He started, therefore, with—

Men-rations, weighing 230 pounds.

Dog-pemmican, weighing 300 ”

Equipments, weighing 176 ”

Dog-sledge, weighing 80 ”

Total 786 ”

or about 98 pounds to each dog.

The weather, though cold, causing some frost-bites, had been

beautiful during their stay here. The men had done their parts well,

and had endured uncomplainingly much hard work, hardship, and

exposure. The supporting party left at 4 P. M., after hearty

hand-shaking and wishing good luck to Lockwood, Brainard, and

Frederick, leaving the three lonely and depressed on that desolate

shore.

And now, as the returning party disappeared in the distance, the

explorers turned toward Cape Britannia. Although they started with a

very heavy load, yet the traveling was fine, and, all three pushing,

they made rapid progress, having Cape May directly ahead and across

the fiord. The dogs seemed to object to going over the sea, and kept

deflecting constantly to the right, the only difficulty arising from

the deepening of the snow and its becoming soft. When they got

stuck, Brainard would pull at the traces, while Lockwood would push

at the upstand, and Frederick divide his energies between helping

them and inducing the dogs to do so.

At 1 A. M. on April 30th, they camped on the fiord, well satisfied

with their advance of sixteen miles in eight hours without once

doubling.

Moving off at 5 P. M. with full load, they had not gone far before

they were forced to throw off half of it, and soon with this half

they found it difficult to get along, for the sledge would sink down

to the slats and the men to their knees through the deep, soft snow.

Lockwood could fully appreciate poor Brainard’s efforts and labors

in a fiord at the southwest, when he crawled through snow

waist-deep, and on hands and knees, for two hundred yards. At 9 P.

M. they came to hummocks, pitched tent, threw off load, and, while

Lockwood prepared supper, the others went back with the team to

bring up what they had thrown off. They had to adhere strictly to

the allowance, for they had rations for just so many days. They had

advanced six miles in seven hours and three quarters.

They started again the next morning with full load, but soon had to

pitch off again. Had better traveling, on the whole, than on the

previous day, though meeting with ranges of old floes and hummocks

filled in with snow. Shortly after midnight, they came abreast Cape

May, the desire of Beaumont, but which, with his crew broken down

with scurvy, and with heavy sledges loaded down with all kinds of

equipments, he never attained. The party pitched tent near an

immense floe extending as far back as the eye could reach. Brainard

and Frederick went back for the dismounted stuff, while Lockwood

turned cook again, the first thing being to pulverize a lot of ice

and set it on the lamp to melt. Cape Britannia and Beaumont Island

were very distinctly seen, the latter from refraction double. Their

allowance of alcohol was a constant source of trouble. They could

not afford meat for both breakfast and supper, hence their supper

consisted of tea, cracker-dust, and bean-stew. Advanced twelve miles

in fourteen hours.

Lockwood and Brainard now took turns in cooking, Frederick being

excused. The two former did not sleep well, and, as usual, the

Esquimaux blew his trumpet loudly, but not sweetly. They left at 7

P. M. with full load, but as usual threw off a portion, leaving

Brainard with it. Toward midnight they came to an open crack in the

ice ten feet wide, through which sea-water could be seen below, and

had to follow it several hundred yards before coming to a crossing.

Thinking this a favorable chance to get a deep-sea sounding, they

threw off the load, and Frederick went back for Brainard and the

balance of the stores, while Lockwood got into a sleeping-bag and

read “King Lear” until their return. In sounding, they ran out all

the line they had, then four coils of seal-thongs, then some rope,

and finally Frederick’s dog-whip, and got no bottom at eight hundred

and twenty feet. They began to haul up after debating whether they

should not risk the dog-traces, when, presto! the rope broke, and

all below was lost. Leaving their treasures in the deep, they moved

on with half-load over a low line of hummocky ice having the same

general direction as the crack, namely, toward Beaumont’s Island.

Beyond was an unbroken field of snow extending apparently to Cape

Britannia. Ice being required for supper, they went into camp on the

hummocks, going back, however, for the stores left behind, having

advanced eight miles in ten hours.

After taking bearings, they broke camp at 4 P. M., and, with a full

load, proceeded over the level snowfield, broken here and there only

by hummocks trending in a curve toward Cape Britannia. Until

midnight the snow-crust sustained the sledge, but after that,

failing to do so, they had to reduce load. Wind and snow coming on,

they camped near a small ice-mound, after advancing fourteen miles

in fourteen hours, and again brought up the stores left behind.

The next morning proved clear and calm, and gave them a full view of

the long-desired cape, which they reached at 8 P. M., pitching tent

on the ice-foot—four miles in one hour and a half. Lockwood had read

so much of scurvy, deep snows, etc., as associated with

sledge-journeys in the experience of the English expedition, that he

had come to regard them as inseparable from such enterprises. Yet

here they were, at a point which Beaumont saw only from afar,

without the first and without serious difficulty from the others.

Cape Britannia had been the _ultima Thule_ of Beaumont’s hopes, and

quite as far as Lieutenant Greely expected Lockwood to reach. But he

was able to go much farther, and would do so. He built a cairn, and

deposited a record of their journey to date, also rations for five

days for use on their return, the spare sledge-runner, and

everything they could do without. Leaving Frederick to see that the

dogs did not eat up the tent and everything in it, Lockwood and

Brainard climbed the adjacent mountain, two thousand and fifty feet

high, to view the magnificent prospect spread out before them from

that point. “We seemed,” Lockwood writes, “to be on an island

terminating some miles to the north in a rocky headland. To the

northeast, seemingly twenty miles away, was a dark promontory

stretching out into the Polar Ocean, and limiting the view in that

direction. Intermediate, were several islands separated by vast,

dreary fiords, stretching indefinitely southward. Extending halfway

round the horizon, the eye rested on nothing but the ice of the

Polar Sea; in-shore, composed of level floes, but beyond, of ridges

and masses of the roughest kind of ice. The whole panorama was

grand, but dreary and desolate in the extreme. After erecting a

monument, we were glad to escape the cold wind by returning.”

While here, Lockwood took several astronomical observations. They

broke camp at 7 P. M., and traveled northward over smooth ice free

from snow, to the promontory, where they came in sight of the

distant headland northeast, which they had seen from the

mountain-top. Hearing a low, moaning sound, and looking to the

north, they saw a line of hummocks, and near it their old

acquaintance, the tidal crack, stretching in one direction toward

Beaumont Island, and in the other, curving toward Black Cape, as

Lockwood named the headland northeast of them. Repairing their

sledge, which had given way, they proceeded toward this headland,

having fairly good traveling though somewhat obstructed by soft and

deep snow, and camped at midnight near a hummock and not far from

the crack, from which Frederick tried, without success, to get a

seal. This would have relieved his mortified feelings at the loss of

a ptarmigan he had shot at the cape, and which Ritenbank had stolen.

Took observations for latitude and longitude before turning into

their sleeping-bags. Advanced eleven miles in five hours.

The observations were repeated next morning, and they then went on

their course. After going a considerable distance, they halted to

rest and to view the tide-crack, now near them and about one hundred

yards across, filled in here and there with young ice or detached

masses. This crack was incomprehensible, differing from those seen

in the straits, which were near shore and so narrow as to attract

little attention. Frederick gave Lockwood to understand by signs and

gestures that after a while the ice outside, or north of the crack,

would move oft seaward. Resuming their way, they soon after passed

Blue Cape, and thence crossing a small fiord got to Black Cape, the

bold, rocky headland they had seen from the mountain. Beyond Black

Cape, and in the same general direction, but seen indistinctly,

appeared a dark, rocky cape, which Lockwood called Distant Cape,

because, seeming so near, it was yet so far, as they afterward

found. At Black Cape were seen bear-tracks, also those of the fox,

hare, and lemming, in great numbers. The tide-crack here came near

the shore, and then extended directly across to the next cape. The

ice along shore indicated having sustained enormous pressure. Great

bergs and hummocks, weighing thousands of tons, had been pushed upon

the ice-foot like pebbles.

The ice-foot offering better traveling, they followed that course,

though it took them somewhat away from Distant Cape. Leaving it,

they crossed what seemed to them a little bay, but it took them one

hour and a half to reach the cape on the farther side. Seeing a

large fiord intervening between them and Distant Cape which they had

wished to reach before encamping, they gave up the effort and

pitched their tent. Soon after, Frederick shot a hare, but only

wounding him, they had to expend all their remaining strength in

running him down. But food was now everything, and they spared

neither the hare nor themselves. They called that point Rabbit

Point, in memory of the friend who served them a good turn. Advanced

seventeen miles in ten hours.

Having, on account of a snow-storm, failed to get the sun on the

south meridian, Lockwood waited until it should come round to the

north meridian, as this matter of observations was important, and

difficult to attend to _en route_. In the mean time, they cached

some rations. Saw some ptarmigans, but failed to shoot them. Left

near midnight, and having crossed the hummocks thrust in against all

these capes, reached the level surface of an immense bay which they

were two and one quarter hours in crossing, after untold labor and

fatigue, through deep snow, so wet that they seemed to be wading

through soft clay. They reached the opposite shore, bathed in

perspiration, Lockwood going in advance to encourage the dogs.

Sometimes they went down waist-deep. The mass of hummocks came up so

near the cliffs as to force the travelers outside. Still, Distant

Cape was farther on, with a fiord intervening. At four o’clock, they

reached this long-sought point, and looked ahead to see what lay

beyond. Away off in the same general direction (northeast) was seen

another headland, separated from them by a number of fiords and

capes, which lay on an arc connecting Distant Cape with that in the

far distance. Inclining to the right, they made their way toward one

of these intermediate capes. Sometimes seeing it and sometimes not,

they finally reached it at 6 A. M., and, being unable to see

anything ahead, went into camp. Soon afterward a pyramidal island

loomed up through the storm in the northeast. They enjoyed part of

their rabbit for supper, almost raw, for they had no alcohol to

waste on luxuries, and carefully laid away the other half for

further indulgence. But Ritenbank saw that half rabbit stowed away,

and he too liked rabbit, as will be seen. After supper Lockwood made

observations, and of trials and tribulations this was not the least.

