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Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
is often painful to descend. They cause the reader to live for a time in
an ideal world, and bring him back to the stern reality with a sense of
disappointment.

On the 8th of December, Lockwood was greatly impressed by the

absence of light, and gave his views as follows: “It is now very dark,
even at noon, except when we have the moon and a clear sky. Even
on the floe, where the pure white snow reflects every bit of light, it is
now so obscure that it is difficult to see the path at one’s feet; and
even the outlines of the mountains, high above the horizon, are very
dim. A faint gleam of twilight over the south horizon, at noon only,
shows the direction in which the sun and ‘God’s country’ lie. So dark
is it that I have several times stumbled over the dogs lying 220
outside at the door; and when in a pathway, one has rather to
feel the way than see it, requiring the use of a lantern in going from
the house.

“No wonder, then, that the moon is so highly appreciated in this

benighted region. How delightful it is, after a fortnight’s absence, to
have her with us once again! How a poet would rave over the moon
could he once know a polar winter! We have her now in all her glory,
lighting up this vast desert waste, which, covered with its mantle of
snow and ice, now becomes a thing of beauty.

“The effect of continued absence of sunlight is very marked in the

complexion of all the men, as well as in their loss of vigor. They are
as blanched as potato-sprouts in a dark cellar. Blessed orb of light
and life! One can hardly imagine the one without the other. The
moral as well as the physical influence of sunlight is very soon seen
after the sun’s reappearance, the middle of February.”

They still kept up birthdays, and the 24th was that of Saler, when
they had a feast selected by himself. The musk-ox beef was
particularly good, being young and tender, and free from the musk
flavor so common with old oxen. They were now used to this,
however, and it did not trouble them.
In the evening Lieutenant Greely brought out a few Christmas
presents to distribute, which had not been issued the previous year,
and there were some prizes of tobacco, soap, etc., raffled for. A
chromo-picture of good “King Billy” of Prussia was given to 221
Long, whose hair is somewhat red. The hair in the picture
being of the same color, much mirth was elicited, as Long was
sensitive about his hair, and was constantly chaffed by the men on
that account. Lieutenant Greely made a few appropriate remarks,
referring to the success of the expedition, and praying that their good
fortune might continue, etc.

The Christmas-dinner was remarkably good—one that might have

been enjoyed anywhere. The appetites of the men and of the officers
were equal to the occasion. Of late some of them had shown less
appetite than formerly, possibly because their supplies showing signs
of failing in a few particulars, the table had shown less variety. The
average weight of the men was found to be one hundred and
seventy-one pounds, Lockwood’s weight being one hundred and
seventy-six, embodying a good deal of caloric.

On the 8th of January, 1883, after repairing some damage done to

the launch by the ice, Lieutenant Greely announced his resolve to
leave for home in boats not later than August 8th, and sooner, if the
ice permitted.

On the 23d, efforts were made to cross the bay to Cape Baird, but
without success, the difficulties being the absence of light, the
intense cold, and the extremely rough ice. It was desired to open a
passage to Cape Baird, and make a depot of provisions there for use
on the retreat. Their first efforts carried these stores only to mid-
channel, but afterward Sergeant Lynn and others carried them over
to Cape Baird.

Much of Lockwood’s time was of necessity occupied in 222

tailoring, and he had become quite an expert. Service in the
north not only demanded much clothing, but the garments must be
strong and warm. Their supply in store being somewhat limited and
not judiciously chosen, particularly in foot- and hand-gear, all were
from time to time engaged in repairing old garments or making new.
Rice suggested a method of doubling the supply of woolen socks by
cutting off the legs of long stockings and sewing up the bottoms of
the leg part. For his proposed spring trip, Lockwood was counting
upon a rig consisting of two merino shirts, three flannel shirts, one
chamois vest, one vest made of two thicknesses of army-blanket, one
woolen Jersey, one swan-skin cloth over-shirt, one pair of merino
drawers, two pairs of flannel drawers, soldier’s trousers, cloth cap
covering head and neck with a skirt covering the shoulders, and a
pair of moccasins over heavy woolen socks—all to be worn at once,
though seemingly heavy enough to weigh down an elephant. The
only clothing in reserve was woolen wrappers and socks for the feet,
and a seal-skin “timiak” for exceptionally cold weather. Having
suffered much from cold feet, Lockwood had paid special attention to
foot-gear, but without great success. Frequently he was kept awake
most of the night from this cause. He noticed that the dogs suffered
more in their feet than elsewhere, and might be seen at any time
standing around with their feet drawn up under their bodies. The feet
and the nose seemed to be the only highly sensitive parts of the
Esquimaux dog, these being, indeed, the only parts not 223
covered with long wool. Lockwood never tired of watching
these animals. They were susceptible to kindness, though generally
getting little of it. They followed him on his lonely walks, and seemed
grateful for any notice or attention on his part. The young pups soon
became docile and tractable in harness, though a little more difficult
to manage than old dogs.

