IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ ^ ^< /. ^, €(5 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ JO ^** INI 1.4 2.5 |22 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREtT WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873-4503 ;{v iV L1>^ :\ \ rv c^ ^^ . signifie "A SUiVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre filmte A des taux de rMuction diff6rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, 11 est fiimd d partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iilustrent la m6thode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 4 •-0 >■ X g < X \^ ■■D So b s a H :1 i: ■! u THK • iWMHJllA " ■; r. . •v K I N i- >\\ \ ;; •■%■. ■^ . IP*- i, ■.S;*n*f t ■4?^. ■m im. * ■k- ■i^>^ •^ # •f- fr- ■ ) i?i^^i!i»iF^^^^P THE TAVO VOYxVGES OF THE ^ PANDORA^ IN 1875 ANJ3 187(;. I!V SIR ALLEN YOUNG, R.N.R, F.R.G.S., F.R.A.S., Etc., COMMANDKU OV THE EXPEDITIONS. LONDON: EDWAUD STANFOKJ), :>:,, CilAJflNG CROSS, SAY 1 S 7 ',1. « i « 1 PKEFACE "•.*:o Tnis narrative of tlie two cruiseH of tlie 'Pandora' was intended for private circulation only, but at tlie suo-rrestion of a few friends I have requested Mr. J^tanford to publish it. The volume contains merely a simple record, or log-, from notes in my private journal kept on board, and claims no pretensions to literary merit. A. Y. r k « C X r K N T s . I. THE FIliST VOYAGE OF THE TAXDOKA." CliAlTEli 1. TlIK VOVACIK TO (iUKKNIjANI) I'Ai.l 1 CllAPTEK II. Thk ( 'kyolitk Min CHAPTKK HI. >f.\VKi.\ri()N ON THK (JoAHT -alist. 7. J.A.MacGahan Correspondent. q" fTri'^,??" Fust Engineer. 9. Archibald Portcous Second Engineer. •10. Harry Tarns'^ c„„„,,. 11. Robert James Carpenter. 1^. Henry Mitchell t? s i„ T , •^'^iii'Ui'ii Boatswain. 1^' w;?.^^'" Saihnake,: 14. Wilham Edwards SMp^s Steward. 15. Joseph Lawrence ,. .. .. Ward-room Stm-ard. 10. Thomas Florance « . . Cnnfn;,, r,f n 1 1 117 T 1 r>,, , fyajnain oj llotil. 17. Joseph Shclton ^y^,;;, 18. Eskimo Joe .^ 7„,,;^,,,,,,, la f'!^'?^^^''''' Quartermaster. 20. Wilham Raudorson Qnarteruaster. 21. James Timpson Quarter,iaster. 22. Henry Mihill n no n, / ;;. Quartermaster. ^o. Charles Vino n t • ^ ^ 01 ni 1 m. Captains Coxswaui. 24. Charles Tizzard n , • . ,, 9t; All r.:.- lioatswauCs Male. ^o. Allan Gillies rr OP -r., VJL ' • • •• Harpooneer. 26. Edward Grace ,. ^/./jc. 97 wu- -r^ • Able beaman. ^i' VVilham Davis ah a or, T ^ Able Seaman. ^a. James Peuninrrton /I7.7, c. 29. G.VV.Thorne .. ^ ^ •' j f'"""' 30. Edwin Griffey Tj 7"',. , 01 T r, ^ Blacksmith and Sb, err. Jl. James Colo ,. q, 1 otolcer. ^r ° ■'" '.■ '. ? "''^■'" "">■• °" ""= '■««■■'-■<' "'t. Sept., .k.r 7 isn board H.M.S. « Nassau,' surveying ship ' ' ^ "' "°^' ^''"^•'"^ '^» .n;„,tr:rztxri:;z'-"' '■»■• --' -"" «--» «.».»., " Mr. loms was a Quartermaster in the ' Fox,' with Sir Leonol,! ATTli, , 1 , • her memorable voyafi!/s(das, The Eskimo name is Tunnolik. It is not seen farther north than Rifliol. 6 IN SIGHT OF GREENLAND. 0-vP v^ ."b been accompanied by malleinokes {Fulmar petrels '), and since tbe IGth by a number of sliearwaters {Puffinus mit/lorwii'^), wliicli wc passed in flocks on the water. We had cahns on the 23rd, 24tli, and 25th, with light winds from N. and N.E., followed by a fresli N.W. to W. wind on the 2Gth, when we were in lat. 57° 55', long. 42° 49', Cape Farewell being N. 17, W. 110 miles. On the 27th, boarded the ♦Traveller,' of Peterhead, and obtained newspapers, and proceeded in com- pany with her on the 28th, on which day we saw the first ice- bergs. Tlie next morning we had a fresh breeze from the E.S.E., and at five saw the first Spitzbergen ice. AVe passed a few straggling pieces, and at 6 r.M. came upon several streams of ice. I then kept away to the westward, but finding that the wind was increasing, and a thick fog coming on to seaward, I steered in to the N.E. to go through the ice, and to get into tke—kuid water. At noon, we were in lat. 00° 14' N., long. Qg8° 20' m, the land about Cape Desolation being plainly in sight whenever it cleared. Throughout the afternoon we were sailing through heavy ice, and received some severe blows; but L^wards evening, as we hauled into the land, the wind decreased to a calm and light N.E. air, and the ice was very close. On many of the heavy piece i we saw the bladder- nosed seals {Cystopkora cristata^) lying basking, and, as we ranged the ship up near them, several fell victims to our sportsmen. These seals are quite unused to seeing human beings, for they appeared to take no notice of the ship beyond » The Mallemoke, or " foolish fly " of Crantz (i. p- 8G), is the " Molly " of the whalers, the birds which come in greedy crowds to feed on the carcases of the whales. It is tlie Procellaria i/htcinliit, or Fulmar petrel, called Kalcordluk by the Eskimos, and the black variety Ljarsok. * The Manx shearwater (Puffiniis anglorum) is not an Arctic bird, and is not met with north of the entrance of Davis Strait. ^ The bladder-nose seal (Cysfophom cristata) is one of the largest in Greenland. Its name is due to a curious bladder-like ap[X}ndage on its forehead connected with the nostrils, which can be blown up at will. The Danish name is Mapmyd, the Eskimo n I iter soak and ucsausolik. 1 IN SIGHT OF GREENLAND. 7 raising tlieir heads, and had we been in pursuit of them, we might have killed any number. I am surprised that some enterprising fisherman does not send out a ship or small vessel properly equipped for seal-hunting. A number of boats sent away from such a vessel amongst the ice in fine weather might secure a rich harvest of skins and oil. In the evening of the 29th, being almost surrounded by heavy ice, and anxious to get into the land water, I got up steam for the first time since leaving England. "We proceeded until 9 P.M., when wo made fiist to a floe to pick up some seals that were shot in passing, and to get fresh water, of which we had been sadly in want, owing to our long passage. We found this water deliciously soft and pure upon the surface of the floe-piece, and we remained until 11 p.m., when we cast off, and steamed slowly on towards the land. It was a brilliant night, almost calm, and with a clear sky, and as we approached the land the ice became slacker. By 4 a.m., on the 30th, we got into the land water at about fifteen miles distant from the shore. We passed many seals lying on the ice-floes, and numbers of birds in flocks were on the ice, in the water, and flying around us. ( 8 ) CHAPTER II. THE CRYOLITE MIXE. We were now off the entrance to Arsuk Fiord/ the liigli land of Sermilik "^ bearing N.E.,' and we could, after a sliort study of tlie coast, distinguisli Storu, and the two cones of Unianak/ The whole coast from S.E. to N.N.E. stood before ua like a panorama, and the sea was so calm, and everything so still and peaceful, excepting now and then the rumbling of an overturning berg, or the distant echo of the floes as they pressed together to seawar'^ of us, that it almost seemed like a transition to some other world. It was indeed enchantment, after the constant rolling of the ocean, and the crashing amongst the outside ice, which we had experienced during the previous afternoon. I now determined to proceed to Ivigtut to endeavour to get twenty tons of coal, and to steam to Disco in the event of the weather being calm ; we therefore turned the ' i'andora's ' bow towards Storo, and soon approached the land. We found our late companion, the * Traveller,' becalmed under the land, and surrounded with loose ice, so I went alongside, and offered to tow her into Ivigtut, a distance of sixteen miles. Of this offer the Captain gladly availed himself, as he did not otherwise expect to get in for at least two days, there being always a strong surface current running out of ' This coast is the West Bygd of the ancient Norse colonizers of Greenland. Near Arsuk was the old Norse church of Stcinnacs. ^ Sermilik means " having a glacier," from sermeic, " ice formed on the land." ^ All the bearings are tme, linlcss stated to he magnetic. * The word Umanak, from limit "the heart," is frequently used as a name for conical-shaped islands. This Umanak is the Cape Comfort of our old Jilizabethan navigators. " } IVIGTUT. 