Face chilled, fingers frozen, and sun so low as to require him to

lie in the snow; the sun like a grease-spot in the heavens, and

refusing to be reflected; snow-drifts over artificial horizon cover;

sextant mirrors becoming obscure, vernier clouded, tangent-screw too

stiff to work; then, when one had nearly secured a contact, some dog

interposing his ugly body or stirring up the snow; such were some of

the difficulties to be overcome. Still, these observations must be

made, and carefully and correctly made, or otherwise the chief value

of the expedition would be lost. They secured double sets of

observations here, which delayed them, but got off near midnight

from this cape, which Lockwood called Low Point, and made good time

toward the dim headland at the northeast. In two hours and a half

they reached the cape, which he named Surprise, because they came

upon it unexpectedly looming up through the gloom. Beyond and to the

right was seen through the storm a dome-capped island, the

inevitable inlet intervening. The traveling proving good, they

reached it at four, and found it to be the end of a long line of

grand, high, rocky cliffs, bearing far to the south.

The ice-foot here being free from snow, the dogs took the sledge

along at a trot, and the explorers rode by turns—the first time

since leaving Boat Camp. The trend of the coast-line becoming nearly

east, Lockwood began to think the time had come for leaving the

coast and striking off directly toward the pole, as arranged for in

his orders. As this was a matter requiring full consideration, he

stopped to get an observation, but, defeated in this by the drifting

snow, they went into camp at 6 A. M., having advanced seventeen

miles in less than seven hours.

After sleeping, Lockwood rose to take observations. While so doing,

and hence out of the tent, he heard a noise in it, and suspected

mischief. Sure enough, there was that old thief, Ritenbank, coolly

eating up the remains of the rabbit they had kept for a second

feast. A dash and a blow, and the dog scampered off, dropping part

of the animal in his flight. They had reached the state of not being

particular about what they ate, so they gathered up the remains and

ate them on the spot.

Resuming their journey at 1 A. M., they traveled under a long line

of high cliffs, with hills in the rear. The travel was excellent,

but the weather abominable—high winds, with falling and drifting

snow. After three hours of progress in an easterly course, a

headland was seen obliquely to their left, between which and

themselves lay a wide fiord. After an observation of the sun, they

struck directly across this fiord for the headland in question,

which they finally reached after repeatedly losing themselves in the

mist and gloom. Here they stopped awhile to eat pemmican and view

the surroundings. Found many rabbit-tracks, but saw none of the

animals. In Arctic traveling, one craves warm meat, but seldom gets

any but that which is frozen. Continuing along this coast over a

good ice-foot, they were pleased to see on their left a small island

with a high, narrow ledge, a few hundred yards long. This they

reached and went to the north side or end of it. Mist and snow

shutting in the land farther on, and also that already passed, they

camped, having advanced twenty-two miles in nine and a half hours.

Finding traveling so troublesome in the storm, and much difficulty

in getting observations, Lockwood resolved to remain there for

better weather, all sleeping as much and eating as little as

possible. Indeed, Brainard agreed with Lockwood that, if the

easterly trend of the coast should continue, they had better spend

their time in going directly north over the sea. On the 11th, it

being still stormy and no other land in sight, they remained in

their sleeping-bags on the island, which from its shape was first

called “Shoe Island,” but afterward “Mary Murray.” All of them

suffered greatly with cold feet in the mean while; and, although

Lockwood’s feet were wrapped in blankets, furs, and socks, they were

like lumps of ice. To husband their few rations, they had eaten very

little of late, and doubtless to this may be attributed their cold

feet. The dogs were ravenous for food. When feeding-time came, it

was amid blows from the men and fights among the dogs that the

distribution was made. Old Howler was conspicuous on these

occasions. That he might secure all he could, he bolted ball after

ball of the frozen mass, and then would wander around, uttering the

most unearthly howls while the mass was melting in his stomach. He

was, indeed, a character. He had an air of utter weariness and

dejection, as well he might, for who can be more miserable than the

dethroned monarch, jeered, cuffed, and condemned by his late

subjects? One day one of the dogs swallowed a live lemming, and the

little animal went squealing all the way down to the corporation.

The weather clearing up a little the next morning, Lockwood took sun

observations, and soon after saw a cape with very high land behind

it, at the northeast. But the storm setting in again, they could not

attempt to cross the mouth of the deep fiord intervening between

them and the cape until nearly two hours after midnight. The

traveling being good, and aided by a high wind, they made good time

across the fiord toward the cape, alternately visible and invisible,

and reached it in two hours. This cape proved to be the extremity of

a line of high, rocky cliffs, stretching toward the southeast. Here

they found the ice-foot entirely obstructed by lines of floe-bergs

and hummocks pressed up nearly to the foot of the cliff, and to add

to their difficulty, the tide-crack ran here close to the cape. With

great labor they got the dogs and sledge upon a hummock, thence

along its surface, using the axe, and finally lowered them down

again, and, by a bridge over the crack, gained a level floe half a

mile beyond the cape. There, finding a branch crack twelve or

fifteen feet wide, Frederick went forth to seek a crossing, while

Lockwood and Brainard obtained a peep at the sun for position. The

fog rising, the grandest view they had yet seen was suddenly

disclosed. To their right were seen the high cliffs connected with

the cape just passed, bending to the southeast to form an inlet.

Away beyond and across this inlet, and east of them, was the farther

shore—a line of very high cliffs, terminating in a bold headland

northeast of their position. Back of the cape and cliffs, the land

became higher and higher, till, just east of the travelers, stood a

peak apparently four thousand feet high. Between them and the cliffs

below the peak was seen an island of pyramidal shape and quite high.

The explorers made good time toward it, over a level floe, as some

hummocks and tide-cracks at the mouth of the inlet prevented them

from going direct to the cape. Thence, after a short rest and a

relish of pemmican, they took their way toward the cape, now

standing nearly north of them. Soon the snow became so deep and soft

that the sledge often sank below the slats, the dogs to their

bellies, and the men to their knees. Fortunately, the load was very

light, and yet, had not the deep snow soon after become dry and

feathery, they could not have proceeded. It was then that Lockwood

promised himself never to undertake another sledge-journey, a

resolve afterward easily forgotten when in camp with a full stomach.

Time, rest, plenty to eat, and a good smoke, sometimes make

philosophers, was the reflection recorded. About noon, after

changing their course around an easterly bend of the cliff, they

came to what might be regarded as the northern extremity of the

cape, beyond which lay the inevitable fiord. Here they camped on the

ice-foot, below a mass of picturesquely colored rocky cliffs, and

essayed, but failed, to get observations. Their advance was sixteen

miles in ten hours.

On the 14th of May, occurred a storm so violent that it seemed as if

the tent must be blown down. Ritenbank took advantage of it to

burrow under the tent and lay hold of a bag of pemmican, but a

timely blow on his snout “saved their bacon.” After discussion with

Brainard, Lockwood concluded to go no farther, as their remaining

rations would hardly suffice to enable them satisfactorily to

determine their present position. While waiting for the sun that

this might be done, they improvised a checker-board from the

chopping-board, and played some games. After a while, finding that

the cliffs somewhat interfered with the observations, they moved the

tent farther west, stopping to build a cairn, large and conspicuous,

and depositing a full record of their journey and a thermometer.

This cairn stood on a little shelf or terrace below the top of the

cliff. Brainard also cut “XXX Bitters” on the highest rock of the

cliff he could reach, Lockwood telling him he only wanted to get a

bottle for nothing on the strength of his advertisement. They were

engaged until midnight, chiefly in taking observations and in

collecting specimens of rocks and vegetation. Some snow-birds were

seen.

The next morning the weather became warm, beautiful, and delightful,

the sun bright and sky clear, and there was no wind—surely a bit of

sunshine in a shady place.

[Illustration: Taking Observations at Lockwood Island.]

They took advantage of this to bring out hand-gear, foot-gear, bags,

and rubber blankets to dry, everything having been damp or wet for

nearly a week. Lockwood and Brainard got but a few short naps after

supper, for it was necessary for one of them to be awake to insure

their getting up at the right time to take “double altitudes,” etc.

They secured a complete set of observations, thirty-six in all. A

few hours later, Lockwood and Brainard started to make the ascent of

the cliffs and of the height beyond. They gained a considerable

elevation, and stood on a little plateau overlooking both sides of

the promontory, the sea, and a large extent of mountainous country

to the south thickly covered with snow. Lockwood unfurled Mrs.

