "Deptford," after our great

naval victualling depôt in England.

Altogether the neighbourhood of our winter quarters had the appearance

of a young thriving settlement rapidly springing into maturity,

rendering what would otherwise have been a barren and desolate scene,

one of cheerful life and activity.

The salt beef, which was exceptionally tough and salt, more so indeed

than the ordinary salt "junk" used in the navy, was kept in a

snow-house; because we found, by experiment, that it was rendered more

palatable by so doing. In all probability the process of congelation

tended to extract, or precipitate, a very large portion of the saline

matter with which it was impregnated, and thus deprived it, to some

extent, of its hardness and saltness.

By the 26th of October the ship was completely "housed" in by a set of

awnings, extending from the after part of the top-gallant forecastle to

the mizzen-mast. This "housing" was made of a material called tilt

cloth, similar to that used to cover waggons in England. It was spread

on spars lashed between the masts, having curtains on each side so

fitted that they could readily and easily be triced up when required for

purposes of ventilation. Hanging lamps were suspended from the spars

over the centre of the deck, which were kept alight night and day. The

funnel, which was provided with a hinge, was lowered down, and formed a

famous and convenient stow-hole for rope. The number of coils that were

deposited in it was truly marvellous.

[Illustration: FLAG-STAFF POINT.]

Two gangways were cut in the ship's side: the one on the port side being

used as the general one for entrance and exit; the one on the starboard

for carrying out all slops and dirt to a large dirt-heap established

between the hummocks, some hundred yards from the ship. A smaller

dirt-heap was temporarily used nearer the ship, the accumulations being

removed to the larger one once or twice a week.

Although, as a rule, the snow was not well adapted for building purposes

on account of its consistency, we were able to supply ourselves with

blocks from certain places where the snow had drifted in large

quantities and hardened by pressure.

A snow wall, constructed from solid blocks obtained from these quarries,

was formed round the ship at about six feet distance, and at the height

of about four feet. When this was completed the space between the ship's

side and this wall was filled in with snow, reaching as high as the fore

and main channels, forming a perfectly solid and impervious embankment

that would effectually aid in preserving the warmth of the ship. The

upper deck was cleared of all superfluous articles, and was covered with

snow about twelve inches deep. A layer of gravel and ashes was strewn

over the surface; but I am not sure that we benefited much by this

measure, for it was rendered so slippery by being frozen that it was by

no means an easy matter to walk on it.

All skylights and hatchways were carefully covered up, two only of the

latter being kept open as a means of ingress and egress. These were so

constructed with porches and double doors as to prevent the admission of

the outside air. The doors, being fitted with weights, were made

self-shutting, so that the closing of one door was insured before the

opening of the other. Snow walls were also built up round the porches,

and in fact round the hatchways and skylights not in use, so as to

render them all the more impervious to the cold air.

Round the funnel of the galley fire there was a large space, inclosed by

a wall of snow, in which was deposited every morning a supply of ice or

frozen snow, to be converted into water sufficient to last twenty-four

hours. The ice for this purpose was procured from a large floe about one

hundred and fifty yards from the ship, which in all probability was

formed by the thawing and subsequent re-freezing of the snow on its

surface. When it was difficult to find work for the men to do outside

the ship during the winter, they were employed in conveying this ice to

a large depôt that was formed close to the vessel, protected from the

Eskimo dogs by a snow wall, from which during gales of wind or other bad

weather we were able to supply ourselves.

Our boats were all hauled up in a safe position on shore. Sails were

left bent, but securely furled and covered. Ropes that were not unrove

were carefully hauled taut, so as to prevent our being kept awake during

a gale of wind by an uninterrupted "devil's tattoo"--that is, the

continual flapping of a rope against a spar, which produces a very

aggravating and monotonous sound.

Former expeditions were supplied with Sylvester's warming apparatus,

which, by means of pipes leading along the whole length of the ship,

warmed the "between decks" with hot air. The only means for heating the

vessel at our disposal were by stoves. These were placed in various

parts of the ship, and put under the charge of men who were

periodically selected for this service. Stringent regulations were

issued regarding the economical consumption of fuel, and also to guard

against all accidents from fire.