9 the fiords at this season, caused by the mountain rivers, and the melting of the last remnants of the snow. When inside the fiord, the wind sprung up and freshened from the S.E., which somewhat delayed us, and we did not arrive off Ivigtut until 4 p.m., when, finding that I could bo supplied with coal, and not wishing to let go my anchor in thirty fathoms, according to the custom here, I went alongside the barque ' Thor ' by the permission of her captain. She was lying alongside a jetty, or rather stage, rigged out from the shore, and was being loaded with cr^^olite ; as she was securely moored, we were enabled to wheel the coal across in barrows. We found Mr. Fritz, the Manager of the Cryolite Company, most obliging and courteous. He offered us every assistance, and any supplies that we might require, besides pressing us to accept his private stock of pigs, which I declined ; but he insisted on sending me one small pig for the ship's company, and a large hamper of the most delicious radishes, whicli ho had grown in the open air. Nothing could exceed his kind- ness, and I wish here to record it, and to mention that anyone going to Ivigtut is certain of a hearty welcome and the utmost attention from Mr. Fritz. We found the 'Fox,' my old ship, lying there, looking quite smart, and evidently kejjt in good repair. I went on board with Toms to have a look at the old craft whicli had been our home for two-and-a-half years, and I felt an inclination to linger there, and even some desire to exchange for the ' Pan- dora,' although as yet the 'Pandora' has behaved in all respects to my satisfaction. Immediately we were secured I gave'^, leave to all hands, and notwithstanding the myriads of mosquitoes, whicli ren- dered the shore intolerable, all the men went on excursions, their principal desire being apparently to exchange articles of European manufacture for anything of native workmanship, much to the advantage of the natives. They also searched for 10 IVIGTUT. If I ascend lip into iiraven, 'I'lioii nrt tlicrc: if I Maieliind the mine two nicnntains rise to about J'OOO feet, with a remarkable stream of water tio\vin;j; over the hi;^heyt ridi;e. The ' Valorous' made the latitude of a jRisitiou at the colli clilV near where her men were workiuir 7U° 3' 24" Is\ 1 I UPKHNIVIK. 2ft li^-lit Hoiitli winds, and I doeidt'd tn htop olT Upcrnivik to send my la.st letters lioiiio, so wc stcore*! in liotwecn tlio two oastern- niost of tlio Woman's Islands, and entored Ujiernivik Hay, roundiiifj^ to close ofT the settlement.' The (Jovernor came; on board, and informed us that the 'Aleit' and 'Discovery' had left on the 22nd July, isnd that he considered it to be a very favourable season for thorn, althou'^'h on the day they Haile--' there was a good deal of ice outside the Woman's Islands and to tlie northward, which obliged them to steer out west. Having sent a present to the wife of the (Jovernor, and purchased a few sealskin clothes and two more dogs, we bore away, the weather threatening from the S.W. and a heavy rain falling, and passed out between the Talbot Reef and the nearest islands, steering away to N.N.W., and con- tinuinu' tlirou<>'h the nitrht under canvas. At 7 A.M. on the 14th we could just distinguish the Horse Head, and flocks of looms continually crossed, flying to the westward, from which I inferred that the middle ice was not far out in that direction. We saw numbers of single birds, and hen birds with single young ones, feeding in the water; but the flight of the strong birds was seaward, without resting near the ship. In the afternoon we passed through a long chain of huge icebergs, lying north and south as far as the eye could reach, and, the weather clearing ofl', we found ourselves close to tlie outermost of the Duck Islands. We got good ' In aiipvoacliuv^ I'lieniivik two rocks were observed just above water, Sandorson's Hope bcariiiii about K.S.K. {mur/.) from tlie we.stirnino.st roL'k, wliicli was about tour miles to tlie south of tlie south Woiuau's jslauil. The weather was too thiek to allow oi' any an;4!es beuiij; taken. The roeks ov reels are laid down on tln' plans in the ' Tandc'ra's" hyilro^raiiliic book ke]it I'or that |iiu'i)Ose. In goiuff into I'licrnivik the two islands oil' the Hope were left on the slaibonrd hand, and a cours(' was shaped between them and the next one to the northward. In lea>in;^ I'liernivik the ' I'andora' passed to the eastwanl of the 'I'alhot I'eel', \vhieh was clearly visible, and then a course was shaped to the N.W. 'i'he reel' laid down oil' the .south end of the small island on which the Colony of Upcrnivik is situated, is visible by the break of the sea if a g'Kid look-out is kejit. 20 MELVILLE BAY. :i '■: observations, placing tlicm in lat. 73° 3G' N., long. 57° 47' W. There were four islands visible, lying I^].N.E. and W.S.W. Snow fell until midnight. We were now deserted by every livinff thing. At A.M. of the 15th there was a beautiful break in the sky. The magnificent glacier was also before us, and Capes Scddon, Lewis, and Walker in sight.^ A few huge icebergs were scattered here and there, but we saw no floe-ice. Being qm'te out of fresh water, we sent away a boat to one of the bergs for some loose pieces of ice. The afternoon was glorious. There was a clear, brilliant sky, and a temperature of 35°. The fog was gone, and only one or two bergs were to be seen. We had also a constant swell from the N.W. and W.N.W., and could hardly believe that we were in the dreaded Melville Bay. It was more like passing a fine autumnal night on the Atlantic. Near this point, on August 30, 1857, the 'Fox' was hampered with the ice, and finally beset altogether for a winter's drift with the pack. We reminded ourselves that it would not be wise to " halloo until out of the wood." There was, however, no prospect of meeting the middle pack ice, and we steered a direct course for Cape York. To my astonish- ment, the small quantity of ice we met was completely deserted, and we only saw an occasional fulmar, no looms, seals, or any living thing ; and the contrast between the brilliant sun and iceless sea, with the absence of all life, was most wonderful. We could not have been far from the middle pack, as whenever the flaws of wind came from W.S.W. or S.W. the air was raw and cold, and fog with light snow, or rather frozen particles of mist, came on. Our latitude at noon was 74° 46' N., the longitude being 60° 9' W. We continued slowly tlu'ough the night, with light S.W. winds, no ice being in sight except a few bergs. The barometer was 29*65 ; temperature 30° to 35° Fahr. We now had occasional calms, and used our steam, ' Tlicsc capes aiv aluiig the shore of Melville Bay. 1 MELVILLE BAY. 27 going as slowly as possible to save fuel. The ship's bottom was so complete :y covered with long grass as to be rendered almost motionless unless in a fresh breeze, and th^ low temperature of the water appeared not to have the slightest effect upon it. This was a serious matter, our progress being so retarded that I feared we should not be able to advance any great distance in this season. At noon the remarkable peaked mountain to the east cT Cape Melville was in sight above the mist which hung to the northward. We were now passing through another chain of grounded icebergs, and I was forcibly re- minded of the time when, beset at this season of the year in the ' Fox,' we drifted past this very place, and expected to be driven against icebergs iu the same positions as those now before us. Could they be the same ? To me it was doubtful, although the same bergs apparently have been seen by former navigators year after year. At five o'clock our quietude was temporarily broken into by an alarm in the ship. All hands on deck, for Joe had seen a bear swimming across our bows, and lud run down for his rifle. A boat was lowered, and Lillingston and myself went away, and returned with a young she-bear about five feet long. Poor thing, she made a gallant swim for it, and it was with difficulty that we overtook her in the boat. I sent away another boat, with a small party, to shoot ivtches, of which thousands were feeding among the ice-floes.