Greely’s pretty little silk flag to the breeze, and felt very proud

that, on the 15th day of May, 1882, it waved in a higher latitude

than was ever before reached by man. By careful astronomical

observations under peculiarly favorable circumstances, they found

themselves in latitude eighty-three degrees and twenty-four and a

half minutes north, longitude forty degrees and forty-six and a half

minutes west of Greenwich, thus surpassing the English, who sent the

Nares Expedition of 1875-’76, costing upward of a million dollars,

for the express purpose of reaching the north pole, and which

expedition sent its chief sledge-party directly north over the ice

for the purpose of making _latitude alone_. The view from their

lofty station was grand beyond description. At their feet, toward

the east, was another of those innumerable fiords, a bald headland

forming its farther cape, bearing northeast. Seemingly projecting

from its foot was a low point of land, doubtless separated from

another by still another fiord. This was as far as Lockwood could

see in that direction—probably fifteen miles. Thence round toward

the north and in the direction of Cape Britannia lay the vast Polar

Sea, covered with ice and desolate in the extreme. Toward the south

lay a vast panorama of snow-capped mountains, so overlapping and

merging one into another that it was impossible to distinguish the

topography of the country. They stayed on the top only twenty

minutes, and at 4.50 reached camp again, greatly to the delight of

Frederick. He had seemed a good deal “down at the mouth” of late,

which Brainard thought was caused by their long distance from home

and the absence of dog-food and “skaffer.” Hastily packing up their

small load, they started on their return at 5.30 P. M. Though taking

a more direct course across the first fiord, they met with soft

snow, which was very tiresome to pass through. The weather now

commenced to cloud up again, threatening another storm. It was very

fortunate that they reached their farthest just in time to take

advantage of the thirty hours of fine weather. However, they were

now homeward bound, and did not care for storms or anything else,

provided they could “_move on_,” nor did they require any policeman

to help them in that particular.

And now that Lockwood is returning from his special expedition in

safety and good health, a few additional facts and a passing

reflection on his exploit will not be out of place. Lieutenant

Lockwood’s motives in undertaking this special expedition, in which

he was so successful, he explained in these words: “My great wish is

to accomplish something on the north coast of Greenland which will

reflect credit on myself and on the expedition. But there are many

ifs in the way—many visible contingencies on which success depends,

as well as many invisible ones which have never suggested

themselves. Among the former, scurvy stands like a giant, and if

this giant attacks us, far from accomplishing anything, we may not

ourselves get back.” As we think of Lockwood, at the end of his

journey, with only two companions, in that land of utter desolation,

we are struck with admiration at the courage and manly spirit by

which he was inspired. Biting cold, fearful storms, gloomy darkness,

the dangers of starvation and sickness, all combined to block his

icy pathway, and yet he persevered and accomplished his heroic

purpose, thereby winning a place in history of which his countrymen

may well, and will be, proud to the end of time. Of all the heroic

names that have blossomed on the charts of the Arctic seas during

the present century, there is not one that will hereafter be

mentioned with more pride and enthusiasm than that identified with

Lockwood Island, memorable as the nearest point to the north pole

ever reached by man.

XII

FROM LOCKWOOD ISLAND TO LADY FRANKLIN BAY.

When returning to Lady Franklin Bay, Lockwood and his companions

reached Shoe Island shortly after midnight. They deposited a record

in the cairn there, and proceeded to the cape west of the island,

where they went into camp, after a retreat of twenty miles in eight

hours. Lockwood suffered much from his eyes, having evidently

strained them while endeavoring to see the sun during the late

stormy weather. The cold food, upon which alone they could depend,

seemed to weaken the stomachs of all the party, and yet they plodded

on. At Storm Cape, they left the grand line of cliffs behind, and

took a compass course across the great fiord, amid a storm as before

when they crossed that inlet. As usual, the dogs thought they knew

best, and Frederick thought he knew best, so the compass received

little consideration, and they inclined too much to the left, being

three hours and twenty minutes in crossing. They stopped at a cairn

and deposited a record. In another hour they reached Pocket Bay, and

in another, Dome Cape, and then, crossing the inlet, went into camp.

“Skaffer” was soon ready, cold chocolate, and a stew with lumps of

ice floating round in it, particularly unfortunate after a march

which was perhaps the most uncomfortable of the trip. It had been

blowing and snowing all day directly in their faces—very severe on

snow-blind eyes, which it was necessary in crossing the fiords to

keep open in order to see the way. In addition to this, strange to

say, Lockwood suffered with cold hands. Generally, while traveling,

they were warm enough, and only got cold when stopping; but on that

day they were aching with cold a great part of the time. The dogs

had eaten up his seal-skin mits some time before, and the woolen

ones gave little protection against the storm, with the mercury 30°

below zero. They found the ice-foot now generally covered with snow,

but they retreated twenty-seven miles in eight hours and forty

minutes. Left camp shortly after 5 P. M., and, passing Cape

Surprise, struck directly across the fiord for Distant Cape. When

opposite their old camp at Low Point, a glacier was seen in the

interior, a green wall of ice lying at the foot of what looked like

a low, dome-shaped hill, but which must have been a mass of ice

covered with snow, as is all the interior of this country. The

travel over the floe was quite good, but when just beyond Distant

Cape, they found themselves in the deep snow of the wide fiord to

the west of it, a part of the route they had been dreading for some

time. They finally, however, reached the farther side. The dogs must

have smelled the pemmican in _cache_ there, for, during the last two

hundred yards, they bent all their energies to the work and seemed

wild to get ashore. They pulled the sledge through a fringe of

hummocky ice at the coast in a way that proved how they _could_ pull

when they set their hearts on business. The weather during the day

was variable. When they started, it was quite thick, and the wind

blew strongly in their faces, making the traveling very

disagreeable; but toward the latter part of the march, the wind died

away and the sun appeared. The traveling was better than when

outward bound, the late storm having improved it very much. Brainard

did all the cooking, Lockwood chopping the ice and assisting in

various ways. They got off a little after six, and in two hours were

at Black Cape. Here they stopped awhile and built a cairn, and at

Blue Cape stopped again. The next four and a half hours they pursued

their monotonous course across the floe, Lockwood indulging in these

reflections: “What thoughts one has when thus plodding along! Home

and everything there, and the scenes and incidents of early youth!

Home, again, when this Arctic experience shall be a thing of the

past! But it must be confessed, and lamentable, it is, as well as

true, that the reminiscences to which my thoughts oftenest recur on

these occasions are connected with eating—the favorite dishes I have

enjoyed—while in dreams of the future, my thoughts turn from other

contemplations to the discussion of a beefsteak, and, equally

absurd, to whether the stew and tea at our next supper will be hot

or cold.”

They next camped some miles from North Cape, opposite the immense

fiord there, which runs inland an interminable distance without

visible land at its head. Lockwood had intended going up this fiord

to what seemed like the opening of a channel on the south side of

Cape Britannia, but the uncertainty and their fatigue finally

induced him to continue the way they had come, the weather being

delightful. Ritenbank went about all day with his head and tail

down, perhaps repenting his numerous thefts. Advanced seventeen

miles in eight hours.

Left camp at 6 P. M., and in about three hours reached North Cape,

where they stopped some time to take a sub-polar observation, making

its latitude 82° 51′. Cape Britannia was reached without event, and

there they stopped long enough to get the rations left in _cache_,

and deposit a record in the cairn; then continued on the floe a

half-mile to get out of the shadow of the mountain. At the cairn

they got the snow-shoes left there, and the spare sledge-runner.

They also collected some specimens of the vegetation and rocks, and

saw traces of the musk-ox, showing that these animals wander even

this far north. They saw also some snow-birds. They had thought that

when they reached Cape Britannia they would feel near home; but now

having reached it, the station seemed as far off as at any point

they had left behind, and they could not rest until Cape Bryant was

reached.

The sun was very bright and warm when they left camp at 9.50 P. M.,

but a heavy fog hung like a curtain on the horizon, and shut out the

land all around. They were, in fact, traveling on the Polar Sea, out

of sight of land. Shortly after starting, Lockwood put on snow-shoes

to try them, and found immense relief at once. He blamed himself

every day for a week for not having tried them during the journey

out, and thus saved himself many hours of the most fatiguing travel

through deep snow. Brainard, seeing the advantage, put on the other

pair, and from that time there was nothing about which they were so

enthusiastic as the snow-shoes. They afterward wore them more or

less every day. At 6 A. M. they went into camp on the floe. The fog

by this time had disappeared, and everything was singularly bright

and clear. Advanced sixteen miles in eight hours, and got off again

a little after 8 A. M.

It was a beautiful day, calm and clear, and the sun was really too

warm for dogs and men. They got along very well, however, on the

snow-shoes, and one of the men keeping ahead to encourage the dogs

and make a straight course, they finally reached, at the place they

had crossed before, their old friend, the tidal crack, now frozen

over. They lunched regularly every day on pemmican and hard bread,

and rested whenever tired. A beautiful parhelion was seen, one of

the most complete yet observed, in the perfection of its circles and

the brightness of its colors. The blue, yellow, and orange were very

distinct. They went into camp after four, the weather cloudy and

threatening snow, having advanced sixteen miles in eight hours. They

left again at 8.40 P. M. Snow falling, and no land being in sight,

they kept near the right course by means of the compass. Their

course was north-west (magnetic), the variation being in the

neighborhood of ninety degrees. Went into camp near St. George’s

Fiord at 4.40 A. M., suffering a good deal from snow-blindness

afterward. During the march were troubled very little, strange to

say. Rations were now getting low. The snow was very soft, and,

owing to this and the warm sun, the dogs “complained” a good deal.

Advanced sixteen miles in eight hours. Started off again at 8.40 P.

M., reached shore shortly after twelve, about three quarters of a

mile short of Cape Bryant, and, following the coast, pitched tent at

the old camping-ground. After visiting the cairn on the hill, they

determined to make up arrears by having a royal feast—anticipated

for many days. “How nice that English bacon must be! How superior

that English pemmican to the abominable lime-juice pemmican!”

Brainard made a generous stew out of the aforesaid, with a liberal

allowance of desiccated potatoes, etc., and they “pitched in!” But

oh! what disappointment! Before eating a half-dozen spoonfuls they

came to a dead halt, and looked at each other. Even Frederick

stopped and gazed. The dish was absolutely nauseating. “Oft

expectation fails, and most where most it promises.” Fortunately,

there was left there a tin of frozen musk-ox meat, with other stores

rendered surplus by the supporting party being able to go no

farther. After this _feast_ on the English stores, they confined

themselves to the musk-ox. The English pemmican, though a little

musty, when eaten cold was quite palatable. This and the bacon were

each put up in metallic cases. The bacon they subsequently found to

be inclosed in _tallow_, and this it was that made their feast so

disappointing. After this they all went to look for Lieutenant

Beaumont’s _cache_, left here when his party was disabled by scurvy.