As it is necessary in all ships wintering in the Arctic Regions to

devote a certain place to the washing and drying of clothes in which a

high temperature can be constantly kept, we appointed for this purpose a

compartment on the fore part of the lower deck, commonly called the

fore-peak. The men had certain days during the week allotted to them for

the use of this place, and it was found that clothes washed and hung up

one afternoon would be invariably dry on the following morning.

The vapour arising in this room did not reach the deck on which the men

lived, but was conveyed through a trap hatch leading into the fore-peak

to a large space under the top-gallant forecastle, inclosed by a snow

wall and made its exit through an up-take formed of a piece of

funnelling. The compartment was heated by a stove, the fire in which was

kept burning night and day.

The very difficult question of ventilation below was carefully

considered. It is one of the most important and serious matters that can

come under the consideration of the commander of an Arctic expedition.

Nothing is so essential to the preservation of health as the pure and

free circulation of air on the living deck.

In this respect we were not so well off as our predecessors, for they,

being supplied with the Sylvester heating apparatus, were able to admit

a more constant current of air, and thus keep their habitable deck in a

better state and more free from condensation than ours. We found it a

very difficult matter to prevent in the slightest degree the

accumulation of moisture on the beams overhead, caused by the

condensation formed by the number of people living on the deck, and by

the vapour arising from the galley fire. Several up-takes and down-takes

were fitted in holes cut through the upper deck in our attempts to

remedy this serious defect, but as a rule they had little effect in

counteracting it. Men were incessantly employed during the winter in

wiping the moisture off the beams with cloths. If the hatchway doors

were kept open, even for a short time, this moisture was at once

converted into ice, which, of course, thawed and dripped immediately as

the temperature was raised. This drip was a constant source of annoyance

to us during the whole winter, and it was one to which we had, in part,

to submit.

Whilst all these necessary preparations for the safety and warmth of the

ship were being carried out, the comforts of those who were about to

brave the rigours of an Arctic winter were not forgotten. Warm garments

were issued, consisting principally of a complete suit of seal-skins and

warm woollen guernseys. It must not be supposed that our seal-skins were

of the same material as those soft fur jackets so much in vogue with the

fair ones at home. Ours were obtained from the ordinary Greenland seals,

whose skins are covered with coarse bristly hairs. They were,

nevertheless, quite as warm, and were indeed our favourite articles of

clothing after the unpleasant aroma, which seems inseparable from

clothing of this description, had worn off, or until we had become so

accustomed to it as to fail to notice it!

Carpet boots, or moccasins made of moose-skin, were worn on the feet.

The former were furnished with tops, made of duffel, reaching as high as

the knees, and with cork soles over an inch thick. With any temperature

below zero leather boots and shoes must be discontinued, as they freeze

so hard that the material loses its flexibility, and renders the foot in

consequence more liable to frost-bite. Moccasins, worn over a couple of

pairs of blanket wrappers, and a pair of thick woollen stockings

reaching above the knee, are undoubtedly the most comfortable foot-gear,

and the best adapted for low temperatures. Blanket wrappers are, as

their name indicates, strips of blanket, generally about sixteen inches

square, worn folded round the feet in lieu of socks and stockings, than

which they are infinitely warmer.

As a rule, officers and men were dressed alike. Occasionally some of the

former would make their appearance in long fur coats with hoods that

they had obtained from the Hudson's Bay Company's store and other places

in London, but the majority adhered to the clothing supplied to them by

Government.

A special winter routine was made out, and commenced shortly after the

return of the sledge parties. It was strictly adhered to through the

long winter night that ensued.