When the 1st of March arrived, all hands were engaged in preparing
for their spring work. First in order was the supply of their depot on
the eastern side, and Lockwood purposed leaving soon, to convey
several hundred pounds of rations to that place. As usual in such
cases, Dr. Pavy and two others of the party indulged themselves in
the most gloomy prognostications as to the future, declaring that all
idea of further explorations should be abandoned, and all their efforts
applied to depositing provisions down the straits to secure their safe
retreat in boats in August and September. Both Lieutenants Greely
and Lockwood did all they could to make a success of this expedition,
but the social atmosphere was not congenial, and there was little
enthusiasm manifested. How different would have been this life if all
had pulled together! Lockwood was impatient to be away from this
trouble and at work. If he could not go farther than on his previous
trip, he could at least try, and no man could do more than his best.

On the 10th of March, Lockwood left with two sledge-teams of ten

dogs each for the purpose of placing supplies on the Greenland side
of the straits—he, Sergeant Brainard, and Esquimaux 224
Frederick, with one sledge; Sergeant Jewell, Corporal Ellison,
and Jans, with the other. After leaving Depot A, where they added to
their load, they had on each sledge about nine hundred and thirty
pounds, or nearly one hundred pounds per dog. Found much rubble-
ice on St. Patrick’s Bay, but, generally, the route to Depot B was
good, and the journey was made in eight hours from the station.
Although they had a fire in the little stove of the depot tent, all
passed an uncomfortable night, not only from cold, but from their
cramped and crowded condition. Their feet were higher than their
heads, and the head in one instance was under the edge of the
damp, frost-covered canvas. “Woolly” was found to be lame, and had
to be left in a hole in the snow-bank, with a supply of hard bread;
Ellison was feeling badly, yet said, “All right,” and insisted on
proceeding. Seeing no favorable passage from Cape Beechy, they
concluded to go up to Wrangell Bay and try the passage direct from
there to Cape Brevoort. To reach Wrangell, they had to leave the ice-
foot and move out on the straits, and soon found themselves in an
awful mass of rubble-ice like a vast plain covered with bowlders. A
great deal of chopping had to be done with the axe, and what
progress they made, was with half-loads. They encamped on the
straits, and, while the others returned for the discarded loads,
Lockwood prepared supper, succeeding only in making some ice into
lukewarm tea, which, with cold bread and meat, they hastily
swallowed before creeping into their sleeping-bags. They secured but
little sleep, as may be imagined when it is known that the
thermometer registered that night -48°. Under such 225
circumstances, they seemed never completely unconscious,
and got up in the morning under the belief that they had not slept at
all.

Reaching the south cape of Wrangell Bay, they turned to the right
and went directly toward Cape Brevoort, still meeting with ice of the
most formidable kind, over which the heavily loaded sledges had
frequently to be lifted. Tired out, they camped at 5 P. M. in the midst
of the strait. The first thing to be done was to look out for the foot-
gear. This always had a lining of frost inside as well as out, being wet
from perspiration if not from leakage. Brainard always changed his
stockings for dry ones when he could do so, but Lockwood and
Frederick generally let theirs go, the latter from indifference to frost-
bites, and the former to escape the pain arising from tender feet and
fingers. By incasing his feet in dog- or sheep-skin wrappings, he
managed to pass the night comfortably.

Ellison, being really sick, was sent back to the depot to the tender
care of Woolly. After moving for a time over rubble, several of the
pieces of which came up to a man’s shoulders, they were greatly
encouraged by coming to a grand paleocrystic floe, whose gently
undulating surface stretched east, north, and south as far as the eye
could reach. This floe reminded Lockwood of a Western prairie, its
mounds and gullies making the resemblance more complete. As an
offset to this smooth way, they had to face an icy north wind 226
with the thermometer from -35° to -48°. Frederick got one
cheek and a finger frost-bitten, Brainard his face, and Lockwood his
nose. Here they put off the load, and at a run with the empty sledge
returned to their former encampment, where the tent was left
standing, to await the return of Jewell, who had gone back to Depot
B to leave Ellison with Woolly.