The search was unsuccessful, although they traveled the coast for

two miles and a half, advancing twelve miles in four hours. Getting

up at twelve, Lockwood and Brainard went out to the tide-crack about

half a mile from shore, and, by means of a rope and stone, undertook

to get a set of tidal observations. They kept up the observations

for nearly twelve hours, and then becoming satisfied that their

arrangements did not register the tide, owing to the depth,

currents, etc., gave it up, much disappointed. All their work went

for nothing. These observations made their eyes much worse, and both

suffered with snow-blindness all the rest of the way.

While thus occupied, the dogs took advantage of their absence to

visit the _cache_ and eat up part of a sack of hard bread and half a

dozen shot-gun cartridges—the shot and the brass being rather

indigestible. They left camp after midnight and a beautiful morning

followed, calm and clear, the sun unpleasantly warm; and no wonder,

since Lockwood was wearing three heavy flannel shirts, a

chamois-skin vest, a vest of two thicknesses of blanket (double all

round), a knitted guernsey and canvas frock, besides two or three

pairs of drawers, etc.

They tramped along on snow-shoes, and a couple of hours after

starting, Brainard, who was on the hill-side to the left,

discovered, with his one unbandaged eye, relics of Beaumont—an old

Enfield rifle, a pole shod with iron, a cross-piece of a sledge,

three or four articles of underwear, some cartridges, sewing-thread

and thimble, and the remains of a shoe with a wooden sole about an

inch thick. Other articles mentioned by Lieutenant Beaumont in his

journal were not to be found. They may have been carried off by

animals or buried in the snow near by. The articles found were in a

little bare mound near the ice-foot. “Poor Beaumont! how badly he

must have felt when he passed along there with most of his party

down with scurvy, dragging their heavy sledge and heavier

equipments!” Farther on, Lockwood shot a ptarmigan on top of a large

floe-berg thirty feet high, and, by taking advantage of a snow-drift

and doing some “boosting,” they secured the bird. They stopped at

_cache_ No. 3 (near Frankfield Bay) and took out what the supporting

party had left there. Gave the dogs the lime-juice pemmican and

ground beans, but it was only by seeming to favor first one dog and

then another that they were induced to eat it, thus illustrating the

advantage of their “dog-in-the-manger” spirit. Went into camp on the

east shore of Hand Bay. Their buffalo sleeping-bag now began to feel

too warm, but was always delightfully soft and dry. Eyes painful.

Advanced twelve miles in ten hours. After crossing Hand Bay they

made a short stop at Cape Stanton. The Grinnell coast now became

very distinct, and seemed home-like. They could see Cape Joseph

Henry, or what they took for that headland. The floes off shore,

consisting of alternate floes crossed by ridges of hummocks, made

very laborious traveling. On reaching the _cache_ near Stanton

Gorge, they got the rations left there. The traveling continued very

difficult and tiresome. On reaching the Black Horn Cliffs, they

decided, as their old tracks were entirely obliterated, to follow

along under the cliffs, instead of taking the wide _détour_ they had

made going out. They got along pretty well for a while, and then

reached a mass of hummocks and rubble-ice. There they found a relic

of the past—a towel which the men had used to wipe the dishes, and

had lost or abandoned. By dint of hard work they got through this

bad ice, crossed the smooth, level floe adjoining, and then came to

the next patch of rubble-ice. After proceeding through this some

distance, the sledge needing relashing, Lockwood went on alone with

the axe, making a road as he went. Found the site of their old camp

on the shore, but, as the snow slope there had become impassable, he

kept along the coast on the floe and finally found a landing several

miles to the west. Sledge and all got here at eight o’clock, and

they continued on over the snow slopes, passing the remains of the

“Nares” sledge and reaching Drift Point, where they went into camp

alongside a big floe-berg, with lots of icicles upon it waiting for

them, having advanced twenty-two and a half miles in ten hours.

Finding strong winds and snow from the west, they delayed starting

till almost midnight. The ice-foot along this low, sloping shore

being excellent, they made good time, in an hour reaching the place

of their first camp on this coast. The melting of the floe-bergs and

the fall of the snow had so changed the general aspect, that the

place was hardly recognizable. At 2 A. M. they came opposite the

break in the cliff where they had entered on the coast in April.

They soon made out the dark object seen previously from this point

to be a cairn, and discovered a small bay which they knew must be

Repulse Harbor. Crossing this bay, they reached the cairn at three

o’clock. It was a tremendous affair, and the tin can inside was full

of papers by Beaumont, Dr. Coppinger, and others. As a cold wind was

blowing, Lockwood made a short-hand copy of the documents and left

the originals.

Lockwood’s eyes filled with tears as he read the last postscript of

the several which followed the main record of poor Beaumont. Sitting

on these bare rocks amid snow and wind, with a desolate coast-line

on one side, and the wide, dreary straits on the other, he could

well appreciate what Beaumont’s feelings must have been when he

reached here with his party all broken down with scurvy, and, after

trying to cross the straits and failing on account of open water,

had no other recourse but to try and reach Thank-God Harbor. His

last postscript reads thus:

“Repulse Harbor Depot, June 13, 1876.—Three of us have returned from

my camp, half a mile south, to fetch the remainder of the

provisions. D—— has failed altogether this morning. Jones is much

worse, and can’t last more than two or three days. Craig is nearly

helpless. Therefore we can’t hope to reach Polaris Bay without

assistance. Two men can’t do it. So will go as far as we can and

live as long as we can. God help us!

(Signed) “L. A. Beaumont.”

He and Gray were the only ones left, and both shortly discovered

scorbutic symptoms.

Chilled through, Lockwood now continued along the coast to the west,

following the ice-foot under a grand line of cliffs. After a while,

they came to a narrow break or cleft in the cliffs, the gateway of a

small mountain-torrent. It was like a winding and dark alley in a

city, with vertical sides rising to the height of several hundred

feet. Entering it, they presently came to an immense snow-drift,

probably fifty or more feet high and filling up the gorge like a

barricade, with another a little beyond. They returned to the

sledge, thoroughly satisfied that Beaumont never went through that

place. About seven they came to what seemed to be the “Gap Valley”

of the English, a wide, broad valley, extending due south about

three miles to a ravine. They therefore turned off from the coast

and followed it, encountering a good deal of deep snow and bare,

stony spots. At 11 A. M. they camped in the ravine near its head,

thoroughly tired out. They now had only one day’s food left, and it

behooved them to make Boat Camp in another march, even though fifty

miles off. Advanced seventeen miles in eleven hours. The dogs for

several days had been on short allowance, and during their sleep

tore open the bag of specimen rocks and stones, but fortunately did

not chew them up as they had done the cartridges.

Getting off at 3.29 and crossing the table-land, they struck a

narrow gorge running precipitately down to Newman’s Bay. At its head

was a mountainous drift of snow, which they descended on the run;

then came a number of smaller drifts, completely blocking up the

gorge, over which they had to lower the sledge by hand. Near the

bay, they discovered a singular snow-cave one hundred feet long, and

occupying the entire bed of the stream, arched through its whole

length by beautiful ribs of snow, from which depended delicate

snow-crystals. The entrance was quite small, but inside, the roof

was far above their heads. They lost sight of its picturesqueness in

the thought of its fitness for the burrow of a sledge-party. This

brought them on the smooth surface of the bay, with familiar

landmarks before and around them—Cape Sumner, Cape Beechy, and far

in the distance, Distant Point and the land near Franklin Bay.

Looking back at the ravine from the bay, Lockwood felt sure no one

would ever take this little, insignificant, narrow gully for the

route of a sledge-party, and that no one traveling this, or the one

they took going out, would ever take either again in preference to

going round Cape Brevoort. They delayed along the shore of the bay

almost an hour, leisurely building a cairn and viewing the scenery,

and then going on, reached the farther side at eight o’clock, making

their last final retreat of ten miles in five hours and a half.

There was the whale-boat, and pitched alongside it, anchored down by

stones and held by ropes, the six-man tent of the supporting party.

Inside were Sergeants Lynn and Ralston, and Corporal Ellison, fast

asleep. Lockwood had told Lynn to send back to Conger three of his

party on reaching Boat Camp. The remaining three awaited his return.

The work of pitching tent woke up the other party, and soon they

heard the sound of the Polaris fog-horn (picked up near by), and saw

three heads projecting from the tent, whose owners gave them a warm

welcome, as well they might, after awaiting their return nearly a

month at this place, the dreariest of all in that dreary region. The

remaining stores were ransacked for a big feast, without regard to

the rations. Corned and boiled beef, canned potatoes and beans,

butter, milk, and canned peaches, made a meal fit for a king or for

gods that had just experienced an Arctic sledge-journey. The

monotonous life of these men had been varied only by a visit from

two bears, and the arrival of Dr. Pavy—sent by Lieutenant Greely

with some rations.

The news from the station was that Dr. Pavy with Sergeant Rice and

Esquimaux Jans had got only as far as Cape Joseph Henry, when they

were stopped by open water. Lockwood had taken it for granted that

the doctor would attain Markham’s latitude and excel his own.

Lieutenant Greely had been west from Fort Conger on a trip of twelve

days in the mountains, and had discovered a large lake with a river

flowing out of it, which had no ice on its surface—something very

wonderful. The vegetation had also shown a much milder atmosphere

than anywhere else in these latitudes. Numerous Esquimaux relics had

been found, and many musk-oxen seen.