* At eight o'clock we arrived near the land in the neighbour- hood of Cape York,'^ where wr found quantities of smashed-up ice, enormous bergs, and small pieces. It looked as if there had been a heavy gale ; but there wcs too much fog to see any distance towards the shore, which also seemed full of ice. Out to the W. and S.W. the sea was perfectly clear. By midnight ' The Aka aUc, or little auk, called a making, however, but slow progress, as i limited the engineers to the Waigat coal, much to their discom- fiture. The wind springing up from the northward and freshening to a strong breeze, we beat up to the N.W. island, and lay- to about two miles or rather less to W.S.W., ' We did not, in passi ig along the face of the Petowak glacier, expeiieucc the strong current spoken of by luglefield ('Summer Search for Sir John Franklin,' p. 51), but in the evening we fancied we could detect a slight northerly stream, which I attributed to the flood tide. We had a constant swell, almost as if in the Atlantic. It came from N.W. and S.W., lihI we were even obliged to hook back the cabin doors, which one would imagine a very unusual thing in these seas in fine weather. It must indicate a large expanse of water. The barometer fluctuated but little, between 29 '65 and 29*80 ; temperature about 25° to 30° Fahr. ; surface f sea, 34° to 36°. i ; ' ' it t 30 GARY ISLANDS. having to avoid a sunken rock lying about three-quarters of a mile west of the S.W. island, off the north extreme. We also observed a reef above water, with rocks extending a cable length from each end, lying a good mile west from the middle of the N.W, island. I took the first whale-boat, and with some provisions and the two casks of letters for the ' Alert ' and ' Discovery,' left the ship and sailed towards a promising bay at the mouth of a considerable river or valley on the west side of the island, and we arrived shortly on the beach, and landed without much difficulty. I sent the boat round to another little cove about a quarter of a mile to the north-westward for safety. Lieutenant Lill- ingston. Lieutenant Beynen, and Mr. McGahan accompanied me. We immediately ascended towards a cairn on the summit, and after some tough travelling, and crossing a small glacier, we came to almost level ground, where we found two large cairns. Most anxiously we examined the ground with pick and shovel all round the cairn, but failed to find the slightest trace left by either the ' Alert ' or the ' Discovery,' nor were there any signs of the spot having been recently visited. The result of our search merely proved that the large cairn was erected on the 17th of July, 18G7, by the men of the steam whaler * Intrepid,' Captain David Souter, a record stating that " other whale ships were in sight at the time. Little water to the N.W., weather excellent, and all well. All the ships are clean. The finder will please deposit when found. De- posited in the north side of the other cairn is a bottle of rum and some tobacco. (Signed) " Captain David Souter. " G-EO. A. Craig, Surgeon. "Captain J. B. Walker, S.S. 'Alexander' " (Van Watersciiovelt, Surgeon.)" V I GARY ISLAND?. 31 "Also signed, F.'irtlier on in tlie same paper : "Visited on tl.e 27th June, 1800, by Captain Walker, fe.S Alexander ; Captain Bruce, S.S. 'Esquimaux.' Find tiie liquor in good order, and very i)alatable. No water to l-e seen from the top of the inland this day. All clean ex- ceptmg the ' Diana,' who secured one fi«h in the early part of tlie season. All well. "J. 13. Walkicr. " ClIAS. YULH. " KonKRT M. G. AXDERSOX, ''Surgeon S.S. ' Ahramki-: Geo. F. DAVTDRoy, S.S. 'Erik.' " Captain Jones sitting fatigued in the distance. "Jamrs Dewars, Surneon S.S 'Esquimaux: " Peter TiiOMrsoN, Seco7id Mate, ' Esquimaux.' "The 'Alexander,' 'Esquimaux,' 'Erik,' and 'Camper- down,' all of Dundee, fast to the ice. " Au revoir ! " I then examined every elevation of the island, and seeing a cairn on a small knoll at the extreme X.W., distant about three miles, I sent Lieutenant Beynen, with three men to examine it; to signal to me if any record was discovered 'and not to open anything themselves. After an absence of an hour and a half, they returned, having found nothing beyond nn old record tin which had been previously opened, and was almost destroyed by rust. On it could be deciphered, in painted white letters, the followino- • " Ri;soEU'r . and ASSISTA ..." i 32 CARY ISLANDS. The cairn had also been half pulled down, and a wooden staff which had been erected was broken in two. Our search showed that the islands had been visited by whale ships in 1867 and 18G0, and tliat the N.W. extremity of the N.W. island had been visited by the ' Jlesoluto ' and ' Assist- fince' in 1851, when under the command of Captain Austin.' I need scarcely express rcy disappointment on not finding any letter or news from the Government Expedition, as Cap- tain Nares had written to me from Godhavn, stating his determination to leave despatches at the Cary Islands : 1 had gone nearly 200 miles out of my way, and consumed ten tons of coal in my endeavours to reach this point, and to carry out my promise to deliver the letters from England here. ' The Gary (not Carey) Islands were discovered by William Baffin on the 8th of July, 1G16, and he named thorn after one of his patrons, Mr. Alhvin Cary, of the family of Lord Ilunsdon. Sir John Koss sighted them on the 20th of August, 1818. The ' Assistance ' and ' Resolute,* on their return voyage, after a heavy gale of wind, sighted the Cary Islands on the 21st of August, 1851, and a cairn was observed on one of the most conspicuous heights of the N.W. island. A beat was sent to examine it, in charge of Mr. Clements Markham, then a midshijjman in H.M.S. ' Assistance,' and it was found to consist of a pile of stones, with an upright piece of spruce deal 5 feet long and 5 inches broad. The letters — I — I M — R D, with the date 1827, were cut on one side, and on the other T M — D K, nearly obliterated. P'ourteen whalers were to the northward of the Cary Islands in 1827, and most probably one of them left this cairn. The cairn was built up higher, and a record was deposited in the tin case discovered by the * Pandora,' in August, 1875. The Cary Islands are in 7G° 45' N., and 72° SC W. Five of them are from a mile and a half to two miles in diameter, three smaller, besides detached rocks. The forma- tion is gneiss, rising to a height of 400 feet above the sea, and there is a rich growth of Cochlenria Greenland ica, and other Arctic plants. The cliffs are breeding places for looms, dovekeys, and rotches, of which the officers of the 'Assistance' shot 900 during August 22. Mr. Markham also found ancient remains of Eskimos, consisting of stone huts, caches, graves, and a stone fox-trap. (See an account of the Cary Islands .at p. 335 of the ' Aurora Boiealis,' the Arctic newspaper issued on board H.M.S. 'Assistance ' in 1850-51, and published by Colburn and Co. in 1852.) Great care ought to be taken in approaching the N.W. or largest of the Cary Islands, as several sunken rocks lie to the westward of it, and the current of the tide runs strong in the flood to the northward, rendering it necessary to give any grounded icebergs a wide berth. As far as could be judged by the shore, it was high water on the 18th of August, two days after the full moon, at 11 p.m. A good land ig will be found, with northerly to easterly winds, on the west side of the N.W. island, at the mouth of a deep ravine, in which is a river, and a quarter of a mile to the northward of which is a little cove with a beach, upon which a boat can be hauled up. OARY ISLANDS. ;}3 w Having carefully examined all round, and failing to find any otbcr cairn, I wrote to Captain NaroH, or the Com- manding OlHccr H.M.S. 