Part 13

“Repulse Harbor Depot, June 13, 1876.—Three of us have returned from my camp, half a mile south, to fetch the remainder of the provisions. D—— has failed altogether this morning. Jones is much worse, and can’t last more than two or three days. Craig is nearly helpless. Therefore we can’t hope to reach Polaris Bay without assistance. Two men can’t do it. So will go as far as we can and live as long as we can. God help us! (Signed) “L. A. Beaumont.”

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

Chilled through, Lockwood now continued along the coast to the west, following the ice-foot under a grand line of cliffs. After a while, they came to a narrow break or cleft in the cliffs, the gateway of a small mountain-torrent. It was like a winding and dark alley in a city, with vertical sides rising to the height of several hundred feet. Entering it, they presently came to an immense snow-drift, probably fifty or more feet high and filling up the gorge like a barricade, with another a little beyond. They returned to the sledge, thoroughly satisfied that Beaumont never went through that place. About seven they came to what seemed to be the “Gap Valley” of the English, a wide, broad valley, extending due south about three miles to a ravine. They therefore turned off from the coast and followed it, encountering a good deal of deep snow and bare, stony spots. At 11 A. M. they camped in the ravine near its head, thoroughly tired out. They now had only one day’s food left, and it behooved them to make Boat Camp in another march, even though fifty miles off. Advanced seventeen miles in eleven hours. The dogs for several days had been on short allowance, and during their sleep tore open the bag of specimen rocks and stones, but fortunately did not chew them up as they had done the cartridges.

Getting off at 3.29 and crossing the table-land, they struck a narrow gorge running precipitately down to Newman’s Bay. At its head was a mountainous drift of snow, which they descended on the run; then came a number of smaller drifts, completely blocking up the gorge, over which they had to lower the sledge by hand. Near the bay, they discovered a singular snow-cave one hundred feet long, and occupying the entire bed of the stream, arched through its whole length by beautiful ribs of snow, from which depended delicate snow-crystals. The entrance was quite small, but inside, the roof was far above their heads. They lost sight of its picturesqueness in the thought of its fitness for the burrow of a sledge-party. This brought them on the smooth surface of the bay, with familiar landmarks before and around them—Cape Sumner, Cape Beechy, and far in the distance, Distant Point and the land near Franklin Bay. Looking back at the ravine from the bay, Lockwood felt sure no one would ever take this little, insignificant, narrow gully for the route of a sledge-party, and that no one traveling this, or the one they took going out, would ever take either again in preference to going round Cape Brevoort. They delayed along the shore of the bay almost an hour, leisurely building a cairn and viewing the scenery, and then going on, reached the farther side at eight o’clock, making their last final retreat of ten miles in five hours and a half. There was the whale-boat, and pitched alongside it, anchored down by stones and held by ropes, the six-man tent of the supporting party. Inside were Sergeants Lynn and Ralston, and Corporal Ellison, fast asleep. Lockwood had told Lynn to send back to Conger three of his party on reaching Boat Camp. The remaining three awaited his return. The work of pitching tent woke up the other party, and soon they heard the sound of the Polaris fog-horn (picked up near by), and saw three heads projecting from the tent, whose owners gave them a warm welcome, as well they might, after awaiting their return nearly a month at this place, the dreariest of all in that dreary region. The remaining stores were ransacked for a big feast, without regard to the rations. Corned and boiled beef, canned potatoes and beans, butter, milk, and canned peaches, made a meal fit for a king or for gods that had just experienced an Arctic sledge-journey. The monotonous life of these men had been varied only by a visit from two bears, and the arrival of Dr. Pavy—sent by Lieutenant Greely with some rations.

The news from the station was that Dr. Pavy with Sergeant Rice and Esquimaux Jans had got only as far as Cape Joseph Henry, when they were stopped by open water. Lockwood had taken it for granted that the doctor would attain Markham’s latitude and excel his own. Lieutenant Greely had been west from Fort Conger on a trip of twelve days in the mountains, and had discovered a large lake with a river flowing out of it, which had no ice on its surface—something very wonderful. The vegetation had also shown a much milder atmosphere than anywhere else in these latitudes. Numerous Esquimaux relics had been found, and many musk-oxen seen.

Turning their backs on the Boat Camp, and with many loud blasts on the Polaris fog-horn, they started at 11.25 P. M. for Fort Conger.