Turning their backs on the Boat Camp, and with many loud blasts on

the Polaris fog-horn, they started at 11.25 P. M. for Fort Conger.

The snow along the snow-slopes was badly drifted, but with so many

to help, they got along without much delay and soon reached Cape

Sumner. They found the rubble-ice south of that point worse than

before, and here and there were little pools of water. The weather

was very thick, the wind blowing and snow falling, and the farther

side of the straits completely hidden, so that they went _via_ the

Gap, but there had to leave the shore and direct their course as

well as possible by compass. Presently they could see neither shore,

and got into a mass of rubble-ice, mixed with soft snow-drifts. Lynn

and party (Ralston and Ellison) had not traveled any for so long

that they began to get very much fatigued, and could not keep up

with the sledge. They had not slept since the arrival at the Boat

Camp, owing to the excitement of the occasion. The driving snow hurt

their eyes, and they were a very sorry party. However, they kept on,

and finally came in sight of the west coast, and some hours

afterward, finding good floes to travel over, a little before noon

reached the “tent on the straits”—about five miles from Cape

Beechy—Ellison and Ralston completely exhausted.

_En route_ again, they spread the American flag on a long pole and

carried it thus till they reached the station. At the snow-house,

where they remained some hours to rest and get something to eat,

they found Ellis and Whistler, who had come up from Fort Conger to

look out for the party.

All found their eyes more or less affected excepting Frederick.

Ralston’s were so bad that he was sent on in advance, led by Ellis.

He walked almost the whole way with his eyes closed. Lynn held on to

the upstanders of the sledge, and thus found his way.

On the first day of June, Ralston and Lynn went in advance, led by

Ellis and Ellison. They could not see at all, and, as their guides

carried the guns and each had his man made fast by a strap, they

looked very much like a party of prisoners. At Watercourse Bay they

met Lieutenant Greely, who had come out to meet them, and was well

satisfied with the result of the expedition, and soon after they

reached Fort Conger.

Lieutenant Lockwood not only received many hearty congratulations

from his companions, but even the weather, as if in sympathy with

the general gladness, became bright and cheerful. The important

business of working out the latitude that had been attained was now

proceeded with. Efforts were made to verify the prismatic compass

which was serviceable, but had a limited range. Much of the ground

around the station was bare of snow, and, as the temperature was

rising rapidly, Lockwood felt as if he would like to be off again on

a wild tramp. When he said something about certain sledge operations

in the future, Greely replied, “If you are content to go, I will

give you all the help I can.”

XIII.

WAITING AND WATCHING.

To a man of Lockwood’s character, the return to the station did not

mean that idleness was to be the order of the day, and while yet

suffering from rheumatic pains in his back, shoulders, legs, feet,

and joints, he began to mark out a trip for himself through Lady

Franklin Bay. In the mean time, some of the men were off trying to

obtain fresh meat, Frederick killing a hare and Jans a seal weighing

over five hundred pounds. Kislingbury amused himself with a pet owl,

which delighted him with a present of eggs. On the 9th of June, the

people at the station celebrated the birthday of their companion

Long by a good dinner, and on the following day Lockwood,

accompanied by his friends Brainard and Frederick, started with a

dog-train for his proposed tramp. They made their first halts at

Basil Norris Bay and at Sun Bay, and traveling over a level bed of

what had once been a fiord, thence passed on to Stony Point, and

then to Miller’s Island, where they encamped. Although they saw a

number of seals, they succeeded in killing only a couple of hares

and a brace of brants. Their next stopping-place was Keppel’s Head,

the route being very wet, in fact, almost a continuous lake. Having

nothing to wear but his moccasins, Lockwood’s feet were saturated

three minutes after starting, and became so cold that he thought

they would freeze. The pools were sometimes so deep as to wet the

load on the sledge. However, the dogs made good time, and they

reached Keppel’s Head at 11 P. M. Here the traveling became much

better, and they were able to avoid a good many of the pools.

Passing Keppel’s Head, they kept a sharp lookout for Hillock Depot,

where Lieutenant Archer, R. N., had left a large number of rations.

They searched for some time before finding any signs, but finally

found the _cache_, and near by some pieces of United States hard

bread, and a little bag of American tea. This was interesting, as

proving that to have been the farthest that Long attained, although

he claimed to have reached the head of the fiord. The unpleasant

task then devolved on Lockwood of taking him down a peg or two.

Lieutenant Archer was a week reaching this place, Hillock Depot,

half-way up the fiord, which is about sixty miles long. The scenery

is grand. High cliffs, generally nearly vertical, ran along the

shores everywhere. Whenever they looked inland they saw a lofty mass

of snow-covered mountains. All this was so common, however, in all

the region, that it was only when _new_ that it was appreciated.

Lockwood and Brainard had a good laugh at Long’s expense, and then

turned into the two-man summer sleeping-bag, made of two blankets,

trimmed off so as to weigh no more than necessary, and inclosed in

another bag of light canvas. Their breakfast consisted of corned

beef, baked beans, tea, hard bread, and butter—a very fine repast.

Lockwood and Brainard both thought that this kind of traveling did

not pay on a “picnic” excursion, but, as they had started to go to

the head of the fiord, they did not like to turn back. The ice

promised to be worse on their return, and this, and Lockwood’s lame

foot, and the lameness of one of the dogs, decided him to return.

Leaving camp on return, they soon reached Keppel’s Head, and

afterward Basil Norris Bay, where they camped, and decided to remain

a day or two and have a hunt for musk-oxen. Mud, water, and

“sludge,” as well as Lockwood’s lameness, proved a drawback to his

success; but Frederick returned from his tramp, bringing along a

quarter of a musk-ox, having killed two and wounded a third, he

said. They seemed to have cost two dozen cartridges, and he had

probably stood off at a distance and bombarded them.

Brainard returned after him. He had been up the vale as far as the

lake, and had seen a few geese and a rabbit. He brought back a

“skua” bird and some Esquimaux relics; had seen several circles of

stone, marking the summer camps of these people, and picked up a

good many bones, etc. All had something to eat, when the two started

out with the dog-team for the musk-oxen killed by Frederick. Then

came on a heavy rain, lasting for several hours, while the snow and

ice were fast disappearing. This was the first rain they had seen in

the country.

During their absence from the station, to which they returned with

their game, seven musk-oxen had been killed and four calves caught

alive. The men had had an exciting time. The animals formed a hollow

square with the calves inside, and did some charging before they

were all down.

The calves had been put in a pen a short distance from the house,

were very tame, and it was supposed little difficulty would be found

in raising them. They ate almost anything.

On the 17th, Lockwood expressed his feelings as follows: “I find

myself oppressed with _ennui_, caused, I suppose, by the present

monotonous existence following the activity of my life since the

early spring.”

On the 22d of June, a “turn-stone” (a bird of the snipe species) and

two or three ducks were shot. The little stream back of the house

was babbling along at a great rate, the snow fast disappearing.

Temperature 44°, which was about as high as it was likely to be, the

sun having reached its greatest northern declination, and the

temperature not having gone above this during the previous August.

On the 24th, Lieutenant Greely and a party left for Hazen Lake and

beyond, to visit the western coast of the country if possible. In

the mean time, the dogs having attacked the young musk-oxen, came

near killing one of them. The dog King and two others were found on

top of “John Henry,” the smallest of the calves, and, but for

Frederick happening to see them and going to the rescue, “John

Henry” would soon have surrendered his ghost.

During a walk on the 28th, Lockwood found North Valley River quite

full, and rushing along like a mountain-torrent. Open water-pools

were numerous near the shore. Had a fine view from Cairn Hill, two

thousand feet high, seeing extensive lanes of open water toward

Petermann’s Fiord. Weather delightful.

On the 1st of July they had the second rain of the season, and

Lockwood was gloomy; existence extremely monotonous; he was almost

ashamed to confess how “blue” he felt. Ducks and other fowl brought

in almost daily; also Esquimaux relics frequently brought in. Men

arrived from Lieutenant Greely’s party on Lake Hazen and reported

all well there. He had found many interesting relics, and had seen

large droves of musk-oxen—between two and three hundred—in Black

Vale. On the 4th the men at the station celebrated the day by

displays of flags, shooting and other matches, and a base-ball game.

They succeeded in getting the Lady Greely afloat, and Cross repaired

pipes found to be out of order. They found that the flies were

blowing their fresh meat badly. Fearing that it might be lost, it

was ordered to be served more frequently. Long and Ellis, who had

returned from St. Patrick’s Bay, reported it as open.

Lieutenant Greely and party returned on the 10th from Lake Hazen.

They had a good view westward for fifty miles from a mountain four

thousand feet high; saw no sea, but many glaciers. Found a large

river entering the lake at its southwestern extremity.

Lockwood took the launch down to Dutch Island, giving all the men an

excursion. But for entertainments of this sort he was afraid he

should forget how to talk. The officers often went through a meal

without exchanging a word; so also through the day. He could not say

who was in fault.

Loose ice was still filling the harbor and bay—paleocrystic floes

that had floated in.

Brainard and Cross brought in eleven ducks killed at Breakwater

Point, having to swim in order to get them.

Weather now mild, ice in harbor much broken up, and channel outside

open. Lieutenant Greely thought there was every reason for expecting

a relief-ship soon. It was very desirable on many accounts that she

should come. A false alarm of her approach created great excitement.

Some one said he saw her smoke in the distance.

The hunters brought in ducks or other game almost daily. A weasel

was shot near the house—a beautiful little animal, yellow with black

tail. Dead wolves were sometimes found—probably those poisoned in

the winter. Brainard, Cross, and Ellis returned from Beechy, where

they killed three musk-oxen, two dozen geese, and some ducks.