I must not omit to mention the duty of keeping open the "fire hole"--a

very necessary and important precaution, that must be taken, in order to

be able to obtain a supply of water in case of fire breaking out on

board. As a rule, in all ships that have wintered in the Arctic Regions,

the water has frozen below the suction valves of the pumps, thus

rendering them totally useless. In order, therefore, to obtain water, a

hole was invariably cut through the ice near the ship, which was

generally placed in charge of the quarter-master of the watch, whose

duty it was from time to time to clear off the young ice from its

surface, so that at any moment water might be obtained in buckets. In

the "Alert," in consequence of our valves being much lower, our pumps

were never incapacitated from this cause; still they were liable to be

rendered useless by the water in the pipes becoming frozen. We therefore

always kept our fire-hole in working order. It was close to the bow of

the vessel, and was inclosed by a snow hut, so as to guard against the

danger of anybody falling in whilst walking about in the dark. By fixing

a tide-pole in the hole, and by devising a self-registering apparatus

with a line leading from the tide-pole to the forecastle of the "Alert,"

we were able to obtain a very complete and valuable series of tidal

observations. From having the registering-gauge on board the ship, these

observations were continued uninterruptedly, and were unaffected by

gales of wind or bad weather, that would otherwise have prevented any

one from going outside the vessel in order to note them.

Thermometric observations were, as may be imagined, very carefully

attended to, and the temperatures both inside and outside the ship duly

registered. Maximum and minimum thermometers, by which the greatest heat

and the greatest cold for each consecutive twenty-four hours were

recorded, were established in different places, and were noted every day

at noon by an officer especially appointed for that duty.

Each compartment in the ship was supplied with one of these

thermometers, and on the living deck the temperatures at three different

heights--namely, at the deck, about half-way up, and at the beams--were

daily registered. For the outside air one of the ice-saw triangles was

erected on the floe, sufficiently distant from the ship to neutralize

any influence that might be derived from her presence, and on this, at

the height of about twelve feet, were placed several thermometers. In

addition to these, there were other thermometers on the hill about a

quarter of a mile from the ship, and about one hundred yards above the

level of the sea, so that we were able to obtain a correct mean of the

true temperature of the air. We were also able to ascertain the

temperature of the snow, and the ground at different depths; and also,

by means of solar radiation thermometers, we succeeded, on the return of

the sun, in getting the temperature due to its rays at various

altitudes.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE ROYAL ARCTIC THEATRE.

"Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee

Jest and youthful jollity,

Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles,

Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles,

Sport that wrinkled Care derides,

And Laughter holding both his sides."

MILTON.

Sir Edward Parry, during his first and subsequent winters in the Arctic

Regions, fully recognized the importance of not only exercising and

improving the minds of those under his command, during the long period

of enforced inaction, but also of amusing them, and letting them feel

that they also were assisting in the amusement of their shipmates. To do

this he instituted an evening school on the lower deck, the officers

acting as teachers; and he established periodicals, dramatic and other

entertainments, in which he himself joined and took a conspicuous part.

His wise example has been generally followed by the different

expeditions that subsequently wintered in the Arctic Regions.

It is, in fact, very necessary to exercise both the physical and mental

powers of the men during the dark months, for when once the ship has

been safely established in winter quarters little work remains to be

done. The officers are constantly employed in taking and working up

observations in various branches of science; but the seaman has little

to do but reflect on, and possibly brood over, his situation. It is,

therefore, absolutely essential that some means should be devised to

drive from him all unpleasant thoughts, and to make him feel that it is

in his power to relieve the tedium of what would otherwise be a long and

monotonous winter.

Each ship had been provided, before leaving England, with a

printing-press, and an officer and seaman[1] had been instructed in its

use.

As soon as it was set up and in working order, the following prospectus

was issued by the "firm."

"THE ARCTIC PRINTING OFFICE.

"Messrs. Giffard and Symons beg to inform the public that they have

obtained--at an immense cost and with infinite trouble--possession of

the extensive premises, lately occupied by Mr. Clements Markham,

situated in Trap Lane, within half a minute's walk of the foremost

Quarter Deck Ladder, and easily accessible to all parts of the city.