The next morning, packing everything on the two sledges, they soon
gained the smooth floe seen the day before, whence, detaching
Jewell for some stores at Lincoln Bay, which he was to leave at this
point and then return to Fort Conger, Lockwood, Frederick, and
Brainard proceeded across the floe with as much of the total loads as
the dogs of their sledge could drag. Coming within five miles of Cape
Brevoort, and seeing formidable ice in that direction, while toward
Newman Bay the ice was better, Lockwood concluded to head toward
that bay. They did so until 5 P. M., and then camped on the straits,
completely exhausted. During the night they had a violent south
wind, but they had campaigned too much not to be prepared for this
with tent-pins securely driven.

In the morning they made their way over pretty good floes with some
rubble, and reached at noon the whale-boat at Polaris Point, finding
the rations in her intact. Thence, following the snow slope along the
cliffs, and passing the point where Lockwood and Frederick had spent
many hours the year before in a snow-hole, they passed round Cape
Sumner through masses of ice in some places piled fifty feet 227
high, and finally reached the Boat Camp on Newman Bay.

Having thus provisioned the Boat Camp, they took a survey of the
routes back, and concluding that, all things considered, the one direct
to Cape Beechy was the best, returned by it with the empty sledge,
making rapid progress and reaching the west shore in just seven
hours. Notwithstanding they had no load, the passage was by no
means easy, for they had to pass over mountain-ridges, deep pits,
and gullies in the rubble-ice, where the dogs could scarcely keep their
footing. Lockwood was impressed, as often before, with the power
and endurance of the dogs. Ellison had left the depot, but Woolly still
remained, and there, also, they found Jewell, who had been up to
Lincoln Bay, where he found that the foxes had eaten up a large part
of the meat in cache there.

With Woolly on the sledge, they returned to the station, meeting

Snyder and Whistler en route with a pup-team and sledge, going for
Woolly. It was interesting and touching to witness the demonstrations
and delight of these youngsters on meeting their elders, among
which were the mothers of some of them.
Jewell said that, on his return to the depot, he put away his dog-
harness in one of the empty tents, and that when he awoke the next
morning he found nothing remaining but the bone buttons and the
whip-handles, the dogs having eaten everything else. Another dog-
story is recorded as follows:

“Milatook had pups the other day, and all were killed except 228
one. It was discovered yesterday in a very unfortunate
condition, with tail frozen hard and stiff, and legs in nearly the same
condition. Some of the men soaked the tail in water, and eventually
‘brought it to.’ It is a sad tail.”

229
 XIV.
RESUMING A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.

On the 19th of March, fair weather came out of the north, and not
only cheered the hearts of the whole colony at the station, but fired
the desire of Lieutenant Lockwood for the new campaign, which he
had long been contemplating. After a consultation with Lieutenant
Greely, he concluded to start on the following day, or soon after. As
usual, some cold water was thrown upon his plans, one of the critics
declaring that they had experienced enough of that kind of business;
and another, that they had better be thinking of their coming fate.
But Lockwood’s reasoning was as follows: “Before I go home, I must
make another ‘strike’ on the north Greenland coast. If the conditions
of the ice are no worse, I ought to be able to discover the northeast
extremity of Greenland, and add several miles to my latitude,
although Lieutenant Greely thinks that my present ‘farthest’ will not
again be reached in our day. I say nothing about all this, however.
Act first and talk afterward has always been my way.”

Lockwood was both hopeful and determined, and on the 23d he

received his final orders to the effect, that, should he not be able to
reach a higher latitude than he did before without undue 230
danger, or should he or any of his men break down or become
dangerously ill, he was to return forthwith. To this he replied that he
knew not what might happen, but he intended, if possible, to reach
the eighty-fourth parallel. In anticipation of his own birthday, and to
honor the explorers with a good “send-off,” Lieutenant Greely gave a
dinner on the 26th, and, thus fortified, they were prepared to move
on the following day, rejoicing.
Lockwood had two fine teams of ten dogs each assigned for his use,
and, as before, the faithful Brainard and Esquimaux Frederick were to
accompany him. Everything passed off quietly, without the
excitement or enthusiasm of the previous spring. They left the station
at 8.30 A. M., the advance sledge bearing the silk flag of Mrs. Greely,
with Brainard and Frederick the Esquimaux; the supporting sledge
with Jewell, Ellis, and Esquimaux Jans; and then the pup-team and
sledge driven by Snyder, and carrying Greely and Lockwood. On
reaching Watercourse Bay, whence they were to take back a load of
coal, Lieutenant Greely and team left them, after bidding God-speed,
and telling them to be sure and bring back the north end of
Greenland! Reaching Depot A in two and a quarter hours, they took
on two small seals left there, and passing Depot B, where they
obtained more provisions, they reached Cape Beechy at 4 P. M.—the
dogs quite fresh, but the men much wearied.