Lockwood occupied himself on his maps of the Greenland coast, adding

pictures of scenery from sketches taken _en route_.

Jans, desiring to capture seals, tried to approach them by

interposing a cotton screen. But the seal had too much sense to wait

for him, and slipped off the ice into the water.

On the 31st, Lockwood measured some ice-floes aground in the harbor,

finding them to be fourteen feet thick. He had seen many on his

northern trip which, by Nares’s rule of one seventh above water,

would have been thirty-five to forty-five feet thick. Of course,

these were paleocrystic floes, the accumulation of years.

On the 7th of August, Lockwood went with Lieutenant Greely and a

party in the launch to Cape Lieber, finding the bay very free from

ice. Left near the cape some provisions for use in case of having to

retreat next year in boats, a subject which, from the non-arrival of

the ship, was then agitated. They got many Esquimaux relics. The

straits away down as far as Franklin Island and Cape Constitution,

as seen from an elevation, were free from ice. They could see

nothing to prevent the ship from coming. Returned in the evening,

landing at Proteus Point, because a large floe-berg had floated in

during their absence and occupied their harbor.

Lieutenant Greely did not expect the ship before the 15th. Many eyes

were daily fixed on the bold profile of Cape Lieber, from behind

whose rocky face she must emerge, if she came at all.

On the 13th, Lockwood, with Brainard, Lynn, Cross, Ralston, and

Fredericks, started in the launch on an excursion up Lady Franklin

Bay to the head of Archer Fiord, having in tow the boat Valorous

with Rice and crew as far as Musk-ox Bay. There they left Rice and

his boat and proceeded up the Archer Fiord, somewhat annoyed by

scattered ice and by some large bergs which they had to go around.

They had not gone far up the fiord before they saw, on a gentle

slope of the southern shore, a herd of musk-oxen grazing a few

hundred yards from the water. Though strategy was employed to

approach without being seen, the herd took the alarm and scampered

over the hills which terminated the slope. Lynn, anticipating this,

had gone some way up these heights, but the animals by a _détour_

avoided him and soon passed over the crest of the heights. The slope

along there was sufficiently gentle to afford foothold to grass and

willows, and thus presented a landscape charming to those who had

gazed on little other than rocks and ice for so many months. Seeing

two other oxen some time after, near a steep hill overlooking a

rocky gorge, Lockwood, Brainard, and Frederick went for them,

Fredericks approaching in front, and Lockwood and Brainard, by a

flank movement, cutting off retreat. This resulted in the slaying of

both animals. But how to get them to the launch was the question, as

they were then a mile inland. Finally, cutting off the heads, they

gave the bodies an impetus down-hill. They went from steep to steep

like comets, leaving clouds of dust behind. Once or twice they

lodged on steps or terraces, from which they were dislodged, thence

to renew their journey downward. Afterward several other musk-oxen

and some ptarmigans were shot, thus providing abundant food for all

hands, with a large surplus to carry back to the station.

As they progressed up the fiord, the scenery became more and more

grand and interesting. A glacier was seen some distance inland, at

the head of a stream bordered by vertical cliffs curiously colored

and of fantastic shapes. One pinnacle was apparently surmounted by

an old dilapidated castle. Though the fiord was not wide at Bulley’s

Lump, nor the cliffs very high, yet they encountered a furious wind,

as though blowing vertically. Toward the head of the fiord, they saw

numerous ducks and flocks of geese on shore, apparently overcome by

the force of the wind. Many of these they added to their abundant

stores. Here, too, they found Esquimaux relics, indicating the

abodes of men long years ago—circles of stones, very old; also

pieces of drift-wood, whence coming they marveled. Reaching the head

of the fiord, where the water became shallow, they landed, spread

their sleeping-bags on the rocks, and made amends for their

twenty-five hours’ want of sleep.

Waking up, they found that the receding tide had left them high and

dry by one quarter of a mile. This rendered Lockwood very uneasy,

and induced him to give up his intended journey of half a dozen

miles into the interior. He went, however, a mile or so inland, and

from a height saw a lake, and several miles above it a glacier,

apparently very large. Vast cliffs, three thousand feet high,

bordered the valley or ravine he followed, and beyond these were

snow and ice clad summits of vast elevation. Yet here, in this

desolate region, were seen proofs of the abode of man—circles of

stones covered with lichens, a proof of their antiquity. Here, also,

he found the hip-bone of some immense mammal, and afterward added it

to his museum. He returned to the launch near the time of high tide,

and after lightening, they got the launch into deep water, with much

labor, but greatly to their relief. On their return they visited

Record Point, left a short account of their visit, and copied that

of Lieutenant Archer. He had explored this fiord in 1876, occupying

one month, but they did it in sixty-nine hours. He traveled with

sledges and a supporting party—they with a steam-launch, all being

on board. Their coal getting low, they made few other stops _en

route_ except to pick up their meat and game, returning direct to

the station. The result of the expedition, as to game, was, twelve

musk-oxen, three hares, twenty-four geese, thirty-six turn-stones,

six knots, three terns, and twenty ptarmigans. Distance made, going

and returning, one hundred and forty miles. Long and others killed

numbers of musk-oxen during their absence, so that they now had on

hand about eight thousand pounds of fresh beef. Another musk-ox was

killed, soon after their return, in full view of the house, and thus

four hundred and thirty pounds were added to their stock. This was

the eightieth musk-ox shot since their arrival, the year before.

They had a good view of the bay and straits, both of which seemed

open, offering no obstacle whatever to the passage of the ship. They

were all very much disappointed at her non-appearance.

Lieutenant Greely, wanting Howgate’s Fiord explored and surveyed,

and Dr. Pavy wishing to make an excursion from Cape Baird, Lockwood,

on the 21st, left in the launch, with Rice, Cross, Lynn, Fredericks,

Snyder, and Israel, and with Dr. Pavy and Ellison as passengers, to

land the doctor on the south shore, and thence proceed westward to

Howgate’s Fiord. Following a lead westward, they finally found open

water, which enabled them to reach the south shore of the bay some

five miles above Cape Baird, where they landed the doctor and

Ellison, with their rations, etc. In crossing the open water, they

had strong south winds, and heavy seas which boarded the launch and

washed her from stem to stern. Though much strengthened against ice,

when heavily laden she sat too near the water to be a comfortable

sea-boat. Thence they proceeded to Miller Island, where they had

smooth water, and were enabled to cook their food and enjoy an

excellent meal. They found much ice in Howgate’s Fiord, yet, after

trying to kill a musk-ox seen on shore, made their way to Ida Bay,

at its head, and proceeded to the north shore, for Israel to lay out

his base-line and take angles, and Rice to take photographs of

prominent objects. While they were so doing, the others started in

pursuit of a musk-ox some distance from the shore. The animal,

seeing them, went up the valley at a rapid rate, leaving behind him

so strong a musk odor as to mark his wake as distinctly by the smell

as that of a steamboat is marked by the eye. Lockwood abandoned the

chase for other duties, but the men kept on, and afterward brought

in the animal’s carcass. These having returned, and Israel and Rice

having finished their work, all proceeded toward a very high, and

conspicuous promontory, marking the entrance to the bay, which

Lieutenant Greely wished Lockwood to ascend, and afterward go up the

northern arm of the fiord; but they were unable to do either, having

been brought to a full stop in the narrow channel by an immense floe

of old ice. They therefore returned out of this _cul-de-sac_ to the

south shore, where Israel wanted to take other angles. Here they

found traces of Esquimaux habitations—meat _caches_, and various

bone implements, all very old. Thence, _via_ Miller’s Cape, they

made their way to Stony Cape, not, however, without great difficulty

because of moving ice, which sometimes forced them too close to the

island, and compelled them to make _détours_. The weather

threatening, they did not stop to take other angles, but crossed to

the head of the bay, near the Bellows, and cast anchor; and, while

the others slept, Lockwood walked up the Bellows in quest of game,

but saw none.

The vegetation was just sufficient to remind him of the glorious

trees and grasses of another zone far, far away. Still, with all its

desolation, Lockwood thought it a very picturesque region, and that

perhaps the moon, to one on its surface, presents a similar aspect.

They left for the station on the 25th, encountering much ice all the

way. Off Cape Clear it whirled about in such a manner as to threaten

to crush the launch. At one time a large piece of ice—larger than

the launch itself—was caught between the moving pack and the

grounded ice and thrown up into the air fifteen feet. Finally, they

reached the station, sadly disappointed not to see the masts of the

hoped-for ship. They could not divine the reason for her

non-appearance. Dr. Pavy thought that it never started, for want of

an appropriation. Lieutenant Greely thought otherwise. It looked

then as though they would have to retreat in boats during the next

summer, and might fail to meet the ship in the channel; or, on

reaching Littleton Island, find she had not been there, and then

undoubtedly all of them would perish.

A fine salmon-trout of three pounds and three quarters was caught in

a net about this time, and, while Rice tried to obtain more,

Brainard went to Depot “B” on a hunt for musk-oxen and other game.

On the 26th, Lockwood went across Lady Franklin Bay in the launch

after Dr. Pavy. Saw many seals, but failed to secure any. Found the

doctor and Ellison awaiting them, forlorn enough. They had reached

Carl Ritter Bay, seen musk-oxen, and discovered some lakes. Lockwood

left more stores over the bay, and returned through much ice. It was

pleasant to see how readily the launch cut through the young ice

then forming in the midst of falling snow.

