INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.--METHOD OF REPAIRING.--THE SERIOUS
NATURE OF THE INJURY.--THE SCHOONER UNFIT FOR ANY FURTHER
ICE-ENCOUNTERS.--EXAMINATION OF MY RESOURCES.--PLANS FOR THE
FUTURE.
The extracts from my journal quoted in the preceding chapter will
have sufficed to give the reader an understanding of the results of
my spring and summer sledging, and he will have perceived that they
were regarded by me as having laid down a correct basis for future
exploration. With the character of the Smith Sound ice I had become
more familiar, and the accurate determination of the coast-lines
enabled me more readily to calculate upon the influence of the summer
drift; while the rotten state of the ice in Kennedy Channel, even at so
early a period of the season as May, and the existence of open water
beyond it, left no doubt upon my mind as to the practicability of
getting a vessel through under ordinarily favorable conditions of the
season.
It will be perceived, therefore, that my future course was dependent
upon the condition of the schooner.
Although I have not made more than a passing allusion to the report of
Mr. McCormick as to the damage sustained by the vessel, yet the reader
will have gathered from my journal that it caused me much anxiety. I
was too much prostrated after my return from the journey to make,
during the first few days, that thorough inspection which was needed to
form a correct judgment. I was consoled, however, in some measure for
the delay, by realizing the necessity of writing up the occurrences of
my return journey, while they were fresh in my mind, and of defining on
my chart the observations and geographical discoveries which I had made.
[Sidenote: INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.]
These duties performed, and my strength sufficiently restored to
justify me in leaving my cabin, I made a careful examination of the
schooner and the means which had been adopted for repairing her. These
means were altogether unexceptionable, and reflected much credit upon
Mr. McCormick and also upon the mate, Mr. Dodge, who had given him
zealous assistance.
McCormick had begun by digging the ice away from the bows down to
the very keel, thus exposing all the forward part of the vessel as
completely as if she lay in a dry-dock. The damage proved to have been
even greater than we had anticipated, and it seemed remarkable that
the forward planks and timbers had not opened to such a degree as to
let the water through in torrents and sink us at once. The heads of
the planks which were let into the stem were all started; the outer
planking was loose and gaping open; the iron sheathing of the cut-water
and bows was torn and curled up as if it had been pine-shavings; the
stem-post was started, and the cut-water itself was completely torn
away.
[Sidenote: REPAIRING THE SCHOONER.]
By dint of much earnest exertion and the use of bolts and spikes,--by
replacing the torn cut-water, careful calking, and renewal of the iron
plates,--it seemed probable that the schooner would be sea-worthy; but
I was forced to agree with my sailing-master, that to strike the ice
again was sure to sink her.
The stern of the schooner had been dry-docked in the same manner as
the bows; and it was found that the severe wrench which she had got
off Littleton Island had started the stern-post, upon which hangs
the rudder; and the rudder itself had been twisted off,--the pintles
having been snapped asunder as if they had been made of pipe-clay.
This accident to the rudder had been quite unavoidable, for we were
so situated at the time of its occurrence that we could not avail
ourselves of the facilities with which we were provided for unshipping
it.
McCormick had succeeded in getting in some stout screw-bolts, and had
managed, by an ingenious device, in hanging the rudder in such a manner
that we could rely upon it to steer the schooner; but it would not bear
contact with the ice, or another wrench, and it could not be unshipped.
The schooner's sides were much torn and abraided, but no material
damage seemed to have been done which was not repaired with some
additional spikes to secure the started planks, and a general calking
to close the seams.
I felt much disappointment at the turn of affairs. It seemed very
probable that, in view of the crippled condition of the schooner, the
project of getting into Kennedy Channel and of navigating the Polar Sea
with her would have to be abandoned for the present, and that I had now
no chance for another year but with boat and sledge. In this direction
there was nothing to give encouragement. To transport a boat across
such ice as that of Smith Sound was wholly impracticable, and I was now
more poorly off for dogs than before. Only six animals survived the
late journey. Of these one died after a few days, apparently from sheer
loss of vitality; and one was returned to Kalutunah.
[Sidenote: MY RESOURCES.]
Under these circumstances, it became a matter for serious reflection,
whether it were not wiser to return home, refit, add--what was of
much consequence--steam-power to my resources, and come back again
immediately. Once at Cape Isabella with a proper vessel, I was fully
persuaded that I could get into the northern water, and find a free
route to the Pole, although it might be a hard struggle and somewhat
hazardous. The chances of success would be greatly enhanced by _steam_.
On the other hand, by remaining, I could not clearly see my way
to accomplish any thing more of northern discovery than had been
accomplished already; and I was now called upon to consider whether
my time and means could be employed to better advantage by promptly
returning to refit than to postpone that inevitable result to another
year. The responsibilities of the expedition had been wholly assumed
by myself; and, from the time of leaving Boston until I should have
completed the exploration which I had undertaken, I proposed to make
the costs which, hitherto, various associations and individuals had
shared with me, now exclusively my own. I was, therefore, compelled to
husband my resources and to act with caution and deliberation.
[Sidenote: PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.]
I will not now detain the reader with the full details of my plans for
the future, arranged to meet this new exigency; suffice it here to
observe that, after taking Jensen and Kalutunah into my counsels, I
was fully convinced that, by bringing out two ships,--mooring one of
them in Port Foulke, and pushing north with the other,--a practicable
scheme of exploration could be inaugurated, and that its success as
well as safety would be secured. To this end, I proposed to myself to
establish a permanent hunting station or colony at Port Foulke; to
collect about that place all of the Esquimaux;[12] organize a vigorous
hunt; and make that hunt yield whatever was essential for sustaining
indefinitely an extended system of exploration toward the North Pole.
In the practicability of establishing such a station, Jensen, whose
experience in the Greenland colonies was extensive, fully agreed
with me, and he was much delighted with the plan, accepting without
hesitation my proposal to make him superintendent of it; Kalutunah was
overjoyed with the prospect of bringing all of his people together;
and, in this aspect alone, the scheme possessed much that was to me
personally gratifying. My intercourse with this fast-dwindling race had
caused me to feel a deep interest in them and to sympathize with their
unhappy condition. The hardships of their life were telling upon them
sadly, and, if not rescued by the hand of Christian philanthropy and
benevolence, in less than half a century these poor wanderers of the
icy sea will have all passed away.
[Footnote 12: The Esquimaux may, to a limited extent, be even made
available in exploration, as has been shown by the experience of Mr.
C. F. Hall, who is now, with no other reliance than the natives,
energetically pushing his discoveries westward from Repulse Bay.]
My plans for the future did not, however, assume definite shape at the
period of which I write, nor could they until the schooner should be
set free.