When they resumed their journey, it was snowing and the Greenland
shore invisible. They took a direct course by compass for Cape 231
Sumner over rubble-ice until they reached the first floe, on
whose hard, undulating surface they made rapid progress until they
came to rubble-ice again. Brainard, with axe in hand, went ahead,
clearing the way over impassable places, until the high cliff of Polaris
Promontory came in sight. Finally, both Jewell and Ellis suffering from
pain, when three miles from Cape Sumner they stopped for the night,
after making twenty miles, and all went into bags.

Moving early next morning with considerable wind, they got into bad
ice with cracks, down which some of the dogs fell and had to be
drawn up; but finally, finding a better route, reached the Polaris Boat
Camp, where, leaving some meat for the dogs when returning, they
continued on toward Gap Valley, generally over rolling floes, and
through rubble, requiring a good deal of cutting, tugging, and
pushing.

When three miles out they went into camp again, leaving Ellis to
prepare supper for all, while the others, with both sledges, returned
to the Boat Camp.

Leaving Brainard to get ready the alcohol to be taken from the whale-
boat, they kept on along shore to the foot of the cliffs and the cache.
Here they found the snow-slopes much worse than on their last visit,
but, the sledges being empty, they could have gone along over
anything except a stone wall, and even that would have had to be
very high to stop them. Fox-tracks were seen near the cache, but
they found it intact. The ice they had piled about it was almost
covered by the drifting snow. The contents of the cache, 232
about one thousand pounds in all, were put on the two
sledges, and soon after they went down a snow-bank so steep and
hard that the sledges took entire command, though all hands tried to
hold them back; but the dogs keeping out of the way, no harm was
done. This was at Cape Sumner, whence they returned to the Boat
Camp. Here, taking on the things prepared by Brainard, they returned
to the tents. After supper some hours were spent in getting ready the
rations for from twenty to forty-eight days. Jewell and Ellis were both
complaining; otherwise, every thing looked very promising.

On the morning of the 30th, it was clear overhead but cloudy around
the horizon, and a slight snow was falling. The loads were about
eleven hundred pounds to each team, but the dogs did admirably,
and good speed was made, the ice being covered with a very light
depth of snow. At the mouth of the gorge by which they were to
ascend and cross the Brevoort Peninsula, they reduced the load on
each sledge and started up this narrow, rocky, winding cañon. The
snow was hard and they were getting along well, when right before
them appeared a wall of snow, so steep and hard that Lockwood had
to use his big knife, to ascend. It was about thirty feet high. He went
alone to view the situation. A few yards beyond was a kind of ice
tunnel whose roof was about three feet high. Then came another
high, steep snow-drift with a snow-cavern alongside, probably fifty
yards in length; and also a few feet farther was found a deep 233
pit formed by the snow. Climbing around this and proceeding
half a mile, he found that the gorge made a bend to the east and
became still more narrow and rocky; but a side ravine offered a
chance to get out of this big gutter, up a long, steep slope of hard
snow, three or four times the height of the preceding drifts; and then
Lockwood found himself on the table-land overlooking Newman Bay.

The sledges with great difficulty gained this comparatively level

divide. The landmarks not being altogether familiar to Lockwood, he
took a long walk after supper to a distant ridge, where, seeing the
sea-coast, his way became perfectly clear. It was a lonely and dismal
walk, and the ridge seemed to get farther away as he approached it.
After more than two hours’ absence he returned to the tents, crawled
in alongside of Sergeant Brainard, and was quickly lulled to sleep
notwithstanding the snoring of Frederick. The horrid sound issuing
from his bag was as loud as a brass band at a circus.

The process of getting breakfast was to be preferred to that of

getting supper. When a man went into camp, after a toilsome day of
travel, and had helped to pitch tent and unload the sledge, it was
hard, while covered with frost, with cold and perhaps wet feet, to
chop ice and meat, and handle cold metal.