'Alert' or 'Discovery,' stating tliat the letters contained in two water-tight casks would be found on a knoll above the beach, close to the mouth of the wide river or valley on the west side of the island, and bearing about S.W. from the cairn on the summit. It was now blow- ing hard from the northward, and was bitterly cold ; wo had been six hours on the island, so I hastily packed up and descended to the shore, and having carried the casks to the top of the knoll, about seventy to eighty feet above the sea, we deposited them, built a cairn to indicate their position, and tied a comforter to a staff made of one of the boat's stretchers. The casks are well above all chance of the sea ever coming over them, and can easily be found by the directions given in my not'ce on the summit of the island. It was now past midnight, and as we could do no more for our fellow-voyagers, we re-embarked for the ship. I rapidly turned over in my mind tho nature of our situa- tion. If I had had news from Captain Narcs stating that he had gone on positively, I should have decided to beat up o Littleton Island, and take the letters on. But in the face of a northern gale, the season fast passing away, and no informa- tion as to where the 'Alert' and ' Discovery' had gone, 1 con- sidered it far best to leave things as they were and proceed on my own affairs, as, if it were possible by chance that tlie ships were still southward of us, they would pick up their letters on the way, and if north they would probably send down in the spring for them, if considered of sufficient consequence. To have gone northward under this uncertainty would have involved my giving up all idea of Lancaster Sound, so I determined to make the best of my way in continuation of our programme, and at 1 A. jr. we bore up before a fresh N.N.W. gale, with a high sea which rolled in on both i I I I CAIIY mr.ANDS. tiidoH of our decks, coiiipelliiig us to secure tlio bunker-lids. Not a particle of ice woa in siglit, excepting a few gigantic bergs aground against the islands, and on the distant liorizon. The engines were stopped, and we flew before the breeze to the S.W. at a speed whicli was quite new to us, and with the first really fair wind since leaving England. I' r-lids. ^antic fizon. zc 1o \i tlie I i i I ) i •iiiillSii Vk ( •{•> ) (irAPTKli VII, LANCARTEH SOrND AM) liAllROW STIIAIT. Tin-: fair wind tell off as we siglited tlio laud of North Lincoln and Coburc; Island, and wc had a moderate N.W. wind througdi the ni,i2,'ht, with fine woatiier. We fell la with ice on the morning of the 2()th of Au!j;iist, lying ahout thirty miles east of Capo Ilorshurgli and Philpot's Island, aiul the wind coming fi-om tlie southward we tacked to tlie rf.K. A thick fog came on shortly afterwards, so wo continued to the S.M until evening, when it lifted, and we saw ico extending out from the laud in small .aud large floes, intermingled with bergs. Three boars being seen on the ice, 1 went away in the second cutter with Pirio and Beynen, and after shooting the old she-bear and one cub we succeeded in getting a rope round the larger cub and towing him to the ship. Now began a most lively scene. The bear was almost full grown, and it was with some dilliculty we got him on board and tied down to ring-bolts with his hind legs secured ; and notwith- standing this rough treatment he showed most wonderful energy in trying to attack anyoi;3 who came within reach, and especially our dogs, vho seemed to delight in trying his temper. He was at last secured on the quarter-deck with a chain round his neck and under his fore-arms, and soon began to feed ravenously on — I am sorry to have to write it — his own mother, who was speedily cut up and pieces of her flesh thrown to my new shipmate. I hoped that lie was oidy an adopted child, and the great difference between him and the other cub .varranted this supposition, as, being three times the size of the other, he could not have been of the same litter. D 2 I ' J ' ;{o LANCASTEK SOUND. On the 2Ist wo stoertd on lowiirds the land al)ont ('ii| >o IIor.sl)urirl i; Ji con.sidc'iablu •• ' mm.ll\ It i\i\ I5A1!R()\V STRAIT. 39 loose piooes, with tlie sea dasbiiig' over tliein as we iiew between. Now and then the moon shone out, but only to make the :scene still more ghastly, for our masts and rigging-, decks and bulwarks were covered with ice and snow. At 11 P.M. we caught a glimpse of the land, apparently some- where between Sargent Point and Cape York.' It was only for a moment, and then all was darkness and wind and snow and ice. Whde we were in this situation our bear gradually worked himself into a state of frantic excitement — getting up to the rail, watching the iloe-ice rapidly dashing past our side — and in his attempts to got over the bulwarks he released his chain until it was evident that in a few moments he would be free, whether to dive overboard or to run a muck among the watch appeared a question of doubt. The alarm being given by Pirie, who was writing up the deck log, the watch was called to secure the bear, and 1 fear that during the half hour which elapred the ship was left, more or less, to take care of herself. The whole watch, besides Pirie with a revolver, and myself with a crowbar, assaulted the unfortunate Bruin, whose frantic struggles and endeavours to attack everyone within reach wen^ (piite as much as we could control. He was loose, but by a fortunate event a running noose was passed rcund his neck, and the poor brute '''as hauled down to a ring-bolt until we could secure the chain round his neck and body. I had hitherto no conception of the strength of these animals, and especially of the power of their jaws. Fearing that the iron crowbar might injure his teeth, I jammed a mop handle into his mouth while the others were securing his chain, anu he bit it completely through. At last Bruin gave in, and beyond an occasional struggle to get loose, and a constant low growling, ' t^o named by Sir Edward Tarry in 181',), alter the Duke uf York. It is al liu! western entrance of IVince Kct^ont Inlet. I'arry named anotiier eajie, between Admiralty and Navy Hoard Inlets, on Au;^iist ;JI, bSliO, after the i;i;j,ht I!om. ( 'liarleis P. Yorke, grandson of the lirsl Karl of llurdwickc, wiio was First Lord of tlie Admiralty from 1810 to 1812. 40 RARROW STRAIT. lie gave us no further troul)le. I oi.^^lit to mention tliat in the midst of the scrimmage the Doctor was called up to give him a dose of opium, in tlie hope of subduing him by this means; but having succeeded in getting him to swallow a piece of blubber saturated with chloroform and opium sufficient to kill a dozen men, our Bruin did not appear to have experienced the slightest effect, and the Doctor, who volunteered to remain up, and expressed some anxiety as to the bear's fate, retired below somewhat disappointed. Th^ snow turned into slaet in the morning, and we scuddea up Barrow Strait, and at eight suddenly saw land. Our compasses were almost useless. We had been threading through the ice. "W'e could not distinguish anything beyond a dark black foot of cliff, about two miles away. The ship was put about, and stood to the S.E. Grradually the fog and sleet were less dense, and we saw by the trend of the coast line that we were on the north shore, for I cannot say that at first I did not feel sure we wore close down upon Leopold Island. On the fog again lifting, we saw about ten miles of coast about Cape Fellfoot, and at 10 a.m. bore away to the westward again, before a strong easterly wind, passing through streams of heavy ice, which was much broken by thr gale of the previous night. We did not feel the full effects of this gale, being sheltered by the pack we passed through. I recollect that in the ' Fox ' we were subjected to a much more severe gale when running up the same straits under similar circumstances, with the exception of having twenty or thirty miles of pack ice between us and Baffin's Bay. The barometer fell to 29*40. We got occasional glimpses of the land until 4 p.m., when all was obscured by a perfect pall of fog. I kept the ship S.W. as we passed what must have been Maxwell Bay, the wind still blowing in gusts from the eastward, and heavy ice coming constantly in our way. Looms were continually flying out to seaAvard, and occasionally a itmtm BARROW STRAIT. 