On the 28th, Lieutenant Greely, desiring some further exploration up

Ella Bay, and inland from its head, Lockwood and a select party made

several attempts in the launch to accomplish it; but the young ice

was forming so rapidly, there was so much pack-ice, and the snow was

obscuring the atmosphere so badly, that Lieutenant Greely, after

some hesitation, decided they had better not go, and, instead,

requested them to take the long-boat Valorous to Cape Baird and

leave her there, and then lay up the steam-launch for the winter.

This they attempted to do, but, on reaching Dutch Island, had to

give it up, as the entire harbor, bay, and straits were full of

drifting ice, many of the floes standing five feet out of water. The

launch having been left at anchor near the island, the next morning

Lieutenant Greely ordered all hands down to the island to rescue her

from impending peril. They found her very much careened and half

full of water. She had been anchored in shoal water, and, heeling

over at ebb-tide, had filled at the next flood. Fortunately, no harm

was done to the boat, which might yet prove to be their salvation,

and should be got into safe winter quarters, as that season was

evidently already setting in. It was after this boat excitement that

Lockwood indulged in these reflections: “I find myself constantly

reading over old letters brought with me and received at St. John’s,

though read before again and again. The effect is depressing,

bringing too strongly into view home and the dear ones there. I am

oppressed with _ennui_ and low spirits, and can’t shake off this

feeling, partly induced by the cruel disappointment of _no ship_.”

Subsequently he wrote, “Have been reading of Kane and his travels.

He is my _beau idéal_ of an Arctic traveler. How pitiful that so

bold a spirit was incased in so feeble a frame! Why is Nature

inconsistent? In the Arctic his health seems to have been fair. He

of all his advance party escaped the scurvy. It was his spirit,

doubtless, that kept him up. Hayes does not compare with him. Though

beautifully written, there is an air of exaggeration about Hayes’

book, which destroys its interest. Doctor Pavy, who has hitherto

been the advocate of Hayes, since his return from Carl Ritter Bay

seems to have changed his mind about him, and now agrees with Greely

and me that Hayes never reached Cape Lieber. To have done so, he

must have performed in part of his journey ninety-six miles in

fourteen hours—an impossibility.

“The life we are now leading is somewhat similar to that of a

prisoner in the Bastile: no amusements, no recreations, no event to

break the monotony or dispel _ennui_. I take a long walk every day

along shore to North Valley with that view, study French a little,

or do some tailoring, now doubly necessary, as our supply of

clothing is getting low. Our stock of reading matter, unfortunately,

is limited except in Arctic books. One must live up here within

himself, and is unfortunate if dependent on others for happiness.

The others are as moody as I am—Greely sometimes, Kislingbury

always, and as to the doctor, to say he is not congenial is to put

it in a very mild way indeed. But why not study? Well, the

atmosphere is not conducive to it. I must go on another

sledge-journey to dispel this gloom. Lieutenant Greely was thinking

of sending me to Lake Hazen to continue his explorations, but thinks

the snow too deep. I will make a trip to the Bellows, and follow up

the cañon at its head.

“The hilarity in the other room is in marked contrast to the gloom

in this. For several days the skating on the young ice of the

harbor, now three inches thick, has afforded pleasure to the men.

Israel broke in some distance from shore, and, being unable to get

out by himself, would have perished but for the aid of others who

saw him after he had been in the cold water fifteen minutes.

Biederbick is constantly chaffed by the men for his persistent

gunning expeditions, from which he always returns empty-handed. He

takes everything seriously, and hence resents with warmth any

insinuations against Germany, particularly if his own little

principality of Waldeck be assailed. Biederbick tried to poison some

foxes, and boasted of his plans. A fox having been caught by some

one else and killed, Henry placed the body near Biederbick’s poison,

first placing within its mouth a paper stating (as though written by

the fox) how and where he met his death. Soon after Biederbick

inspected his poison, and finding the fox, brought him home in

triumph. Henry gravely declared the fox had not been poisoned, much

to Biederbick’s amazement. They proceeded to examine the fox, and

Henry pulled from its throat the certificate that had been placed

there. The men around laughed at Biederbick’s expense, and he

wilted.”

The foregoing allusion to Dr. Kane can not but be read with special

interest, as it gives one an insight into the noble character of

Lockwood, who had the heart to appreciate a man like the discoverer

of Grinnell Land. Both, indeed, were men of rare and exalted

qualities, whose memories will always be treasured with respect and

affection by the whole American people.

An effort was made under Lieutenant Kislingbury to raise, from

calves caught, a herd of tame musk-oxen. They became very docile and

tractable, even to the extent of hauling in teams. The chief

difficulty was to keep the dogs from them. One of these calves was

seriously wounded by them, and was therefore killed. It was rumored

that its meat would be served for dinner, and some of the men, to

carry out the joke, hung the quarters on the meat-rack near the

house. When other meat was served for dinner, Fredericks, who had

cared for the calf and named it John Henry, ate nothing—very proper

conduct for a man of feeling and a hater of jokes.

Lockwood frequently went to the observatory with Israel to get some

insight into the workings of the magnetic instruments. On

“term-day,” the instruments were read every five minutes during the

twenty-four hours, and for one hour every twenty seconds. “Poets

write of the constancy of the magnetic needle,” said Lockwood,

“while in fact it is the most inconstant thing known. Not only does

it vary yearly, but monthly, daily, hourly, yea, every minute and

second. Here the magnetic disturbances are very pronounced, and at

times the magnetic needle is apparently almost beside itself. The

aurora, too, has frequently a very noticeable effect upon it.”

It was now becoming a matter for discussion that, should they be so

unfortunate as to have to spend a third winter in this region, they

would have to live on salt meat and hard bread. Dr. Pavy said they

were already getting short of many articles of food, and of some

they were entirely out—short of sugar and also of candles and

foot-gear, of the latter, only a few pairs of cork-soled boots,

unfitted for use in these parts, remaining. Lockwood felt that he

would rather take any risks in boats than stay there another winter.

The weather, which had been variable, having settled calm and clear,

Lockwood started on his proposed sledge trip up the “Bellows” with

Jewell, the Esquimaux Frederick, and an eight-dog team. Having young

ice most of the way and no load, they made rapid progress to the

tent at Basil Norris Bay. The dogs moved at a gallop, giving to all

the rare opportunity of a ride. Here they found sleeping-bags and

provisions. The next morning they reached Black Rock Vale and

followed the windings of its stream-bed until they came to Lake

Heintzelman, a beautiful body of water, or rather ice, perfectly

smooth and free from snow, filling the whole valley, some three

miles wide, to towering cliffs, and extending about five miles. So

smooth was the surface that the dogs could have pulled a ton.

Feeling rather chilly, they all held on to the upright of the sledge

behind, and were dragged along on the soles of their shoes. Reaching

the head of the lake, and finding the way so rough as to endanger

the sledge-runners, they deemed it best to go into camp and

reconnoitre before proceeding farther. While Lockwood and Jewell got

supper, Frederick went on a hunt for musk-oxen. The former afterward

followed with the team to bring in the game which he had killed,

first skinning and cutting it up, not an easy job, as they had only

a very dull hatchet and equally dull case-knives. They finally

succeeded, however, after much labor, and returned to camp at a late

hour. The ox killed was the only one seen, although it was

there—three miles above the lake—that a hundred had been formerly

seen. The following morning being chilly and the sky overcast, they

returned to the tent at Basil Norris Bay, the dogs carrying the men,

as well as nearly four hundred pounds of meat, over the smooth lake

at a rapid rate.

While crossing they heard an unusual noise, like distant thunder,

which at first they were unable to account for, but finally

concluded was due to the cracking of the ice, arising probably from

changes of temperature. The whole expanse of ice was marked by

cracks extending in every direction, not, however, coming to the

surface, but visible below.

In returning to the station, they avoided some rough places by

hugging the south shore of the harbor, a rumbling noise of moving

and crushing ice being heard in the direction of Dutch Island. On

reaching the station, they found that a large bear had visited the

house, dragging off the skeleton of a musk-ox which Dr. Pavy had

hung out to dry as a specimen. Tracks of another bear were afterward

seen near the house. At Lieutenant Greely’s request, Lockwood with

others followed these tracks, came in sight of the animal, and saw

him make his way toward the middle of the straits through leads of

open water and over hills of ice with seeming ease. Of course, they

failed to add bear-meat to their well-stocked larder.

After enjoying a hot bath, which Lockwood commended as a grand

luxury, he penned the following from his corner in the

station-house:

“The men have added a bagatelle-board to their other sources of

amusement, and sometimes have bagatelle tournaments. Lieutenant

Greely and I often play chess, and sometimes I take a game of

checkers with the Esquimaux. These, by-the-way, seem much better

reconciled than they were last winter. Probably have come to

understand us better, and we them.

“Much of my time has been occupied in making maps of the several

launch trips and in writing out stenographic notes. Still, the

monotony here is dreadful, and tells on all. It certainly does on

me. Dr. Pavy and Lieutenant Kislingbury spend much of their time in

the other room, and, when in here and Lieutenant Greely absent, are

engaged in the most gloomy prognostications as to the future, and in

adverse criticisms on the conduct of the expedition. It is really

dreadful, and I sometimes think the life of an exile in Siberia

preferable to this. The absence of light without keeps us

within-doors, and the want of exercise and fresh air promotes

restlessness. Our supply of books comprises only novels and Arctic

literature. A few really solid books of history, biography, essays,

etc., are much to be desired, though, under the circumstances, I

suppose it would be difficult to concentrate one’s mind on them.

“Our experiment with calves had to be given up. All died but one.

Long took that to Dutch Island, but it would not stay. Like the

human animal, the poor thing wanted sympathy and something to love,

and followed him all the way back, notwithstanding all he could do

to restrain it. Tame foxes and tame owls have also been given up.