The snow along the snow-slopes was badly drifted, but with so many to help, they got along without much delay and soon reached Cape Sumner. They found the rubble-ice south of that point worse than before, and here and there were little pools of water. The weather was very thick, the wind blowing and snow falling, and the farther side of the straits completely hidden, so that they went _via_ the Gap, but there had to leave the shore and direct their course as well as possible by compass. Presently they could see neither shore, and got into a mass of rubble-ice, mixed with soft snow-drifts. Lynn and party (Ralston and Ellison) had not traveled any for so long that they began to get very much fatigued, and could not keep up with the sledge. They had not slept since the arrival at the Boat Camp, owing to the excitement of the occasion. The driving snow hurt their eyes, and they were a very sorry party. However, they kept on, and finally came in sight of the west coast, and some hours afterward, finding good floes to travel over, a little before noon reached the “tent on the straits”—about five miles from Cape Beechy—Ellison and Ralston completely exhausted.

_En route_ again, they spread the American flag on a long pole and carried it thus till they reached the station. At the snow-house, where they remained some hours to rest and get something to eat, they found Ellis and Whistler, who had come up from Fort Conger to look out for the party.

All found their eyes more or less affected excepting Frederick. Ralston’s were so bad that he was sent on in advance, led by Ellis. He walked almost the whole way with his eyes closed. Lynn held on to the upstanders of the sledge, and thus found his way.

On the first day of June, Ralston and Lynn went in advance, led by Ellis and Ellison. They could not see at all, and, as their guides carried the guns and each had his man made fast by a strap, they looked very much like a party of prisoners. At Watercourse Bay they met Lieutenant Greely, who had come out to meet them, and was well satisfied with the result of the expedition, and soon after they reached Fort Conger.

Lieutenant Lockwood not only received many hearty congratulations from his companions, but even the weather, as if in sympathy with the general gladness, became bright and cheerful. The important business of working out the latitude that had been attained was now proceeded with. Efforts were made to verify the prismatic compass which was serviceable, but had a limited range. Much of the ground around the station was bare of snow, and, as the temperature was rising rapidly, Lockwood felt as if he would like to be off again on a wild tramp. When he said something about certain sledge operations in the future, Greely replied, “If you are content to go, I will give you all the help I can.”

XIII. WAITING AND WATCHING.

To a man of Lockwood’s character, the return to the station did not mean that idleness was to be the order of the day, and while yet suffering from rheumatic pains in his back, shoulders, legs, feet, and joints, he began to mark out a trip for himself through Lady Franklin Bay. In the mean time, some of the men were off trying to obtain fresh meat, Frederick killing a hare and Jans a seal weighing over five hundred pounds. Kislingbury amused himself with a pet owl, which delighted him with a present of eggs. On the 9th of June, the people at the station celebrated the birthday of their companion Long by a good dinner, and on the following day Lockwood, accompanied by his friends Brainard and Frederick, started with a dog-train for his proposed tramp. They made their first halts at Basil Norris Bay and at Sun Bay, and traveling over a level bed of what had once been a fiord, thence passed on to Stony Point, and then to Miller’s Island, where they encamped. Although they saw a number of seals, they succeeded in killing only a couple of hares and a brace of brants. Their next stopping-place was Keppel’s Head, the route being very wet, in fact, almost a continuous lake. Having nothing to wear but his moccasins, Lockwood’s feet were saturated three minutes after starting, and became so cold that he thought they would freeze. The pools were sometimes so deep as to wet the load on the sledge. However, the dogs made good time, and they reached Keppel’s Head at 11 P. M. Here the traveling became much better, and they were able to avoid a good many of the pools.

Passing Keppel’s Head, they kept a sharp lookout for Hillock Depot, where Lieutenant Archer, R. N., had left a large number of rations. They searched for some time before finding any signs, but finally found the _cache_, and near by some pieces of United States hard bread, and a little bag of American tea. This was interesting, as proving that to have been the farthest that Long attained, although he claimed to have reached the head of the fiord. The unpleasant task then devolved on Lockwood of taking him down a peg or two. Lieutenant Archer was a week reaching this place, Hillock Depot, half-way up the fiord, which is about sixty miles long. The scenery is grand. High cliffs, generally nearly vertical, ran along the shores everywhere. Whenever they looked inland they saw a lofty mass of snow-covered mountains. All this was so common, however, in all the region, that it was only when _new_ that it was appreciated. Lockwood and Brainard had a good laugh at Long’s expense, and then turned into the two-man summer sleeping-bag, made of two blankets, trimmed off so as to weigh no more than necessary, and inclosed in another bag of light canvas. Their breakfast consisted of corned beef, baked beans, tea, hard bread, and butter—a very fine repast. Lockwood and Brainard both thought that this kind of traveling did not pay on a “picnic” excursion, but, as they had started to go to the head of the fiord, they did not like to turn back. The ice promised to be worse on their return, and this, and Lockwood’s lame foot, and the lameness of one of the dogs, decided him to return. Leaving camp on return, they soon reached Keppel’s Head, and afterward Basil Norris Bay, where they camped, and decided to remain a day or two and have a hunt for musk-oxen. Mud, water, and “sludge,” as well as Lockwood’s lameness, proved a drawback to his success; but Frederick returned from his tramp, bringing along a quarter of a musk-ox, having killed two and wounded a third, he said. They seemed to have cost two dozen cartridges, and he had probably stood off at a distance and bombarded them.

