In the Arctic Seas
by Sir Francis Leopold M'Clintock · English · Gutenberg #37669 · 587,604 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: In the Arctic Seas
Author: Sir Francis Leopold M'Clintock
Author of introduction, etc.: Sir Roderick Impey Murchison
Release date: October 8, 2011 [eBook #37669]
Most recently updated: January 8, 2021
Language: English
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[Illustration: The 'Fox' steaming out of the Rolling Pack.]
IN THE
ARCTIC SEAS.
A NARRATIVE
OF THE
DISCOVERY OF THE FATE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
AND HIS COMPANIONS.
BY
CAPTAIN M'CLINTOCK, R.N., LL.D.
WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
PHILADELPHIA:
PORTER & COATES,
822 CHESTNUT STREET.
AUTHOR'S EDITION
[Device]
CAXTON PRESS OF SHERMAN & CO.,
PHILADELPHIA.
DEDICATION.
MY DEAR LADY FRANKLIN,
There is no one to whom I could with so much propriety or willingness
dedicate my Journal as to you. For you it was originally written, and to
please you it now appears in print.
To our mutual friend, SHERARD OSBORN, I am greatly obliged for his
kindness in seeing it through the press--a labor I could not have
settled down to so soon after my return; and also for pointing out some
omissions and technicalities which would have rendered parts of it
unintelligible to an ordinary reader. These kind hints have been but
partially attended to, and, as time presses, it appears with the mass of
its original imperfections, as when you read it in manuscript. Such as
it is, however, it affords me this valued opportunity of assuring you of
the real gratification I feel in having been instrumental in
accomplishing an object so dear to you. To your devotion and
self-sacrifice the world is indebted for the deeply interesting
revelation unfolded by the voyage of the 'Fox.'
Believe me to be,
With sincere respect, most faithfully yours,
F. L. M'CLINTOCK.
_London, 24th Nov., 1859._
LIST OF OFFICERS AND SHIP'S COMPANY OF THE 'FOX.'
F. L. M'CLINTOCK, Captain R.N.
W. R. HOBSON, Lieutenant R.N.
ALLEN W. YOUNG, Captain, Mercantile Marine.
DAVID WALKER, M.D., Surgeon and Naturalist.
GEORGE BRANDS, Engineer, died 6th Nov. 1858, (Apoplexy).
CARL PETERSEN, Interpreter.
THOMAS BLACKWELL, Ship's Steward, died 14th June, 1859, (Scurvy).
WM. HARVEY, Chief Quartermaster.
HENRY TOMS, Quartermaster.
ALEX. THOMPSON, "
JOHN SIMMONDS, Boatswain's Mate.
GEORGE EDWARDS, Carpenter's Mate.
ROBERT SCOTT, Leading Stoker, died 4th Dec. 1857, (in
consequence of a fall).
THOMAS GRINSTEAD, Sailmaker.
GEORGE HOBDAY, Captain of Hold.
ROBERT HAMPTON, A. B.
JOHN A. HASELTON, "
GEORGE CAREY, "
BEN. POUND, "
WM. WALTERS, Carpenter's Crew.
WM. JONES, Dog-driver.
JAMES PITCHER, } Stokers.
THOMAS FLORANCE, }
RICHARD SHINGLETON, Officers' Steward.
ANTON CHRISTIAN, } Greenland Esquimaux, discharged in Greenland.
SAMUEL EMANUEL, }
OFFICIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE SERVICES OF THE YACHT 'FOX.'
ADMIRALTY, LONDON,
_24th Oct. 1859._
SIR,
I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint
you, that, in consideration of the important services performed by you
in bringing home the only authentic intelligence of the death of the
late Sir John Franklin, and of the fate of the crews of the 'Erebus' and
'Terror,' Her Majesty has been pleased, by her order in Council of the
22nd instant, to sanction the time during which you were absent on these
discoveries in the Arctic Regions, viz., from the 30th June, 1857, to
the 21st September, 1859, to reckon as time served by a captain in
command of one of Her Majesty's ships, and my Lords have given the
necessary directions accordingly.
I am, Sir,
Your very humble servant,
W. G. ROMAINE,
_Secretary to the Admiralty_.
Captain Francis L. M'Clintock, R.N.
PREFACE.
The following narrative of the bold adventure which has successfully
revealed the last discoveries and the fate of Franklin, is published at
the request of the friends of that illustrious navigator. The gallant
M'Clintock, when he penned his journal amid the Arctic ices, had no idea
whatever of publishing it; and yet there can be no doubt that the reader
will peruse with the deepest interest the simple tale of how, in a
little vessel of 170 tons burthen, he and his well-chosen companions
have cleared up this great mystery.
To the honor of the British nation, and also let it be said to that of
the United States of America, many have been the efforts made to
discover the route followed by our missing explorers. The highly
deserving men who have so zealously searched the Arctic seas and lands
in this cause must now rejoice, that after all their anxious toils, the
merit of rescuing from the frozen North the record of the last days of
Franklin, has fallen to the share of his noble-minded widow.
Lady Franklin has, indeed, well shown what a devoted and true-hearted
English woman can accomplish. The moment that relics of the expedition
commanded by her husband were brought home (in 1854) by Rae, and that
she heard of the account given to him by the Esquimaux of a large party
of Englishmen having been seen struggling with difficulties on the ice
near the mouth of the Back or Great Fish River, she resolved to expend
all her available means (already much exhausted in four other
independent expeditions) in an exploration of the limited area to which
the search must thenceforward be necessarily restricted.
Whilst the supporters of Lady Franklin's efforts were of opinion, that
the Government ought to have undertaken a search, the extent of which
was, for the first time, definitely limited, it is but rendering justice
to the then Prime Minister[1] to state, that he had every desire to
carry out the wishes of the men of science[2] who appealed to him, and
that he was precluded from acceding to their petition, by nothing but
the strongly expressed opinion of official authorities, that after so
many failures the Government were no longer justified in sending out
more brave men to encounter fresh dangers in a cause which was viewed as
hopeless. Hence it devolved on Lady Franklin and her friends to be the
sole means of endeavoring to bring to light the true history of her
husband's voyage and fate.
Looking to the list of Naval worthies, who, during the preceding years,
had been exploring the Arctic Regions, Lady Franklin was highly
gratified when she obtained the willing services of Captain M'Clintock
to command the yacht 'Fox,' which she had purchased; for that officer
had signally distinguished himself in the voyages of Sir John Ross and
Captain (now Admiral) Austin, and especially in his extensive journeys
on the ice when associated with Captain Kellett. With such a leader she
could not but entertain sanguine hopes of success when the fast and
well-adapted little vessel sailed from Aberdeen on the 1st of July,
1857, upon this eventful enterprise.
Deep, indeed, was the mortification experienced by every one who shared
the feelings and anticipations of Lady Franklin when the untoward news
came, in the summer of 1858, that, the preceding winter having set in
earlier than usual, the 'Fox' had been beset in the ice off Melville
Bay, on the coast of Greenland, and after a dreary winter, various
narrow escapes, and eight months of imprisonment, had been carried back
by the floating ice nearly twelve hundred geographical miles--even to
63-1/2° N. lat. in the Atlantic! See the woodcut map, No. 1.
But although the good little yacht had been most roughly handled among
the ice-floes (see Frontispiece), we were cheered up by the information
from Disco, that, with the exception of the death of the engine-driver
in consequence of a fall into the hold, the crew were in stout health
and full of energy, and that provided with sufficient fuel and
provisions, a good supply of sledging dogs, two tried Esquimaux, and the
excellent interpreter Petersen the Dane,[3] ample grounds yet remained
to lead us to hope for a successful issue. Above all, we were encouraged
by the proofs of the self-possession and calm resolve of M'Clintock, who
held steadily to the accomplishment of his original project; the more so
as he had then tested and recognized the value of the services of
Lieutenant (now Commander) Hobson, his able second in command; of
Captain Allen Young, his generous volunteer associate;[4] and of Dr.
Walker, his accomplished Surgeon.
Despite, however, of these re-assuring data, many an advocate of this
search was anxiously alive to the chance of the failure of the venture
of one unassisted yacht, which after sundry mishaps was again starting
to cross Baffin's Bay, with the foreknowledge, that when she reached the
opposite coast, the real difficulties of the enterprise were to
commence.
Any such misgivings were happily illusory; and the reader who follows
M'Clintock across the "middle ice" of Baffin's Bay to Pond Inlet, thence
to Beechey Island, down a portion of Peel Strait, and then through the
hitherto unnavigated waters of Bellot Strait in one summer season, may
reasonably expect the success which followed.
Whilst the revelation obtained from the long-sought records, which were
discovered by Lieutenant Hobson, is most satisfactory to those who
speculated on the probability of Franklin having, in the first instance,
tried to force his way northwards through Wellington Channel (as we now
learn he did), those who held a different hypothesis, namely, that he
followed his instructions, which directed him to the S.W., may be amply
satisfied that in the following season the ships did pursue this
southerly course till they were finally beset in N. lat. 70° 05'.[5]
At the same time, the public should fully understand the motive which
prompted the supporters of Lady Franklin in advocating the last search.
Putting aside the hope which some of us entertained, that a few of the
younger men of the missing expedition might still be found to be living
among the Esquimaux, we had every reason to expect, that if the ships
were discovered, the scientific documents of the voyage, including
valuable magnetic observations, would be recovered.
In the absence of such good fortune we may, however, well be gladdened
by the discovery of that one precious document which gives us a true
outline of the voyage of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror.'
That the reader may comprehend the vast extent of sea traversed by
Franklin in the two summers before his ships were beset, a small map
(No. 2) is here introduced representing all the lands and seas of the
Arctic regions to the west of Lancaster Sound which were known and laid
down when he sailed. The dotted lines and arrows, which extend from the
then known seas and lands into the unknown waters or blank spaces on
this old map, indicate Franklin's route, the novelty, range, rapidity,
and boldness of which, as thus delineated, may well surprise the
geographer, and even the most enterprising Arctic sailor.[6] For, those
who have not closely attended to the results of other Arctic voyages
may be informed, that rarely has an expedition in the first year
accomplished more by its ships, than the establishing of good winter
quarters, from whence the real researches began by sledge-work in the
ensuing spring. Franklin, however, not only reached Beechey Island, but
ascended Wellington Channel, then an unknown sea, to 77° N. lat., a more
northern latitude in this meridian than that attained long afterwards in
ships by Sir Edward Belcher, and much to the north of the points reached
by Penny and De Haven. Next, though most scantily provided with
steam-power, Franklin navigated round Cornwallis' Land, which he thus
proved to be an island. The last discovery of a navigable channel
throughout, between Cornwallis and Bathurst Islands, though made in the
very summer he left England, has remained even to this day unknown to
other navigators!
Franklin then, in obedience to his orders, steered to the south-west.
Passing, as M'Clintock believes, down Peel's Strait in 1846, and
reaching as far as lat. 70° 05' N., and long. 98° 23' W., where the
ships were beset, it is clear that he, who, with others, had previously
ascertained the existence of a channel along the north coast of America,
with which the sea wherein he was interred had a direct communication,
was the _first real discoverer of the North-West Passage_. This great
fact must therefore be inscribed upon the monument of Franklin.
The adventurous M'Clure, who has been worthily honored for working out
another North-Western passage, which we now know to have been of
subsequent date,[7] as well as Collinson, who, taking the 'Enterprise'
along the north coast of America, and afterwards bringing her home,
reached with sledges the western edge of the area recently laid open by
M'Clintock, will I have no doubt unite with their Arctic associates,
Richardson, Sherard Osborn, and M'Clintock, in affirming, that "Franklin
and his followers secured the honor for which they died--that of being
the first discoverers of the North-West Passage."[8]
Again, when we turn from the discoveries of Franklin to those of
M'Clintock, as mapped in red colors on the general map, on which is
represented the amount of outline laid down by all other Arctic
explorers from the days when these modern researches originated with
Sir John Barrow, we perceive that, in addition to the discovery of the
course followed by the 'Erebus' and 'Terror,' some most important
geographical data have been accumulated by the last expedition of Lady
Franklin.
Thus, M'Clintock has proved, that the strait named by Kennedy in an
earlier private expedition of Lady Franklin after his companion the
brave Lieutenant Bellot, and which has hitherto been regarded only as an
impassable frozen channel, or ignored as a channel at all, is a
navigable strait, the south shore of which is thus seen to be the
northernmost land of the continent of America.
M'Clintock has also laid down the hitherto unknown coast-line of
Boothia, southwards from Bellot Strait to the Magnetic Pole, has
delineated the whole of King William's Island, and opened a new and
capacious, though ice-choked channel, suspected before, but not proved,
to exist, extending from Victoria Strait in a north-west direction to
Melville or Parry Sound. The latter discovery rewarded the individual
exertions of Captain Allen Young, but will very properly, at Lady
Franklin's request, bear the name of the leader of the 'Fox' expedition,
who had himself assigned to it the name of the widow of Franklin.[9]
Neither has the expedition been unproductive of scientific results. For,
whilst many persons will be interested in the popular descriptions of
the native Esquimaux, as well as of the lower animals, the man of
science will hereafter be further gratified by having presented to him,
in the form of an additional Appendix,[10] most valuable details
relating to the zoology, botany, meteorology, and especially to the
terrestrial magnetism, of the region examined.
Lastly, M'Clintock has convinced himself, that the best way of securing
the passage of a ship from the Atlantic to the Pacific, is by following,
as near as possible, the coast-line of North America: indeed, it is his
opinion, founded upon a large experience, that no passage by a ship can
ever be accomplished in a more northern direction. This it is well known
was the favorite theory of Franklin, who had himself, along with
Richardson, Back, Beechey, Dease, Simpson, and Rae, surveyed the whole
of that same North American coast from the Back or Great Fish River to
Behring Strait. Thus, when Franklin sailed in 1845, the discovery of a
North-West Passage was reduced to the finding a link between the latter
survey and the discoveries of Parry, who had already, to his great
renown, opened the first half of a more northern course from east to
west, when he was arrested by the impenetrable ice-barrier at Melville
Island.
And here it is to be remembered, that the tract in which the record and
the relics have been found, is just that to which Lady Franklin herself
specially directed Kennedy, the commander of the 'Prince Albert,' in her
second private expedition in 1852; and had that intrepid explorer not
been induced to search northwards of Bellot Strait, but had felt himself
able to follow the course indicated by his sagacious employer, there can
be no doubt, that much more satisfactory results would have been
obtained than those which, after a lapse of seven years, have now been
realized by the undaunted perseverance of Lady Franklin, and the skill
and courage of M'Clintock.
The natural modesty of this commander has, I am bound to say, prevented
his doing common justice, in the following journal, to his own
conduct--conduct which can be estimated by those only who have listened
to the testimony of the officers serving with and under the man, whose
great qualities in moments of extreme peril elicited their heartiest
admiration and ensured their perfect confidence.
In writing this Preface (which I do at the request of the promoters of
the last search), I may state that, having occupied the Chair of the
Royal Geographical Society in 1845, when my cherished friend, Sir John
Franklin, went forth for the third time to seek a North-West passage, it
became my bounden duty in subsequent years, when his absence created
much anxiety, and when I re-occupied the same position, ardently to
promote the employment of searching expeditions, and warmly to sustain
Lady Franklin's endeavors in this holy cause.
Imbued with such feelings, I must be permitted to say, that no event in
my life gave me purer delight, than when Captain Collinson, whose labors
to support and carry out this last search have been signally
serviceable, forwarded to me a telegram to be communicated to the
British Association at Aberdeen announcing the success of M'Clintock.
That document reached Balmoral on the 22nd of September last, when the
men of science were invited thither by their Sovereign. Great was the
satisfaction caused by the diffusion of these good tidings among my
associates (the distinguished Arctic explorers Admiral Sir James Ross
and General Sabine being present); and it was most cheering to us to
know, that the Queen and our Royal President[11] took the deepest
interest in this intelligence--such as, indeed, they have always
evinced whenever the search for the missing navigators has been brought
under their consideration. The immediate bestowal of the Arctic medal
upon all the officers and men of the 'Fox' is a pleasing proof that this
interest is well sustained.
But these few introductory sentences must not be extended; and I invite
the reader at once to peruse the Journal of M'Clintock, which will
gratify every lover of truthful and ardent research, though it will
leave him impressed with the sad belief, that the end of the companions
of Franklin has been truly recorded by the native Esquimaux, who saw
these noble fellows "fall down and die as they walked along the ice."
Looking to the fact, that little or no fresh food could have been
obtained by the crews of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror' during their long
imprisonment of twenty months, in so frightfully sterile a region as
that in which the ships were abandoned,--so sterile that it is even
deserted by the Esquimaux,--and also to the want of sustenance in spring
at the mouth of the Back River, all the Arctic naval authorities with
whom I have conversed, coincide with M'Clintock and his associates in
the belief, that none of the missing navigators can be now living.
Painful as is the realisation of this tragic event, let us now dwell
only on the reflection that, while the North-West passage has been
solved by the heroic self-sacrifice of Franklin, Crozier, Fitzjames,
and their associates, the searches after them which are now terminated,
have, at a very small loss of life, not only added prodigiously to
geographical knowledge, but have, in times of peace, been the best
school for testing, by the severest trials, the skill and endurance of
many a brave seaman. In her hour of need--should need arise--England
knows that such men will nobly do their duty.
RODERICK I. MURCHISON.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Viscount Palmerston.
[2] See the Memorial (Appendix) addressed to the First Lord of the
Treasury, headed by Admiral Sir F. Beaufort, General Sabine, and many
other men of science, and which, as President of the Royal Geographical
Society, I presented to the Prime Minister; and also the speech of Lord
Wrottesley, the President of the Royal Society, who, in the absence of
the lamented Earl of Ellesmere, brought the subject earnestly under the
notice of the House of Lords on the 18th of July, 1856.
[3] Since his return to Copenhagen, Petersen has been worthily honored
by his Sovereign with the silver cross of Dannebrog.
[4] Captain Allen Young of the merchant marine not only threw his
services into this cause, and subscribed £500 in furtherance of the
expedition, but, abandoning lucrative appointments in command,
generously accepted a subordinate post.
[5] For a _résumé_ of all the plans of research and the speculations of
seamen and geographers, see the interesting and most useful volume of
Mr. John Brown, entitled, 'The North-West Passage and Search after Sir
John Franklin,' 1858. In an Appendix to this work we learn, that from
the earliest Polar researches by John Cabot, at the end of the 15th
century, to the voyage of M'Clintock, there have been about 130
expeditions, illustrated by 250 books and printed documents, of which
150 have been issued in England. Amidst the various recent publications,
it is but rendering justice to Dr. King, the former companion of Sir
George Back, to state that he suggested and always maintained the
necessity of a search for the missing navigators at or near the mouth of
the Back River.