The former bit their keepers, the latter ate each other up. The dogs

multiply rapidly, and would increase faster, but that the pups are

eaten by the old ones. I saw the mother of a dead pup keeping

Ritenbank from swallowing it, while she hesitated whether or not she

would do the same thing herself.

“We are again building around our house with ice, which proved such

an addition last winter, and the double sashes to the windows have

been put in. I have added a side-board to my bunk and covered the

adjacent walls with paper, thus adding to the warmth. Much may be

done to mitigate the evils of this climate. The moral and social

evils are what we can not meet, or rather do not repel.”

Mrs. Greely’s birthday was again observed, chiefly by a good dinner

with wine furnished by Lieutenant Greely. Lockwood’s own birthday

was also celebrated in like manner, when he recorded the following:

“After dinner Lieutenant Greely and I had a long talk—reminiscences

of army-life, speculations as to our retreat in boats, etc. When

alone, my mind turned to the dear ones at home and the many warm

friends I had elsewhere, and to the happy days spent with them.

[Illustration: Lockwood’s Corner.]

“My corner, which is the coldest of all the corners, was improved by

covering floor and walls with paper. I also found an improvement by

adding side-boards to the bunk, and finally by converting the bed

into a regular sleeping-bag. Before this was done, I sometimes

became very chilly during the night after the fires went down. Our

lamps now burn all day. How wearisome this constant artificial light

becomes, we know from the experience of last winter. I dread it

under our present social relations. Even Lieutenant Greely refers to

these as intensifying what would otherwise not much distress him. My

daily routine is somewhat as follows: Breakfast at half-past seven,

with scarcely a word spoken by any one. Then I smoke, standing by

the stove in the cook’s room. Afterward, tailoring or some other

work. At noon, a walk to Proteus Point if possible. Afterward, read

or sleep till dinner at four. Again smoke as before. Then a few

games of chess with Lieutenant Greely or checkers with the

Esquimaux. Then read a little French or a good deal of whatever I

find most interesting. Then to my army-bunk, to sleep till next

morning, when the same routine is repeated.”

On the 20th, he made a trip to Depot “B” with some of the men and

two dog-sledges to bring down the musk-ox meat left there in

_cache_. They found the foot-ice near shore so rough that they had

to keep well out, but still they made the eighteen miles in six

hours, which may be regarded as fair traveling with dogs.

They met many bear-tracks, but old, probably made by the same

animals that visited the station. They found that these animals, and

also foxes, had found their meat-_cache_ and had done much damage,

four quarters of meat and fifteen geese having been eaten by them or

taken away. Returning next day with what remained, and taking in

more meat at St. Patrick’s Bay in still worse condition, they made

their way home over a sea of rubble-ice. To show the effects of

ice-movements, Lockwood observed, when crossing Watercourse Bay on

their return, the sledge-tracks made the day before fifty feet in

the air on top of floe-bergs!

They made a visit to some floe-bergs at the mouth of Lady Franklin

Bay to get specimens of colored ice seen there on a berg. These were

mostly yellow, but some specimens almost black. On melting, they

gave an offensive odor, and made deposits of their color. Analysis

only could determine the nature of the coloring-matter. Young ice

was measured, and found to be twenty inches thick.

Lockwood would have been glad enough to be away from that cold

region, and yet he seemed determined again to explore the north

Greenland coast, and thought that, under favorable circumstances, he

could go farther than he had already gone by at least seventy-five

miles, thereby manifesting a degree of pluck almost unique in its

character. Difficulties might arise to defeat his plans, but, these

surmounted, all his energies and hopes would be directed to

returning home. It was Lieutenant Greely’s opinion, however, that

his “farthest” would not be again reached in the present century.

On the 5th of November Dr. Pavy returned from an expedition to Carl

Ritter Bay, which he had reached by following the valley back of

Cape Lieber, as the ice-foot was found impracticable. The dog-food,

or dried fish, taken, being insufficient and poor, one of the dogs

died, and was immediately eaten by the others. The straits below

were found quite open. They killed one musk-ox, but could not bring

in the meat. On the return, so rough was the ice over the bay that

twelve hours were required to cross from Cape Baird.

The doctor urged the policy of storing provisions at Cape Hawkes for

their boat-journey, a thing easier to talk about than to do, as Cape

Hawkes was one hundred and fifty-five miles, in a straight line,

south of Lady Franklin Bay, and it would occupy a dog-sledge to go

and return at least one month. If anything was to be done in that

direction, all thoughts of further exploration must be abandoned.

The doctor predicted that a naval expedition would be sent for them

the next year, Congress having hitherto failed to provide for their

relief.

In one of his tramps to Proteus Point, Lockwood’s feet were again

frosted, owing partly to his imperfect foot-gear, and he then became

convinced that a light, flexible moccasin was the best thing to wear

in that country.

For several days about the middle of November, there were magnetic

disturbances of a pronounced character coincident with the storms

and auroras they were experiencing. Storms were always indicated by

rapid changes of barometer, but sometimes the barometer fell and no

storm followed. Auroras had recently been attended with varied

colors, which was unusual, as they had formerly been uniformly

white. A surveyor working there would find, at times, his

compass-needle almost unmanageable. Seals were seen in the most

unexpected places, one of them having been killed with a hatchet in

a tide-hole.

On the 21st, Lockwood was startled, when setting out on his usual

walk, to see what looked like smoke coming from the roof of the

house; but what he mistook for smoke was only the condensation of

vapor escaping from the house. The appearance of the smoke coming

from the chimney, and of the steam from the roof, projected as they

were on the sides of the snow-covered mountains, was very pretty.

The ice-wall around the house was a great protection, not only

keeping the hot air in, but protecting the house from the furious

blasts which would otherwise enter it, if, indeed, they did not

destroy it.

Lieutenant Greely resumed his lectures, which had before proved so

interesting. He gave one, which they all admired, on the history of

his native town, Newburyport. Israel had also assumed the _rôle_ of

lecturer on astronomy, with which he was familiar.

When Lockwood became desperate with _ennui_, he got out his old

letters and again read them, as they carried him back to his distant

home and parents and sisters. He earnestly prayed that a kind

Providence would restore him to them. This was the end of all his

hopes.

On the 30th of November Lockwood wrote as follows: “This is the day

Lieutenant Greely appointed for thanksgiving, and thankfully should

we keep it; for we have not only escaped sickness and any serious

discomforts, but we have had undoubted success in our efforts both

scientific and geographical. We have had a royal feast of soup,

beef, corn, Lima beans, pineapple-jelly, nuts, and figs.”

Contrary to his resolve, a few days later he commenced reading

novels. His feeling was that they withdraw one from one’s self,

which is something gained; but they put one up in the clouds from

which it is often painful to descend. They cause the reader to live

for a time in an ideal world, and bring him back to the stern

reality with a sense of disappointment.

On the 8th of December, Lockwood was greatly impressed by the

absence of light, and gave his views as follows: “It is now very

dark, even at noon, except when we have the moon and a clear sky.

Even on the floe, where the pure white snow reflects every bit of

light, it is now so obscure that it is difficult to see the path at

one’s feet; and even the outlines of the mountains, high above the

horizon, are very dim. A faint gleam of twilight over the south

horizon, at noon only, shows the direction in which the sun and

‘God’s country’ lie. So dark is it that I have several times

stumbled over the dogs lying outside at the door; and when in a

pathway, one has rather to feel the way than see it, requiring the

use of a lantern in going from the house.

“No wonder, then, that the moon is so highly appreciated in this

benighted region. How delightful it is, after a fortnight’s absence,

to have her with us once again! How a poet would rave over the moon

could he once know a polar winter! We have her now in all her glory,

lighting up this vast desert waste, which, covered with its mantle

of snow and ice, now becomes a thing of beauty.

“The effect of continued absence of sunlight is very marked in the

complexion of all the men, as well as in their loss of vigor. They

are as blanched as potato-sprouts in a dark cellar. Blessed orb of

light and life! One can hardly imagine the one without the other.

The moral as well as the physical influence of sunlight is very soon

seen after the sun’s reappearance, the middle of February.”

They still kept up birthdays, and the 24th was that of Saler, when

they had a feast selected by himself. The musk-ox beef was

particularly good, being young and tender, and free from the musk

flavor so common with old oxen. They were now used to this, however,

and it did not trouble them.

In the evening Lieutenant Greely brought out a few Christmas

presents to distribute, which had not been issued the previous year,

and there were some prizes of tobacco, soap, etc., raffled for. A

chromo-picture of good “King Billy” of Prussia was given to Long,

whose hair is somewhat red. The hair in the picture being of the

same color, much mirth was elicited, as Long was sensitive about his

hair, and was constantly chaffed by the men on that account.

Lieutenant Greely made a few appropriate remarks, referring to the

success of the expedition, and praying that their good fortune might

continue, etc.

The Christmas-dinner was remarkably good—one that might have been

enjoyed anywhere. The appetites of the men and of the officers were

equal to the occasion. Of late some of them had shown less appetite

than formerly, possibly because their supplies showing signs of

failing in a few particulars, the table had shown less variety. The

average weight of the men was found to be one hundred and

seventy-one pounds, Lockwood’s weight being one hundred and

seventy-six, embodying a good deal of caloric.

On the 8th of January, 1883, after repairing some damage done to the

launch by the ice, Lieutenant Greely announced his resolve to leave

for home in boats not later than August 8th, and sooner, if the ice

permitted.

On the 23d, efforts were made to cross the bay to Cape Baird, but

without success, the difficulties being the absence of light, the

intense cold, and the extremely rough ice. It was desired to open a

passage to Cape Baird, and make a depot of provisions there for use

on the retreat. Their first efforts carried these stores only to

mid-channel, but afterward Sergeant Lynn and others carried them

over to Cape Baird.