Part 14

Lieutenant Greely, wanting Howgate’s Fiord explored and surveyed, and Dr. Pavy wishing to make an excursion from Cape Baird, Lockwood, on the 21st, left in the launch, with Rice, Cross, Lynn, Fredericks, Snyder, and Israel, and with Dr. Pavy and Ellison as passengers, to land the doctor on the south shore, and thence proceed westward to Howgate’s Fiord. Following a lead westward, they finally found open water, which enabled them to reach the south shore of the bay some five miles above Cape Baird, where they landed the doctor and Ellison, with their rations, etc. In crossing the open water, they had strong south winds, and heavy seas which boarded the launch and washed her from stem to stern. Though much strengthened against ice, when heavily laden she sat too near the water to be a comfortable sea-boat. Thence they proceeded to Miller Island, where they had smooth water, and were enabled to cook their food and enjoy an excellent meal. They found much ice in Howgate’s Fiord, yet, after trying to kill a musk-ox seen on shore, made their way to Ida Bay, at its head, and proceeded to the north shore, for Israel to lay out his base-line and take angles, and Rice to take photographs of prominent objects. While they were so doing, the others started in pursuit of a musk-ox some distance from the shore. The animal, seeing them, went up the valley at a rapid rate, leaving behind him so strong a musk odor as to mark his wake as distinctly by the smell as that of a steamboat is marked by the eye. Lockwood abandoned the chase for other duties, but the men kept on, and afterward brought in the animal’s carcass. These having returned, and Israel and Rice having finished their work, all proceeded toward a very high, and conspicuous promontory, marking the entrance to the bay, which Lieutenant Greely wished Lockwood to ascend, and afterward go up the northern arm of the fiord; but they were unable to do either, having been brought to a full stop in the narrow channel by an immense floe of old ice. They therefore returned out of this _cul-de-sac_ to the south shore, where Israel wanted to take other angles. Here they found traces of Esquimaux habitations—meat _caches_, and various bone implements, all very old. Thence, _via_ Miller’s Cape, they made their way to Stony Cape, not, however, without great difficulty because of moving ice, which sometimes forced them too close to the island, and compelled them to make _détours_. The weather threatening, they did not stop to take other angles, but crossed to the head of the bay, near the Bellows, and cast anchor; and, while the others slept, Lockwood walked up the Bellows in quest of game, but saw none.

The vegetation was just sufficient to remind him of the glorious trees and grasses of another zone far, far away. Still, with all its desolation, Lockwood thought it a very picturesque region, and that perhaps the moon, to one on its surface, presents a similar aspect. They left for the station on the 25th, encountering much ice all the way. Off Cape Clear it whirled about in such a manner as to threaten to crush the launch. At one time a large piece of ice—larger than the launch itself—was caught between the moving pack and the grounded ice and thrown up into the air fifteen feet. Finally, they reached the station, sadly disappointed not to see the masts of the hoped-for ship. They could not divine the reason for her non-appearance. Dr. Pavy thought that it never started, for want of an appropriation. Lieutenant Greely thought otherwise. It looked then as though they would have to retreat in boats during the next summer, and might fail to meet the ship in the channel; or, on reaching Littleton Island, find she had not been there, and then undoubtedly all of them would perish.

A fine salmon-trout of three pounds and three quarters was caught in a net about this time, and, while Rice tried to obtain more, Brainard went to Depot “B” on a hunt for musk-oxen and other game.

On the 26th, Lockwood went across Lady Franklin Bay in the launch after Dr. Pavy. Saw many seals, but failed to secure any. Found the doctor and Ellison awaiting them, forlorn enough. They had reached Carl Ritter Bay, seen musk-oxen, and discovered some lakes. Lockwood left more stores over the bay, and returned through much ice. It was pleasant to see how readily the launch cut through the young ice then forming in the midst of falling snow.