After an uncomfortable night, with the temperature down to -45°,

they started again. Proceeding several miles, they reached a narrow,
winding ravine, and finally a gorge, which they followed until they
came to the head of the wide Gap Valley, and thence to the 234
sea-coast. Turning east, they continued on a few hundred
yards, and were then stopped by the ice-wall, which crowded so
closely to the shore that the sledges could not be hauled through.
Lockwood and Frederick pitched the tent, while Brainard went ahead
with the axe, and, after much hard work, made a passage about one
eighth of a mile long through this place. They managed to worry
through with half the load by three o’clock, and, leaving Brainard to
get supper, Lockwood and Frederick went on with half the load for
about one and a half miles. The route beyond the bad place was
excellent. Dropping the load, they returned to the tent by four
o’clock. Jewell came along later, he and Ellis complaining again of
their difficulty in keeping up with the sledge when it went faster than
a slow walk.

While approaching the cairn at Repulse Harbor, on the 1st of April,

Brainard’s sharp eyes discovered the site of the English depot of
rations, which contained Lieutenant Beaumont’s sextant, an English
flag, a cooking-lamp, old clothes, and some foot-gear. The road
before them was excellent, and they made good time, soon passing
the route of the preceding year, which reached the coast just east of
Repulse Harbor.

On coming near Drift Point, they were better able to see the northern
expanse outside the ice-wall which lined the coast and had
interrupted the view. Lockwood saw a good deal of young ice
interspersed with holes, and leads of open water. The main pack
beyond seemed permeated by leads of what had been quite 235
recently open water. Dark, misty “water-clouds” were seen
everywhere northward. The young ice extended along shore in both
directions as far as they could see, and out from shore a hundred
yards or more. Beyond it was the polar pack, broken into small floes
and rubble-ice, which had a glistening green appearance, as though
recently pushed up by the grinding of the fields about it; all this was
very surprising.

They made their way over the snow-slopes of Drift Point and beyond
until the near approach of the cliffs on one side and the ice-wall on
the other brought them to a halt eighty miles from Fort Conger. Here
they encamped with everything, having come thus far in six days.

The ice-wall along here was from forty to fifty feet high. Outside,
there was a good deal of ice lately formed, with smooth floes. They
passed on near the foot of the bluffs, to see if there was any way of
getting along the cliffs, making their way between the ice-wall and
the foot of the steep slopes of the bluffs with great effort. The débris
of stone, etc., from the cliffs above made the route almost
impracticable for a sledge. Before reaching Black Horn Cliffs, they
were obliged to find a route along the top of the ice-wall, and thus
got a short distance along the bottom of these vertical cliffs. But now,
from a fissure in the cliffs above, came a steep drift of very hard
snow, slanting down to the water at its foot. To scale the cliffs by
means of this drift was dangerous, as a slip would inevitably 236
have taken one directly into the water.

By cutting steps in the snow they gained a considerable elevation,

but, on looking round a point of rocks, the height beyond was so
much greater and worse than they expected, that they could not
proceed. All along shore was the crack of open water about a yard
wide, with young ice beyond, through which a stone or fragment of
ice might be thrown. Dense water-clouds appeared in many
directions. They returned to camp, and, after enjoying some tea,
Lockwood gave Jewell the tidal rod to make observations, while with
Brainard he started out again, this time to the south and up a
stream-bed, at whose mouth they were encamped, hoping to find a
route back of the cliffs overland. They soon found themselves in a
ravine with high, rocky sides, and encountered a steep snow-drift.
Beyond was a small hole in the snow, which seemed to be a cavern
or grotto formed of snow and ice, and probably running down to the
bed of the stream—if that may be called a stream which has no
water. Beyond this were exposed rocks under foot, and they saw
ptarmigan-tracks, where the birds had used their wings in getting
down a snow-drift. Finally, they came to a branch ravine from the
southeast, the main stream leading off toward the south. They
turned up the branch, and kept on for a while, when the high rocky
sides seemed to come to a formation of ice like a glacier, a hundred
feet high, at least, and very steep. The crest was perpendicular. The
route thus far was difficult yet practicable, but it was clearly 237
impossible for a dog-team to haul an empty sledge up this
place, and yet it was the only place where there was anything else
than an inclined plane of rocks. The glacier was covered with snow,
but in many places the ice could be seen cropping out, the snow
being only a thin covering. Some ice-grottoes were also seen. They
clambered up the rocks to the left, and found themselves on a stony
plateau. Off to the east was an elevated ridge or knoll, toward which
they traveled about a mile and a half. On gaining it, the barometer
showed an elevation of thirteen hundred feet. Toward the south was
a chain of mountains running east and west, through the western
extremity of which the main stream-bed they had ascended seemed
to break, about six miles from the sea. The branch appeared to end
at the glacier; but to the east of it the land sloped north and south,
and formed a surface-drain which, running east, soon narrowed into
a gorge, and, bending to the north, reached the sea just west of Rest
Gorge, as well as they could make out. At the bend was a large
formation of ice or snow.