[6] The letter A in Baffin Bay (fig. 1) indicates the spot where
Franklin was last seen. In fig. 2, B is the winter rendezvous at Beechey
Island; C the greatest northing of the expedition, viz. 77° N. lat.; Z
the final beset of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror;' the extreme north and
south points of their voyage being represented by two small ships.
[7] In 1850.
[8] See a most heart-stirring sketch of the last voyage of Sir John
Franklin, by Captain Sherard Osborn, in the periodical _Once a Week_, of
the 22d and 29th October and 5th November last. Possessing a thorough
acquaintance with the Arctic regions, the distinguished seaman has shown
more than his ordinary power of description, in placing before the
public his conception of what may have been the chief occurrences in the
voyage of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror,' and the last days of Franklin, as
founded upon an acquaintance with the character of the chief and his
associates, and the record and relics obtained by M'Clintock. This
sketch is prefaced by a spirited and graceful outline of all previous
geographical discoveries, from the day when they were originated by the
father of all modern Arctic enterprise, Sir John Barrow, to whom, and to
many other eminent persons, from Sir Edward Parry downwards, I have in
various Geographical Addresses offered the tribute of my admiration.
[9] In his volume before cited, p. xii., Mr. John Brown gave strong
reasons (which he had held for some time) for believing in the existence
of the very channel which now bears the name of M'Clintock. It is,
however, the opinion both of that officer and his associates, as also of
Captain Sherard Osborn, that Franklin could not have reached the spot
where his ships were beset by proceeding down that ice-choked channel,
but that he must have sailed down Peel Sound.
[10] Much of this Appendix will be prepared by Dr. David Walker.
[11] At the Aberdeen meeting the Prince Consort thus spoke:--"The
Aberdeen whaler braves the icy regions of the Polar sea to seek and to
battle with the great monster of the deep; he has materially assisted in
opening these ice-bound regions to the researches of science; he
fearlessly aided in the search after Sir John Franklin and his gallant
companions whom their country sent forth on this mission; but to whom
Providence, alas! has denied the reward of their labors, the return to
their homes, to the affectionate embrace of their families and friends,
and the acknowledgments of a grateful nation."
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Cause of delay in equipment--Fittings of the 'Fox'--Volunteers for
Arctic service--Assistance from public departments--Reflections upon
the undertaking--Instructions and departure--Orkneys and
Greenland--Fine Arctic scenery--Danish establishments in
Greenland--Frederickshaab, in Davis' Straits, Page 1
CHAPTER II.
Fiskernaes and Esquimaux--The 'Fox' reaches Disco--Disco Fiord--Summer
scenery--Waigat Strait--Coaling from the mine--Purchasing Esquimaux
dogs--Heavy gale off Upernivik--Melville Bay--The middle ice--The
great glacier of Greenland--Reindeer cross the glacier, 19
CHAPTER III.
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, 35
CHAPTER IV.
Snow crystals--Dog will not eat raven--An Arctic school--The dogs
invade us--Bear-hunting by night--Ice-artillery--Arctic
palates--Sudden rise of temperature--Harvey's idea of a sortie, 51
CHAPTER V.
Burial in the pack--Musk oxen in lat. 80° north--Thrift of the
Arctic fox--The aurora affects the electrometer--An Arctic
Christmas--Sufferings of an Arctic party--Ice acted on by wind
only--How the sun ought to be welcomed--Constant action of the
ice--Return of the seals--Revolving storm, 67
CHAPTER VI.
A bear-fight--An ice-nip--Strong gales, rapid drift--The 'Fox' breaks
out of the pack--Hanging on to floe-edge--The Arctic bear--An ice
tournament--The 'Fox' in peril--A storm in the pack--Escape from the
pack, 84
CHAPTER VII.
A holiday in Greenland--A lady blue with cold--The loves of
Greenlanders--Close shaving--Meet the whalers--Information of
whalers--Disco--Danish hospitality--Sail from Disco--Kindness of
the whalers--Danish establishments in Greenland, 100
CHAPTER VII.
'Fox' nearly wrecked--Afloat, and push ahead--Arctic hairbreadth
escapes--Nearly caught in the pack--Shooting little auks--The
Arctic Highlanders--Cape York--Crimson snow--Struggling to the
westward--Reach the West-land--Off the entrance of Lancaster
Sound, 116
CHAPTER IX.
Off Cape Warrender--Sight the whalers again--Enter Pond's
Bay--Communicate with Esquimaux--Ascend Pond's Inlet--Esquimaux
information--Arctic summer abode--An Arctic village--No intelligence
of Franklin's ships--Arctic trading--Geographical information of
natives--Information of Rae's visit--Improvidence of
Esquimaux--Travels of Esquimaux, 132
CHAPTER X.
Leave Pond's Bay--A gale in Lancaster Sound--The Beechey Island
Depôt--An Arctic monument--Reflections at Beechey Island--Proceed
up Barrow's Strait--Peel Sound--Port Leopold--Prince Regent's
Inlet--Bellot Strait--Flood-tide from the west--Unsuccessful
efforts--Fox's Hole--No water to the west--Precautionary
measures--Fourth attempt to pass through, 153
CHAPTER XI.
Proceed westward in a boat--Cheerless state of the western
sea--Struggles in Bellot Strait--Falcons, good Arctic fare--The
resources of Boothia Felix--Future sledge travelling--Heavy
gales--Hobson's party start--Winter quarters--Bellot
Strait--Advanced depôt established--Observatories--Intense
cold--Autumn travellers--Narrow escape, 174
CHAPTER XII.
Death of our engineer--Scarcity of game--The cold unusually
trying--Jolly, under adverse circumstances--Petersen's
information--Return of the sun of 1859--Early spring
sledge-parties--Unusual severity of the winter--Severe hardships
of early sledging--The western shores of Boothia--Meet the
Esquimaux--Intelligence of Franklin's ships--Return to the
'Fox'--Allen Young returns, 192
CHAPTER XIII.
Dr. Walker's sledge journey--Snow-blindness attacks Young's
party--Departure of all sledge-parties--Equipment of
sledge-parties--Meet the same party of natives--Intelligence
of the second ship--My depôt robbed--Part company from
Hobson--Matty Island--Deserted snow-huts--Native sledges--Land
on King William's Land, 217
CHAPTER XIV.
Meet Esquimaux--News of Franklin's people--Frighten a solitary
party--Reach the Great Fish River--On Montreal Island--Total
absence of all relics--Examine Ogle Peninsula--Discover
a skeleton--Vagueness of Esquimaux information--Cape
Herschel--Cairn, 235
CHAPTER XV.
The cairn found empty--Discover Hobson's letter--Discovery of
Crozier's record--The deserted boat--Articles discovered about
the boat--The skeletons and relics--The boat belonged to the
'Erebus'--Conjectures, 253
CHAPTER XVI.
Errors in Franklin's records--Relics found at the cairn--Reflections
on the retreat--Returning homeward--Geological remarks--Difficulties
of summer sledging--Arrive on board the 'Fox'--Navigable N.W.
passage--Death from scurvy--Anxiety for Captain Young--Young returns
safely, 272
CHAPTER XVII.
Signs of release--Dearth of animal life--Owl is good beef--Beat out of
winter quarters--Our game-list--Reach Fury Beach--Escape from
Regent's Inlet--In Baffin's Bay--Captain Allen Young's
journey--Disco; sad disappointment--Part from our Esquimaux
friends--Adieu to Greenland--Arrive home, 292
CONCLUSION, 315
* * * * *
APPENDIX.
No. I.--A Letter to Viscount Palmerston, K.G., &c., from Lady
Franklin, 319
No. II.--Memorial to the Right Hon. Viscount Palmerston, M.P.,
G.C.B., 329
No. III.--List of Relics of the Franklin Expedition brought to
England in the 'Fox' by Captain M'Clintock, 334
No. IV.--Geological Account of the Arctic Archipelago, by Professor
Haughton, 341
No. V.--List of Subscribers to the 'Fox' Expedition, 373
JOURNAL OF THE SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN.
CHAPTER I.
Cause of delay in equipment--Fittings of the 'Fox'--Volunteers for
Arctic service--Assistance from public departments--Reflections upon
the undertaking--Instructions and departure--Orkneys and
Greenland--Fine Arctic scenery--Danish establishments in
Greenland--Frederickshaab, in Davis' Straits.
It is now a matter of history how Government and private expeditions
prosecuted, with unprecedented zeal and perseverance, the search for Sir
John Franklin's ships, between the years 1847-55; and that the only ray
of information gleaned was that afforded by the inscriptions upon three
tombstones at Beechey Island, briefly recording the names and dates of
the deaths of those individuals of the lost expedition, who thus early
fell in the cause of science and of their country.
In this manner were we made aware of the locality where the Franklin
expedition passed its first Arctic winter. The traces assuring us of
that fact, were discovered in August, 1850, by Captain Ommanney, R.N.,
of H.M.S. 'Assistance,' and by Captain Penny, of the 'Lady Franklin.'
{FORMER EXPEDITIONS.}
In October, 1854, Dr. Rae brought home the only additional information
respecting them which has ever reached us. From the Esquimaux of Boothia
Felix he learned that a party of about forty white men were met on the
west coast of King William's Island, and from thence travelled on to the
mouth of the Great Fish River, where they all perished of starvation,
and that this tragic event occurred apparently in the spring of 1850.
Some relics obtained from these natives, and brought home by Dr. Rae,
were proved to have belonged to Sir John Franklin and several of his
associates.
The Government caused an exploring party to descend the Fish River in
1855; but, although sufficient traces were found to prove that some
portion of the crews of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror' had actually landed on
the banks of that river, and traces existed of them up to Franklin
Rapids, no additional information was obtained either from the discovery
of records, or through the Esquimaux. Mr. Anderson, the Hudson Bay
Company's officer in charge, and his small party, deserve credit for
their perseverance and skill; but they were not furnished with the
necessary means of accomplishing their mission. Mr. Anderson could not
obtain an interpreter, and the two frail bark canoes in which his whole
party embarked were almost worn out before they reached the locality to
be searched. It is not surprising that such an expedition caused very
considerable excitement at home.
{APR., 1857.}
{CAUSE OF DELAY IN EQUIPMENT.}
Lady Franklin, and the advocates for further search, now pressed upon
government the necessity of following up, in a more effectual manner,
the traces accidentally found by Dr. Rae, and, in fact, of rendering the
search complete by one more effort, involving but little of hazard or
expense. It was not until April, 1857, that any decisive answer was
given to Lady Franklin's appeal. (See Appendix No. 1.)
Sir Charles Wood then stated "that the members of Her Majesty's
Government, having come, with great regret, to the conclusion that there
was no prospect of saving life, would not be justified, for any objects
which in their opinion could be obtained by an expedition to the Arctic
seas, in exposing the lives of officers and men to the risk inseparable
from such an enterprise."
Lady Franklin, upon this final disappointment of her hopes, had no
hesitation in immediately preparing to send out a searching expedition,
equipped and stored at her own cost. But she was not left alone. Many
friends of the cause--including some of the most distinguished
scientific men in England,[12] and especially Sir Roderick Murchison,
whose zeal was as practical as it was enlightened--hastened to tender
their aid, and soon a very considerable sum was raised in furtherance of
so truly noble an effort.
{NOMINATION OF COMMANDER.}
On the 18th of April, 1857, Lady Franklin did me the honor to offer me
the command of the proposed expedition; it was of course most cheerfully
accepted. As a post of honor and some difficulty, it possessed quite
sufficient charms for a naval officer who had already served in three
consecutive expeditions from 1848 to 1854. I was thoroughly conversant
with all the details of this peculiar service; and I confess, moreover,
that my whole heart was in the cause. How could I do otherwise than
devote myself to save at least the record of faithful service, even unto
death, of my brother officers and seamen? and, being one of those by
whose united efforts not only the Franklin search, but the geography of
Arctic America, has been brought so nearly to completion, I could not
willingly resign to posterity, the honor of filling up even the small
remaining blank upon our maps.
To leave these discoveries incomplete, more especially in a quarter
through which the tidal stream actually demonstrates the existence of a
channel--the only remaining hope of a practicable north-west
passage--would indeed be leaving strong inducement for future explorers
to reap the rich reward of our long-continued exertions.
{PURCHASE OF THE 'FOX.'}
I immediately applied to the Admiralty for leave of absence to complete
the Franklin search; and on the 23d received at Dublin the telegraphic
message from Lady Franklin: "Your leave is granted; the 'Fox' is mine;
the refit will commence immediately." She had already purchased the
screw-yacht 'Fox,' of 177 tons burthen, and now placed her, together
with the necessary funds, at my disposal.
Let me explain what is here implied by the simple word refit. The velvet
hangings and splendid furniture of the yacht, and also every thing not
constituting a part of the vessel's strengthening, were to be removed;
the large sky-lights and capacious ladderways had to be reduced to
limits more adapted to a polar clime; the whole vessel to be externally
sheathed with stout planking, and internally fortified by strong
cross-beams, longitudinal beams, iron stanchions, and diagonal
fastenings; the false keel taken off, the slender brass propeller
replaced by a massive iron one, the boiler taken out, altered, and
enlarged; the sharp stem to be cased in iron until it resembled a
ponderous chisel set up edgeways; even the yacht's rig had to be
altered.
She was placed in the hands of her builders, Messrs. Hall & Co., of
Aberdeen, who displayed even more than their usual activity in effecting
these necessary alterations, for it was determined that the 'Fox' should
sail by the 1st July.
{FITTINGS OF THE 'FOX.'}
Internally she was fitted up with the strictest economy in every sense,
and the officers were crammed into pigeon-holes, styled cabins, in order
to make room for provisions and stores; our mess-room, for five persons,
measured 8 feet square. The ordinary heating apparatus for winter use
was dispensed with, and its place supplied by a few very small stoves.
The 'Fox' had been the property of the late Sir Richard Sutton, Bart.,
who made but one trip to Norway in her, and she was purchased by Lady
Franklin from his executors for 2000_l._
Having thus far commenced the refit of the vessel, I turned my attention
to the selection of a crew and to the requisite clothing and provisions
for our voyage.
Many worthy old shipmates, my companions in the previous Arctic voyages,
most readily volunteered their services, and they were as cheerfully
accepted, for it was my anxious wish to gather round me well-tried men,
who were aware of the duties expected of them, and accustomed to naval
discipline. Hence, out of the twenty-five souls composing our small
company, seventeen had previously served in the Arctic search.
Expeditions of this kind are always popular with seamen, and innumerable
were the applications sent to me; but still more abundant were the
offers to "serve in any capacity" which poured in from all parts of the
country, from people of all classes, many of whom had never seen the
sea. It was, of course, impossible to accede to any of these latter
proposals, yet, for my own part, I could not but feel gratified at such
convincing proofs that the spirit of the country was favorable to us,
and that the ardent love of hardy enterprise still lives amongst
Englishmen, as of old, to be cherished, I trust, as the most valuable of
our national characteristics--as that which has so largely contributed
to make England what she is.
{OFFICERS OF THE EXPEDITION.}
My second in command was Lieutenant W. R. Hobson, R.N., an officer
already distinguished in Arctic service. Captain Allen Young joined me
as sailing-master, contributing not only his valuable services but
largely of his private funds to the expedition. This gentleman had
previously commanded some of our very finest merchant ships, the latest
being the steam-transport 'Adelaide' of 2500 tons: he had but recently
returned, in ill health, from the Black Sea, where he was most actively
employed during the greater part of the Crimean campaign. Nothing that I
could say would add to the merit of such singularly generous and
disinterested conduct. David Walker, M.D., volunteered for the post of
surgeon and naturalist; he also undertook the photographic department;
and just before sailing, Carl Petersen, now so well known to Arctic
readers as the Esquimaux interpreter in the expeditions of Captain
Penny and Dr. Kane, came to join me from Copenhagen, although landed
there from Greenland only six days previously, after an absence of a
year from his family: we were indebted to Sir Roderick Murchison and the
electric telegraph for securing his valuable services.
{ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS.}
Like the Paris omnibuses we were at length _tout complet_, and quite as
anxious to make a start.
Ample provisions for twenty-eight months were embarked, including
preserved vegetables, lemon-juice, and pickles, for daily consumption,
and preserved meats for every third day: also as much of Messrs.
Allsopp's stoutest ale as we could find room for. The Government,
although declining to send out an expedition, yet now contributed
liberally to our supplies. All our arms, powder, shot, powder for
ice-blasting, rockets, maroons, and signal mortar, were furnished by the
Board of Ordnance. The Admiralty caused 6682 lbs. of pemmican to be
prepared for our use. Not less than 85,000 lbs. of this invaluable food
have been prepared since 1845 at the Royal Clarence Victualing Yard,
Gosport, for the use of the Arctic Expeditions. It is composed of prime
beef cut into thin slices and dried over a wood fire; then pounded up
and mixed with about an equal weight of melted beef fat. The pemmican is
then pressed into cases capable of containing 42 lbs. each. The
Admiralty supplied us with all the requisite ice-gear, such as saws
from ten to eighteen feet in length, ice-anchors, and ice-claws: also
with our winter housing, medicines, pure lemon-juice, seamen's library,
hydrographical instruments, charts, chronometers, and an ample supply of
arctic clothing which had remained in store from former expeditions. The
Board of Trade contributed a variety of meteorological and nautical
instruments and journals; and I found that I had but to ask of these
departments for what was required, and if in store it was at once
granted. I asked, however, only for such things as were indispensably
necessary.
{DONATION FROM ROYAL SOCIETY.}
The President and Council of the Royal Society voted the sum of 50_l._
from their donation fund for the purchase of magnetic and other
scientific instruments, in order that our anticipated approach to so
interesting a locality as the Magnetic Pole might not be altogether
barren of results.
Being desirous to retain for my vessel the privileges she formerly
enjoyed as a yacht, my wishes were very promptly gratified; in the first
instance by the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, of which my officers and
myself were enrolled as members--the Commodore, A. Arcedeckne, Esq.,
presenting my vessel with the handsome ensign and burgee of the Club;
and shortly afterwards by my being elected a member of the Royal
Victoria Yacht Club for the period of my voyage. Lastly, upon the very
day of sailing, I was proposed for the Royal Yacht Squadron, to which
the yacht had previously belonged when the property of Sir Richard
Stratton.
