Melville Bay--Beset in Melville Bay--Signs of Winter--The coming
storm--Drifting in the pack--Canine appetite--Resigned to a winter
in the pack--Dinner stolen by sharks--The Arctic shark--White Whales
and Killers.
{MELVILLE BAY.}
_15th August._--Three days of the most perfect calm have sadly taxed our
patience. Lovely bright weather, but scarcely a living creature seen.
This afternoon the anxiously-looked-for north wind sprang up, and
immediately the light ice began to drift away before it, but it is not
strong enough to influence the icebergs, and they greatly retard the
clearing-out of the bay. We have noticed a constant wind off the
glacier, probably the result of its cooling effect upon the atmosphere;
this wind does not extend more than 3 or 4 miles out from it.
_16th._--One of the loveliest mornings imaginable: the icebergs sparkled
in the sun, and the breeze was just sufficiently strong to ripple the
patches of dark blue sea; beyond this, there was nothing to cheer one in
the prospect from the crow's-nest at four o'clock; but little change had
taken place in the ice; I therefore determined to run back along the
pack-edge to the south-westward, in the hope that some favorable change
might have taken place further off shore. The barometer was unusually
low, yet no indication of any change of weather. A seaman's chest was
picked up; it contained only a spoon, a fork, and some tin canisters,
and probably drifted here from the southward, where the two whale-ships
were crushed in June, affording another proof of the prevalence of
southerly winds. As we steamed on, the ice was found to have opened
considerably; it fell calm, and mist was observed rolling along the
glacier from the southward. By noon a S.E. wind reached us; all sail was
set, the leads or lanes of water became wider, and our hopes of speedily
crossing Melville Bay rose in proportion as our speed increased. We are
pursuing our course without let or hindrance.
_17th._--The fog overtook us yesterday evening, and at length, unable to
see our way, we made fast at eleven o'clock to the ice. The wind had
freshened, it was evidently blowing a gale outside the ice. During the
night we drifted rapidly together with the ice, and this morning, on the
clearing off of the fog, we steamed and sailed on again, threading our
way between the floes, which are larger and much covered with _dry_
snow. This evening we again made fast, the floes having closed together,
cutting off advance and retreat. A wintry night, much wind and snow.
_19th._--Continued strong S.E. winds, pressing the ice closely together,
dark sky and snow; everything wears a wintry and threatening aspect; we
are closely hemmed in, and have our rudder and screw unshipped. This
recommencement of S.E. winds and rapid ebbing of the small remaining
portion of summer makes me more anxious about the future than the
present. Yesterday the weather improved, and by working for thirteen
hours we got the ship out of her small ice-creek into a larger space of
water, and in so doing advanced a mile and a half. It is now calm, but
the ice still drifts, as we would wish it, to the N.W. Yesterday we were
within 12 miles of the position of the 'Enterprise' upon the same day in
1848, and under very similar conditions of weather and ice also.
_20th._--No favorable ice-drift: this detention has become most painful.
The 'Enterprise' reached the open water upon this day in 1848, within 50
miles of our present position; unfortunately, our prospects are not so
cheering. There is no relative motion in the floes of ice, except a
gradual closing together, the small spaces and streaks of water being
still further diminished. The temperature has fallen, and is usually
below the freezing-point. I feel most keenly the difficulty of my
position; we cannot afford to lose many more days. Of all the voyages to
Barrow Strait, there are but two which were delayed beyond this date,
viz., Parry's in 1824, and the 'Prince Albert's' in 1851. Should we not
be released, and therefore be compelled to winter in this pack,
notwithstanding all our efforts, I shall repeat the trial next year, and
in the end, with God's aid, perform my sacred duty.
{BESET IN MELVILLE BAY.}
The men enjoy a game of rounders on the ice each evening; Petersen and
Christian are constantly on the look-out for seals, as well as Hobson
and Young occasionally; if in good condition and killed instantaneously,
the seals float; several have already been shot; the liver fried with
bacon is excellent.
Birds have become scarce,--the few we see are returning southward. How
anxiously I watch the ice, weather, barometer, and thermometer! Wind
from any other quarter than S.E. would oblige the floe-pieces to
rearrange themselves, in doing which they would become loose, and then
would be our opportunity to proceed.
_24th._--Fine weather with very light northerly winds. We have drifted 7
miles to the west in the last two days. The ice is now a close pack, so
close that one may walk for many miles over it in any direction, by
merely turning a little to the right or left to avoid the small water
spaces. My frequent visits to the crow's-nest are not inspiriting: how
absolutely distressing this imprisonment is to me, no one without
similar experience can form any idea. As yet the crew have but little
suspicion how blighted our prospects are.