They returned to camp at 3 P. M., and found every one there walking
vigorously up and down to keep warm, or, rather, to keep from
freezing, the thermometer marking -48°. Jewell left his beat every
few minutes to note the height of the water on the tide-rod. There
was now nothing else to do except to get into the sleeping-bags, and
this in cold weather always involves a change of foot-gear. At six
o’clock Brainard had prepared supper, and shortly after, the 238
advance sledge-party was trying to sleep. Jewell kept on
taking observations until after eleven, when he caught the high tide.
It was a severe ordeal, but he preferred to do it, without assistance,
as it was much better for the record.

Brainard complained of want of sleep, and Lockwood’s rest was much

the same as usual—an uneasy, oppressed feeling of being half asleep
and half awake; every few hours getting broad awake, and
wondering if it were time to rise, or how much colder his feet would
have to get before freezing. Having decided to examine the main
ravine running south, Lockwood started from camp before eight, with
Brainard, Frederick, and Ellis. On reaching the branch, he and Ellis
continued south, and the other two went up the branch. Continuing
along between the high, rocky sides of the ravine, with abundance of
hard snow under foot, but some bad snow-drifts, they found a very
good sledge-route. After a while, they came to a huge formation of
snow, filling the whole breadth of the ravine, and sloping up—in one
place by a very easy ascent—to the west bank. Gaining this, they
continued on and reached a ridge some twelve hundred feet high,
which commanded a view of the sea, and of the valley to the south
as far as the mountains. The valley seemed to grow wider and
deeper as far as the mountains, through which it broke from a
southwest direction. No break or defile of any kind offered an outlet
to the east. Beyond the east bank was a wide plateau covered with
stones, and about four miles from the sea. After taking a good survey
of the country, they turned back toward the camp. Brainard 239
and Frederick joined them some time afterward, and reported
that they had cut one hundred and fifty-two steps in the side of the
glacier to get up, and found that the branch extended a short
distance beyond, but that a vertical ledge of ice some twelve feet
high presented itself afterward, and that, on getting beyond this,
they found themselves on a plateau covered with bare stones.
Brainard thought the route utterly impracticable, and went no farther.
He afterward said that they might be able to get round to Rest Gorge
in two weeks, with the sledges and loads, by taking the sledges to
pieces, and carrying them and the loads piecemeal over these
obstructions. The young ice seemed to be getting thicker, and they
began to think they might get around the cliffs after all. They had
some tea and “pap,” and began to calculate how many days it would
take to reach Cape Bryant. During the afternoon, a way for the
sledge was cut through a low place in the ice-wall, a short distance
west of the camp, and two days’ rations were also deposited in a
cache on the hill. A slight wind blew during the day, and by eight
o’clock all were in their sleeping-bags again, excepting Jewell, who
kept up tidal observations until ten, securing a very satisfactory set,
two high tides and the intervening low tide.