41 flock would cross us, evidently making straight into the land, and by these signs and the wind we continued our lonely course, our compasses being useless, and there being no other guide. A dense gloom and fog, with snow and sleet, jirevailcd throughout the night, and we could see but a few cables' length, the mist hanging over us like a curtiiin. I was anxious to get to Beechey Island, to examine the state of the depot there in case of a mishap, and at 5 a.m., on the 25th, we rounded to, after passipg through a heavy stream of ice, not being able to determine our position. \ye had no sun and no soundings, and I could only judge that we were somewhere off the land aljout Cape Hurd. This was a dark day, with nothing to distract the attention from the damp, cold, and gloom, beyond the occa- sional trimming of the sails. We were iced-up aloft, and great flakes of frozen snow and hard pieces of ice frequently came down. I earnestly watched the barometer, and at G p.m. the mercury rose one-tenth of an inch, and the wind, which was squally and baffling from the eastward, veered more to the N.E. The looms began to pass us from the north, flying south, and at 1.30 r.M. we caught sight of a patch of snow pt the foot of the land, which suddenly appeared as if it had rolled from the heavens, and w\as not more than half a mile distant. We were off Cape Ricketts, and a magnificent view was dis- played before us. The steep, preci})itous cliffs appeared to hang over our heads, and all the clefts and ravines and gorges in the neighbourhood were white with drift snow\ Cape Ilotham ^ appeared in the distance like a golden mound, the sun being reflected upon its icy summit. No ice could be seen, save a few half-worn bergs, one of whir>h supplied us with enough water for a week's consumption m less than half an hour, its edges being broken off witli nn axe. AVhite whales and seals swam around, and appeared to gaze at us as if we ' Tl)c S.E. luiint of Coniwallis Island, foniiinp; tlio western cutraucc to Wellington Cliaiiiu'l. Tariy (k^crilKd it as like two lioals turned bottom up. '4 ' n 1 42 BARROW STRAIT. we,c so„,o appa„t,on coming out from tho gloom, and we oxtraord„,ary olunate. Tl,c contract between ti.e sLing sun above, and our .loppy, l.alf-fro.en deeks and snow-covered rigging was most striking. toverea .1 it- ' > ( 43 ) i I CHAPTER VIll. liKECIIEY ISLAXD.' W,c lighteJ our stoves bolow, for the firat time since leavin.. i.ngland, g,v,ng our damp and cold quarters a good d, inZ. "P, and raismg tl,e temperature below from 38° (o 54° a'lieat winch really felt oppressive. At 8 p.m. we were flying towards Beee ,cy, under steam and fore-and-aft canvas. We attempted to take photographs, and occasionally stopped the ship, but our artist desponded in consequence of tlie slight movement of he waters winch .appeared to us only the merest undulation. int iHl ' "''' '" "°""'^ ™^ "■• '~™ °f *•- '-«nifi- Tm w '"■:• " ™ f°T^ ^°'- 1''^ l""'P-« innnediately under them. We ,,,„ ,„i j,,^ ,^^^,.,. _^_ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ at 70 fathoms, close to the shore; there may be from flO to 100 fathoms, as the lead had been down twice on a hard ground w,th 20 fathoms out. At 0.30 we sighted Cape Riley and Whey Island. We saw a eairn with a staff at t{,e south *o.e. Ihe w„,d „rcre.ased from the north, with all appearance ot a gale. I prepared to anchor, and steered in towards the bof; I T",'"', '■"'°'""'"' '" '^ ^'"'°'"»' ■'»«' «»'l clay lottom Nortlnnnberland House bearing N.N.E. 0„.^.) ,J, a quarter ot .a nnle, and veered to 30 futhon>s of cable It now blew a gale from N. to JT.N.W. directly out of the bay I went on shore with two of the officers to inspect the place; 'and a^certam the state of the provisions and boats. I found that i».»/o:::™i,rs.:: s '::;;;;:;"' ""■;''"'"•• - "- '-' "■ ■ licchcy. ° ' • ' '""' "»'»"' '< »'" "' "-"[■M 101- S,r William |H 44 BEECIIEY ISLAND. tliG house had ])een stove in at tlie door and in both sides l)y the wind and bears, and almost everytliiiig h'glit and movable either blown out or drap:g'ed out by bears, which had also torn up all the tops of the bales, and scattered the contents around for some distance. Tlie house was i aarly full of ice and snow, and frozen so hard that we could not remove any- thing exceptijig with pickaxe and crowbar, and even then only the few things which were projecting above the surface. The tea-chests were all broken open, and most of their contents scattered about. Many of the beef casks had been eaten through the bilges, and the contents extracted. The whole place was a scene of confusion, and the kitchen a mere wreck. I could not find any traces of the place having been visited by human beings since our departure in the ' Fox,' on the 14th of August, 1858. The only thing I noticed was that a coal fire had been made on the beach ; but this might liave been done by our crew of the ' Fox,' or even by the crews of the squadron of Sir Edward Belcher. A cask of rum standing in the door- way intact was conclusive proof to my mind that neither Eskimo nor British sailors had entered that way. I found the ' Mary,' cutter yacht, in g0(;d condition ; her bottom appeared quite uninjured, but we could not see her garboard for the stones heaped under the bilges to keep her upright. She stood in apparently the same position as when formerly placed there. In her fore com[)artment is an anchor and chain, some horn lanterns as bright as new, and sundiy boatswain's stores. In her msiin cabin the sails are stowed in the wings, and beyond a slight leakage from the decks tlie cabin was dry, perfectly clean, and free of snow. The after compartment was in a similarly good state, and a set of carpenter's tools and caulking implements were carefully stowed there. The ladder was in excellent order, most of the spars good. Standing rigging was aloft, but no running gear could be found. I should consider that the ' Mary ' might be made .,ti)iMt .»;»*«»*«..<»"■' HEKCIIKY ISLAND. 45 available for a retreating party in about four or five days witb tlic resources of Northumberland House.' The lifeboat cutter lying by her was marked t XXX w N— 1150 Oct. 1851. She was in fair condition, and only required the woo-: ends to be refastened. Her oars and masts were complete, but her sails were partially torn by bears. There were ten copper crutches in her fore and after compartments. She could be made serviceable in one day. A lifeboat cutter near the house was next examined. She was lying end on to the beach, above high-water mark, and is marked t XXX w N— 1151 Octo 1851. She also was in good condition, and only required re- fastening and caulking. There were ten brass crutches in the compartments, and tlie oars and masts were in and outside the house. The sails were not seen, but were supposed to have been torn up by the bears. This boat could also be made serviceable in one day, and is in an easy position for launching. ' Nortuumucrlaud House on Becchoy IsUuul, named after the then First Lord of the Admiralty, was built by Commander (now IJear-Admiral) PuUen when in command of tiie ' North Star,' vvhici. ship wintered there in 1852-53 and 1853-54, as a depot for (Sir Edward lielcher's cxpevHtion. The liouse was built in the autumn of 1852, of lower masts and spars taken from ;he American whaler ' M'Lellan,' which was crushed by the ice in Melville Bay in 1852. 3ir Leopold M'Clintock visited the house and examined the stores on the lltli of August, 1,858. M i ' ' 1 ! r m; llEKfllKY ISLAND. A wlijilo-boiit on tlio Houtli .siilu of llic liouso wuh iinsfTvico- ablo. The ico-hoat on ninncrH oould l)o oasily made sorviccaLle. The {la,t;'.stalT was Mtaudiiig all riglit, and the arrang-uincnt for pointii)j^ the direction was in g-ood order, bnt tliore Wiis no vano or arrow. r found tlic pedestal in good condition, and also tlie marble ta])iet in memory of tlie Franklin expedition, tlie brass plate which M'Clintock fastened on it being qnite bright, as if the bears had been Iving on it.' The record liox was hanjrinir to a beam in the house, and having exann'ned the original list of provisions, and ^I'Olintock's record, which was as fresh as if just written, I took a copy of it, and removed all the documents to the post office in the pedestal, for safer kee|)ing, in whicli I only found a memorandum from Sir E. Belcher. At eight in the morning of the 2Gth, the wind having partially moderated, we began to clear away some of the ice and snow ; and having with great difficulty found such provisions as we were actually in need of, and thirteen bags of coal, of which there still remained at least ten tons, I placed a record of our jDroceedings in the pedestal, with a list of the provisions taken away, and embarked at 7 p.m., having carefully repaired and closed the house. Our artist was busily employed all day in taking piiv^.ographs of every object of interest, and Mr. Beynen was sent to the summit of th . island to report on the ice. He could see none from any visible point in the horizon, but in the south-west a mist was hanging which prevented the completion of his observations. ' Sec M'Cliiituck's 'Fate of Franklin,' p. 173. (I .mmaaam^if^^ 1 1 ( '17 ) (' CHAPTER IX. PERL STIIAIT. Having got uU the boats up, wo woim^hetl anclun' at 8 p.m., and stood away to tlio soutliward for Peel Strait, llio wi?id lK3in. 