Brainard returned after him. He had been up the vale as far as the lake, and had seen a few geese and a rabbit. He brought back a “skua” bird and some Esquimaux relics; had seen several circles of stone, marking the summer camps of these people, and picked up a good many bones, etc. All had something to eat, when the two started out with the dog-team for the musk-oxen killed by Frederick. Then came on a heavy rain, lasting for several hours, while the snow and ice were fast disappearing. This was the first rain they had seen in the country.

During their absence from the station, to which they returned with their game, seven musk-oxen had been killed and four calves caught alive. The men had had an exciting time. The animals formed a hollow square with the calves inside, and did some charging before they were all down.

The calves had been put in a pen a short distance from the house, were very tame, and it was supposed little difficulty would be found in raising them. They ate almost anything.

On the 17th, Lockwood expressed his feelings as follows: “I find myself oppressed with _ennui_, caused, I suppose, by the present monotonous existence following the activity of my life since the early spring.”

On the 22d of June, a “turn-stone” (a bird of the snipe species) and two or three ducks were shot. The little stream back of the house was babbling along at a great rate, the snow fast disappearing. Temperature 44°, which was about as high as it was likely to be, the sun having reached its greatest northern declination, and the temperature not having gone above this during the previous August.

On the 24th, Lieutenant Greely and a party left for Hazen Lake and beyond, to visit the western coast of the country if possible. In the mean time, the dogs having attacked the young musk-oxen, came near killing one of them. The dog King and two others were found on top of “John Henry,” the smallest of the calves, and, but for Frederick happening to see them and going to the rescue, “John Henry” would soon have surrendered his ghost.

During a walk on the 28th, Lockwood found North Valley River quite full, and rushing along like a mountain-torrent. Open water-pools were numerous near the shore. Had a fine view from Cairn Hill, two thousand feet high, seeing extensive lanes of open water toward Petermann’s Fiord. Weather delightful.

On the 1st of July they had the second rain of the season, and Lockwood was gloomy; existence extremely monotonous; he was almost ashamed to confess how “blue” he felt. Ducks and other fowl brought in almost daily; also Esquimaux relics frequently brought in. Men arrived from Lieutenant Greely’s party on Lake Hazen and reported all well there. He had found many interesting relics, and had seen large droves of musk-oxen—between two and three hundred—in Black Vale. On the 4th the men at the station celebrated the day by displays of flags, shooting and other matches, and a base-ball game. They succeeded in getting the Lady Greely afloat, and Cross repaired pipes found to be out of order. They found that the flies were blowing their fresh meat badly. Fearing that it might be lost, it was ordered to be served more frequently. Long and Ellis, who had returned from St. Patrick’s Bay, reported it as open.

Lieutenant Greely and party returned on the 10th from Lake Hazen. They had a good view westward for fifty miles from a mountain four thousand feet high; saw no sea, but many glaciers. Found a large river entering the lake at its southwestern extremity.

Lockwood took the launch down to Dutch Island, giving all the men an excursion. But for entertainments of this sort he was afraid he should forget how to talk. The officers often went through a meal without exchanging a word; so also through the day. He could not say who was in fault.

Loose ice was still filling the harbor and bay—paleocrystic floes that had floated in.

Brainard and Cross brought in eleven ducks killed at Breakwater Point, having to swim in order to get them.

Weather now mild, ice in harbor much broken up, and channel outside open. Lieutenant Greely thought there was every reason for expecting a relief-ship soon. It was very desirable on many accounts that she should come. A false alarm of her approach created great excitement. Some one said he saw her smoke in the distance.

The hunters brought in ducks or other game almost daily. A weasel was shot near the house—a beautiful little animal, yellow with black tail. Dead wolves were sometimes found—probably those poisoned in the winter. Brainard, Cross, and Ellis returned from Beechy, where they killed three musk-oxen, two dozen geese, and some ducks.

Lockwood occupied himself on his maps of the Greenland coast, adding pictures of scenery from sketches taken _en route_.

Jans, desiring to capture seals, tried to approach them by interposing a cotton screen. But the seal had too much sense to wait for him, and slipped off the ice into the water.

On the 31st, Lockwood measured some ice-floes aground in the harbor, finding them to be fourteen feet thick. He had seen many on his northern trip which, by Nares’s rule of one seventh above water, would have been thirty-five to forty-five feet thick. Of course, these were paleocrystic floes, the accumulation of years.