{REFLECTIONS UPON THE UNDERTAKING.}
Throughout the whole period required for our equipment, I constantly
experienced the heartiest co-operation and earnest good will from all
with whom my varied duties brought me in contact. Deep sympathy with
Lady Franklin in her distress, her self-devotion and sacrifice of
fortune, and an earnest desire to extend succor to any chance survivors
of the ill-fated expedition who might still exist, or at least, to
ascertain their fate, and rescue from oblivion their heroic deeds,
seemed the natural promptings of every honest English heart. It is
needless to add that this experience of public opinion confirmed my own
impression that the glorious mission intrusted to me was in reality a
_great national duty_. I could not but feel that, if the gigantic and
admirably equipped national expeditions sent out on precisely the same
duty, and reflecting so much credit upon the Board of Admiralty, were
ranked amongst the noblest efforts in the cause of humanity any nation
ever engaged in, and that, if high honor was awarded to all composing
those splendid expeditions, surely the effort became still more
remarkable and worthy of approbation when its means were limited to one
little vessel, containing but twenty-five souls, equipped and
provisioned (although efficiently, yet) in a manner more according with
the limited resources of a private individual than with those of the
public purse. The less the means, the more arduous I felt was the
achievement. The greater the risk--for the 'Fox' was to be launched
alone into those turbulent seas from which every other vessel had long
since been withdrawn--the more glorious would be the success, the more
honorable even the defeat, if again defeat awaits us.
{LADY FRANKLIN'S VISIT.}
Upon the last day of June, Lady Franklin, accompanied by her niece Miss
Sophia Cracroft, and Capt. Maguire, R.N., came on board to bid us
farewell, for we purposed sailing in the evening. Seeing how deeply
agitated she was on leaving the ship, I endeavored to repress the
enthusiasm of my crew, but without avail; it found vent in three
prolonged, hearty cheers. The strong feeling which prompted them was
truly sincere; and this unbidden exhibition of it can hardly have
gratified her for whom it was intended more than it did myself.
I must here insert the only written instructions I could prevail upon
Lady Franklin to give me; they were not read until the 'Fox' was fairly
in the Atlantic.
{LADY FRANKLIN'S INSTRUCTIONS.}
ABERDEEN, _June 29, 1857_.
MY DEAR CAPTAIN M'CLINTOCK,
You have kindly invited me to give you "Instructions," but I cannot
bring myself to feel that it would be right in me in any way to
influence your judgment in the conduct of your noble undertaking;
and indeed I have no temptation to do so, since it appears to me
that your views are almost identical with those which I had
independently formed before I had the advantage of being thoroughly
possessed of yours. But had this been otherwise, I trust you would
have found me ready to prove the implicit confidence I place in you
by yielding my own views to your more enlightened judgment; knowing
too as I do that your whole heart also is in the cause, even as my
own is. As to the objects of the expedition and their relative
importance, I am sure you know that the rescue of any possible
survivor of the 'Erebus' and 'Terror' would be to me, as it would be
to you, the noblest result of our efforts.
To this object I wish every other to be subordinate; and next to it
in importance is the recovery of the unspeakably precious documents
of the expedition, public and private, and the personal relics of my
dear husband and his companions.
And lastly, I trust it may be in your power to confirm, directly or
inferentially, the claims of my husband's expedition to the earliest
discovery of the passage, which, if Dr. Rae's report be true (and
the Government of our country has accepted and rewarded it as such),
these martyrs in a noble cause achieved at their last extremity,
after five long years of labor and suffering, if not at an earlier
period.
I am sure you will do all that man can do for the attainment of all
these objects; my only fear is that you may spend yourselves too
much in the effort; and you must therefore let me tell you how much
dearer to me even than any of them is the preservation of the
valuable lives of the little band of heroes who are your companions
and followers.
May God in his great mercy preserve you all from harm amidst the
labors and perils which await you, and restore you to us in health
and safety as well as honor! As to the honor I can have _no_
misgiving. It will be yours as much if you fail (since you _may_
fail in spite of every effort) as if you succeed; and be assured
that, under _any and all circumstances whatever_, such is my
unbounded confidence in you, you will ever possess and be entitled
to the enduring gratitude of your sincere and attached friend,
JANE FRANKLIN.
{JULY, 1857.}
{ORKNEYS AND GREENLAND.}
We were not destined to get to sea that evening. The 'Fox,' hitherto
during her brief career, accustomed only to the restraint imposed upon a
gilded pet in summer seas, seemed to have got an inkling that her duty
henceforth was to combat with difficulties, and, entering fully into the
spirit of the cruise, answered her helm so much more readily than the
pilot expected that she ran aground upon the bar. She was promptly
shored up, and remained in that position until next morning, when she
floated off unhurt at high water, and commenced her long and lonely
voyage.
Scarcely had we left the busy world behind us when we were actively
engaged in making arrangements for present comfort and future exertion.
How busy, how happy, and how full of hope we all were then!
On the night of the 2d of July we passed through the Pentland Firth,
where the tide rushing impetuously against a strong wind raised up a
tremendous sea, amid which the little vessel struggled bravely under
steam and canvas. The bleak wild shores of Orkney, the still wilder
pilot's crew, and their hoarse screams and unintelligible dialect, the
shrill cry of innumerable sea-birds, the howling breeze and angry sea,
made us feel as if we had suddenly awoke in Greenland itself. The
southern extremity of that ice-locked continent became visible on the
12th. It is quaintly named Cape Farewell; but whether by some sanguine
outward-bound adventurer who fancied that in leaving Greenland behind
him he had already secured his passage to Cathay; or whether by the
wearied homesick mariner, feebly escaping from the grasp of winter in
his shattered bark, and firmly purposing to bid a long farewell to this
cheerless land, history altogether fails to enlighten us.
{GREENLAND.}
From January until July this coast is usually rendered unapproachable by
a broad margin of heavy ice, which drifts there from the vicinity of
Spitzbergen, and, lapping round the Cape, extends alongshore to the
northward about as far as Baal's River, a distance of 250 miles.
Although it effectually blockades the ports of South Greenland for the
greater part of the summer, and is justly dreaded by the captains of the
Greenland traders, it confers important benefits upon the Greenlander by
bearing to his shores immense numbers of seals and many bears. The same
current which conveys hither all this ice is also freighted with a
scarcely less valuable supply of driftwood from the Siberian rivers.
About this time, one of my crew showing symptoms of diseased lungs, I
determined to embrace the earliest opportunity of sending him home out
of a climate so fatal to those who are thus affected; and having learnt
from Mr. Petersen, who had quitted Greenland only in April last, that a
vessel would very soon leave Frederickshaab for Copenhagen, I resolved
to go to that place in order to catch this homeward-bound ship.
{SPITZBERGEN ICE.}
It was necessary to push through the Spitzbergen ice, and we fortunately
succeeded in doing so after eighteen hours of buffeting with this
formidable enemy; at first we found it tolerably loose, and the wind
being strong and favorable, we thumped along pleasantly enough; but as
we advanced, the ice became much more closely packed, a thick fog came
on, and many hard knocks were exchanged; at length our steam carried us
through into the broad belt of clear water between the ice and land,
which Petersen assures me always exists here at this season.
The dense fog now prevented further progress, and as evening closed in I
gave up all hope of improvement for the night, when suddenly the fog
rolled back upon the land, disclosing some islets close to us, then the
rugged points of mainland, and at length, lifting altogether, the
distant snowy mountain-peaks against a deep blue sky.
The evening became bright and delightful; the whole extent of coast was
fringed with innumerable islets, backed by lofty mountains, and, being
richly tinted by a glorious western sun, formed an unusually splendid
sight. Greenland unveiled to our anxious gaze that memorable evening,
all the magnificence of her natural beauty. Was it to welcome us that
she thus cast off her dingy outer mantle, and shone forth radiant with
smiles?--such winning smiles!
{FINE ARCTIC SCENERY.}
A faint streak of mist, which we could not account for, appeared to
float across a low, wide interval in the mountain range; the telescope
revealed its true character,--it was a portion of the distant glacier.
We found ourselves upon the Tallard Bank, 30 miles north of our port,
having been rapidly carried northwards by the Spitzbergen current.
_July 20th._--This morning the chief trader of the settlement, or, as he
is more usually styled by the English, the Governor, came off to us, and
his pilot soon conducted us into the safe little harbor of
Frederickshaab. I was much gratified to learn that we were just in time
to secure a passage home for our ailing shipmate.
For trading purposes Greenland is monopolized by the Danish government;
its Esquimaux and mixed population amount to about 7000 souls. About
1000 Danes reside constantly there for the purpose of conducting the
trade, which consists almost exclusively in the exchange of European
goods for oil and the skins of seals, reindeer, and a few other
animals.
{DANISH ESTABLISHMENTS, GREENLAND.}
The Esquimaux are not subject to Danish laws, but although proud of
their nominal independence they are sincerely attached to the Danes, and
with abundant reason; a Lutheran clergyman, a doctor, and a
schoolmaster, whose duty it is to give gratuitous instruction and
relief, are paid by the Government, and attached to each district; and
when these improvident people are in distress, which not unfrequently
happens during the long winters, provisions are issued to them free of
cost; spirits are strictly prohibited. All of them have become
Christians, and many can read and write.
Have we English done more, or as much, for the aborigines in any of our
numerous colonies, and especially for the Esquimaux within our own
territories of Labrador and Hudson's Bay?
Greenland is divided into two inspectorates, the northern and southern;
the inspector of the latter division, Dr. Rink, had arrived at
Frederickshaab upon his summer round of visits only the day previous to
ourselves. He came on board to call upon me, and after Divine service I
landed, and enjoyed a ramble with him over the moss-clad hills. Our
first meeting was in North Greenland, in 1848; we had not seen one
another since, so we had much to talk about. Dr. Rink is a gentleman of
acknowledged talent, a distinguished traveller, and is thoroughly
conversant with the sciences of geology and botany.
{FREDERICKSHAAB, DAVIS' STRAITS.}
Unfortunately for me his excellent work on Greenland has not been
translated into English.
We were kindly permitted to purchase eight tons of coals, and such small
things as were required; the only fresh supplies to be obtained besides
codfish, which was abundant, consisted of a very few ptarmigan and
hares, and a couple of kids; these last are scarce. Some goats exist,
but for eight months out of the year they are shut up in a house, and
even now--in midsummer,--are only let out in the daytime. We also
purchased of the Esquimaux some specimens of Esquimaux workmanship, such
as models of the native dresses, kayaks, etc., also birds' skins and
eggs. I saw fine specimens of a white swan, and of a bird said to be
extremely rare in Greenland,--it was a species of grebe, _Podiceps
cristatus_, I imagine. Frederickshaab is just now well supplied with
wood: besides an unseaworthy brig, the wreck of a large timber-ship lay
on the beach, and an abandoned timber-vessel, which was met with between
Iceland and Greenland in July by Prince Napoleon, drifted upon the coast
30 miles to the northward in the following September.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] A list of them and their subscriptions to be given in Appendix.
CHAPTER II.
Fiskernaes and Esquimaux--The 'Fox' reaches Disco--Disco Fiord--Summer
scenery--Waigat Strait--Coaling from the mine--Purchasing Esquimaux
dogs--Heavy gale off Upernivik--Melville Bay--The middle ice--The
great glacier of Greenland--Reindeer cross the glacier.
{LICHTENFELS.}
_23rd July._--Sailed the day before yesterday for Godhaab. The fog was
thick, and wind strong and contrary, but the current being favorable we
found ourselves off the small out-station of Fiskernaes, when early this
morning our fore topmast was carried away; this accident induced me to
run in and anchor for the purpose of repairing the damage.
After passing within the outer islets, the Moravian settlement of
Lichtenfels came in view upon the right hand; it consists of a large,
sombre-looking wooden house, over which is a belfry, a smaller wooden
house, and about a dozen native huts, roofed with sods, and scarcely
distinguishable from the ground they stand on, even at a very short
distance. The land immediately behind is a barren rocky steep, now just
sufficiently denuded of snow to look desolate in the extreme. A strong
tide was setting out of the fiord, as we approached, and anchored in
the rocky little cove of Fiskernaes; here we were not only sheltered
from the wind, but the steep dark rocks within a ship's length on each
side of us, reflected a strong heat, whilst large mosquitoes lost no
time in paying us their annoying visits. This remote spot has been
visited by the Arctic voyagers, Captain Inglefield, R.N., and Dr. Kane,
U.S.N., and still more recently by Prince Napoleon. Dr. Kane's account
of his visit is full and very interesting. Cod-fishing was now in full
activity, and the few men not so employed had gone up the fiord to hunt
reindeer.
{FISKERNAES, AND ESQUIMAUX.}
The solitary dwelling-house belongs, of course, to the chief trader, and
is a model of cleanliness and order; built of wood, it exhibits all the
resources of the painter's art; the exterior is a dull red, the
window-frames are white, floors yellow, wooden partitions and low
ceilings pale blue. The lady of the house had resided here for about
eight years, and appeared to us to be, and acknowledged she was,
heartily tired of the solitude. She gave me coffee, and some seeds for
cultivation at our winter quarters; these were lettuce, spinach,
turnips, caraway and peas, the latter being the common kind used on
board ship; usually they have only produced leaves on this spot, but
once the young peas grew large enough for the table. I expressed a wish
to see the interior of an Esquimaux tent. Petersen pulled aside the thin
membrane of some animal, which hung across the doorway, and served to
exclude the wind, but admitted light, for, although past midnight, the
sun was up. Some seven or eight individuals lay within, closely packed
upon the ground; the heads of old and young, males and females, being
just visible above the common covering. Going to bed here, only means
lying down with your clothes on, upon a reindeer skin, wherever you can
find room, and pulling another fur-robe over you.
Fiskernaes appeared to be a sunny little nook, yet all the people we saw
there were suffering from colds and coughs, and many deaths had occurred
during the spring. The boys brought us handfuls of rough garnets, some
of them as large as walnuts, receiving with evident satisfaction
biscuits in exchange.
By next morning we were able to put to sea, and early on the day
following arrived off the large settlement of Godhaab; it is in the
"Gilbert Sound" of Davis, and appears in many old charts as Baal's
River. Almost adjoining Godhaab is the Moravian settlement of New
Herrnhut. Here it was that Hans Egede, the missionary father of
Greenland, established himself in 1721, and thus re-opened the
communication between Europe and Greenland, which had ceased upon the
extinction of its early Scandinavian settlers, in the 14th century.
{MORAVIAN MISSIONS.}
A few years after Egede's successful beginning the Moravian mission
still existing under the name of New Herrnhut was established. At
present the Moravians support four missions in Greenland; they are not
subject to the Danish authorities, but are not permitted in any way to
trade.
As we were about to enter the harbor, the Danish vessel--the sole object
of our visit--came out, so not a moment was lost in sending on board our
invalid and our letter-bag, and in landing our coasting pilot. This man
had brought us up from Frederickshaab for the very moderate sum of three
pounds; he was an Esquimaux, and, as the brother of poor Hans, Dr.
Kane's unhappy dog-driver, was received with favor amongst us, and soon
won our esteem by his quiet, obliging disposition, as also by his
ability in the discharge of his duty; he was so keen-sighted, and so
vigilant, it was quite a comfort to have him on board during the foggy
weather, for he could recognize, on the instant, every rock or point,
even when dimly looming through the mist. We were not long in
discovering that his absence was a loss to us.
When passing out to the north of the Kookornen Islands, the wind
suddenly failed, and at the same time a swell from to seaward reached
us; we therefore had considerable difficulty in towing the ship clear of
the rocks; for nearly half an hour our position was most critical.
{THE 'FOX' REACHES DISCO.}
_July 31st._--Anchored at Godhaven (or Lievely), in Disco, for a few
hours. I presented a letter from the Directors of the Royal Greenland
Commerce to the Inspector of North Greenland, Mr. Olrik, authorising him
to furnish us with any needful supplies. Our only wants were sledge-dogs
and a native to manage them. We soon obtained ten of the former, but
were advised to go into Disco Fiord, where many of the Esquimaux were
busy in taking and drying salmon-trout, and where some would most
probably be obtained.
I was much pleased with Mr. Olrik's kind reception of me, and soon found
him to be not only agreeable but well informed; born in Greenland, of
Danish parents, he is thoroughly conversant with the language and habits
of the Esquimaux, and has devoted much of his leisure time in collecting
rare specimens of the animal, vegetable, and mineral productions of the
country. I came away enriched by some fossils from the fossil forest of
Atanekerdluk, also with specimens of native coal.
It was here I met with the late commanders of the whalers 'Gipsy' and
'Undaunted,' of Peterhead, which had been crushed by the ice in Melville
Bay, five or six weeks previously; all the other whalers had returned
from the north, along the pack edge, and passed south of Disco. They
said that the ice in Melville Bay was all broken up, and that they
thought we should find but little difficulty at this late period in
passing through it into the North Water.
{DISCO FIORD.}
Leaving Godhaven in the afternoon with a native pilot, we found
ourselves some 10 or 12 miles up Disco Fiord at an early hour next
morning. After despatching the pilot to announce our arrival to his
countrymen at their fishing station, 7 or 8 miles further up, the Doctor
and I landed upon the north side to explore.
The scenery is charming, lofty hills of trap rock, with unusually rich
slopes (for the 70th parallel) descending to the fiord, and strewed with
boulders of gneiss and granite. We found the blue campanula holding a
conspicuous place amongst the wild flowers. I do not know a more
enticing spot in Greenland for a week's shooting, fishing, and yachting
than Disco Fiord; hares and ptarmigan may be found along the bases of
the hills; ducks are most abundant upon the fiord, and delicious
salmon-trout very plentiful in the rivers. Formerly Disco was famed for
the large size and abundance of its reindeer; but for some unexplained
reason they now confine themselves to the mainland.
At this season the natives of Godhaab resort here and enjoy the trout
fishery,--it is truly their season of harvest: the weather is pleasant,
food delicious and abundant, and the labor an agreeable pastime.
{AUG., 1857.}
{CHRISTIAN, THE DOG-DRIVER.}
Some kayaks soon came off to the ship, bringing salmon-trout, both fresh
and smoked.
A young Esquimaux, named Christian, volunteered his services as our
dog-driver, and was accepted; he is about 23 years of age, unmarried,
and an orphan. The men soon thoroughly washed and cropped him: soap and
scissors being novelties to an Esquimaux: they then rigged him in
sailor's clothes; he was evidently not at home in them, but was not the
less proud of his improved appearance, as reflected in the admiring
glances of his countrymen.
We now hastened away to the Waigat Strait to complete our coals. When
passing Godhaven, the pilot was launched off our deck in his little
kayak without stopping the ship! As a kayak is usually about 18 feet
long, 8 inches deep, and only 16 or 17 inches wide, it requires great
expertness to perform such a feat without the addition of a capsize.
_4th August._--Entered the Waigat yesterday morning, slowly steaming
through a sea of glass. Its surface was only rippled by the myriads of
eider-ducks which extended over it for several miles: most of them were
immature in plumage, and were probably the birds of last year.