'n^? ou the other side of the island, and the ice was rajjiu y sa iing past the group. I had therefore only time to run uy> to ihe top and get a hasty glance to the south before I fou. ' i- necessary to make all haste to the boat and push oft' to the ship, wdiich was already surrounded by floes, and nearly cut oft" from us. We at once began to free ourselves from the pack, and steamed northward for about three miles, when we again lay-to. I had observed no change from tlie island, and I could see no water beyond a few cracks in the first five miles. The ice had gradually crept up t^e shore, reaching nearly to Barth Island, and to the westward, still farther north. We were still in a deep bay in the ice. All to the southward was one unbroken pack across from side to side. I was most anxious about our position, and wished if possible to reach Bel lot Strait, because there we could have held on and awaited any ice movement northward, and perhaps proceed southward after it had passed ; but f^'om this point we must inevitably have been carried northward if the pack continued to advance in that direction. Even if I had desired to winter here it would have been useless, as we could not possibly have done more than M'Clintock and Hobson did by travelling over K'ng /^ ^'f r u |.^;i 68 AN IMPASSABLE HARRIRn. Willi.im iHliuul witli tlic sprinp^ and winter snow on tlic ground ; and, moreover, we nnist have abandoned the nhiyt in the followinf]^ npring before the water made on tlie floe, which would render nledj^e travelHng very dilHicult, and we could not de])L'nd upon getting the Hhip out next summer. Wo had not many hours to make up our minds, but I was inclined to give it another day's trial ; and then, if we perceived no favourable movement in the ice, to retreat by Peel Strait, in which case even we should have once more to get through the pack which almost closed the northern entrance. To re- main here at this season was out of the question. We weie hourly in danger of being beset in the pack, and if we could not reach Jjellot Strait on the following day, I decided to con- sider seriously our retreat to tlie northward. Thus all my hopes were dashed to the groinid ; we were helpless, and could not proceed by any human possibility — no boat could get half :i mile through this ice, nor could anyone walk many yards on it. It was a dense mass of small floes, intermingled here and there with large old floes. To travel on the land was equally impossible, and especially without the ship being fixed in some known and secure position. I now almost gave up all hope of our making the North- West Passage this year ; and, indeed, was more than ever of the opinion that the only way to accomplish it would be to proceed by way of Bellot Strait, there awaiting the moving of the pack northward, and then pushing as fast as possible down to Cape Victoria, for I thought tliat if the northern part of Peel Strait Avas entlrehj free of ice, as we had found it, the pack would be to the southward, as it was impossible that 120 miles of ice could have dispersed, and it seemed more probable that it swayed backwards and forwards., northward and southward in the straits, until arrested by the frosts of Septembei-. We were IMI'USSIBLE TO UKACH BEIXoT STRAIT. f)!) evkloiitly on tho nortlieni edgo of" it, and as it probably ini- piiif^od about the Tasmania group,' wu could not hopo tor a passage unless with a south or S.rf.K. wind; and then we should be, in our |)resent position, carried back with it. ('ould we but have reached IJellot Strait, I believe tliat this southerly gale, which was evidently blowing with great force beyond our v'sible horizon, would have eventually moved tho ice up iiortliward, and have allowed us to proceed ; but I could see no chance of reaching the strait, for there was still one mass of ice closely packed between us and the shore; neither could I see any hope in the western horizon, for whenever wo attempted to go in that direction we were lieaded off until we found ourselves steering north, and without any indication of any lead of water along the shore of Prince of Wales' Land. We got several seals, and also shot a quantity of malle- moke.y for the dogs. Numbers of white whales were constantly around the ship, but although we twice lowered a whale boat, with harpoon, gun, and line, we did not succeed in securing one. On visiting Roquotte Island to-day, we discovered a remarkable pool or small lake near the summit, completely surrounded by mosses, and forming an entire circle. We also saw many tracks of reindeer and several looms, thus proving that the deer must cross to these islands on the ice in search of food. Seeing that the ship was being fast enclosed in the drifting ice, I hastened down to the boat, and only arrived on board in time to get the ' Pandora ' clear of the island, as the ice- floes were surrounding her ; and we had to back in close to the beach before we could get her head the right way. A gale ' Tho 'I'asnmnia 'ii-ouji, nu tiic west cuast (A' Boothia, is at tho soiilli ciitraiicc o|' Franklin Channel, uliicli is tlic soniherii cuntinuafinn of reel Strait. CO ONLY ONE COURSK LEFT. now t'ommeiicod from tlio soutliwanl, witli nleet, snow, and inist, iind tlio nortliurn o(l;^c of tlio pack be^an to break away and lly before the wind. Tlieio was only one course to jmrsuo t(» prevent l)eiii;4' beset, viz. to run before tlie ^ale and outstrip ibesu sailing Hoes,' wliich had already ])receded us on either hand. ' 'I'lie wIkiUth i;ivc tlie luiiiio of "siiiliiii; floes" to ice-dofH tlril'ting by tlio action of tliu wind. W*' v ; . '! ,.: ' :! ' jr if;'i;' ^i; : ' ■'<*■ ■i t w-mj '-m ( 61 ) CHAPTER Xr. A PERILOUS RACE WITH THE ICE. n We drifted all night, with low sail, to the northward before the gale, in company with large and small floes and fields of ice, which gleamed through the darkness, and gave a weird appearance to the sea. AVe could not perceive anything at a distance of more than half a mile, and had constant alarms of a pack ahead, which, however, proved to he only streams of ice. By eight in the morning of the 2nd of September we had for half an hour a clear view, and I could see that we were close up to Barth Island, lloquctte Islands being in the horizon, and surrounded by pack ice. By noon the wind came round to north, and blew a fresh gale with snow, and a new phase now came over the scene, for quantities of ice of a different description were coming from the northward, viz. fresh, unbroken fields of a year's growth., and with the smcotli snov/ on the surface. I could not imagine where all this fresh ice came from, unless out of Browne's Bay ; ^ it appeared to fill the straits northward of us, and we worked to windward the whole day, until up to Olrick Island, when we still saw more and more ice coming down, apparently filling the straits, leaving only a small space between the island and the shores of Nor di Somerset ; having reached this water, we commenced to dodge about for the night. I close-reefed the topsails, as they froze so fast after any rain or sleet, that we should have been in great trouble if we had had to shorten sail suddenly. I t ' A deep bay on the west .side of Peel Strait. 