On the 7th of August, Lockwood went with Lieutenant Greely and a party in the launch to Cape Lieber, finding the bay very free from ice. Left near the cape some provisions for use in case of having to retreat next year in boats, a subject which, from the non-arrival of the ship, was then agitated. They got many Esquimaux relics. The straits away down as far as Franklin Island and Cape Constitution, as seen from an elevation, were free from ice. They could see nothing to prevent the ship from coming. Returned in the evening, landing at Proteus Point, because a large floe-berg had floated in during their absence and occupied their harbor.

Lieutenant Greely did not expect the ship before the 15th. Many eyes were daily fixed on the bold profile of Cape Lieber, from behind whose rocky face she must emerge, if she came at all.

On the 13th, Lockwood, with Brainard, Lynn, Cross, Ralston, and Fredericks, started in the launch on an excursion up Lady Franklin Bay to the head of Archer Fiord, having in tow the boat Valorous with Rice and crew as far as Musk-ox Bay. There they left Rice and his boat and proceeded up the Archer Fiord, somewhat annoyed by scattered ice and by some large bergs which they had to go around. They had not gone far up the fiord before they saw, on a gentle slope of the southern shore, a herd of musk-oxen grazing a few hundred yards from the water. Though strategy was employed to approach without being seen, the herd took the alarm and scampered over the hills which terminated the slope. Lynn, anticipating this, had gone some way up these heights, but the animals by a _détour_ avoided him and soon passed over the crest of the heights. The slope along there was sufficiently gentle to afford foothold to grass and willows, and thus presented a landscape charming to those who had gazed on little other than rocks and ice for so many months. Seeing two other oxen some time after, near a steep hill overlooking a rocky gorge, Lockwood, Brainard, and Frederick went for them, Fredericks approaching in front, and Lockwood and Brainard, by a flank movement, cutting off retreat. This resulted in the slaying of both animals. But how to get them to the launch was the question, as they were then a mile inland. Finally, cutting off the heads, they gave the bodies an impetus down-hill. They went from steep to steep like comets, leaving clouds of dust behind. Once or twice they lodged on steps or terraces, from which they were dislodged, thence to renew their journey downward. Afterward several other musk-oxen and some ptarmigans were shot, thus providing abundant food for all hands, with a large surplus to carry back to the station.

As they progressed up the fiord, the scenery became more and more grand and interesting. A glacier was seen some distance inland, at the head of a stream bordered by vertical cliffs curiously colored and of fantastic shapes. One pinnacle was apparently surmounted by an old dilapidated castle. Though the fiord was not wide at Bulley’s Lump, nor the cliffs very high, yet they encountered a furious wind, as though blowing vertically. Toward the head of the fiord, they saw numerous ducks and flocks of geese on shore, apparently overcome by the force of the wind. Many of these they added to their abundant stores. Here, too, they found Esquimaux relics, indicating the abodes of men long years ago—circles of stones, very old; also pieces of drift-wood, whence coming they marveled. Reaching the head of the fiord, where the water became shallow, they landed, spread their sleeping-bags on the rocks, and made amends for their twenty-five hours’ want of sleep.

Waking up, they found that the receding tide had left them high and dry by one quarter of a mile. This rendered Lockwood very uneasy, and induced him to give up his intended journey of half a dozen miles into the interior. He went, however, a mile or so inland, and from a height saw a lake, and several miles above it a glacier, apparently very large. Vast cliffs, three thousand feet high, bordered the valley or ravine he followed, and beyond these were snow and ice clad summits of vast elevation. Yet here, in this desolate region, were seen proofs of the abode of man—circles of stones covered with lichens, a proof of their antiquity. Here, also, he found the hip-bone of some immense mammal, and afterward added it to his museum. He returned to the launch near the time of high tide, and after lightening, they got the launch into deep water, with much labor, but greatly to their relief. On their return they visited Record Point, left a short account of their visit, and copied that of Lieutenant Archer. He had explored this fiord in 1876, occupying one month, but they did it in sixty-nine hours. He traveled with sledges and a supporting party—they with a steam-launch, all being on board. Their coal getting low, they made few other stops _en route_ except to pick up their meat and game, returning direct to the station. The result of the expedition, as to game, was, twelve musk-oxen, three hares, twenty-four geese, thirty-six turn-stones, six knots, three terns, and twenty ptarmigans. Distance made, going and returning, one hundred and forty miles. Long and others killed numbers of musk-oxen during their absence, so that they now had on hand about eight thousand pounds of fresh beef. Another musk-ox was killed, soon after their return, in full view of the house, and thus four hundred and thirty pounds were added to their stock. This was the eightieth musk-ox shot since their arrival, the year before. They had a good view of the bay and straits, both of which seemed open, offering no obstacle whatever to the passage of the ship. They were all very much disappointed at her non-appearance.