After running about 24 miles, towards evening we approached a low range
of sandstone cliffs on the Disco shore, in which horizontal seams of
coal were seen. Here we anchored, and immediately commenced coaling. It
was fortunate we did so, for soon it began to blow hard; and ere noon
to-day we were obliged, for the safety of the ship, to leave our exposed
anchorage, having however secured eight or nine tons of tolerable coal.
Formerly these coal-seams were worked for the supply of the neighboring
settlements, but for several years past it has been found more
profitable and convenient to send out coals from Denmark, and thus
permit the natives to devote their whole time to the seal-fishery.
{COALING--WAIGAT SCENERY.}
The Waigat scenery is unusually grand; the strait varies from 3 to 5
leagues in width; on each side are mountains of 3000 feet in height. The
Disco side, upon which we landed, is composed of trap, sandstone
appearing only at the beach, and occasionally rising in cliffs to about
100 feet. Upon the moss-clad slopes many fragments of quartz and zeolite
were met with. The north end of Disco is almost a precipice to its
snow-capped summit, which is 4000 feet high.
_5th._--A pleasant fair wind carries us rapidly northward, passing many
icebergs. Our rigging is richly garnished with split codfish, which we
hoped would dry and keep; but a warm day in Disco Fiord, and much rain
with a southerly gale in the Waigat, have destroyed it for our own use.
It is however still valuable as food for our dogs. I am very anxious to
complete my stock of these our native auxiliaries, as without them we
cannot hope to explore all the lands which it is the object of our
voyage to search. We could only obtain ten at Godhaven, and require
twenty more.
{PURCHASING ESQUIMAUX DOGS.}
_6th._--By Petersen's intimate knowledge of the coast we were enabled to
run close in to the little settlement of Proven during the night, and
obtain a few dogs and dogs' food. This morning we reached the extreme
station of Upernivik, the last trace of civilization we shall meet with
for some time. It is in lat. 72-3/4° N. Here Petersen resided for twelve
of the eighteen years he has spent in Greenland, and his unlooked-for
re-appearance astonished and delighted the small community, more
especially Governor Fliescher and his household, who received us with a
most hearty welcome.
_7th._--Yesterday, when we hove to off Upernivik, the weather was very
bad and rapidly growing worse, therefore our stay was limited to a
couple of hours. The last letters for home were landed, fourteen dogs
and a quantity of seal's flesh for them embarked, and the ship's head
was turned seaward.
It was then blowing a southerly gale, with overcast murky sky, and a
heavy sea running. When four miles outside the outer island, breakers
were suddenly discovered ahead, only just in time to avoid the ledge of
sunken rocks upon which the sea was beating most violently. Many such
rocks lie at considerable distances beyond the islands which border this
coast, and greatly add to the dangers of its navigation. Being now
fairly at sea, and the ship under easy sail for the night, I went early
to bed in the hope of sleeping. I had been up all the previous night,
naturally anxious about the ship threading her way through so many
dangers, uncertain about being able to complete the number of our
sledge-dogs, and much occupied in closing my correspondence, to which
there would be an end for at least a year. All this over, the uncertain
future loomed ominously before me. The great responsibilities I had
undertaken seemed now and at once to fall with all their weight upon me.
A mental whirlpool was the consequence, which, backed by the material
storm, and the howling of the wretched dogs in concert on deck, together
with the tumbling about of every thing below, long kept sleep in
abeyance.
{HEAVY GALE OFF UPERNIVIK.}
One thought and feeling predominated: it was gratitude, deep and humble,
for the success which had hitherto attended us, and for some narrow
escapes which I must ever regard as Providential.
Yesterday's gale has given place to calm foggy weather. An occasional
iceberg is seen. The officers amuse themselves in trying new guns, and
shooting sea-birds for our dogs.
Governor Fliescher told me yesterday that for the last four weeks
southerly winds prevailed, and that only a fortnight ago his boat was
unable to reach the Loom Cliffs at Cape Shackleton, 50 miles north of
Upernivik, in consequence of the ice being pressed in against the land.
I fear these same winds have closed together the ice which occupies the
middle of Davis' Strait (hence called the middle ice), so that we shall
not be able to penetrate it. However, we are standing out to make the
attempt.
{PASSAGE THROUGH BAFFIN'S BAY.}
To the uninitiated it may be as well to observe that each winter the sea
called Baffin's Bay freezes over; in spring this vast body of ice breaks
up, and drifting southward in a mass--called the main-pack, or the
middle ice--obstructs the passage across from east to west.
The "North Passage" is made by sailing round the north end of this pack;
the "Middle Passage," by pushing through it; and the "Southern Passage,"
by passing round its southern extreme; but seasons do occur when none of
these routes are practicable.
It is very remarkable that southward of Disco northerly winds have
prevailed. They greatly impeded our progress up Davis' Strait, but we
cheered ourselves with the hope that they would effectually clear a path
for us across the northern part of Baffin's Bay.
_8th._--Last night we reached the edge of the middle ice, about 70 miles
to the west of Upernivik, and ran southward along its edge all night.
This morning, in thick fog, the ship was caught in its margin of loose
ice. The fog soon after cleared off, and we saw the clear sea about two
miles to the eastward, whilst all to the west was impenetrable
closely-packed floe-pieces. After steaming out of our predicament (a
matter which we could not accomplish under sail) we ran on to the
southward until evening, but found the pack edge still composed of light
ice very closely pressed together.
{MELVILLE BAY.}
Having now closely examined it for an extent of 40 miles, I was
satisfied that we could not force a passage through it across Baffin's
Bay, as is frequently done in ordinary seasons; therefore, taking
advantage of a fair wind, we steered to the northward, in order to seek
an opening in that direction.
_12th._--We are in Melville Bay; made fast this afternoon to an iceberg,
which lies aground in 58 fathoms water, about 2 miles from Browne's
Islands, and between them and the great glacier which here takes the
place of the coast-line.
{THE MIDDLE ICE.}
We have got thus far without any difficulty, sailing along the edge of
the middle ice; but here we find it pressing in against Browne's
Islands, and covering the whole bay to the northward, quite in the steep
face of the glacier. This is evidently the result of long-continued
southerly winds; but as the ice is very much broken up, we may expect
it to move off rapidly before the autumnal northerly winds now due, and
these winds invariably remove the previous season's ice. All that we
know of Melville Bay navigation in August, is derived from the
experience of Government and private searching expeditions during eight
or nine seasons. My own three previous transits across it were made in
this month. The whalers either get through in June or July, or give up
the attempt as being too late for their fishing. It frequently happens
that they get round the south end of the middle ice, between latitudes
66° and 69° N., and up the west coast of Baffin's Bay late in the
season; but we have no accounts of these voyages, nor should I be
justified, at this late period of the season, in abandoning the prospect
before me, in order to attempt a route which, even if successful, would
lengthen our voyage to Barrow Strait by 700 or 800 miles. We have
already passed what is usually the most difficult and dangerous part of
the Melville Bay transit.
There is much to excite intense admiration and wonder around us; one
cannot at once appreciate the grandeur of this mighty glacier, extending
unbroken for 40 or 50 miles. Its sea-cliffs, about 5 or 6 miles from us,
appear comparatively low, yet the icebergs detached from it are of the
loftiest description. Here, on the spot, it does not seem incorrect to
compare the icebergs to mere chippings off its edge, and the floe-ice
to the thinnest shavings.
{GREATER GLACIER OF GREENLAND.}
The far-off outline of glacier, seen against the eastern sky, has a
faint tinge of yellow; it is almost horizontal, and of unknown distance
and elevation.
There is an unusual dearth of birds and seals; everything around us is
painfully still, excepting when an occasional iceberg splits off from
the parent glacier; then we hear a rumbling crash like distant thunder,
and the wave occasioned by the launch reaches us in six or seven
minutes, and makes the ship roll lazily for a similar period. I cannot
imagine that within the whole compass of nature's varied aspects, there
is presented to the human eye a scene so well adapted for promoting deep
and serious reflection, for lifting the thoughts from trivial things of
every day life to others of the highest import.
The glacier serves to remind one at once of Time and of Eternity--of
time, since we see portions of it break off to drift and melt away; and
of eternity, since its downward march is so extremely slow, and its
augmentations behind so regular, that no change in its appearance is
perceptible from age to age. If even the untaught savages of luxuriant
tropical regions regard the earth merely as a temporary abode, surely
all who gaze upon this ice-overwhelmed region, this wide expanse of
"terrestrial wreck," must be similarly assured that here "we have no
abiding place."
{GREAT GLACIER OF GREENLAND.}
During daytime the strong glare is very distressing, hence the subdued
light of midnight, when the sun just skims along the northern horizon,
is much the most agreeable part of the twenty-four hours; the
temperature varies between 30° and 40° of Fahrenheit.
The drift-ice of various descriptions about us is constantly in motion
under the influence of mysterious surface and under currents (according
to their relative depths of floatation), which whirl them about in every
possible direction.
To the S.E. are two small islands, almost enveloped in the glacier, and
far within it an occasional mountain-peak protrudes from beneath.
{REINDEER CROSS THE GLACIER.}
From observing closely the variations in the glacier surface, I think we
may safely infer that where it lies unbroken and smooth, the supporting
land is level; and where much crevassed, the land beneath is uneven. The
crevassed parts are of course impassable, but, by following the windings
of the smooth surface, I think the interior could be reached. Some
attempts to cross the glacier in South Greenland have failed, yet, by
studying its character and attending to this remark, I think places
might be found where an attempt would succeed. Mr. Petersen tells me
that the Esquimaux of Upernivik are unable to account for occasional
disappearances and reappearances of immense herds of reindeer, except
by assuming that they migrate at intervals to feeding-grounds beyond the
glacier, the surface of which he also says is smooth enough in many
places even for dog-sledges to travel upon. As there is much uninhabited
land, both to the northward and southward of Upernivik, I do not see the
necessity for this supposition. The habits of the Esquimaux confine them
almost exclusively to the islands and sea-coasts.
CHAPTER III.
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.
CHAPTER IV.
Snow crystals--Dog will not eat raven--An Arctic school--The dogs
invade us--Bear-hunting by night--Ice-artillery--Arctic
palates--Sudden rise of temperature--Harvey's idea of a sortie.
{OCT., 1857.}
{FIXED IN THE ICE.}
_3d Oct._--September has passed away and left us as a legacy to the
pack; what a month have we had of anxious hopes and fears!
Up to the 17th S.E. winds prevailed, forcing the ice into a compact
body, and urging it north-westward; subsequently N.W. winds set in,
drifting it southward, and separating the floe-pieces; but the change of
wind being accompanied by a considerable fall of temperature, they were
either quickly cemented together again, or young ice formed over the
newly opened lanes of water, almost as rapidly as the surface of the sea
became exposed. During the month the thermometer ranged between +36° and
-2°. Two more bears and a raven have been seen. A wearied ptarmigan
alighted near the ship, but before it could take wing again the dogs
caught it, and scarcely a feather remained by the time I could rush on
deck.
Our beautiful little organ was taken out of its case to-day, and put up
on the lower deck; the men enjoy its pleasing tones, whilst Christian
unceasingly turns the handle in a state of intense delight; he regards
it with such awe and admiration, and is so entranced, that one cannot
help envying him; of course he never saw one before. The instrument was
presented by the Prince Consort to the searching vessel bearing his name
which was sent out by Lady Franklin in 1851; it is now about to pass its
third winter in the frozen regions.
{SNOW CRYSTALS.}
Two dogs ran off yesterday, in the vain hope, I suppose, of bettering
their condition,--we only feed them three times a week at present; they
returned this morning.
Seals are daily seen upon the new ice, but in this doubtful sort of
light they are extremely timid, therefore our sportsmen cannot get
within shot. The bears scent or hear our dogs, and so keep aloof; even
the shark has deserted us, the bait remains intact. The snow crystals of
last night are extremely beautiful; the largest kind is an inch in
length; its form exactly resembles the end of a pointed feather. Stellar
crystals two-tenths of an inch in diameter have also fallen; these have
six points, and are the most exquisite things when seen under a
microscope. I remember noticing them at Melville Island in March, 1853,
when the temperature rose to +8°; as these were formed last night
between the temperatures of +6° and +12°, it would appear that the form
is due to a certain fixed temperature. In the sun, or even in moonlight,
all these crystals glisten most brilliantly; and as our masts and
rigging are abundantly covered with them, the 'Fox' never was so
gorgeously arrayed as she now appears.
{MONOTONOUS LIFE.}
_13th._--One day is very like another; we have to battle stoutly with
monotony; and but that each twenty-four hours brings with it necessary
though trivial duties, it would be difficult to remember the date. We
take our guns and walk long distances, but see nothing. Two of the dogs
go hunting on their own account, sometimes remaining absent all night.
What they find or do is a mystery. The weather is generally calm and
cold,--very favorable for freezing purposes at all events,--for the ice
of only three weeks' growth is two feet thick.
I hardly expect any considerable disruption of the ice before the
general break-up in the spring, yet we do not trust any of our
provisions upon it, nor is it sufficiently still to set up a magnetic
observatory, for which purpose the instruments have been supplied to us.
Petersen still hopes we may escape and get into Upernivik, as the sea is
not permanently frozen over there before December. I am surprised to
hear that eagles have been seen so far north as Upernivik, although it
is but twice in twenty-four years that specimens have been noticed
there. In Richardson's 'Fauna Boreali Americana' the extreme northern
limit of these birds is given as 66°; but Upernivik is in 72-3/4°.
{"HARNESS JACK."}
A few bear and fox tracks have been seen, but no living creatures for
several days, except a flock of ducks hastening southward, and a
solitary raven.
It is said that Esquimaux dogs will eat everything except fox and raven.
There are exceptions, however; one of ours, old "Harness Jack," devoured
a raven with much gusto some days ago. All the other dogs allowed their
harness to be taken off when they were brought on board; but old Jack
will not permit himself to be unrobed; when attempted he very plainly
threatens to use his teeth. This canine oddity suddenly became immensely
popular, by constituting himself protecting head of the establishment
when one of his tribe littered; he took up a most uncomfortable position
on top of the family cask (our _impromptu_ kennel), and prevented the
approach of all the other dogs; but for his timely interference on
behalf of the poor little puppies, I verily believe they would all have
been stolen and devoured! Dogs may do even worse than eat raven.
I have attempted some experiments for the purpose of determining the
mean hourly change of oscillation of a pendulum due to the earth's
diurnal motion; but as mine was only 11-1/2 feet in length, I failed of
any approach to accuracy. The mean of several observations gave 17°
47', whereas the change due to our latitude is about 14° 30'. A single
experiment gave 14° 10', and this was the longest in point of time of
any of them, the pendulum having swung for thirty-six minutes.
{AN ARCTIC SCHOOL.}
_24th._--Furious N.W. and S.E. gales have alternated of late; the ship
is housed over, to keep out the driving snow; so high is the snow
carried in the air that a little box perforated with small holes and
triced up 50 feet high is soon filled up; this box is supplied morning
and evening with a piece of prepared paper to detect the presence and
amount of ozone in the atmosphere; it is a peculiar pet of the Doctor's.
At eight o'clock this evening I noticed the falling of a very brilliant
meteor; it passed through the constellation of Cassiopeia in a N.N.E.
direction before terminating its visible existence, which it did very
much like a huge rocket; the flash was so brilliant that a man whose
back was turned to it mistook the illumination for lightning.
_26th._--Our school opened this evening, under the auspices of Dr.
Walker. He reports eight or nine pupils, and is much gratified by their
zeal. At present their studies are limited to the three R's--reading,
'riting, and 'rithmetic. They have asked him to read and explain
something instructive, so he intends to make them acquainted with the
trade-winds and atmosphere. This subject affords an opportunity of
explaining the uses of our thermometer, barometer, ozonometer, and
electrometer, which they see us take much interest in. It is delightful
to find a spirit of inquiry amongst them. Apart from scholastic
occupation, I give them healthful exercise in spreading a thick layer of
snow over the deck, and encasing the ship all round with a bank of the
same material.
{ICE DISTURBANCE.}
_28th._--Midnight. This evening, to our great astonishment, there
occurred a disruption and movement of the ice within 200 yards of the
ship. The night was calm; the reflection of a bright moon, aided by the
more than ordinary brilliancy of the stars upon the snowy expanse, made
it appear to us almost daylight. As I sit now in my cabin I can
distinctly hear the ice crushing; it resembles the continued roar of
distant surf, and there are many other occasional sounds; some of them
remind one of the low moaning of the wind, others are loud and harsh, as
if trains of heavy wagons with ungreased axles were slowly laboring
along. Upon a less-favored night these sounds might be appalling; even
as it is, they are sufficiently ominous to invite reflection. Cape York
has been in sight for some days past.
_29th._--Another heavenly night, and still greater ice disturbance; some
of the crushed-up pieces are nearly four feet thick. The currents,
icebergs, and changes of temperature, may contribute to this ice action;
but I think the tides are the chief cause, and for these reasons: that
it wants but two days to the full moon, and that the ice-movements are
almost confined to the night, and change their direction morning and
evening. Now we know that the night-tides in Greenland greatly exceed
the day-tides. One thing is evident--the weather continues calm,
therefore the winds are not concerned in the matter.
{NOV., 1857.}
{THE DOGS INVADE US.}
_2nd Nov._--Having observed some days ago that a few of the dogs were
falling away--from some cause or other not having put on their winter
clothing before the recent cold weather set in--they were all allowed on
board, and given a good extra meal. Since then we can scarcely keep them
out. One calm night they made a charge, and boarded the ship so suddenly
that several of the men rushed up very scantily clothed, to see what was
the matter. Vigorous measures were adopted to expel the intruders, and
there was desperate chasing round the deck with broomsticks, &c. Many of
them retreated into holes and corners, and two hours elapsed before they
were all driven out; but though the chase was hot, it was cold enough
work for the half-clad men.
Sailors use quaint expressions. The nightly foraging expeditions are
called "sorties;" they point out to me the various corners between
decks where the "ice corrodes," _i.e._, the moisture condenses and forms
frost; a ramble over the ice is called "a bit of a peruse." I presume
this indignity is offered to the word perambulation.
{BEAR-HUNTING BY NIGHT.}
There was a very sudden call "to arms" to-night. Whether sleeping,
prosing, or schooling, every one flew out upon the ice on the instant,
as if the magazine or the boiler was on the point of explosion. The
alarm of "A bear close-to, fighting with the dogs," was the cause. The
luckless beast had approached within 25 yards of the ship ere the
quartermaster's eye detected his indistinct outline against the snow; so
silently had he crept up that he was within 10 yards of some of the
dogs. A shout started them up, and they at once flew round the bear and
embarrassed his retreat. In crossing some very thin ice he broke
through, and there I found him surrounded by yelping dogs. Poor fellow!