_27th._--We daily make attempts to push on, and sometimes get a ship's
length, but yesterday evening we made a mile and a half! the ice then
closed against the ship's sides and lifted her about a foot. We have had
a fresh east wind for two days, but no corresponding ice-drift to the
west; this is most discouraging, and can only be accounted for by
supposing the existence of much ice or grounded icebergs in that
direction.
The dreaded reality of wintering in the pack is gradually forcing itself
upon my mind,--but I must not write on this subject, it is bad enough to
brood over it unceasingly. We can see the land all round Melville Bay,
from Cape Walker nearly to Cape York. Petersen is indefatigable at
seal-shooting, he is so anxious to secure them for our dogs; he says
they must be hit in the head; "if you hit him in the beef that is not
good," meaning that a flesh-wound does not prevent their escaping under
the ice. Petersen and Christian practise an Esquimaux mode of attracting
the seals; they scrape the ice, thus making a noise like that produced
by a seal in making a hole with its flippers, and then place one end of
a pole in the water and put their mouths close to the other end, making
noises in imitation of the snorts and grunts of their intended victims;
whether the device is successful or not I do not know, but it looks
laughable enough.
{SEAL SHOOTING.}
Christian came back a few days ago, like a true seal-hunter, carrying
his kayak on his head, and dragging a seal behind him. Only two years
ago Petersen returned across this bay with Dr. Kane's retreating party;
he shot a seal which they devoured raw, and which under Providence,
saved their lives. Petersen is a good ice-pilot, knows all these coasts
as well as or better than any man living, and, from long experience and
habits of observation, is almost unerring in his prognostications of the
weather. Besides his great value to us as interpreter, few men are
better adapted for Arctic work,--an ardent sportsman, an agreeable
companion, never at a loss for occupation or amusement, and always
contented and sanguine. But we have happily many such dispositions in
the 'Fox.'
_30th._--The whole distance across Melville Bay is 170 miles: of this we
have performed about 120, 40 of which we have drifted in the last
fourteen days. The 'Isabel' sailed freely over this spot on 20th August,
1852; and the 'North Star' was beset on 30th July, 1849, to the
southward of Melville Bay, and carried in the ice across it and some 70
or 80 miles beyond, when she was set free on 26th September, and went
into winter quarters in Wolstenholme Sound. What a precedent for us!
[Illustration: FIG. 1. SKETCH MAP OF THE DRIFT OF THE 'FOX' DOWN
BAFFIN'S BAY IN THE FLOATING ICE.]
Yesterday we set to work as usual to warp the ship along, and moved her
ten feet: an insignificant hummock then blocked up the narrow
passage; as we could not push it before us, a two-pound blasting charge
was exploded, and the surface ice was shattered, but such an immense
quantity of broken ice came up from beneath, that the difficulty was
greatly increased instead of being removed. This is one of the many
instances in which our small vessel labors under very great
disadvantages in ice-navigation--we have neither sufficient manual
power, steam power, nor impetus to force the floes asunder. I am
convinced that a steamer of moderate size and power, with a crew of
forty or fifty men, would have got through a hundred miles of such ice
in less time than we have been beset.
The temperature fell to 25° last night, and the pools are strongly
frozen over. I now look matters steadily and calmly in the face; whilst
reasonable ground for hope remained I was anxious in the extreme. The
dismal prospect of a "winter in the pack" has scarcely begun to dawn
upon the crew; however, I do not think they will be much upset by it.
They had some exciting foot-races on the ice yesterday evening.
{SEPT., 1857.}
{THE COMING STORM.}
_1st Sept._--The indication of an approaching S.E. gale are at all times
sufficiently apparent here, and fortunately so, as it is the dangerous
wind in the Melville Bay. It was on the morning of the 30th, before
church-time, that they attracted our attention: the wind was very light,
but barometer low and falling; very threatening appearances in the S.E.
quarter, dark-blue sky, and grey detached clouds slowly rising; when the
wind commenced the barometer began to rise. This gale lasted forty-eight
hours, and closed up every little space of water; at first all the ice
drifted before the wind, but latterly remained stationary. Twenty seals
have been shot up to this time.
{DRIFTING IN THE PACK.}
On comparing Petersen's experience with my own and that of the 'North
Star' in 1849, it seems probable that the ice along the shores of
Melville Bay, at this season, will drift northward close along the land
as far as Cape Parry, where, meeting with a S.W. current out of Whale or
Smith's Sound, it will be carried away into the middle of Baffin's Bay,
and thence during the winter down Davis' Strait into the Atlantic. From
Cape Dudley Digges to Cape Parry, including Wolstenholme Sound, open
water remains until October. It is strange that we have ceased to drift
lately to the westward.
_6th._--During the last week we have only drifted 9 miles to the west.