On the 28th, Lieutenant Greely, desiring some further exploration up Ella Bay, and inland from its head, Lockwood and a select party made several attempts in the launch to accomplish it; but the young ice was forming so rapidly, there was so much pack-ice, and the snow was obscuring the atmosphere so badly, that Lieutenant Greely, after some hesitation, decided they had better not go, and, instead, requested them to take the long-boat Valorous to Cape Baird and leave her there, and then lay up the steam-launch for the winter.

This they attempted to do, but, on reaching Dutch Island, had to give it up, as the entire harbor, bay, and straits were full of drifting ice, many of the floes standing five feet out of water. The launch having been left at anchor near the island, the next morning Lieutenant Greely ordered all hands down to the island to rescue her from impending peril. They found her very much careened and half full of water. She had been anchored in shoal water, and, heeling over at ebb-tide, had filled at the next flood. Fortunately, no harm was done to the boat, which might yet prove to be their salvation, and should be got into safe winter quarters, as that season was evidently already setting in. It was after this boat excitement that Lockwood indulged in these reflections: “I find myself constantly reading over old letters brought with me and received at St. John’s, though read before again and again. The effect is depressing, bringing too strongly into view home and the dear ones there. I am oppressed with _ennui_ and low spirits, and can’t shake off this feeling, partly induced by the cruel disappointment of _no ship_.”

Subsequently he wrote, “Have been reading of Kane and his travels. He is my _beau idéal_ of an Arctic traveler. How pitiful that so bold a spirit was incased in so feeble a frame! Why is Nature inconsistent? In the Arctic his health seems to have been fair. He of all his advance party escaped the scurvy. It was his spirit, doubtless, that kept him up. Hayes does not compare with him. Though beautifully written, there is an air of exaggeration about Hayes’ book, which destroys its interest. Doctor Pavy, who has hitherto been the advocate of Hayes, since his return from Carl Ritter Bay seems to have changed his mind about him, and now agrees with Greely and me that Hayes never reached Cape Lieber. To have done so, he must have performed in part of his journey ninety-six miles in fourteen hours—an impossibility.

“The life we are now leading is somewhat similar to that of a prisoner in the Bastile: no amusements, no recreations, no event to break the monotony or dispel _ennui_. I take a long walk every day along shore to North Valley with that view, study French a little, or do some tailoring, now doubly necessary, as our supply of clothing is getting low. Our stock of reading matter, unfortunately, is limited except in Arctic books. One must live up here within himself, and is unfortunate if dependent on others for happiness. The others are as moody as I am—Greely sometimes, Kislingbury always, and as to the doctor, to say he is not congenial is to put it in a very mild way indeed. But why not study? Well, the atmosphere is not conducive to it. I must go on another sledge-journey to dispel this gloom. Lieutenant Greely was thinking of sending me to Lake Hazen to continue his explorations, but thinks the snow too deep. I will make a trip to the Bellows, and follow up the cañon at its head.

“The hilarity in the other room is in marked contrast to the gloom in this. For several days the skating on the young ice of the harbor, now three inches thick, has afforded pleasure to the men. Israel broke in some distance from shore, and, being unable to get out by himself, would have perished but for the aid of others who saw him after he had been in the cold water fifteen minutes. Biederbick is constantly chaffed by the men for his persistent gunning expeditions, from which he always returns empty-handed. He takes everything seriously, and hence resents with warmth any insinuations against Germany, particularly if his own little principality of Waldeck be assailed. Biederbick tried to poison some foxes, and boasted of his plans. A fox having been caught by some one else and killed, Henry placed the body near Biederbick’s poison, first placing within its mouth a paper stating (as though written by the fox) how and where he met his death. Soon after Biederbick inspected his poison, and finding the fox, brought him home in triumph. Henry gravely declared the fox had not been poisoned, much to Biederbick’s amazement. They proceeded to examine the fox, and Henry pulled from its throat the certificate that had been placed there. The men around laughed at Biederbick’s expense, and he wilted.”