Hobson, Young, and Petersen had each lodged a bullet in him; but these
only seemed to increase his rage. He succeeded in getting out of the
water, when, fearing harm to the numerous by-standers and dogs, or that
he might escape, I fired, and luckily the bullet passed through his
brain. He proved to be a full-grown male, 7 feet 3 inches in length. As
we all aided in the capture, it was decided that the skin should be
offered to Lady Franklin.
The carcase will feed our dogs for nearly a month; they were rewarded
on the spot with the offal. All of them, however, had not shown equal
pluck; some ran off in evident fright, but others showed no symptom of
fear, plunging or falling into the water with Bruin. Poor old Sophy was
amongst the latter, and received a deep cut in the shoulder from one of
his claws. The authorities have prescribed double allowance of food for
her, and say she will soon recover.
{THE SUN'S LAST VISIT.}
For the few moments of its duration the chase and death was exciting.
And how strange and novel the scene! A misty moon affording but scanty
light--dark figures gliding singly about, not daring to approach each
other, for the ice trembled under their feet--the enraged bear, the
wolfish howling dogs, and the bright flashes of the deadly rifles.
_3rd._--I remained up the greater part of last night taking
observations, for the evening mists had passed away, and a lovely moon
reigned over a calm enchanting night; through a powerful telescope she
resembled a huge frosted-silver melon, the large crater-like depression
answering to that part from which the footstalk had been detached. Not a
sound to break the stillness around, excepting when some hungry dog
would return to the battlefield to gnaw into the blood-stained ice.
On the 1st the sun paid us his last visit for the year, and now we take
all our meals by lamplight.
{GUY FAWKES' DAY.}
_5th._--In order to vary our monotonous routine, we determined to
celebrate the day; extra grog was issued to the crew, and also for the
first time a proportion of preserved plum-pudding. Lady Franklin most
thoughtfully and kindly sent it on board for occasional use. It is
excellent.
This evening a well-got-up procession sallied forth, marched round the
ship with drum, gong, and discord, and then proceeded to burn the effigy
of Guy Fawkes. Their blackened faces, extravagant costumes, flaring
torches, and savage yells frightened away all the dogs; nor was it until
after the fireworks were set off and the traitor consumed that they
crept back again. It was school-night, but the men were up for fun, so
gave the Doctor a holiday.
_12th._--Yesterday I had the good fortune to shoot two seals; they were
very fat and their stomachs were filled with shrimps. To-day Young and
Petersen shot three more, and many others have been seen. This is
cheering, and entices people out for hours daily. There is just enough
movement in the ice to keep a few narrow lanes and small pools of water
open; the floes or fields of ice are more inclined to spread out from
each other than to close. We have latterly been drifting before
northerly winds.
{ICE-ARTILLERY.}
_16th._--A renewal of ice-crushing within a few hundred yards of us. I
can hear it in my bed. The ordinary sound resembles the roar of distant
surf breaking heavily and continuously; but when heavy masses come in
collision with much impetus, it fully realizes the justness of Dr.
Kane's descriptive epithet, "ice artillery." Fortunately for us, our
poor little 'Fox' is well within the margin of a stout old floe: we are
therefore undisturbed spectators of ice-conflicts, which would be
irresistible to anything of human construction. Immediately about the
ship all is still, and, as far as appearances go she is precisely as she
would be in a secure harbor--housed all over, banked up with snow to her
gunwales. In fact, her winter plumage is so complete that the masts
alone are visible. The deck and the now useless sky-lights are covered
with hard snow. Below hatches we are warm and dry; all are in excellent
health and spirits, looking forward to an active campaign next winter.
God grant it may be realized!
Yesterday Young shot the fiftieth seal, an event duly celebrated by our
drinking _the_ bottle of champagne which had been set apart in more
hopeful times to be drunk on reaching the North Water--that unhappy
failure, the more keenly felt from being so very unexpected.
{ARCTIC PALATES.}
Petersen saw and fired a shot into a narwhal, which brought the blubber
out. When most Arctic creatures are wounded in the water, blubber more
frequently than blood appears, particularly if the wound is
superficial--it spreads over the surface of the water like oil. Bills
of fare vary much, even in Greenland. I have inquired of Petersen, and
he tells me that the Greenland Esquimaux (there are many Greenlanders of
Danish origin) are not agreed as to which of their animals affords the
most delicious food; some of them prefer reindeer venison, others think
more favorably of young dog, the flesh of which, he asserts, is "just
like the beef of sheep." He says a Danish captain, who had acquired the
taste, provided some for his guests, and they praised his _mutton_!
after dinner he sent for the skin of the animal, which was no other than
a large red dog! This occurred in Greenland, where his Danish guests had
resided for many years, far removed from European _mutton_. Baked puppy
is a real delicacy all over Polynesia: at the Sandwich Islands I was
once invited to a feast, and had to feign disappointment as well as I
could when told that puppy was so extremely scarce it could not be
procured in time, and therefore sucking-pig was substituted!
_19th._--A heavy southerly gale has increased the ice movements; happily
we are undisturbed. As Young was seated under the lee of a hummock,
watching for seals to pop up to breathe, the strong ice under him
suddenly cracked and separated! He escaped with a ducking, and was just
able to reach his gun from the bank ere it sank through the mixture of
snow and water.
{A LUCKY DOG.}
Yesterday we were all out; I saw only one seal, but was refreshed by the
sight of a dozen narwhals. It is a positive treat to see a living
creature of any kind. The only birds which remain are dovekies, but they
are scarce, and, being white, are very rarely visible.
The dogs are fed every second day, when 2 lbs. of seal's
flesh--previously thawed when possible--is given to each; the weaker
ones get additional food, and they all pick up whatever scraps are
thrown out; this is enough to sustain, but not to satisfy them, so they
are continually on the look-out for anything eatable. Hobson made one
very happy without intending it; he meant only to give him a kick, but
his slipper, being down at heel, flew off, and away went the lucky dog
in triumph with the prize, which of course was no more seen.
Two large icebergs drift in company with us; our relative positions have
remained pretty nearly the same for the last month.
_23rd._--A heavy gale commenced at N.E. on the 21st, and continued for
thirty-six hours unabated in force, but changed in direction to S.S.W.
It appears to have been a revolving storm, moving to the N.W. Yesterday,
as the wind approached S.E., the temperature rose to +32°; the upper
deck sloppy; the lower deck temperature during Divine Service was 75°!!
As the wind veered round to S.S.W., the wind moderated, and temperature
fell: this evening it is -7°. How is it that the S.E. wind has brought
us such a very high temperature? Even if it traversed an unfrozen sea it
could not have derived from thence a higher temperature than 29°. Has it
swept across Greenland--that vast superficies partly enveloped in
glacier, partly in snow? No, it must have been borne in the higher
regions of the atmosphere from the far south, in order to mitigate the
severity of this northern climate.
{SUDDEN RISE OF TEMPERATURE.}
Petersen tells me the same warm S.E. wind suddenly sweeps over Upernivik
in midwinter, bringing with it abundance of rain; and that it always
shifts to the S.W., and then the temperature rapidly falls: this is
precisely the change we have experienced in lat. 75°. I believe a
somewhat similar, but less remarkable, change of temperature was noticed
in Smith's Sound, lat. 78-3/4° N.
_25th._--Mild "Madeira weather," as Hobson calls it, temperature up to
+7°. By my desire Dr. Walker is occupied in making every possible
experiment upon the freezing of salt water; the first crop of ice is
salt, the second less so, the third produces drinkable water, and the
fourth is fresh. Frosty efflorescence appears upon ice formed at low
temperatures in calm weather--it is brine expressed by the act of
freezing. We need not wonder that dogs, when driven hard over this ice,
which soon cuts their feet, suffer intense pain, and often fall down in
fits; nor that snow, falling upon young (sea) ice, wholly or partially
thaws, even when the temperature is but little above zero; when near the
freezing-point the young ice thus coated over becomes sludgy and unsafe.
{THE DOGS' SORT_EE_.}
_29th._--Keen, biting, N.W. winds. No cracks in the ice, therefore no
seals. Grey dawn at ten o'clock, and dark at two. The moon is everywhere
the sailor's friend, she is a source of comfort to us here. Nothing to
excite conversation, except an occasional inroad of the dogs in search
of food; this generally occurs at night. Whenever the deck-light, which
burns under the housing happens to go out, they scale the steep snow
banking and rush round the deck like wolves. "Why, bless you, Sir, the
wery moment that there light goes out, and the quartermaster turns his
back, they makes a regular sort_ee_, and in they all comes." "But _where
do_ they come in, Harvey?" "Where, Sir? why everywheres; they makes no
more to do, but in they comes, clean over all." Not long ago old Harvey
was chief quartermaster in a line-of-battle ship, and a regular magnet
to all the younger midshipmen. He would spin them yarns by the hour
during the night-watches about the wonders of the sea, and of the Arctic
regions in particular--its bears, its icebergs, and still more terrific
"auroras, roaring and flashing about the ship enough to frighten a
fellow"!
{PROXIMITY OF OPEN SEA.}
_30th._--Severe cold has arrived with the full moon; eight days ago the
thermometer stood at the freezing-point, it is now 64° below it! So dark
is it now that I was able to observe an eclipse of Jupiter's first
satellite before three o'clock to-day. For the last two months we have
drifted freely backwards and forwards before N.W. and S.E. winds; each
time we have gained a more off-shore position, being gradually separated
further and further from the land by fresh growths of ice, which
invariably follow up every ice-movement. In this manner we have been
thrust out to the S.W. 80 miles from the nearest land, and into that
free space which in autumn was open water, and which we then vainly
struggled to reach.
That the ice has been most free to move in this direction is additional
evidence of the recent proximity of an open sea, and shows that in all
probability--I had almost said certainty--we should have sailed, or at
least drifted into it, had it not been for those enemies to all
progress, the grounded bergs.
CHAPTER V.
Burial in the pack--Musk oxen in lat. 80° north--Thrift of the Arctic
fox--The aurora affects the electrometer--An Arctic
Christmas--Sufferings of Dr. Kane's deserters--Ice acted on by wind
only--How the sun ought to be welcomed--Constant action of the
ice--Return of the seals--Revolving storm.
{DEC., 1857.}
{BURIAL IN THE PACK.}
_4th Dec._--I have just returned on board from the performance of the
most solemn duty a commander can be called upon to fulfil. A funeral at
sea is always peculiarly impressive; but this evening at seven o'clock,
as we gathered around the sad remains of poor Scott, reposing under an
Union Jack, and read the Burial Service by the light of lanterns, the
effect could not fail to awaken very serious emotions.
The greater part of the Church Service was read on board, under shelter
of the housing; the body was then placed upon a sledge, and drawn by the
messmates of the deceased to a short distance from the ship, where a
hole through the ice had been cut: it was then "committed to the deep,"
and the Service completed. What a scene it was! I shall never forget it.
The lonely 'Fox,' almost buried in snow, completely isolated from the
habitable world, her colors half-mast high, and bell mournfully
tolling; our little procession slowly marching over the rough surface of
the frozen sea, guided by lanterns and direction-posts, amid the dark
and dreary depth of Arctic winter; the deathlike stillness, the intense
cold, and threatening aspect of a murky, overcast sky; and all this
heightened by one of those strange lunar phenomena which are but seldom
seen even here, a complete halo encircling the moon, through which
passed a horizontal band of pale light that encompassed the heavens;
above the moon appeared the segments of two other halos, and there were
also mock moons or paraselenæ to the number of six. The misty atmosphere
lent a very ghastly hue to this singular display, which lasted for
rather more than an hour.
Poor Scott fell down a hatchway two days only before his death, which
was occasioned by the internal injuries then received; he was a steady,
serious man; a widow and family will mourn his loss. He was our
engine-driver; we cannot replace him, therefore the whole duty of
working the engines will devolve upon the engineer, Mr. Brand.
_11th._--Calm, clear weather, pleasant for exercise, but steadily cold;
thermometer varies between -20° and -30°. At noon the blush of dawn
tints the southern horizon, to the north the sky remains inky blue,
whilst overhead it is bright and clear, the stars shining, and the
pole-star near the zenith very distinct. Although there is a light
north wind, thin mackerel-clouds are passing from south to north, and
the temperature has risen 10°.
[Illustration: A Funeral on the Ice. The effect of Paraselenæ--Mock
Moons.]
{MUSK OXEN IN LAT. 80° N.}
I have been questioning Petersen about the bones of the musk oxen found
in Smith's Sound; he says the decayed skulls of about twenty were found,
all of them to the north of the 79th parallel. As they were all without
lower jaws, he says they were killed by Esquimaux, who leave upon the
spot the skulls of large animals, but the weight of the lower jaw being
so trifling it is allowed to remain attached to the flesh and tongue.
The skull of a musk ox with its massive horns cannot weigh less than 30
lbs.
Although it has been abundantly proved by the existence of raised
beaches and fossils, that the shores of Smith's Sound have been elevated
within a comparatively recent geological period, yet Petersen tells me
that there exist numerous ruins of Esquimaux buildings, probably one or
two centuries old, all of which are situated upon very low points, only
just sufficiently raised above the reach of the sea; such sites, in
fact, as would at present be selected by the natives. These ruins show
that no perceptible change has taken place in the relative level of sea
and land since they were originally constructed. At Petersen's Greenland
home, Upernivik, the land has sunk, as is plainly shown by similar
ruins over which the tides now flow.
{THRIFT OF THE ARCTIC FOX.}
Anything which illustrates the habits of animals in such extremely high
latitudes I think is most interesting; their instincts must be quickened
in proportion as the difficulty of subsisting increases. Foxes, white
and blue, are very numerous; all the birds are merely summer visitors,
therefore the hare is the only creature remaining upon which foxes can
prey; but the hares are comparatively scarce: how then do the foxes live
for eight months of each year? Petersen thinks they store up provisions
during the summer in various holes and crevices, and thus manage to eke
out an existence during the dark winter season; he once saw a fox carry
off eggs in his mouth from an eider-duck's nest, one at a time, until
the whole were removed; and in winter he has observed a fox scratch a
hole down through very deep snow, to a câche of eggs beneath.
The men are exercised at building snow-huts; for winter or early spring
travelling, this knowledge is almost indispensable. Upon a calm day the
temperature of the external air being -33°, within a snow-hut the
thermometer stood 17° higher, this important difference being due to the
transmission of heat through the ice from the sea beneath.
Evaporation goes on through ice from the water underneath it. The
interior of each snow-hut is coated with crystals, and the ice upon
which the huts are built is four feet thick, but when no longer in
contact with water I cannot discover any evaporation from ice. For
instance, a canvas screen on deck which became wet by the sudden thaw
last month still remains frozen stiff.
{THE AURORA.}
_14th._--Of late there has been much damp upon the lower deck. This has
now been remedied by enclosing the hatchway within a commodious
snow-porch, which serves as a condenser for the steam and vapor from the
inhabited deck below.
_19th._--Light N.W. winds, with occasional mists; the temperature is
comparatively mild: -12° to -25°.
It is now the time of spring-tides; they cause numerous cracks in the
ice; but why so, at such a great distance from the land, I cannot
explain. The three nearest points of land are respectively 110, 140, and
180 miles distant from us.
Much aurora during the last two days. Yesterday morning it was visible
until eclipsed by the day-dawn at 10 o'clock. Although we could no
longer see it, I do not think it ceased: very thin clouds occupied its
place, through which, as through the aurora, stars appeared scarcely
dimmed in lustre. I do not imagine that aurora is ever visible in a
_perfectly_ clear atmosphere. I often observe it just silvering or
rendering luminous the upper edge of low fog or cloud banks, and with a
few vertical rays feebly vibrating.
Last evening Dr. Walker called me to witness his success with the
electrometer. The electric current was so very weak that the gold-leaves
diverged at regular intervals of four or five seconds. Some hours
afterwards it was strong enough to _keep_ them diverged.
_21st._--Midwinter day. Out of the Arctic regions it is better known as
the _shortest_ day. At noon we could just read type similar to the
leading article of the 'Times.' Few people could read more than two or
three lines without their eyes aching.
{AN ARCTIC CHRISTMAS.}
_27th._--Our Christmas was a very cheerful, merry one. The men were
supplied with several additional articles, such as hams, plum-puddings,
preserved gooseberries and apples, nuts, sweetmeats, and Burton ale.
After Divine Service they decorated the lower deck with flags, and made
an immense display of food. The officers came down with me to see their
preparations. We were really astonished! The mess-tables were laid out
like the counters in a confectioner's shop, with apple and gooseberry
tarts, plum and sponge-cakes in pyramids, besides various other unknown
puffs, cakes, and loaves of all sizes and shapes. We bake all our own
bread, and excellent it is. In the background were nicely-browned hams,
meat-pies, cheeses, and other substantial articles. Rum and water in
wine-glasses, and plum-cake, were handed to us: we wished them a happy
Christmas, and complimented them on their taste and spirit in getting up
such a display. Our silken sledge-banners had been borrowed for the
occasion, and were regarded with deference and peculiar pride.
In the evening the officers were enticed down amongst the men again, and
at a late hour I was requested, as a great favor, to come down and see
how much they were enjoying themselves. I found them in the highest good
humor with themselves and all the world. They were perfectly sober, and
singing songs, each in his turn. I expressed great satisfaction at
having seen them enjoying themselves so much and so rationally. I could
therefore the better describe it to Lady Franklin, who was so deeply
interested in everything relating to them. I drank their healths, and
hoped our position next year would be more suitable for our purpose. We
all joined in drinking the healths of Lady Franklin and Miss Cracroft,
and amid the acclamations which followed I returned to my cabin,
immensely gratified by such an exhibition of genuine good feeling, such
veneration for Lady Franklin, and such loyalty to the cause of the
expedition. It was very pleasant also that they had taken the most
cheering view of our future prospects. I verily believe I was the
happiest individual on board, that happy evening.
Our Christmas-box has come in the shape of northerly winds, which bid
fair to drift us southward towards those latitudes wherein we hope for
liberation next spring from this icy bondage.
_28th._--We have been in expectation of a gale all day. This evening
there is still a doubtful sort of truce amongst the elements. Barometer
down to 28·83; thermometer up to +5°, although the wind has been strong
and steady from the N. for twenty-four hours, low scud flying from the
E., snow constantly falling. An hour ago the wind suddenly changed to
S.S.E.; the snowing has ceased; thermometer falls and barometer rises.
{JAN., 1858.}
{NEW YEAR'S DAY.}
_2nd Jan., 1858._--New Year's day was a second edition of Christmas, and
quite as pleasantly spent. We dwelt much upon the anticipations of the
future, being a more agreeable theme than the failure of the past. I
confess to a hearty welcome for the new year--anxious, of course, that
we may escape uninjured, and sufficiently early to pursue the object of
our voyage.