62 THE CRUISE DOWN PEEL STRAIT. Tlie barometer liad oscillated in a curious way during tlie lasL thirty-six hours, liaving fallen to 29 'GO, and rising at 8 P.M. to 20* 85, with a dark gloomy sky, and a strong N.N.W. wind. On the 3rd of September we stood back towards the western land, having cleared the northern edge of the loose ice ; but we soon met again a quantity of ice under the western shore, which quite frustrated my intention of landing and obtaining a view from the high cliffs. The wind came on at the same time from the southward, and began to blow in squalls, with snow and sleet. From the topmast head I could see nothing but the same dense pack of ice southward of us. There seemed no hope in that direction, and I reluctantly bore away to the northward before the gale. Such, then, are the uncertainties and disappointments of Arctic navigation ; for whilst on the previous Sunday we were running southward through these straits, which had never been previously navigated by any ship (imless Franklin had passed this way), with a clear sea, and with not a sign of ice, and every prospect of reaching King William's Land, and accomplishing the North -V/est Passage, we were, on the following day, arrested at the Roquette Islands by an impene- trable pack, and all our liopes frustrated. With the spring- tides of the new moon I had hoped that the barrier might have given way, but no change had taken place, and I felt convinced that the fast ice extended I'ight across from Kennedy Bay towards the Tasmania group. We had reached within 140 miles of Point Victory, and it was very provoking that we could not even proceed that distance, if only to return the same way. On the 3rd wo had the temperature about 27° to 28°, with barometer 20 • GO. We passed Howe Harbour at about 2 p.m. and continued northward under reefed sails until 8 p.m., when being close to the land southward of Wad worth Island, we DECISION AS TO THE FUTURE. b,» tiiclvcJ to the northward, and aouuded in eighty fathoms, mud and sandy bottom. I revolved in my mind the best course to pursue. To return southward again seemed hopeless, as we sliould only arrive at the edge of the pack which lay to the north of the fast ice in the straits, and which when we left it haiJ accumulated up to Bartli Island. We had ali'cady lost ten miles of ground. It was impossible to remain in the position we first reached at the Iloquette Islands, for tliere was no harbour or bay in which we could anchor, and the ice was constantly coming down upon us from the north and compelHng us to fleet u]-> clear of it, in order to prevent being beset in a position in which we must necessarily have abandoned the ship the next spring, and have travelled to Fury Beach, Port Leopold, and possibly Beechey Island. This necessity would have made it impossible to explore King William Island by sledge parties. Moreover, even if this could have been done in the spring, it could not have resulted in finding any remains of the Franklin expedition beyond those obtained by M'Clintock and Ilobson, who had made an exhaustive searcli, and whose footsteps we could merely have followed. Any additional search, to pro- duce a useful result, must be made in summer when the snow is off the ground. To remain in the strait for the winter would certainly have involved the loss of the ship, as we could not have waited until the loUowing August upon the chance of coming out, the northern part of Feel Strait being evidently only occasionally open. To proceed round by Regent Inlet to BcUot Strait appeared an alternative, but we had already seen at least ten miles of solid ice southward of Bel lot Strait, right across Franklin Channel, with a bright ice sky, and no pro- bability of getting southward this year by that route, in time to pass through to Behring's Strait. We reluctautlv beat to the northwarrl all the forenoon against . ( 64 A RACE WITH THE ICE TO CAPE JIENNELL. a northerly wind and in a close sea, and by noon we were again oft" Cape Granite, finding a wonderful cliange in the a])pearaiice of the land. When we passed down the strait a week before we could see scarcely a vestige of snow, except upon the higher lands in the interior ; but now, even down to high-water mark, the land was so white as to appear like ice tlirongh the mist. By 5 P.M. we began to see ice in the north-west, and so furling square sails, and steaming easily with fore-and-alt canvas, with the wind N.W. to W.N.\V., we gradually drew up to Limestone Island ; but a change now occurred ; the wind began to blow in heavy gusts, with dense showers of snow, between which we could just catch a view of a solid j^ack to the westward, and of Limestone Island to the N.E. We passed close round Limestone Island, the cliffs towering over us through the snow, and the pack being scarcely half a mile to westward. The barometer fell rapidly to 29*50, and at the same time the temperature fell to 24° as we brought the pack to windward of us. I could just distinguish at intervals what appeared to be a sort of land water, about a mile wide, and I determined to run a race with the pack, and try to pass Cape Rennell ' before it impinged completely on the land. This was our only chance of getting out of the strait, for had we hesi- tated, or stood back to the south-west, we should certainly have been shut in for the winter. We therefore pressed on into the gloom of the fast increasing darkness, and experienced a dreadful night, the wind increasing to a gale Irom the N.W. with dense sleet, hail, and snow showers in blinding drifts. To stop was impossible, for the pack, which was to wiiidward, and seemed to be composed of enormous floes, unbroken for miles, •»vas evidently coming in on the land, whilst on the other hand Ave constantly found streams of ice already jammed in the ' Of' ill nortl. •.':^ast of North S iiersot. It was so named by Parr}- on the 29th of ^ i,',i!ot, 18'..0, '■• .lit'.;!- Major Hei '.ii, a c;(ntk'Uian well known as the ablest geographer ^■0 age" A NARROW ESCAPE BETWEEN LAM) AND 1(.E. G5 sliore, the points extending ont almost to the main pack. Through tliis ice, or rather lanJl water, of the wiJtli of one mile and a half, we threaded onr way in the darkness, the white glare of the pack on the one hand, and the gleam of the snow-clad land on the other, being onr only guides ; compass we had none, and once only during the night a solitary star shone out for about ten minutes, giving the helmsman a direc- tion for steering. We were on several occasions so close to the land that I thought we must run ashore, as we had really no guide during the snow squalls. In the intervals we were frequently obliged to steer by the land astern, and it was somewhat ridiculous to see the helmsman facing aft at the wheel. As the wind increased, and came over the pack, the temperature fell to 18° Fahr., and the spray froze over the ship. By midnight our decks were full of snow, which whirled up in blinding drifts, from the eddy round the sails. We could from time to time judge our position along the coast by the excellent descriptions by Sir James Ross and M'Clintock of their winter journey. Jhus, at 9 p.m., we passed a deep fissure or gorge, separating the limestone from the red sandstone, and whicli we had noticed when passing the previous week. We continued on, the wind v j\ snow increasing, and the pack evidently closing in, until ? .m., when we suddenly observed the ice to trend north an^ south right across our path. I immediately hove-about, jnsr clearing the solid floe ; at the same time a high, precipitou- liff showed out over us, presenting a most ghastly and ' ible appearance, with a fringe of ice at the foot, and the Uorizontal strata appearing like huge bars of some gigantic iron cage, and pcu'fectly black in contrast with the snowy face. 1 could only see the summit, the strata, and the foot. It was a skeleton of the lani\y. At 1 a.m. ou the L'l5rd the pack edge was sighted, aud ihe two ve.s.sels were at once pushed into it. 