Obtained soundings in 88 fathoms; this is a discovery, and not an
agreeable one. Of the six or seven icebergs in sight, the nearest are to
the west of us; they are very large, and appear to be aground; we
approach them slowly. Pleasant weather, but the winds are much too
gentle to be of service to us; although the nights are cold, yet during
the day our men occasionally do their sewing on deck. Our companions
the seals are larger and fatter than formerly, therefore they float when
shot; we are disposed to attribute their improved condition to the
better feeding upon this bank. The dredge brought up some few
shell-fish, star-fish, stones and much soft mud.
_9th._--On this day, in 1824, Sir Edward Parry got out of the middle
ice, and succeeded in reaching Port Bowen. To continue hoping for
release in time to reach Bellot Strait would be absurd; yet to employ
the men we continue our preparation of tents, sledges, and gear for
travelling. Two days ago the ice became more slack than usual, and a
long lane opened; its western termination could not be seen from aloft.
Every effort was made to get into this water, and by the aid of steam
and blasting-powder we advanced 100 yards out of the intervening 170
yards of ice, when the floes began to close together, a S.E. wind having
sprung up. Had we succeeded in reaching the water, I think we should
have extricated ourselves completely, and perhaps ere this have reached
Barrow Strait, but S.E. and S.W. gales succeeded, and it now blows a
S.S.E. gale, with sleet.
_10th._--Young went to the large icebergs to-day; the nearest of them is
250 feet high, and in 83 fathoms water; it is therefore probably
aground, except at spring tide; the floe-ice was drifting past it to
the westward, and was crushing up against its side to a height of 50
feet.
{CANINE APPETITE.}
_13th._--Thermometer has fallen to 17° at noon. We have drifted 18 miles
to the W. in the last week; therefore our neighbors, the icebergs, are
not always aground, but even when afloat drift more slowly than the
light ice. There is a water-sky to the W. and N.W.; it is nearest to us
in the direction of Cape York; _could we only advance 12 or 15 miles in
that direction, I am convinced we should be free to steer for Barrow
Strait_. Forty-three seals have been secured for the dogs; one dog is
missing, the remaining twenty-nine devoured their two days' allowance of
seal's flesh (60 or 65 lbs.) in forty-two seconds! it contained no bone,
and had been cut up into small pieces, and spread out upon the snow,
before they were permitted to rush to dinner; in this way the weak enjoy
a fair chance, and there is no time for fighting. We do not allow them
on board.
_16th._--At length we have drifted past the large icebergs, obtaining
soundings in 69 fathoms within a mile of them; they must now be aground,
and have frequently been so during the last three weeks; and being
directly upon our line of drift, are probably the immediate cause of our
still remaining in Melville Bay. The ice is slack everywhere, but the
temperature having fallen to 3°, new ice rapidly forms, so that the
change comes too late. The western limit of the day--Cape York--is very
distinct, and not more than 25 miles from us.
{PREPARING FOR WINTER.}
_18th._--Lanes of water in all directions; but the nearest is half a
mile from us. They come too late, as do also the N.W. winds which have
now succeeded the fatal south-easters. The temperature fell to 2° below
zero last night. We are now at length in the "North Water;" the old ice
has spread out in all directions, so that it is only the young
ice--formed within the last fortnight--which detains us prisoners here.
The icebergs, the chief cause of our unfortunate detention, and which
for more than three weeks were in advance of us to the westward, are
now, in the short space of two days, nearly out of sight to the
eastward.
The preparations for wintering and sledge-travelling go on with unabated
alacrity; the latter will be useful should it become necessary to
abandon the ship.
Notwithstanding such a withering blight to my dearest hopes, yet I
cannot overlook the many sources of gratification which do exist; we
have not only the necessaries, but also a fair portion of the luxuries,
of ordinary sea-life; our provisions and clothing are abundant and well
suited to the climate. Our whole equipment, though upon so small a
scale, is perfect in its way. We all enjoy perfect health, and the men
are most cheerful, willing, and quiet.
{PROSPECT FOR WINTER.}
Our "native auxiliaries," consisting of Christian and his twenty-nine
dogs, are capable of performing immense service; whilst Mr. Petersen,
from his great Arctic experience, is of much use to me, besides being
all that I could wish as an interpreter. Humanly speaking, we are not
unreasonable in confidently looking forward to a successful issue of
this season's operations, and I greatly fear that poor Lady Franklin's
disappointment will consequently be the more severely felt.
We are doomed to pass a long winter of absolute inutility, if not of
idleness, in comparative peril and privation; nevertheless the men seem
very happy--thoughtless, of course, as true sailors always are.
We have drifted off the bank into much deeper water, and suppose this is
the reason that seals have become more scarce.