Exactly at midnight on the 31st December the arrival of the new year was
announced to me by our band--two flutes and an accordion--striking up at
my door. There was also a procession, or perhaps I should say a
continuation of the band; these performers were grotesquely attired,
and armed with frying-pans, gridirons, kettles, pots, and pans, with
which to join in and add to the effect of the _other_ music!
{SUFFERINGS OF AN ARCTIC PARTY.}
We have a very level hard walk alongside the ship; it is narrowed to two
or three yards in width by a snow-bank four feet high. In the face of
this bank some twenty-five holes have been excavated for the dogs, and
in them they spend most of their time. It looks very formidable in the
moonlight, being a good imitation of a casemated battery.
After our rubber of whist on New Year's night Petersen related to us
some of his dreadful sufferings when with the party which had left Dr.
Kane. They spent the months of October and November in Booth Sound, lat.
77°; all that time upon the verge of starvation, unable to advance or
retreat. For these two months they had no other fuel than their small
cedar boat, the smoke of which was not endurable in their wretched hut,
and without light, for the sun left them in October, unless we except
one inch and a half of taper daily, which they made out of a lump of
bees'-wax that accidently found its way into their boat before leaving
the ship. In December they regained their vessel. I am surprised that no
account of the extreme hardships of this party--so far exceeding that of
their shipmates on board--has ever appeared; and I regret it, as I
believe they owed their lives to the experience and fidelity of their
interpreter Petersen. At first the Esquimaux assisted them; latterly
they were quite unable to do so, and became anxious to get rid of their
visitors. Observing how weakened they had become, the Esquimaux
endeavored to separate them from their guns and from each other, and
even used threatening language.
{ICE ACTED ON BY WIND ONLY.}
During December we drifted 67 miles, directly down Baffin's Bay towards
the Atlantic, and are now in lat. 74°. Although it is quite impossible
to discriminate between the several influences which probably govern our
movements, or to ascertain how much is due to each of them--such as the
relative positions of ice, land, and open water, winds, currents, and
earth's rotation--yet it appears in the present instance that the wind
is almost the sole agent in hastening this vast _continent_ of ice
towards the latitudes of its dissolution. We move before the wind in
proportion to its strength: we remain stationary in calm weather.
Neither surface nor submarine current has been detected; the large
icebergs obey the same influences as the surface ice. We have noticed a
slight set to the westward--it is not likely to be produced by current,
and may be the result of the earth's motion from west to east.
_6th._--Many lanes of water. A seal has been seen, the only one for six
weeks. Of the old ice which so closely hemmed us in up to the middle of
September, there is hardly any within several miles of us except the
large floe-piece we are frozen to. Every crack or lane which opens is
quickly covered with young ice, so that it cannot close again; and in
this manner the old ice has been spread out. I rejoice in its
dispersion!
{RETURN OF THE SUN.}
To-day I put a tumblerful of our strong ale (Allsopp's) on deck to
freeze: this was soon effected, the temperature being -35°. After
bringing it below, and when its temperature had risen to 17°, it was
almost all thawed--at 22° it was completely so: it looked muddy, but
settled after standing for a couple of hours, when I drank it off, in
every way satisfied with my experiment and my beer: it seemed none the
worse for its freezing, but rather flat from its long exposure in a
tumbler.
_17th._--Northerly winds blow almost constantly. We have drifted 60
miles since the 1st, and are only 115 miles from Upernivik,--once more
upon confines of the habitable world! good light for three hours daily;
all this is cheering. We continue our snow-hut practice, and can build
one in three-quarters of an hour.
_28th._--The upper edge of the sun appeared above the horizon to-day,
after an absence of eighty-nine days; it was a gladdening sight. I sent
for the ship's steward and asked what was the custom on such occasions?
"To hoist the colors and serve out an extra half-gill, sir," was the
ready reply: accordingly, the Harwich lion soon fluttered in a breeze
cool enough to stiffen the limbs of ordinary lions, and in the evening
the grog was issued.
{THE SICK LIST.}
_30th._--Our messmate Pussy is unwell, and won't eat; in vain has Hobson
tempted her with raw seal's flesh, preserved salmon, preserved milk,
etc.; at length castor-oil was forcibly administered. Puss is a great
favorite. Our finest dog, Sultan, is also sick, and his coat is in bad
order; blubber has been prescribed for him;--and poor old Mary has fits,
not uncommon after the long winter. Petersen immediately ordered her to
be bled by slitting her ear; but Christian, in his fright and haste,
cropped the tip of it off These comprise our only medical cases. A
dovekie, in its white winter plumage, and two seals have been seen
lately.
{FEB., 1858.}
_15th Feb._--The returning daylight cheers us up wonderfully--not that
we were suffering, either mentally or bodily, but the change is most
agreeable; we can take much longer walks than were possible during the
dark period. The men have been supplied with muskets, and go out
sporting as ardently as schoolboys. I took a long walk towards one of
our iceberg companions, but could not quite reach it, as weak ice
intervened, each step producing an undulation. Finding the point of my
knife went through it with but very slight resistance, I gave up the
attempt and turned back. The ship's masts were scarcely visible in the
distance; almost the whole of the intervening ice was of this winter's
growth, and in many places much crushed up.
{CONSTANT ACTION OF THE ICE.}
Daylight reveals to us evidences of vast ice movements having taken
place during the dark months when we fancied all was still and quiet;
and we now see how greatly we have been favored, what innumerable
chances of destruction we have unconsciously escaped! A few days ago the
ice suddenly cracked within ten yards of the ship, and gave her such a
smart shock that every one rushed on deck with astonishing alacrity. One
of these sudden disruptions occurred between me and the ship when I was
returning from the iceberg; the sun was just setting as I found myself
cut off. Had I been on the other side I would have loitered to enjoy a
refreshing gaze upon this dark streak of water; but after a smart run of
about a mile along its edge, and finding no place to cross, visions of a
patrol on the floe for the long night of fifteen hours began to obtrude
themselves! At length I reached a place where the jagged edges of the
floes met, so crossed and got safely on board. Nothing was seen during
this walk of nearly 25 miles except one seal. Recent gales have drifted
us rapidly southward; cracks and lanes are very numerous.
{RETURN OF A DESERTER.}
On the 1st a blue (or sooty) fox was shot. Although 130 geographical
miles from the nearest land he was very fat, hence we argue dovekies
were much more numerous during winter than we supposed. We have often
noticed the tracks of foxes following up those of the bears, probably
for discarded scraps of the seals upon which they prey. Hobson's
favorite dog "Chummie" has returned, after an absence of six days,
decidedly hungry, but he can hardly have been without food all that
time; some fox may have lured him off. He evinced great delight in
getting back, devoted his first attentions to a hearty meal, then rubbed
himself up against his own particular associates, after which he sought
out and attacked the weakest of his enemies, and, soothed by their
howlings, coiled himself up for a long sleep.
{MAR., 1858.}
_1st March._--February has been a remarkably mild, cloudy, windy month:
the winter temperature may be said to have passed away by the 10th, the
average temperature for the first ten days being -25°, whilst for the
remainder of the month it was -11°. Had one fallen asleep for a month at
least, he could not reasonably have expected to find a greater change on
awaking. Our drift has been also great,--166 miles. We are south of the
70th parallel, and may soon be expelled from our icy home.
On the 24th there was a fearful gale of wind. Had not our housing been
very well secured, it must have been blown away. We are preparing for
sea, removing the snow from off the deck and round the ship; our
sky-lights have been dug out (in winter they are always covered with a
thick layer of snow), and the flood of light which beams down through
them is quite charming. How intolerably sooty and smoke-dried everything
looks!
{RETURN OF THE SEALS.}
On the 27th the first seal of this year was shot; it came in good time,
for the fifty-one seals shot in autumn were finished only two days
before: our English supply of dogs' food therefore remains almost
untouched. Snow was observed to melt against the ship's side exposed to
the sun, the thermometer in the shade standing at -22°! A very fine dog
has died from eating a quantity of salt fish, which he managed to get at
although it was supposed to be quite out of his reach.
One of the two large icebergs which commenced this voyage with us last
October, in 75-1/2° N., has drifted out of sight to the S.E., the other
one is far off in the N.W. I attribute these increased distances solely
to the spreading abroad of the intervening ice.
When we were far north, and probably drifting more slowly than the ice
in the stream of Lancaster Sound to the westward of us, the ship's head
turned very gradually from right to left, from N.N.W. to W.; when about
the parallel of 72° N., we supposed ourselves to be drifting faster than
the western ice; in this, as in the previous case, comparing our drift
with that of Lieutenant De Haven, the ship's head slowly shifted back
to the right as far as W.N.W.; latterly it has not changed at all: we
are in a narrower part of Davis' Strait, where the winds probably blow
with equal force from shore to shore and drift the whole pack at a
uniform rate.
_5th._--On the 2nd four fat seals and some dovekies were shot; the
largest seal weighed 170 lbs., the smallest 150 lbs.; they were males of
the species _Phoca hespida_, or _Phoca f[oe]tida_, the latter epithet
being by far the most appropriate at this season; the disagreeable odor
resembles garlic, and taints the whole animal so strongly that even
Esquimaux are nearly overpowered by it: this is almost the only
description of seal we have obtained, but the females are at all seasons
free from fetor. Several long lanes of water extend at right angles to
the straits.
{REVOLVING STORM.}
The Doctor has taken a photograph of the ship by the albumen process on
glass; the temperature at the time was below zero. Upon the 3rd and 4th
a well-remarked revolving storm passed nearly over us to the W.N.W.; its
extreme diameter was 30 hours, that of the strength of the gale 18
hours; its centre probably passed about one-tenth of its diameter to the
S.W. The barometer was rather high, having risen just before the wind
commenced at N.E.; but it now fell half an inch in ten hours, and
continued to fall until the wind shifted--almost suddenly--through S.E.
to S.S.W.; immediately the barometer got up rapidly. As the barometer
fell, the temperature rose from zero to +18°, and fell again after the
change of wind. This violent storm brought with it a smart hail-shower.
{DISCO SIGHTED.}
The depression of the ice about the bows, in consequence of a vast
accumulation of snow-drift upon it, brought the ship down by the head
considerably; to-day this ice suddenly detached itself, and the fore
part of the vessel sprang up; she still remains frozen and held down
abaft. The snow-banking looks very woe-begone after this _ice-quake_; it
inclines out from the ship, and in many places has been prostrated by
the shock.
Early on the morning of the 7th the high land of Disco was seen; its
distance was upwards of 90 miles.
CHAPTER VI.
A bear-fight--An ice-nip--Strong gales, rapid drift--The 'Fox' breaks
out of the pack--Hanging on to floe-edge--The Arctic bear--An ice
tournament--The 'Fox' in peril--A storm in the pack--Escape from the
pack.
{A BEAR-FIGHT.}
_9th March._--A bear was seen this morning; but as he was going away
from us, the dogs were brought out in the hope that they might keep him
at bay until the sportsmen came up. It was very pretty to see them take
up the scent, the moment they caught sight of him they set off at full
speed. Bruin had seen them first, and increased his pace to a clumsy
gallop, yet the dogs were soon around him; he seemed to care but little
about them, steadily making off and following the trending of a recently
frozen crack in search of clear water, evidently aware that his
persecutors would not follow him there.
After five hours all returned on board again; out of the ten dogs four
were wounded by his claws,--skin deep only,--but one of the wounds was
seven inches in length, as if made with a sharp knife! this was sewed
up, the others were merely trimmed, and nature, I am informed, will do
all the rest. It is really wonderful what cures nature and instinct
effect: notwithstanding the extreme cold, no external dressings are
applied, because the animal must not be prevented from licking its
wound. Petersen says this bear must be very thin, else he could not run
so fast. I think it very probable that he has been hunted before, and
that fear lent him wings. A black whale has been seen.
{SEAL STEAKS.}
_11th._--Two small seals free from taint were shot yesterday, so we had
fried liver and steaks for breakfast this morning; both were good, but
the steaks were preferred; they were very dark and very tender, had been
cut thin, deprived of all fat, and washed in two or three waters to get
rid of the blubber.
_16th._--Several long lanes of water have again opened, but now all of
them extend parallel to the direction of the straits; one lane passed
within 120 yards of the ship; its extremes are not visible even from
aloft; the ice upon its east side has a more rapid southerly motion than
that upon its west side.
_18th._--Last night the ice closed, shutting up our lane, but its
opposite sides continued for several hours to move past each other,
rubbing off all projections, crushing, and forcing out of water masses
four feet thick: although 120 yards distant, this pressure shook the
ship and cracked the intervening ice.
{AN ICE-NIP.}
I went out with a lantern to see the nip,--it certainly was
awe-inspiring; no one in his senses could avoid reflecting upon the
inevitable fate of a ship if exposed to such fearful pressure. It is now
spring tides.
_19th._--All yesterday the lane remained open; in the evening it closed
with but slight pressure; yet as the opposing fields of ice continued to
move in opposite directions, all jagged points were brushed off, and the
débris thus formed between their edges presented a heaving surface of
ice-masses,--an ice river. On the separation of the floes, mass after
mass forced itself up to the surface, until at length all the submerged
ice had risen, except such as had been forced quite under their edges.
One seldom meets with a cleanly fractured floe-edge, they are usually
fringed with crushed-up ice or newly formed sludge.
_23rd._--Seals and dovekies are now common; the latter have already made
considerable advances towards their summer plumage.
Yesterday there was a very heavy S.E. gale; it blew so furiously, and
the snow-drift was so dense, that we could neither hear nor see what was
going on twenty yards off; at night the ship, becoming suddenly detached
from the ice, heeled over to the storm; until the cause was ascertained
we thought the ice had broken up and pressed against the ship. It was
not so; but when the weather moderated we found that there had been
heavy pressure upon the edge of the floes,--so much, indeed, that the
lane of water was now within 70 yards of the 'Fox;' and that ice 4-1/2
feet thick had been crushed during the storm for a distance of about 50
yards.
{STRONG GALES.}
_25th._--Strong N.W. winds lately, the ship rocking to the breeze, and
rubbing her poor sides against the ice, producing a creaking sound which
is far from pleasant. More ice squeezing, and a further inroad upon our
barrier; it has yielded slightly, nipping the ship, inclining her to
port, and lifting her stern about a foot. Occasional groanings within,
and surgings of the ice without.
Our boats, provisions, sledges, knapsacks, and equipment are ready for a
hasty departure,--beyond this we can do nothing; as long as our friendly
barrier lasts we need not fear, but who can tell the moment it may be
demolished, and the ship exposed to destruction? I am scribbling within
a foot of the sternpost--in fact, there is a notch in my table to
receive it; and I sympathize with its constant groanings; the ice allows
it no rest.
_27th._--Strong N.W. gale with a return of cold weather. We have drifted
39 miles in the last forty-eight hours! The lane is open; the whole pack
appears to have plenty of room to drift, and, I am happy to add, is
taking advantage of it,--so much so that the smaller pieces floating
freely in the lane can hardly go at the same pace. Our remaining winter
companion, the iceberg, was in sight a few days ago, far away to the
N.W.; it may be still visible from aloft, but these March gales cut so
keenly, that the crow's-nest is but seldom visited.
_31st._--Another N.W. gale; it is also spring tides, and this
conjunction makes one fearful of ice movement and pressure; but it seems
as if the pack had more room to move in, as it does not close much.
Seals are often shot, bear tracks are common, and narwhals are
frequently seen migrating northward. The bears must prefer the
night-time for wandering about, else we could not help seeing them; we
often find their tracks within a few hundred yards of the ship.
Although the last, yet this is the coldest day of the month--the
thermometer down to -27°. The mean temperature for March has been
unusually high, -3°; whilst Lieutenant De Haven's was -17°.
Notwithstanding that heavy S.E. gales have three times driven us
backward, yet we have advanced 100 miles further down Davis' Straits.
{APR., 1858.}
{BREAKING UP OF ICE.}
_6th April._--To-day we enjoy fine weather, the more so since it comes
after a tremendous northerly gale of forty-eight hours' duration. Two
days ago the friendly old floe, so long our bulwark of defence, was
cracked; the lane of water thus formed soon widened to 60 yards, passed
within 30 yards of the 'Fox,' and cut off three of our boats. Yesterday
morning another crack detached the remaining 30 yards from us, and as it
widened the ship swung across the opening; as quickly as we could effect
it the ship was again placed alongside the ice and within a projecting
point; had it closed only a few feet whilst she lay across the lane, the
consequences must have been very serious. Even to effect this slight
change of position we were fully occupied for four hours; for the gale
blew furiously, and thermometer stood at 12° below zero, and the cold
was very much felt; our hawsers were frozen so stiff as to be quite
unmanageable, and we were obliged to use the chain cables to warp the
ship into safety.
Throughout yesterday the wind continued extremely strong and
keen,--fortunately the ice remained perfectly still: our funnels refused
to draw up the smoke; so that between the suffocation, the cold, and
anxiety lest the ice should move, our Easter Monday was sufficiently
miserable. The half of our poor dogs were cut off from the ship by the
lane, and continued to howl dismally until late, when the new ice over
the lane was strong enough to bear them, and they came across to us.
To-day we have recovered the boats, shot four seals, seen two whales,
and much water to the eastward; we are in latitude 67° 18' N., and
highly delighted with the rapidity of our southern drift.
{OUT OF THE PACK.}
_10th._--Yesterday evening the setting sun rendered visible the western
land, probably Cape Dyer. We have drifted 70 miles in the last week, and
are only 18 miles from De Haven's position of escape; but as we are two
months earlier, we must expect to be carried farther south.
_12th._--This morning we drifted ingloriously out of the Arctic regions,
and with what very different feelings from those with which we crossed
the Arctic circle eight months ago! However, we have not done with it
yet; directly the ice lets us go, we will (D. V.) re-enter the frigid
zone, and "try again," with, I trust, better success.
A gull and a few terns appeared to-day; these are the first of our
summer visitors. The temperature improves; yesterday at one o'clock it
was +19° in the shade, +15° in the crow's-nest 70 feet high, and +51°
against a black surface exposed to the sun.
_16th._--Last night a bear came to the ship, was wounded, but escaped;
to-day the tracks were followed up for three miles, the bear found, and
again wounded--finally the unlucky beast was shot in the water seven
miles from the ship; it was lost in consequence of the rapid drifting of
the ice, which ran over the floating carcase.
To-night a dense fog-bank rests upon the water to the southward; its
upper edge is illuminated by aurora, showing a faint tremulous light.
_17th._--Another northerly gale; holding fast to the ice with three
hawsers; snow-drift limits the view to a couple of miles, so all to the
eastward appears water, and to the westward ice.
Last night the ice opened considerably; to secure the ship occupied us
for six hours; several of the dogs were again cut off; as the ice they
were on was rapidly drifting away, I sent a boat to recover them; it was
a difficult and hazardous business, but at length the boat and dogs
returned in safety, to my great relief, for it was both dark and late.