The foregoing allusion to Dr. Kane can not but be read with special interest, as it gives one an insight into the noble character of Lockwood, who had the heart to appreciate a man like the discoverer of Grinnell Land. Both, indeed, were men of rare and exalted qualities, whose memories will always be treasured with respect and affection by the whole American people.

An effort was made under Lieutenant Kislingbury to raise, from calves caught, a herd of tame musk-oxen. They became very docile and tractable, even to the extent of hauling in teams. The chief difficulty was to keep the dogs from them. One of these calves was seriously wounded by them, and was therefore killed. It was rumored that its meat would be served for dinner, and some of the men, to carry out the joke, hung the quarters on the meat-rack near the house. When other meat was served for dinner, Fredericks, who had cared for the calf and named it John Henry, ate nothing—very proper conduct for a man of feeling and a hater of jokes.

Lockwood frequently went to the observatory with Israel to get some insight into the workings of the magnetic instruments. On “term-day,” the instruments were read every five minutes during the twenty-four hours, and for one hour every twenty seconds. “Poets write of the constancy of the magnetic needle,” said Lockwood, “while in fact it is the most inconstant thing known. Not only does it vary yearly, but monthly, daily, hourly, yea, every minute and second. Here the magnetic disturbances are very pronounced, and at times the magnetic needle is apparently almost beside itself. The aurora, too, has frequently a very noticeable effect upon it.”

It was now becoming a matter for discussion that, should they be so unfortunate as to have to spend a third winter in this region, they would have to live on salt meat and hard bread. Dr. Pavy said they were already getting short of many articles of food, and of some they were entirely out—short of sugar and also of candles and foot-gear, of the latter, only a few pairs of cork-soled boots, unfitted for use in these parts, remaining. Lockwood felt that he would rather take any risks in boats than stay there another winter.

The weather, which had been variable, having settled calm and clear, Lockwood started on his proposed sledge trip up the “Bellows” with Jewell, the Esquimaux Frederick, and an eight-dog team. Having young ice most of the way and no load, they made rapid progress to the tent at Basil Norris Bay. The dogs moved at a gallop, giving to all the rare opportunity of a ride. Here they found sleeping-bags and provisions. The next morning they reached Black Rock Vale and followed the windings of its stream-bed until they came to Lake Heintzelman, a beautiful body of water, or rather ice, perfectly smooth and free from snow, filling the whole valley, some three miles wide, to towering cliffs, and extending about five miles. So smooth was the surface that the dogs could have pulled a ton. Feeling rather chilly, they all held on to the upright of the sledge behind, and were dragged along on the soles of their shoes. Reaching the head of the lake, and finding the way so rough as to endanger the sledge-runners, they deemed it best to go into camp and reconnoitre before proceeding farther. While Lockwood and Jewell got supper, Frederick went on a hunt for musk-oxen. The former afterward followed with the team to bring in the game which he had killed, first skinning and cutting it up, not an easy job, as they had only a very dull hatchet and equally dull case-knives. They finally succeeded, however, after much labor, and returned to camp at a late hour. The ox killed was the only one seen, although it was there—three miles above the lake—that a hundred had been formerly seen. The following morning being chilly and the sky overcast, they returned to the tent at Basil Norris Bay, the dogs carrying the men, as well as nearly four hundred pounds of meat, over the smooth lake at a rapid rate.

While crossing they heard an unusual noise, like distant thunder, which at first they were unable to account for, but finally concluded was due to the cracking of the ice, arising probably from changes of temperature. The whole expanse of ice was marked by cracks extending in every direction, not, however, coming to the surface, but visible below.

In returning to the station, they avoided some rough places by hugging the south shore of the harbor, a rumbling noise of moving and crushing ice being heard in the direction of Dutch Island. On reaching the station, they found that a large bear had visited the house, dragging off the skeleton of a musk-ox which Dr. Pavy had hung out to dry as a specimen. Tracks of another bear were afterward seen near the house. At Lieutenant Greely’s request, Lockwood with others followed these tracks, came in sight of the animal, and saw him make his way toward the middle of the straits through leads of open water and over hills of ice with seeming ease. Of course, they failed to add bear-meat to their well-stocked larder.