"They have fitted up their new establishment--_regardless of

expense_--with all the _latest inventions_ and _newest machinery_, to

enable them to carry on the noble art of printing in a style and with

a rapidity hitherto quite unattainable.

"They therefore expect from the public that support and assistance

which it always gives to the _truly deserving_.

"Charges moderate. No credit given. All work required to be executed

to be paid for in advance.

"N.B. Everything undertaken promptly and correctly executed.

"H.M.S. 'Alert,'

"July 28, 1875."

The "cost" and "trouble" alluded to in this production, that were

expended in obtaining a convenient place in which to carry out the

"noble art of printing," were caused by the fact that our photographers

were equally anxious, with our printers, to possess themselves of the

small cabin lately occupied by my cousin, and which is so

grandiloquently alluded to as "extensive premises." In fact, for some

little time it was a very sore and vexed question between those two

celebrated and energetic firms. Trap Lane was so called in consequence

of the after-hold being immediately outside the door of the cabin; and

it occasionally served as a very disagreeable kind of man-trap when,

through inadvertence, the hatch had not been replaced. As this part of

the ship was, during the early part of her commission, in total

darkness, owing to the piles of stores that were stowed in every

available corner, it is no wonder that unsuspecting individuals should

occasionally have fallen into the trap!

Our printing-press was, it is almost needless to say, of great use to us

during the winter; for, although it never printed very much for the

public service, it was constantly called into requisition for the

purpose of striking off programmes for our dramatic and other

entertainments; and on such important events as birthdays and

Christmas-day we indulged in the extravagance of printed bills of fare.

On the whole the printing establishment on board the "Alert" tended very

materially to beguile the tedium of our long nights, and must therefore

be regarded as a decided success.

Our school was opened on the 1st of November; from which date, until the

reappearance of the sun, the attendance was regular and constant. It was

composed of nearly the whole ship's company, and was divided into

classes under the direct superintendence of the officers. Reading,

writing, history, arithmetic, and navigation were the principal

subjects in which the pupils were instructed.

The school was held on the lower deck between eight and nine o'clock in

the evening, the classes occupying the different mess-tables. Only two

men out of the entire ship's company were unable to read and write, and

these two men were placed in a class with two others, who were unable to

read and write English.[2] This class was presided over by the doctor,

who kindly volunteered to devote himself to the instruction of the

"cripples," as they were facetiously called.

As an illustration of the improvement which has taken place in the

education of the men belonging to the Royal Navy during the last

half-century, it may be mentioned that, whereas in Parry's time it was

quite the exception to find a man that could read or write, with us the

exception was entirely the other way, only two men out of fifty-five

being ignorant of those accomplishments.

Never were seen such painstaking and willing scholars as our men showed

themselves to be. It is impossible to conceive a more orderly or

well-conducted school, and it was a pleasure to the masters to devote

their time to classes that evinced such an earnest desire of acquiring

knowledge as did those on board the "Alert."

Here might be observed a staid old seaman, whose great brawny hand

appeared more suited to grasp the marline-spike than the pen, vainly

endeavouring, with his elbows squared, his weather-beaten face close

down over his work, and his tongue thrust out, to arrive at some

satisfactory result in a simple addition sum. As a contrast to this, at

the opposite table might be seen a smart young sailor, who had distanced

all his competitors in arithmetic, asking abstruse questions in

mensuration of such a nature as to make even his tutor feel

uncomfortable!

After the classes were dismissed, the men enjoyed an uninterrupted

evening to themselves. Games of various descriptions, such as chess,

bagatelle, draughts, and cribbage, had been purchased for their

amusement before leaving England, and were in constant requisition

during the winter. A large space on the starboard side of the deck,

abaft the living deck, was allotted to the smokers, and here were held

our dramatic and weekly entertainments on Thursdays. On Sundays Divine

service was performed in the same place.