{DOGS LOST.}
_18th._--Yesterday morning when I wrote up my journal, I was hoping to
hold on quietly to the floe-edge until the wind moderated, when with
clear weather we could take advantage of the openings and make some
progress towards the clear sea. We were unable to hold on, for the
floe-edge broke away, setting us adrift; some time was occupied in
fetching off the boats and dogs,--five of the latter unfortunately would
not allow themselves to be caught. As speedily as possible the rudder
was shipped and sail set, and before three o'clock the ship was running
fast to the eastward! During the night the ice closed, and at daylight
scarcely any water was visible; with the exception of a couple of
icebergs, all the ice in sight was not more than two days old; it
mainly owes its origin and rapid growth to the immense quantities of
snow blown off the pack.
It still blows hard, and the thermometer stands at 11°. A sudden opening
of the ice this forenoon allowed us to run a few miles southward, and
then it closed again; we are now surrounded by young ice.
_20th._--We have been carried rapidly past the position where the Arctic
discovery ship 'Resolute' was picked up.
{THE ARCTIC BEAR.}
Yesterday three bears, a fulmar petrel, and a snow bunting were seen;
to-day a fine bear came within 150 yards, and was shot by our sportsmen;
as they were standing round it afterwards upon the ice, a small seal,
the only one seen for several days, popped up its head as if to exult
over its fallen enemy--it was of course instantly shot: we have learnt
to esteem seal's liver for breakfast very highly.
It seems hardly right to call polar bears _land_ animals; they abound
here,--110 geographical miles from the nearest land,--upon very loose
broken-up ice, which is steadily drifting into the Atlantic at the rate
of 12 or 14 miles daily; to remain upon it would insure their
destruction were they not nearly amphibious; they hunt by scent, and are
constantly running across and against the wind, which prevails from the
northward, so that the same instinct which directs their search for
prey, also serves the important purpose of guiding them in the direction
of the land and more solid ice.
I remarked that the upper part of both Bruin's fore-paws were rubbed
quite bare; Petersen explains that to surprise the seal a bear crouches
down with his fore-paws doubled underneath, and pushes himself
noiselessly forward with his hinder legs until within a few yards, when
he springs upon the unsuspecting victim, whether in the water or upon
the ice. The Greenlanders are fond of bear's flesh, but never eat either
the heart or liver, and say that these parts cause sickness. No instance
is known of Greenland bears attacking men, except when wounded or
provoked; they never disturb the Esquimaux graves, although they seldom
fail to rob a câche of seal's flesh, which is a similar construction of
loose stones above ground.
A native of Upernivik, one dark winter's day, was out visiting his
seal-nets. He found a seal entangled, and, whilst kneeling down over it
upon the ice to get it clear, he received a slap on the back--from his
companion as he supposed; but a second and heavier blow made him look
smartly round. He was horror-stricken to see a peculiarly grim old bear
instead of his comrade! without deigning further notice of the man,
Bruin tore the seal out of the net and commenced his supper. He was not
interrupted; nor did the man wait to see the meal finished.
I had long ago resolved, if we escaped before the 15th, or the 20th
April at the latest, to go to Newfoundland to refresh the crew and to
refit, even if no damage from the ice should be sustained. In order to
do so it would have been necessary for us to visit a Greenland port for
a supply of water. We could not have calculated upon much assistance
from our engines upon such a voyage, Mr. Brand alone being capable of
working the engines, so that ten or twelve hours daily is all the
steaming that could have been expected.
But we are still ice-locked, so I purpose going to Holsteinborg in
preference to a more southern port, as there we may expect to get
reindeer and a small supply of stores suitable to our wants. The whalers
sometimes reach Disco in March, Upernivik in May, and the North Water
early in June. Unless we should be at once set free, we would not have
time to spare for a Newfoundland voyage.
{THE OCEAN SWELL.}
{AN ICE-TOURNAMENT.}
_24th._--Another anxious week has passed. Latterly we have experienced
south-westerly currents similar to those which Parry describes when
beset here in June, 1819. To-day we have had a strong S.E. breeze, with
snow and dark weather. The wind had greatly moderated when the swell
reached us about eight o'clock this evening. It is now ten o'clock; the
long ocean swell already lifts its crest five feet above the hollow of
the sea, causing its thick covering, of icy fragments to dash against
each other and against us with unpleasant violence. It is however very
beautiful to look upon, the dear old familiar ocean-swell! it has long
been a stranger to us, and is welcome in our solitude. If the 'Fox' was
as solid as her neighbors, I am quite sure she would enter into this
ice-tournament with all their apparent heartiness, instead of audibly
making known her sufferings to us. Every considerable surface of ice has
been broken into many smaller ones; with feelings of exultation I
watched the process from aloft. A floe-piece near us, of 100 yards in
diameter, was speedily cracked so as to resemble a sort of labyrinth,
or, still more, a field-spider's web. In the course of half an hour the
family resemblance was totally lost; they had so battered each other,
and struggled out of their original regularity. The rolling sea can no
longer be checked; "the pack has taken upon itself the functions of an
ocean," as Dr. Kane graphically expresses it.
_26th._--At sea! How am I to describe the events of the last two days?
It has pleased God to accord to us a deliverance in which His merciful
protection contrasts--how strongly!--with our own utter helplessness; as
if the successive mercies vouchsafed to us during our long, long winter
and mysterious ice-drift had been concentrated and repeated in a single
act. Thus forcibly does His great goodness come home to the mind!
I am in no humor for writing, being still tired, seedy, and perhaps a
little seasick; at least I have a headache, caused by the rolling of the
ship and rattling noise of everything.
{THE 'FOX' IN PERIL.}
On Saturday night, the 24th, I went on deck to spend the greater part of
it in watching, and to determine what to do. The swell greatly
increased; it had evidently been approaching for hours before it reached
us, since it rose in proportion as the ice was broken up into smaller
pieces. In a short time but few of them were equal in size to the ship's
deck; most of them not half so large. I knew that near the pack-edge the
sea would be very heavy and dangerous; but the wind was now fair, and
having auxiliary steam-power, I resolved to push out of the ice if
possible.
Shortly after midnight the ship was under sail, slowly boring her way to
the eastward; at two o'clock on Sunday morning commenced steaming, the
wind having failed. By eight o'clock we had advanced considerably to the
eastward, and the swell had become dangerously high, the waves rising
ten feet above the trough of the sea. The shocks of the ice against the
ship were alarmingly heavy; it became necessary to steer exactly
head-on to swell. We slowly passed a small iceberg 60 or 70 feet high;
the swell forced it crashing through the pack, leaving a small
water-space in its wake, but sufficient to allow the seas to break
against its cliffs, and throw the spray in heavy showers quite over its
summit.
{CLEAR OF THE PACK.}
The day wore on without change, except that the snow and mists cleared
off. Gradually the swell increased, and rolled along more swiftly,
becoming in fact a very heavy regular sea, rather than a swell. The ice
often lay so closely packed that we could hardly force ahead, although
the fair wind had again freshened up. Much heavy hummocky ice and large
berg-pieces lay dispersed through the pack; a single thump from any of
them would have been instant destruction. By five o'clock the ice became
more loose, and clear spaces of water could be seen ahead. We went
faster, received fewer though still more severe shocks, until at length
we had room to steer clear of the heaviest pieces; and at eight o'clock
we emerged from the villanous "pack," and were running fast through
straggling pieces into a clear sea. The engines were stopped, and Mr.
Brand permitted to rest after eighteen hours' duty, for we now have no
one else capable of driving the engines.
Throughout the day I trembled for the safety of the rudder, and screw;
deprived of the one or the other, even for half an hour, I think our
fate would have been sealed; to have steered in any other direction than
_against_ the swell would have exposed, and probably sacrificed both.
{DANGER FROM ICE-MASSES.}
Our bow is very strongly fortified, well plated externally with iron,
and so very sharp that the ice-masses, repeatedly hurled against the
ship by the swell as she rose to meet it, were thus robbed of their
destructive force; they struck us obliquely, yet caused the vessel to
shake violently, the bells to ring, and almost knocked us off our legs.
On many occasions the engines were stopped dead by ice choking the
screw; once it was some minutes before it could be got to revolve again.
Anxious moments those!
After yesterday's experience I can understand how men's hair has turned
grey in a few hours. Had self-reliance been my only support and hope, it
is not impossible that I might have illustrated the fact. Under the
circumstances I did my best to insure our safety, looked as stoical as
possible, and inwardly trusted that God would favor our exertions. What
a release ours has been, not only from eight months' imprisonment, but
from the perils of that one day! Had our little vessel been destroyed
after the ice broke up, there remained no hope for us. But we have been
brought safely through, and are all truly grateful, I hope, and believe.
I grieve to think of poor Lady Franklin and our friends at home.
Severely as we have felt the failure of our first season's operations,
yet the ordeal is now over with us: not so with her and them,--they have
still to experience that bitter disappointment.
Our distance within the pack-edge, where we first made sail yesterday,
was 22 miles. Before we got clear of the ice the height of the waves was
13-1/2 feet; after passing through the last of it there was no increase,
but the sea was more confused; in fact, within the ice all minor
disturbances were quelled or merged into one regular fast-following
swell. The ship and her machinery behaved most admirably in the
struggle; should I ever have to pass through such an ice-covered,
heaving ocean again, let me secure a passage in the 'Fox.'
During our 242 days in the packed-ice of Baffin's Bay and Davis' Straits
we were drifted 1194 geographical or 1385 statute miles; it is the
longest drift I know of, and our winter, as a whole, may be considered
as having been mild, but very windy.
{STEERING FOR HOLSTEINBORG.}
We are steering now for Holsteinborg, where I intend to refit and
refresh the crew; it is reputed to be the best place for reindeer upon
the coast.
CHAPTER VII.
A holiday in Greenland--A lady blue with cold--The loves of
Greenlanders--Close shaving--Meet the whalers--Information of
whalers--Disco--Danish hospitality--Sail from Disco--Kindness of the
whalers--Danish establishments in Greenland.
{ANCHORED AT HOLSTEINBORG.}
_Wednesday night, April 28th._--Safely anchored at Holsteinborg, and
moored to the rocks; a charming change, after our position only a few
days back. We have been visited by the Danish residents--the chief
trader or governor, the priest, and two others: their latest European
intelligence is not more recent than our own, but the Danish ship is
hourly expected; she usually leaves Copenhagen about the middle of
March.
The winter here has been just the reverse of our own experience; it has
been severe in point of temperature, but with very little wind; the land
lies buried in snow, and as yet there is no thaw; it is too early for
the cod-fishery, and not a single reindeer has been killed throughout
the winter! Eider-ducks, looms, and dovekies are abundant, as well as
hares and ptarmigan.
_29th._--A bright and lovely day. Our poor, half-famished dogs have been
landed near the carcases of four whales, so they must be supremely
happy. I visited the Governor to-day, and found his little wooden house
as scrupulously clean and neat as the houses of the Danish residents in
Greenland invariably are. The only ornaments about the room were
portraits of his unfortunate wife and two children: they embarked at
Copenhagen last year to rejoin him, and the ill-fated vessel has never
since been heard of. Poor Governor Elberg is in ill health, and talks of
returning home--by _home_ he means Denmark, the land of his birth, and
where once he had a home.
{HOLIDAY IN GREENLAND.}
_30th._--This is a grand Danish holiday; the inhabitants are all dressed
in their Sunday clothes--at least, all who have got a change of
garments--and there is both morning and evening service in the small
wooden church. As the Governor could not be persuaded to unlock the door
of the dance-house, our men returned on board early; yesterday evening
they were all on shore, and, with the Esquimaux, were squeezed into this
one large room: to be squeezed in a crowd of human beings is positive
enjoyment after a winter's isolation such as ours has been. Old Harvey
constituted himself master of the ceremonies, and with his flute led the
orchestra; it consisted of one other flute and a fiddle; he managed to
perch himself above all the rest, at one end of the room, and played
with such vigor that our bluejackets and the Esquimaux ladies danced
away most furiously for hours. These ladies can dance in the least
possible space, their costume being particularly well adapted for the
purpose, partaking as it does much more of the "Bloomer" than the
"crinoline."
Christian looks immensely happy: his countrymen regard him as a man
whose fortune is made, and the women gaze with admiration upon his neat
sailor's dress, and his good-natured, full, round face, and huge, fat,
shining cheeks; Mr. Petersen is in great request to interpret between
the English, Danes, and Esquimaux.
{MAY, 1858.}
_7th May._--I intended sailing for Disco this morning, but wind and
weather were adverse. We have obtained but little here except water, a
tolerable supply of rock cod, some ptarmigan hares, wildfowl, and a few
items of stores. The Governor _now_ thinks the Danish ship must have
been directed to visit Godhaab before coming here. We have left letters
to go home in her, and they ought to be in England by the end of June.
{AN EARTHQUAKE.}
I visited to-day a small lake at the foot of Mount Cunningham; it is
said to occupy the centre of an extinct volcano: but I saw nothing to
bear out the assertion. This is the only part of Greenland where
earthquakes are felt. The Governor told me of an unusually severe shock
which occurred a winter or two ago. He was sitting in his room reading
at the time, when he heard a loud noise like the discharge of a cannon;
immediately afterwards a tremulous motion was felt, some glasses upon
the table began to dance about, and papers lying upon the window-sill
fell down: after a few seconds it ceased. He thinks the motion
originated at the lake, as it was not felt by some people living beyond
it, and that it passed from N.E. to S.W.
This mountain scenery is really charming; but a little more animal
life--reindeer, for instance--would make it far more pleasing in our
eyes. The last twelvemonth's produce of this district amounts only to
500 reindeer skins instead of 3000, as in ordinary years. The clergyman
of Holsteinborg was born in this colony, and has succeeded his father in
the priestly office; his wife is the only European female in the colony.
Being told that fuel was extremely scarce in the Danish houses, and that
"the priest's wife was blue with the cold," I sent on shore a present of
some coals.
On Sunday afternoon, hearing the church bell ringing I went on shore. It
proved to be only a christening. The little dusky infant received a long
string of European names. There was a small description of barrel-organ,
to the sound of which the congregation joined in, keeping up a loud
monotonous chant. Most of the young people had hymn-books in their
hands, printed in the Esquimaux language.
Ravens seem very abundant, also large grey falcons: perhaps the dead
whales may have attracted an unusual number.
{THE LOVES OF GREENLANDERS.}
Poor Christian has not only fallen desperately in love, but has engaged
himself to the object of his affections, a pretty Esquimaux girl. He
asked me to-day to give her a passage up to Godhavn, as he wished to
leave her in charge of his mother until his return there with us next
year, when his engagement for the voyage would be fulfilled. Having
heard a rumor of a young woman awaiting his return at Godhavn, I taxed
him with it, but he replied with great simplicity that "he had never
promised her, and would not marry her, as his friends objected to the
match!" What are the good Greenlanders coming to? I recommended that he
should have his betrothed in her own home, with her mother and family.
His asking a passage for her, in order to leave her with his mother, is
strong proof of the sincerity of his engagement, not only to his lady
love, but to the 'Fox' also.
I have written to the admiralty to account for my prolonged absence from
England; and to Dr. Rink to acquaint him with the cause of my second
visit to his inspectorate.
Governor Elberg has promised to get me some fossil fish, to be found
only in North Strom Fiord: they are interesting, as being of unknown
geological date.
_10th._--On the morning of the 8th we left Holsteinborg with a pleasant
land wind and bright weather. When 15 miles off shore we were stopped by
ice formed during the last two nights, the thermometer having fallen to
12°; out in the offing the weather was gloomy and cold, and strong
northerly winds were blowing. On closing the land again, we regained the
off-shore wind, and bright weather.
{STOPPED BY THE ICE.}
Keeping close alongshore, and threading our way through a vast deal of
"pack" and numerous icebergs, we gained sight of Disco about noon
to-day, and by the evening were within an hour's sail of Godhavn, when
we were again stopped by a broad belt of ice stretching along the coast;
this was a bitter disappointment, more particularly as a gale of wind
with heavy sea was fast rising, and snow beginning to fall thickly;
there was nothing for it, however, but to stand off under easy sail for
the night.
{WHALEFISH ISLANDS.}
_12th._--At anchor at the Whalefish Islands. On the evening of the 10th
we stood off from the inhospitable barrier of ice, prepared to meet the
storm; snow fell so thickly that we could hardly see the icebergs in
time to avoid them. We supposed ourselves to be well to leeward of the
Whalefish Islands, but were deceived by the tides; suddenly a small, low
islet was seen on the lee bow; not being able to pass to windward, we
were obliged to wear ship, and, in doing so, passed within the ship's
length of destruction--for we were certainly within that distance of
the rocks! The islet was covered with snow, and but for some very few
dark points showing through, it could not be distinguished from ice. On
the 11th the weather improved, and in the evening we came to our present
anchorage. From a hill we can watch an opportunity to enter Godhavn.
Notwithstanding the blowing weather, some natives came about five miles
off to us; the water washed over their little _kayaks_, and kept the
occupants' seal-skin dresses streaming with wet up to their shoulders;
this part of their dress seems rather part of the kayak, as it is
attached to it round the hole in which the _kayaker_ sits, so that no
water can enter. It is wonderful to see how closely a man can assimilate
his habits to those of a fish.
The Danish cooper in charge of this out-station tells us there are
thirteen English whalers already out, and some of them have been up to
the north end of Disco; two vessels are in sight. The world, it appears,
is at peace. Petersen was at one time in charge of this station; he is
now seeking out his old acquaintances.
_14th._--Summer has suddenly burst upon us--thermometer up to 40°;
moreover, we are enjoying English newspapers, and have dined off roast
beef and vegetables!
{MEET THE WHALERS.}
Two days ago I sent a note off to a whaler by a kayak, requesting her
captain to lend me some newspapers; the note reached Captain J. Walker,
of the 'Jane,' and yesterday his ship, accompanied by the 'Heroine,'
Captain J. Simpson, approached us, and they both came in to call upon
me, each of them bringing the very acceptable present of some
newspapers, besides a quarter of beef, with vegetables. Nothing could
exceed their sincere good feeling and kindness; they offered to supply
me with anything their ships could afford. The account they give of last
season is as follows: the whalers reached Devil's Point, near Melville
Bay, as early as the 21st of May; southerly winds then set in, and blew
incessantly for six weeks, during all which time they were closely
beset, and the ships 'Gipsy' and 'Undaunted' were crushed. When able to
move, the fleet returned southward along the "pack-edge," which was
everywhere found to be impenetrable; they sailed southward of Disco, and
about the middle of July the earliest ships rounded the southern
extremity of middle ice in lat. 68-1/2°, and found no difficulty in
their further passage to Pond's Bay. Captain Walker says ships could not
have reached Lancaster Sound, as there was much ice north of Pond's Bay
which he thought extended quite across to Melville Bay.