After enjoying a hot bath, which Lockwood commended as a grand luxury, he penned the following from his corner in the station-house:

“The men have added a bagatelle-board to their other sources of amusement, and sometimes have bagatelle tournaments. Lieutenant Greely and I often play chess, and sometimes I take a game of checkers with the Esquimaux. These, by-the-way, seem much better reconciled than they were last winter. Probably have come to understand us better, and we them.

“Much of my time has been occupied in making maps of the several launch trips and in writing out stenographic notes. Still, the monotony here is dreadful, and tells on all. It certainly does on me. Dr. Pavy and Lieutenant Kislingbury spend much of their time in the other room, and, when in here and Lieutenant Greely absent, are engaged in the most gloomy prognostications as to the future, and in adverse criticisms on the conduct of the expedition. It is really dreadful, and I sometimes think the life of an exile in Siberia preferable to this. The absence of light without keeps us within-doors, and the want of exercise and fresh air promotes restlessness. Our supply of books comprises only novels and Arctic literature. A few really solid books of history, biography, essays, etc., are much to be desired, though, under the circumstances, I suppose it would be difficult to concentrate one’s mind on them.

“Our experiment with calves had to be given up. All died but one. Long took that to Dutch Island, but it would not stay. Like the human animal, the poor thing wanted sympathy and something to love, and followed him all the way back, notwithstanding all he could do to restrain it. Tame foxes and tame owls have also been given up. The former bit their keepers, the latter ate each other up. The dogs multiply rapidly, and would increase faster, but that the pups are eaten by the old ones. I saw the mother of a dead pup keeping Ritenbank from swallowing it, while she hesitated whether or not she would do the same thing herself.

“We are again building around our house with ice, which proved such an addition last winter, and the double sashes to the windows have been put in. I have added a side-board to my bunk and covered the adjacent walls with paper, thus adding to the warmth. Much may be done to mitigate the evils of this climate. The moral and social evils are what we can not meet, or rather do not repel.”

Mrs. Greely’s birthday was again observed, chiefly by a good dinner with wine furnished by Lieutenant Greely. Lockwood’s own birthday was also celebrated in like manner, when he recorded the following: “After dinner Lieutenant Greely and I had a long talk—reminiscences of army-life, speculations as to our retreat in boats, etc. When alone, my mind turned to the dear ones at home and the many warm friends I had elsewhere, and to the happy days spent with them.

“My corner, which is the coldest of all the corners, was improved by covering floor and walls with paper. I also found an improvement by adding side-boards to the bunk, and finally by converting the bed into a regular sleeping-bag. Before this was done, I sometimes became very chilly during the night after the fires went down. Our lamps now burn all day. How wearisome this constant artificial light becomes, we know from the experience of last winter. I dread it under our present social relations. Even Lieutenant Greely refers to these as intensifying what would otherwise not much distress him. My daily routine is somewhat as follows: Breakfast at half-past seven, with scarcely a word spoken by any one. Then I smoke, standing by the stove in the cook’s room. Afterward, tailoring or some other work. At noon, a walk to Proteus Point if possible. Afterward, read or sleep till dinner at four. Again smoke as before. Then a few games of chess with Lieutenant Greely or checkers with the Esquimaux. Then read a little French or a good deal of whatever I find most interesting. Then to my army-bunk, to sleep till next morning, when the same routine is repeated.”

On the 20th, he made a trip to Depot “B” with some of the men and two dog-sledges to bring down the musk-ox meat left there in _cache_. They found the foot-ice near shore so rough that they had to keep well out, but still they made the eighteen miles in six hours, which may be regarded as fair traveling with dogs.