Thermometer during the night -43°. After breakfast, Brainard went

down to the tide-gauge, and, coming back, reported that the rising
tide had widened the crack a little, but that he had fixed it by
chopping snow blocks and throwing them into the water. 240
Being unwilling to risk everything on the young ice, thinking
that it might break through, Lockwood put the five sacks of
pemmican on the sledge, and leaving the tent, etc., and the
supporting sledge-party packing up, he, Brainard, and Frederick
started on. They reached the ice with no trouble, and, proceeding out
from shore one or two hundred yards, turned to the east and went a
short distance when, Frederick seeming to think the ice all right,
Lockwood sent Brainard ahead with the axe, while with Frederick,
having thrown off the load, he proceeded back for the rest of the
stores, so as to take all on together. They had nearly reached the
shore, when suddenly Lockwood saw two or three of the dogs in the
water, and knew from Frederick’s tones that something had
happened. The ice was moving out from shore, and they saw no way
of getting off. Lockwood called for Jewell, and then leaving Frederick
and his team to find a way to shore if possible, started on the run to
get within hailing distance of Brainard. He was speedily overtaken by
Frederick and the dog-team, the dogs going at a fast gallop, and
Frederick laying his whip about them in all directions. Lockwood
proceeded to find some place to get ashore, but there was none,
except at a little promontory of rubble-ice, in front of the camp, and
about two hundred yards from the tide-gauge. Elsewhere up and
down, as far as they could see, was a continuous belt of water, every
moment getting wider. The ice had a motion toward the east, as well
as out from the shore, and thus kept in position a small cake 241
of ice by means of which Lockwood got on the promontory,
and then directed the movements of the dog-sledge which now came
along. On the way back they stopped and threw the pemmican on
the sledge again, the ice being perfectly smooth and hard. They first
saved the dogs, pulling them up one by one, and then, the little ice-
cake seeming to keep its position, a bridge was made of the sledge,
and all the pemmican saved. The ice continued to move out from the
shore, until up and down as far as the eye could reach was a wide
belt of open water. Before they left, it was in many places between
one and two hundred yards wide, and the ice at the same time
moving toward the east. They got ashore at eleven o’clock, and by
12.30 the sledge-tracks, which had been opposite the tidal rod, were
opposite the camp, a distance of two hundred yards. While the
sledges were being packed, a seal made his appearance and eyed the
party curiously. The guns were not convenient, and he was not
disturbed. Many water-clouds were seen to the north at this time,
and the whole polar pack seemed to be on the move. They were all
grateful for getting out of the trap so well. Referring to their living on
the moving floe, Frederick made signs to suggest their eating the
dog-pemmican; certainly this would have lasted a long time had they
not frozen to death in the mean while, which they would have done
very soon, as they were without sleeping-bags or alcohol.

There seemed nothing to do but turn about and go home, and yet
Lockwood was extremely averse to the idea. The overland 242
route looked well-nigh impossible, or something at least that
could not be accomplished in time to allow them to reach the farthest
of 1882. Lockwood’s orders directed his return in case this
contingency should arise, as well as in case of any “signs of the
disintegration of the polar pack,” or in case he became incapacitated
for rapid travel. He walked up and down and thought of it for some
time, both Brainard and Jewell having declared that there was
nothing else to do but return. At 12.30, the teams being all ready,
they turned toward the west. As they came near the slopes of Drift
Point a very disagreeable south wind with drifting snow was met,
which continuing to get worse, their cheeks and noses began to
suffer, and therefore, at about two o’clock, they halted and pitched
the tents, driving the pins first, and raising the tents afterward. By
this time it was blowing almost a gale, and, the thermometer being
very low, the tent was tied up, and they prepared to weather it out,
Lockwood having a severe headache, which added to his tribulations.

The whole of April 5th was passed in the sleeping-bags, giving all
hands an opportunity to meditate on the delights of an Arctic sledge-
journey. The time was spent in sleep, or in trying to keep warm and
sleep at the same time. During the day Lockwood counted up the
exact number of rations remaining, and, still bent on his dream of the
eighty-fourth degree, calculated that, if they could get around
overland to Rest Gorge in five days, they could yet go to the farthest
of 1882 and a few days beyond, provided the traveling was 243
not worse than the previous year. He announced his intention
accordingly. Brainard and Jewell were not hopeful, but willing to do
their best in attempting it. One great obstacle was the lame and
crippled condition of both Jewell and Ellis. The signs of disintegration
in the polar pack, Lockwood proposed to disregard.