_22nd._--Constant N.W. winds continue to drift us slowly southward.
Strong indications of water in the N.W., W., and S.E.; its vicinity may
account for a rise in the temperature, without apparent cause, to 27° at
noon to-day.
The newly formed ice affords us delightful walking; the old ice on the
contrary is covered with a foot of soft snow. We have no shooting;
scarcely a living creature has been seen for a week.
{BEARS--AMUSEMENTS.}
_24th._--Yesterday I thought I saw two of our men walking at a distance,
and beyond some unsafe ice, but on enquiry found that all were on board:
Petersen and I set off to reconnoitre the strangers; they proved to be
bears, but much too wary to let us come within shot. It was dark when we
returned on board after a brisk walk over the new ice. The calm air felt
agreeably mild. We were without mittens; and but that the breath froze
upon moustachios and beard, one could have readily imagined the night
was comfortably warm. The thermometer stood at +5°.
To-day when walking in a fresh breeze the wind felt very cold, and kept
one on the look-out for frost-bites, although the thermometer was up to
10°. Games upon the ice and skating are our afternoon amusements, but we
also have some few lovers of music, who embrace the opportunity for
vigorous execution, without fear of being reminded that others may have
ears more sensitive and discriminating than their own.
_26th._--The mountain to the North of Melville Bay, known as the 'Snowy
Peak,' was visible yesterday, although 90 miles distant; I have
calculated its height to be 6000 feet. A raven was shot to-day.
{DINNER STOLEN BY SHARKS.}
_27th._--Our salt meat is usually soaked for some days before being
used; for this purpose it is put into a net, and lowered through a hole
in the ice; this morning the net had been torn, and only a fragment of
it remained. We suppose our twenty two pounds of salt meat had been
devoured by a shark; it would be curious to know how such fare agrees
with him, as a full meal of salted provision will kill an Esquimaux dog,
which thrives on almost anything. I used to remonstrate upon the skins
of sea-birds being given to our dogs, but was told the feathers were
good for them! Here all sea-birds are skinned before being cooked,
otherwise our ducks, divers, and looms would be uneatably fishy. A
well-baited shark-hook has been substituted for the net of salt meat; I
much wish to capture one of the monsters, as wonderful stories are told
us of their doings in Greenland: whether they are the white shark or the
basking shark of natural history I cannot find out. It is only of late
years that the shark fishery has been carried on to any extent in
Greenland; they are captured for the sake of their livers, which yield a
considerable quantity of oil. It has very recently been ascertained that
a valuable substance resembling spermaceti may be expressed from the
carcase, and for this purpose powerful screw presses are now employed.
In early winter the sharks are caught with hook and line through holes
in the ice.
The Esquimaux assert that they are insensible to pain; and Petersen
assures me he has plunged a long knife several times into the head of
one whilst it continued to feed upon a white whale entangled in his
net!! It is not sufficient to drive them away with sundry thrusts of
spears or knives, but they must be towed away to some distance from the
nets, otherwise they will return to feed. It must be remembered that the
brain of a shark is extremely small in proportion to the size of its
huge head. I have seen bullets fired through them with very little
apparent effect; but if these creatures _can_ feel, the devices
practised upon them by the Esquimaux must be cruel indeed.
{THE ARCTIC SHARK.}
It is only in certain localities that sharks are found, and in these
places they are often attracted to the nets by the animals entangled in
them. The dogs are not suffered to eat either the skin or the head, the
former in consequence of its extreme roughness, and the latter because
it causes giddiness and makes them sick.
The nets alluded to are set for the white whale or the seal; if for the
former, they are attached to the shore and extended off at right angles
so as to intercept them in their autumnal southern migration, when they
swim close along the rocks to avoid their direst foe, the grampus, or
killer, of sailors, the _Delphinus orca_ of naturalists. When the white
whale is stopped by the net it often appears at first to be unconscious
of the fact, and continues to swim against it, affording time for the
approach of the boat and deadly harpoon from behind. If entangled in the
net a very short time suffices to drown them, as, like all the whale
tribe, they are obliged to come to the surface to breathe.
{KILLERS.}
The killer is also a cetacean of considerable size, 15 to 20 feet in
length, but of very different habits; it is very swift, is armed with
powerful teeth, and is gregarious. When in sufficient numbers they even
attack the whale, impeding his progress by fastening on his fins and
tail. In summer they appear in the Greenland seas, and the seals
instantly seek refuge from them in the various creeks and inner harbors;
and the Esquimaux hunter in his frail kayak, when he sees the huge
pointed dorsal fin swiftly cleaving the surface of the sea, is scarcely
less anxious to shun such dangerous company. With such stories as these
Petersen beguiles the time; I never tire of listening to them, and now
amuse myself in jotting scraps of them down.