They met many bear-tracks, but old, probably made by the same animals that visited the station. They found that these animals, and also foxes, had found their meat-_cache_ and had done much damage, four quarters of meat and fifteen geese having been eaten by them or taken away. Returning next day with what remained, and taking in more meat at St. Patrick’s Bay in still worse condition, they made their way home over a sea of rubble-ice. To show the effects of ice-movements, Lockwood observed, when crossing Watercourse Bay on their return, the sledge-tracks made the day before fifty feet in the air on top of floe-bergs!

They made a visit to some floe-bergs at the mouth of Lady Franklin Bay to get specimens of colored ice seen there on a berg. These were mostly yellow, but some specimens almost black. On melting, they gave an offensive odor, and made deposits of their color. Analysis only could determine the nature of the coloring-matter. Young ice was measured, and found to be twenty inches thick.

Lockwood would have been glad enough to be away from that cold region, and yet he seemed determined again to explore the north Greenland coast, and thought that, under favorable circumstances, he could go farther than he had already gone by at least seventy-five miles, thereby manifesting a degree of pluck almost unique in its character. Difficulties might arise to defeat his plans, but, these surmounted, all his energies and hopes would be directed to returning home. It was Lieutenant Greely’s opinion, however, that his “farthest” would not be again reached in the present century.

On the 5th of November Dr. Pavy returned from an expedition to Carl Ritter Bay, which he had reached by following the valley back of Cape Lieber, as the ice-foot was found impracticable. The dog-food, or dried fish, taken, being insufficient and poor, one of the dogs died, and was immediately eaten by the others. The straits below were found quite open. They killed one musk-ox, but could not bring in the meat. On the return, so rough was the ice over the bay that twelve hours were required to cross from Cape Baird.

The doctor urged the policy of storing provisions at Cape Hawkes for their boat-journey, a thing easier to talk about than to do, as Cape Hawkes was one hundred and fifty-five miles, in a straight line, south of Lady Franklin Bay, and it would occupy a dog-sledge to go and return at least one month. If anything was to be done in that direction, all thoughts of further exploration must be abandoned. The doctor predicted that a naval expedition would be sent for them the next year, Congress having hitherto failed to provide for their relief.

In one of his tramps to Proteus Point, Lockwood’s feet were again frosted, owing partly to his imperfect foot-gear, and he then became convinced that a light, flexible moccasin was the best thing to wear in that country.

For several days about the middle of November, there were magnetic disturbances of a pronounced character coincident with the storms and auroras they were experiencing. Storms were always indicated by rapid changes of barometer, but sometimes the barometer fell and no storm followed. Auroras had recently been attended with varied colors, which was unusual, as they had formerly been uniformly white. A surveyor working there would find, at times, his compass-needle almost unmanageable. Seals were seen in the most unexpected places, one of them having been killed with a hatchet in a tide-hole.

On the 21st, Lockwood was startled, when setting out on his usual walk, to see what looked like smoke coming from the roof of the house; but what he mistook for smoke was only the condensation of vapor escaping from the house. The appearance of the smoke coming from the chimney, and of the steam from the roof, projected as they were on the sides of the snow-covered mountains, was very pretty. The ice-wall around the house was a great protection, not only keeping the hot air in, but protecting the house from the furious blasts which would otherwise enter it, if, indeed, they did not destroy it.

Lieutenant Greely resumed his lectures, which had before proved so interesting. He gave one, which they all admired, on the history of his native town, Newburyport. Israel had also assumed the _rôle_ of lecturer on astronomy, with which he was familiar.

When Lockwood became desperate with _ennui_, he got out his old letters and again read them, as they carried him back to his distant home and parents and sisters. He earnestly prayed that a kind Providence would restore him to them. This was the end of all his hopes.

On the 30th of November Lockwood wrote as follows: “This is the day Lieutenant Greely appointed for thanksgiving, and thankfully should we keep it; for we have not only escaped sickness and any serious discomforts, but we have had undoubted success in our efforts both scientific and geographical. We have had a royal feast of soup, beef, corn, Lima beans, pineapple-jelly, nuts, and figs.”