The wind continuing to blow, it was noon before they started off
toward the east to reconnoitre; but, prior to this, Lockwood went up
on the high ground back of the tents and saw a great deal of open
water. Some time after starting, he stopped the sledges and went up
on another elevation to reconnoitre, feeling that, if he went on and
anything happened, his responsibility would be heavy, from his
disobedience of orders. From this point could be seen a belt of open
water running along shore, in both directions, for miles. In no place
was it less than two hundred yards wide, and from that it increased
to four and five hundred. Westward from the vicinity of Repulse
Harbor, it extended in a lead, growing wider and wider, all the way
across the straits, apparently to the vicinity of Lincoln Bay, where it
seemed to swing round to the north. This lead was upward of five
miles wide in the middle. Whether there were other leads south of it,
between Newman Bay and Beechy, could not be determined. In the
polar pack to the north were several small leads and a great many
dark water-clouds. The ice was again noticed moving rapidly to the
northeast. Beyond Cape Bryant, he supposed the ice to be intact, as
in 1882, but around the cape, north of Britannia, they had 244
then traveled on new ice, and, going out on the polar pack at
Cape Dodge, just this side of the farthest, had traveled on it for
several miles. The condition of this route now could not be known, of
course, but what they had seen made the prospect very unfavorable.
The signs of disintegration were unmistakable, and Lockwood
therefore determined to turn back once again. Near this spot he
remarked a very curious stratified floeberg. It was about forty feet
high, and a dozen or more horizontal lines were very plain. The
weather had now cleared up beautifully, and they were soon at
Repulse Harbor. Here they left a short notice of their defeat in an
English cairn, and, taking Beaumont’s sextant, the English flag, etc.,
on the sledge, continued on their way to the mouth of Gap Valley,
where they went into camp, and remained long enough to take a set
of tidal observations.

The observations here were very satisfactory, and were kept up by

Jewell for more than twelve hours. Brainard, with Ellis and the two
teams and drivers, advanced the heaviest part of the loads en route
nine miles to the shore of Newman Bay. Lockwood and Jewell
remained in camp, and the former found it extremely monotonous,
having nothing to do but to prepare supper. The only way to keep
warm was by constantly moving about, and, as a cold wind was
blowing, this in itself was not comfortable. The observations were
very trying to Jewell, continued as they were long after the rest were
in their bags.

On the 8th of April, they suffered more than usual with cold. 245
The sleeping-bags, frozen stiff, were a long time in thawing
out after they got into them. Dark water-clouds were seen along the
northern horizon, although elsewhere the sky was bright and clear.
One, particularly noticeable, to the northeast and near shore, looked
like a huge cliff in a fog. They also noticed a movement in an ice-
hillock some distance off the coast. It changed its angle to the east
during their stay, and suggested open water across their route before
reaching Cape Beechy. They left camp at ten, and found the traveling
very good—rather improved by the late storm. Jewell and Ellis began
to suffer again, and the latter was carried on the sledge several
miles, the loads being very light. They soon reached the middle of
the divide, and then the loads left on the shore of Newman Bay,
making very fast time through the gorge, though the sledges had to
be let down the snow-slopes and drifts by ropes. After stopping some
time to take on everything, they proceeded slowly and reached the
Boat Camp, and soon after Cape Sumner, where they stopped to
make tidal observations, Lockwood and Brainard remarking what a
particularly dreary and dismal place it was, and wondering if they
should ever see it again. It brought to mind the trials and tribulations
of the previous spring. Yet, in spite of those trials, the novelty of
everything, and the imperfect equipment, that expedition was a
success; and this one, notwithstanding their experience and the
completeness of their arrangements, a failure. “Oft expectation fails
where most it promises.” Lockwood felt thankful that they had 246
escaped from the ice-pack, and from passing the forty-eight
hours of the recent storm upon it, living on the pemmican until finally
frozen to death; but the sense of defeat was predominant. They
passed a tedious, cold afternoon, but enjoyed a good dinner, having
now an abundance of rations of all kinds. It warmed them up and put
new life in all. Jewell saw, during his observations, a white owl flying
overhead toward the east.

The morning of the 10th was bright, clear, and calm. They noticed a
stratum of misty clouds, supposed to be water-clouds, hanging along
the foot of the cliffs on the Grinnell Land shore, and extending from
above Cape Beechy northward indefinitely. After passing through
several bands of rubble-ice with great labor, and yet without having
to double up, they found the tracks made on the outward journey,
and followed them continuously. This saved a great deal of time in
chopping and picking out a road. About noon they suddenly
encountered a very cold south wind. It seemed to come out of Devil’s
Gap, Polaris Promontory, and as usual carried along a lot of fine
drifted snow, continuing during the day. Their heavy loads made the
dogs travel at a slow walk, otherwise, no doubt, both Jewell and Ellis
must have been left behind or carried on the sledges. They went into
camp on a hard snow-drift.

After an uncomfortable night, with the mercury at 45° below zero,

they left camp and followed the old trail, as on the previous day,
jolting along with little difficulty in the rubble-ice, the dogs doing
admirably, bracing themselves to the effort at bad places, like 247
so many men.

They reached Depot B at 2.50 P. M., and pitched the tents, this
making the tenth time that Lockwood had crossed the straits above
Fort Conger.
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