Books were also a source of great amusement and interest to many of the

men who were studiously inclined, as the well-thumbed volumes in our

library soon testified. Several men wrote regular journals, which were

even kept up by a few whilst they were sledging. Amongst the officers,

chess, backgammon, and a rubber in the captain's cabin, formed the chief

amusements. Although gambling is discountenanced (or ought to be) on

board every well-regulated man of war, we so far forgot ourselves as to

indulge largely in this vice. Seldom was a game played without a stake

on the result! The stakes, too, were exorbitant, frequently as much as

one lucifer match per game! It must be remembered that matches were very

scarce and precious articles with us, and it was therefore a very high

and valuable stake. On one occasion, one of my messmates was so rash as

to wager a tallow-candle on the result of a game; but this was an offer

of such magnitude that no one was sufficiently brave or sporting to

accept it.

Among the many valuable gifts showered upon us by kind and generous

friends at home was an excellent piano, and fortunately amongst the

officers there was a very talented musician, to whose good nature and

willing efforts to please must be attributed many a pleasant hour, when

our hearts were warmed by well-known airs bringing back happy home

memories.

Thursday evenings were always devoted to dramatic entertainments,

magic-lantern exhibitions, instructive lectures, reading, and music both

vocal and instrumental. These entertainments were kept up with the same

spirit, and without a break, during the whole winter. They went by the

name of our "Thursday Pops," and afforded much pleasure and amusement.

They were announced to the general Arctic public by the following

printed notice, which was widely circulated.

H.M.S. "ALERT."

THURSDAY POPULAR ENTERTAINMENTS.

On Thursday, the 11th of November, 1875, will commence a series of

popular entertainments, that will consist of lectures, readings,

recitations, and music, both vocal and instrumental, etc. No trouble

or expense have been spared in obtaining the services of a great

number of the most talented men of the day. The entertainment will be

given in the airy and commodious hall situated in Funnel Row.

PROGRAMME:

_Astronomical Lecture_ (with discussion) Capt. NARES.

_Song_ "I knew that I was dreaming" Mr. GOOD.

_Song_ "Watercresses" Mr. SHIRLEY.

_Reading_ "The Jumping Frog" Dr. MOSS.

_Song_ "An Englishman am I" Mr. CANE.

_Song_ "Broken down" Mr. BRYANT.

_Glee_ "The Wreath" Messrs. ALDRICH, PULLEN, and RAWSON.

_Song_ "The White Squall" Mr. MASKELL.

God save the Queen.

No encores. Doors open at 7.30. Sledges may be ordered at 9 o'clock

Messrs. Giffard and Symons, Printing Office, Trap Lane.

This was the first notification issued regarding our weekly

entertainments, and, coming out a day or two before the performance, it

naturally caused considerable excitement and flutter amongst the Arctic

playgoing world!

Except on the evenings exclusively devoted to the legitimate drama,

these entertainments were always preceded by a lecture delivered by one

of the officers, on some interesting and at the same time instructive

subject, adapted to the knowledge and intelligence of the audience. A

list of the lectures so delivered cannot fail to be of interest.

1. On astronomy Capt. Nares.

2. A few words on magnetism Lieut. Giffard.

3. On geology Capt. Feilden.

4. A few words on meteorology Lieut. Aldrich.

5. A few words on steam Mr. Wootton.

6. Mock moons under the microscope Dr. Moss.

7. On light Lieut. Parr.

8. An historical lecture Mr. White.

9. A few words on astronomy Com. Markham.

10. Our food in the arctic regions Dr. Colan.

11. A few words on arctic plants Rev. H. W. Pullen.

12. On hydrostatics Lieut. May.

13. Sledging experiences Capt. Nares.

Nearly all the officers took part in these lectures, and I have not the

slightest doubt that all would have done so had there been any more

Thursdays to spare. They were eagerly listened to by the ship's

company, and afforded quite as much pleasure as the readings and songs

that followed, in the performance of which they all, with only one or

two exceptions, took part.

[Illustration: ROYAL ARCTIC THEATRE--SCENE FROM "ALADDIN AND THE

WONDERFUL SCAMP."]