{UNUSUAL POSITION OF ICE.}
The position of the ice last season was considered to be most unusual;
the long prevalence of southerly winds appeared to have separated the
tail of the pack from the main body, the former lying against the west
land about Cape Searle, whilst the latter was forced northward and
pressed closely into Melville Bay; the ships sailed freely between these
two great divisions, and found the west water unusually extensive.
Had I been able to collect a sufficient number of sledge-dogs at Godhavn
last year, it was my intention to have sailed across to the west side if
possible, instead of pursuing the usual route through Melville Bay; but
the opinions of the captains of the lost whalers were in favor of a
"Melville Bay" passage, and the necessity for obtaining dogs left me no
choice as to whether I should proceed west, or north to Proven and
Upernivik; I have already recorded what were my opinions _at the time_,
so need only observe _now_, that, although I failed, I believe my
decision was justified by all former experience, even independently of
the circumstances which obliged me to adopt it. Nevertheless it is
mortifying to find that ships had reached as far as Pond's Bay, and with
but little difficulty. Sir Edward Parry, upon his third voyage, did not
reach the west water until very late in the season, although some of the
whalers met with better success by following up another route.
{UNCERTAINTY OF ICE-NAVIGATION.}
There is nothing more uncertain than ice-navigation, dependent as it is
upon winds, temperatures, and currents: one can only calculate upon "the
chances," and how nearly we succeeded we have already seen. In the
preceding year (1856) some of the whalers got through Melville Bay as
early as the 15th June, only a few days after the commencement of the
summer's thaw. Captain Walker tells me there are many years in which the
whalers can pass up the western shore late in the season, but not always
so far as Pond's Bay; of Melville Bay after the 10th or 15th July they
know nothing, but the voyages of discovery afford us ample details;
whilst of the southern route almost nothing has been made publicly
known.
There are many intelligent whaling captains who possess much valuable
knowledge of these lands and seas, and even in the terra incognita of
Frobisher's Straits, whalers have wintered, whilst our charts scarcely
afford even a vague idea of the configuration of these extensive
islands. The so-called "Home Bay" has been penetrated for fifty miles,
and is supposed to be a strait leading to Fox's Furthest. Scott's Inlet
is also said to be a strait leading into a western arm of the same sea.
A surveying vessel would be usefully employed for a couple of summers in
tracing the general outline of these possessions of Her Majesty, more
particularly as they are rather thickly inhabited by Esquimaux most
eager to barter their produce for rifles, saws, files, knives, needles,
and such like articles. Good coal has been found upon Durbin Island
(near Cape Searle), in a convenient little cove upon its southern side;
and as the old sailing whalers are fast being replaced by steamers, this
place may become of great importance to them.
We are refitting, shooting, and devouring quantities of excellent
mussels; eider ducks are very abundant, but extremely shy. Poor puss has
been killed; tempted on deck by the unusually warm weather, she was
pounced upon by the dogs.
{DANISH HOSPITALITY.}
_17th._--Yesterday our attempt to enter the port of Godhavn failed, it
is still filled with ice. This evening Young and I examined a narrow
rocky cove--Upernivik Bay of the natives; finding it suitable for our
purpose, the ship was brought in and moored to the rocks. We were
received with much kindness by our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Olrik, and were
presented with a file of late English papers. A considerable supply of
beer was ordered to be brewed for us.
I found Mrs. Olrik without a fire in her sitting room; it was
unnecessary; the windows looked to the south, and the sun shone brightly
in upon a profusion of geraniums and European flowers, at once reminding
one of home, and refreshing the senses by their perfume and beauty; the
merry voices of the children were also a most pleasing novelty. Mr.
Olrik says the past winter has not been in any way remarkable, except
for the prevalence of strong winds; April and the early part of May have
been unusually cold.
{INTERCHANGE OF PRESENTS.}
_24th._--We did honor to Her Majesty's birthday by dressing the 'Fox' in
all her flags, and regaling her crew with plum-pudding and grog. The ice
having moved off, we have come into the harbor of Godhavn, as being more
convenient and safe. The day has been a busy one: we have completed our
small purchases and closed our letters; I have added another Esquimaux
lad to our crew, taking with him his rifle, kayak, and sledge. This
evening there has been a brisk interchange of presents between us and
our Danish friends. I have been given an eider-down coverlet by the
Governor, Mr. Andersen; and, by Mrs. Olrik, some delicious preserve of
Greenland cranberries, a tin of preserved ptarmigan, and a jar of
pickled whale-skin; my table is decked with European flowers, including
roses, mignonette, and violets.
With good reason shall we remember Godhavn; we have certainly been
treated as especial favorites.
{COALING.}
_26th._--Left Godhavn early yesterday morning, and anchored this
afternoon in our old position off the Coal Cliffs in the Waigat; a party
of seal-hunters from Atanekerdluk came off to us, and their hunting
having terminated successfully, they will assist us in coaling. From
these men I obtained much information about this part of the coast;
within a range of 20 miles upon the Disco shore there are four distinct
coaling places; but at this early season two of them are deeply covered
with snow. There is also very good coal at the S.E. end of Hare Island,
where it can be easily obtained. The ice in this strait broke up as long
ago as the 3rd April; it has all drifted out to the northward, only a
few icebergs now remain.
_28th._--Again hastening northward; the business of coaling was very
speedily and satisfactorily completed, but the quality of the coals is
very inferior. Upon the green slopes our sportsmen found nothing but a
few ptarmigan and a hare.
Shortly after running close past the deserted settlement of Noursoak, we
arrived off a small bay, and were startled by finding the water had
suddenly changed from transparent blue to a thick muddy color, but there
was no change in its depth; we were crossing the stream of "Makkaks
Elvin," or Clay River, which empties itself into the bay after running
through a broad and extensive valley, said to abound with reindeer; this
river has its origin in lakes and glaciers in the interior, and the
discoloration of the water is probably the chief cause of success in
white-whale fishing, which is carried on here in the autumn, as those
timid animals will not permit boats to approach them in clear water.
This evening we are crossing Omenak's Fiord, and the land-wind, which
here and all along the coast northwards blows from the N.E., has come
off to us.
{PROXIMITY OF THE WHALERS.}
_31st._--Lying fast to an iceberg off Upernivik.
The whalers are all within a dozen miles of us, unable to penetrate
further north. The season appears forward, and the ice much decayed; but
southerly winds prevail, retarding its disruption and removal. Captain
Parker, of the 'Emma,' tells me he does not expect to make a north
passage this year, and as his experience extends over a period of at
least thirty years, I give his reason; it is simply this,--that as
during the months of February, March, and April northerly winds
prevailed to an unusual degree, therefore southerly winds may now be
expected to continue; if he prove a prophet, it will be to our serious
hinderance at this critical season. Governor Fliescher says the winter
has been mild; there has been but little wind, and that chiefly from the
southward.
{JUNE, 1858.}
{KINDNESS OF THE WHALERS.}
_4th June._--We have received much kindness from our friends Captains
Parker and J. Simpson, as well as from others of the whaling fleet; the
former has generously supplied us with many things we were rather short
of, not only in ship's stores, but provisions and coals, and in return
I have of course furnished him with a receipt for his owners. Captain
Simpson has most handsomely presented the 'Fox' with a sail and yards,
which, after some slight alterations, will enable us to add a main
topsail to our spread of canvas. For the two days we lay at the iceberg,
alongside of the 'Emma,' I made furious attacks upon Captain Parker's
beefsteaks and porter; we amply availed ourselves of his hearty welcome.
By the arrival of the fine steam whaler 'Tay,' from Scotland, we have
received papers up to 17th April.
This morning we slowly steamed away from Upernivik, threading our way
betwixt islands, and ice, for about 30 miles, and now await further ice
movement before it will be possible to proceed.
These are called the Woman Islands, so named by the celebrated Arctic
explorer John Davis, who visited them in Queen Elizabeth's reign; he
found here only a few old women, their frightened lords and more active
juniors having effected their escape.
Upon one of these islands a stone was picked up some 30 years ago,
bearing a Runic inscription; it was sent home to Copenhagen as a most
interesting relic of the early Scandinavian voyagers; but nothing was on
it except the names of those men "who cleared this place" (or formed a
settlement), and the date, 1135. In all probability their sojourn was
extremely short, perhaps only for a single summer. The Esquimaux did
not make their appearance for nearly two centuries later.
{DANISH ESTABLISHMENTS.}
After Egede's settlement at Godhaab in 1721, the Danish trading
establishments gradually extended along the coast, and Upernivik was one
of them; but it appears to have been soon abandoned. During Napoleon's
wars all the Danish posts were withdrawn, as the British fleet
effectually cut off communication with Europe; but after peace was
restored in 1815, the trading posts were again resorted to, and a new
settlement formed near the ruins of the old one at Upernivik; it enjoys
pre-eminence as the most northern abode of civilized man.
CHAPTER VIII.
'Fox' nearly wrecked--Afloat, and push ahead--Arctic hairbreadth
escapes--Nearly caught in the pack--Shooting little auks--The Arctic
Highlanders--Cape York--Crimson snow--Struggling to the
westward--Reach the West-land--Off the entrance of Lancaster Sound.
{THE 'FOX' NEARLY WRECKED.}
_June 8th._--Yesterday morning we passed close outside Buchan Island; it
is small but lofty, its north side is almost precipitous, yet
notwithstanding this strong indication of deep water, a reef of rocks
lies about a mile off it. I happened to be aloft with the look-out-man
at half-past eight o'clock as we were steaming through a narrow lead in
the ice, when I saw a rock close ahead; it was capped with ice,
therefore was hardly distinguishable from the floating masses around;
the engines were stopped and reversed, but there was neither time nor
room to avoid the reef, which now extended on each side of us, and upon
which the ship's bow stuck fast whilst her stern remained in 36 feet
water; the tide had just commenced to fall, and all our efforts to haul
off from the rocks were ineffectual. The floes lay within 30 yards of us
upon each side. I feared their drifting down upon the ship and turning
her over; but fortunately it was perfectly calm, and as the tide
fell, points of the reef held them fast. The ship continued to fall over
to starboard; at dead low water her inclination was 35°; the water
covered the starboard gunwale from the mainmast aft, and reached almost
up to the after hatchway; at this time the slightest shake must have
caused her to fall over upon her side, when she would have instantly
filled and sunk. The dogs, after repeated ineffectual attempts to lie
upon the deck, quietly coiled themselves up upon such parts of the lee
gunwale as remained above water and went to sleep.
[Illustration: The 'Fox' on a Rock near Buchan Island.]
To me the moments seemed lengthened out beyond anything I could have
imagined; but at length the water began to rise, and the ship to resume
her upright position. Boats, anchors, hawsers, etc., were got on board
again with the utmost alacrity, and the ship floated off unhurt after
having been eleven hours upon the reef. We had grounded during the day
tide and were floated off by the night tide, which upon this coast
occasions a much greater rise and fall,--so far we were favored, but the
poor little 'Fox' had a very narrow escape; as for ourselves, there was
not the slightest cause for apprehension, three steam whalers being
within signal distance.
{AFLOAT, AND PUSH AHEAD.}
To-day we are steaming along after the three vessels which passed us
last evening and disappeared round Cape Shackleton during the night.
The contrast between our prospects yesterday and to-day fills one with
delight,--to be afloat and advancing unobstructedly once more is indeed
charming.
_11th._--On the afternoon of the 8th we joined the steamers 'Tay,'
Captain Deuchars; 'Chase,' Captain Gravill, sen.; and 'Diana,' Gravill,
jun. After repeated ice-detentions, we have reached Duck Island. Captain
Deuchars says there is every prospect of an early north passage; we have
had several conversations about the Pond's Bay natives, and their
reports of ships, wrecks, and Europeans. There appears to be not only
great difficulty, but also uncertainty, in arriving at their meaning; to
form an idea of the time elapsed since an event, or the distance to the
spot where it occurred, is a still harder task. I look forward to our
visit at Pond's Bay with greatly increased interest.
{ARCTIC HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES.}
In August, 1855, when Captain Deuchars was crossing through the middle
ice, in latitude 70°, he found part of a steamer's topmast embedded in
heavy ice; he also saw the moulded form of a ship's side, and thinks the
latter must have sunk; the portion of the topmast visible was sawed off
and taken to England. It is most probable that the vessel was either
H.M.S. 'Intrepid' or 'Pioneer,' as two months later, and 250 miles
further south, the 'Resolute' was picked up. About two or three years
ago, Captain Deuchars lost his ship 'Princess Charlotte,' in Melville
Bay. It was a beautiful morning; they had almost reached the North
Water, and were anticipating a very successful voyage; the steward had
just reported breakfast ready, when Captain Deuchars, seeing the floes
closing together ahead of the ship, remained on deck to see her pass
safely between them, but they closed too quickly; the vessel was
_almost_ through, when the points of ice caught her sides abreast of the
mizenmast, and, passing through, held the wreck up for a few minutes,
barely long enough for the crew to escape and save their boats! Poor
Deuchars thus suddenly lost his breakfast and his ship; within _ten
minutes_ her royal yards disappeared beneath the surface. How closely
danger besets the Arctic cruiser, yet how insidiously; everything looks
so bright, so calm, so still, that it requires positive experience to
convince one that ice only a very few inches, perhaps only three or four
inches, _above water_, perfectly level, and moving extremely slow, could
possibly endanger a strong vessel! The 'Princess Charlotte' was a very
fine, strong ship, and her captain one of the most experienced Arctic
seamen. He now commands the finest whaler in the fleet.
{SUPPLY OF PROVISIONS.}
_14th._--We have only advanced a few miles to the northward. The steamer
'Innuit' has joined our small steam squadron. Captain Sutter left
Scotland only a month ago: he has very kindly and promptly sent us a
present of newspapers and potatoes. Captain Deuchars has also been good
enough to supply us with some potatoes and porter, perhaps the most
serviceable present he could have made us after our long subsistence
upon salt and preserved meats.
_10th._--Once more alone in Melville Bay. The 'Innuit' and 'Chase'
steamed much too fast for us, and the last of the four vessels, the
'Tay,' parted from us in a thick fog yesterday. We have come close along
the edge of the fixed ice, passing about six miles outside of the Sabine
Islands, and are advancing as opportunities offer. This morning the man
who was stationed to watch a nip about a quarter of a mile ahead of the
ship, came running back, pursued by three bears--a mother with her
half-grown cubs. I suppose they followed him chiefly because he ran from
them; and at all events they were very close up before he reached the
ship. Another bear was seen about the same time, but none of them came
within shot. Rotchies (or little auks) are very abundant. Seals are
occasionally shot. I ate some boiled seal to-day, and found it good:
this is the first time I have eaten positive _blubber_; all scruples
respecting it henceforth vanish.
{NEARLY CAUGHT IN THE PACK.}
_25th._--The land-ice broke away inshore of the 'Fox' on the 19th or
20th, and we found ourselves drifting southward amongst extensive fields
of ice. Sad experience has already shown us how absolutely powerless
our small craft is under such circumstances. But after many attempts we
regained the edge of the fast ice this morning, and steamed merrily
along it towards Bushnan Island. When within a few miles a nip brought
us to a standstill: here five or six icebergs lie encompassed by
land-ice, and apparently aground; one of them juts out and has caught
the point of an immense field of ice. There is some slight movement in
the latter, but not enough to let us pass through.
Twelve or eighteen miles to the south there is a cluster of bergs, in
all probability aground upon our "70 fathom bank" of last September. The
ice-field appears to rest against them, as both to the east and west
there is much clear water. Exactly at this spot Captain Penny was
similarly detained by a nip in August, 1850. Although progress is denied
to us at present, yet it is an unspeakable relief to have got out of the
drifting ice.
{ARCTIC PERPLEXITIES.}
I have passed very many anxious days in Melville Bay, but hardly any of
them weighed so heavily upon me as yesterday. There was the broad, clear
_land-water_ within a third of a mile of me, clear weather, and a fair
breeze blowing. The intervening nip worked sufficiently with wind and
tide to keep one in suspense; it _nearly_ opened at high water, but
closed again with the ebb tide. I thought of the week already spent in
struggling amongst drifting floes, and was haunted by visions of
everything horrible--gales, ice-crushing, etc. Nor was it consoling to
reflect that all the sailing ships as well as the steamers might have
actually slipped past us. In fact, I must acknowledge that anxiety and
weariness had worked me up into a state of burning impatience and of
bitter chagrin at being so repeatedly baffled in all my efforts by the
varying yet continual perplexities of our position. The only difference
in favor of our prospects over those of the past year consisted in our
having arrived here two months earlier; but the importance of this
difference is incalculable.
The opportunities afforded by the delays to which we have been subjected
were turned, however, to some account. Nearly one thousand rotchies were
shot; they are excellent eating; their average weight is four ounces and
a half, but when prepared for the table they probably do not yield more
than three ounces each. A young bear imprudently swam up to the ship,
and was shot,--his skin fell to the sportsman, and carcase to the dogs.
Several others have been seen: we watched one fellow surprise a seal
upon the ice, and carry it about in his mouth as a cat does a mouse.
{THE ARCTIC HIGHLANDERS.}
_27th._--Lying fast to the ice off the Crimson Cliffs of Sir John Ross.
Yesterday we succeeded in passing through the nip, and by evening
reached Cape York. Seeing natives running out upon the land-ice, the
ship was made fast for an hour in order to communicate with them. A
party of eight men came on board: they immediately recognized Petersen,
for they lived at Etah in Smith's Sound when he was there in the
American expedition. They asked for Dr. Kane, and told us Hans was
married and living in Whale Sound. They all said he was most anxious to
return to Greenland, but had neither sledge-dogs nor kayak; hunger had
compelled him to eat the seal-skin which covered the framework of the
latter. Petersen gave them messages for Hans from his Greenland friends,
and advice that he should fix his residence here, where he might see the
whalers and perhaps be taken back to Greenland. The natives did not seem
to be badly off for anything except dogs, some distemper having carried
off most of these indispensable animals. I was therefore unable to
procure any from them. These people spent the winter here; they seemed
healthy, well-clad, and happy little fellows. One of them is
brother-in-law to Erasmus York, who voluntarily came to England in the
'Assistance' in 1851. This man is an _angekok_, or magician; he has a
still flatter face than the rest of his countrymen, but appears more
thoughtful and intelligent.
Petersen pointed out to me a stout old fellow, with a tolerable
sprinkling of beard and moustache. This worthy perpetrated the only
murder which has taken place for several years in the tribe: he disliked
his victim and stood in need of his dogs, therefore he killed the owner
and appropriated his property! Such motives and passions usually govern
the "unsophisticate
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