The first real dramatic entertainment came off on the following

Thursday. Our plan was for the men to act one piece and the officers

another, and this was found to work very well. But the rehearsals were a

difficulty, and we were frequently compelled to shut ourselves up in our

own cabins in order to secure the necessary quiet and privacy to enable

us to become perfect in our different parts.

The costumes were, of course, a subject of much discussion and deep

interest. The making up of dresses, and the manufacture of wigs from

musk-ox skins and oakum, sorely taxed our ingenuity and employed minds

and fingers that had hitherto been strangers to such occupations. Many

were the needles broken, and many were the fingers pricked, before our

ideal costumes were realized. Eiderdown quilts had to be converted into

the robes of a lovely oriental princess; old uniform coats were

beautified with spangles and tinsel, and appeared as the fashionable

habiliments of a dandy of the seventeenth century; whilst a wicked

magician, of the Hebrew persuasion, appeared in a coat of unmistakeable

clerical cut.

Egerton was an indefatigable stage manager, and the scenic arrangements

under the direction of Moss, who was also the artist, could not be

excelled. Aldrich at the piano (as our orchestra) was a host in himself,

adding materially to the success of the entertainments. In fact,

officers and men vied with each other in their endeavours to promote

amusement and hilarity, and if their histrionic abilities were not of

the highest order, the zeal and energy of the actors fully compensated

for this deficiency.

We enjoyed a rare freedom from harsh ill-natured critics. These pests do

not venture across the Arctic Circle. All who visited the Royal Arctic

Theatre (re-opened after a lapse of twenty-one years) came with a firm

resolve to please or be pleased. Acting upon this determination, our

entertainments were bound to be successful. The following prologue,

composed for the occasion by Pullen, was spoken at the opening of our

theatre, on Thursday, the 18th of November, 1875.

"Kind friends, with kindly greetings met to-day,

We bid you welcome to our opening play:

You, whose indulgent smile forbids the fear

Of scornful wit or captious critic here.

To-day we welcome you, and not to-night,

For all is noon with us--all summer bright;

And though the southern sun has ceased to pour

His glittering rays upon our ice-bound shore--

Has ceased awhile to touch with drops of gold

The crystal corners of our hummocks bold;

We bear a warm soft light that never fades--

A lustrous light amid these Greenland shades;

All trustful of each other's love, we learn

With steady flame our lamp of Hope to burn;

And suns may set, and twilights disappear--

They shall not rob us of our Christmas cheer;

Nor blinding drift, nor frozen wave, shall chill

Our laughter glad--for laugh, brave boys, we will;

Kindling yet once again the genial glow

Of happy English homes on Arctic floe.

"Yet once again; for none would here forget

We are but sons of fathers living yet;

In work and play alike, we but renew

The deeds of men who taught us what to do.

And though, more favoured than the rest, we soar

To loftier flights than theirs who went before;

Though ours the boast, by skilful guidance led,

In virgin climes our shifting scene to spread;

We love to read on history's faithful page,

Of ancient triumphs on our Northern stage,

And boldly for our brave forerunners claim

An Arctic 'cast' already known to fame.

"Now let the tell-tale curtain rise, and say

What we have done to while your hours away.

Such as we have, we bring you of our best,

And to your kind forbearance leave the rest.

One only grief is ours, and you shall share

With us the burden of that gentle care.

One cherished form we miss--one touch alone--

One glance of love--one tender, thrilling tone.

Ah! in the sweet homes of our native isle

The dear ones move, and minister, and smile.

We would not wish them here, but this we know,

Their thoughts are with us every step we go:

Their life sets northward o'er the cold, grey sea:

They live in wondering what our life may be;

And heart draws near to heart, and soul to soul,

Till each has found its true magnetic pole.

"God bless and keep them in His mighty hand--

Our wives and sweethearts, and the dear old land!"

The prologue was warmly applauded. At its conclusion the curtain rose,

and the following programme, showing the plays that were acted and the

cast of characters, was proceeded with.