'J'lic ice was very loose, not mere than twilve inches thick, and with lanes of water in all directions. At 11 A.M. on t>, day, the 25th of -Inly, tlie ' Alert ' and ' Discovery ' got clear of the pack and entered the " Xorth Water" of Tallin's P)ay, having heen oidy thirty-four hours in the ice, and seventy hours in guing from Upernivik to Cape York. The 'Discovery' then went in shore to communiiate with the natives ai Cape Yurk, and endeavour !o engage a hrother-in-law of Hans as second dog-driver. The 'Alert' proceed' d to tln' Cary group, and reached the S.E. island at midnight on the 2i cairn erected. Tlie expedition then proceeded to Snuth Sound, witli the hrigiitest pmspeel of an open .sea, and of being able to reach a high northern latitude in tlie season of 1875. n I ! IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 Ui, 128 1 2.5 L2 ^ lii llli M 1.4 1.6 6" 7 <^ r /] ^a /a /A Photographic Sciences Coiporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 145 80 (716) 872-4503 V ^ # ^^ <^ O^ ? ^ rty-fivc tons of the best Welsh coal. We passed one or two icebergs, which aj)peared liiucli hroken by the sea; and although 7(i FOlTf, WKATHKIl. Iliu iilglits lind been I'nioiisoly daik, wc had liad no occnsioii for any anxiety, as tlic soas liad lieiMi aliiiosf free since loavinti: S.K. P>ay and in tlie meridian of C)C)° Avliieli wc had ]!ivy c1reiikiii,c»* sea came up on llie ({uartei', l»ut 1)y altering our course ficcording to tli(} change in the direction of the wind, wo escaped IxMiig hoarded hy heavy water, although Hoods of spray came across us. The wind then setthMJ down into a steadv fresh gale from the "W.N.W., a!id wo scudded heibre it to tlie K.S.I*]., the barometer rising from 'J.l*20 to 20 'DO, and the sea becoming more regular and true to the wind. We were in lat. 55^ ') 1' N., long. 12° '14' W., at noon l)y observation, Scilly bearing S. 75° K. I .'>.") 7 miles. In the evening of the r)th, soon after eight o'clock, w^e had another brilliant display of aurora, which lighted up the sky and sea in si manner which I never before witnessed. It api)eared first in the AV.N.W., in hnuinous patclies, at an elevation of .'JO degrees, and quickly ascended towards the xenitli, and almost innnediately other corruscations shot up from the northward, extending across the zenith to S.S.W., and forming into vertical bands, having that peculiar serpentine motion so well known to Arctic vova-es illu- minated with a bril.iant aurora, makin,ellot Strait, leaving' a navi^-able lane of water to the southward as far as visible from the hiLi;h land. 1 had hoped last year by passinui; down Peel Strait, instead of lle<;;"ent Inlet and Bellot Strait, to have been able to continue my course southward if tlie ice was in the same condition as we saw it from the 'Fox' in 1858. I had found, however, that while Peel Strait was entirely clear from Limestone Island to about five miles north of Cape Bird, the Ice then extended right across the straits from east to west, forming aii impregnable barrier as far as was visible from the highest land attainable (the top of La Koquette Island, about 280 feet), \\ith a bright ice sky beyond. The barrier ap})eared to be composed of about five miles of loose floes, closely ])acked and driven down upon what seemed to be f;ist ice beyond, as if the straits had not broken up at all that year. My impression at that time was, that owing to the extra- ordinary prevalence of strong N. and N.W. winds, the ice from the Polar ])ack had been driven through iM'ClIntock Channel in great quantity, and Impinging on the coast of Boothia, had prevented Fraidclin Strait from opening during that season. Consequently I had determined to give it one moie trial, and if I (ailed this year, to leave the grand feat of carrying a shin throuu'h from the Atlantic to the Pacific KKQUKST FROM TIIK ADMIRALTY. 83 Occjiii in one season to some future navij^ator more fortunate than myself. I iiitenileJ to have commenced refitting tlic 'Pandora' soon after Cliristmas, so as to start fair with the new year, allowin: from our having struck on a reef off the west coast of Greenland on our la^t voyage; but beyond tliis she had re- ceived no harm from her encounter with the ice and the violent storms we experienced. The bottom was then partially caulked and coated with Peacoclc's paint from the top of the doubling to three feet under the water-line, and below that to the keel with coal-tar and naphtha. I 1' H 86 OFFICI' us AND CHEW. My object in docking the sliip with everything on board, inchiding couls, was to ascertain if she was quite tight, as we liad found a slight leak last year after the ship had been docked and had received her weights. This leakage was due to some bolt not being driven ftiirly when doubling the outer planking, and is a circumstance very likely to arise. I liad the satis- faction to find that when loaded the 'Pandora' had no leakage. One other advantage in docking the ship at the last was that, as in the Southampton Water, the grass grows so quickly in the spring upon a ship's bottom, we left that port perfectly free of the weeds which so fouled the ship last year, and caused us so much loss of speed. In the meantime, the officers were selected, and the crew engaged ; the chief difficulty being to choose those who apjieared to be best fitted for the work before them ; for as soon as it was known that the ' Pandora ' was to try her fort'.-.ie once more in the icy seas, I had a great many applica- tions for appointments. I was only sorry that our limited space for accommodation and provisions, as well as the means at my command, compelled me to decline the services of many gallant young officers who so kindly offered to come with me. The complement of the ship's company was thirty-three officers and crew, as follows : — 1. *Allex W. YouNO, E.N.R. .. Cajiimn. 2. Chaulks R. Akbuthnot, R.N. .. Licvtcnant. 3. *George PiiUE, R-N Namgaliufj Suh-Lieut. 4. *L. li. KooLEMANS Beynen .. lAciit. Netherlands H.N. 5. Alois Eitter von Beokeu ,. Lieut. Austrian E.N. 6. W. Grant Photograiiher. 7. *A. C. Horner Surffeon and Naturalist. 8. *Benjamiu Ball First Euijinccr. 9. *Arcbibal(l rortcous Second Engineer. 10. *Hciii7 Mitchell ammer. 11. William Taylor Boatswain. \ OFFTf'ERS AND CRFAV. 87 12. *Robort James Oirpenler. 13. William Grconfiolil Suilmalccr. 14. *William Edwards Ship's Stewnrd. 15. * Charles Vino Ward-room Steward. 16. *Thomas Floranco Captain of the Hold. 17. William Morrick Shy s Cook. 18. * William Randorson Quartermaster. 19. * Henry Andrews Quartermaster. 20. William Berry Quartermaster. 21. *Charle8 Tizzard Boats wains Mate. 22. *G. W. Thornc Captain of the Maintop. 23. George Pearcc Captain of the Far etop. 24. *Allau Gillies A.B. 25. William Owen A.B. 2G. William Rickctts A.B. 27. William Battan A.B. 28. P. doGruchy A.B. 29. F. Prcssley A.B. 30. George Smitbers A.B.and Captains Coxswain. 81. Samuel Haines Ordinary Seaman. 32. *Ed win Griffey Ordinary Seaman and Stoker. 33. Henry Dennis Ordinary Seaman and Stoker. Those wliosc names arc niiirkod with an asterisk (*) were in tlic 'Pandora' in her hist voya,:^e, and must of them had heen retained on board all through the winter. ili The above officers, petty officers, and crew signed the articles of the 'Pandora' on the IQilx of May, 1870, agreeing to serve in the several capacities against their respective names on a voyage of search and discovery to the Arctic Seas, and until the ship was paid off at a final port of discharge in the United Kingdom. Lieutenant Arbuthnot, who joined as first lieutenant and second in command, had applied to serve in the Government Arctic Expedition, and lately acted as gunnery officer in II.M.S. ' Invincible,' when he applied to go in the ' Pandoi-a/ and I was very glad to secure the services of so experienced an officer. Lieutenant Pirie had served as navigating lieutenant in the ! I 88 THE OFFICERS. I ' Pandora ' in her last voyage, and again volunteered to accom- pany me. He had in tlie meantime been employed in the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, and I gladly availed myself of his services. The Lords of the Admiralty granted to both of the above officers their sea-time and pay during their absence. Lieutenant Koolemans Beynen, of the Royal Dutch Navy, was appointed by his Government to accompany the ' Pandora ' on her last voyage in order to instruct himself in Arctic naviga- tion, and was now a second time a volunteer by the desire of the Netherlands Government, and joined the 'Pandora* as an executive officer. Between the two voyages ho edited a volume containing an account of the three voyages of his countryman, William Barents, to the Arctic Regions (1594-OG), with a learned and exhaustive introduction, for the Ilakluyt Society. Lieutenant Alois Ritter von Becker, of the Austrian Royal Navy, was appointed by the Austro-Hungarian Government to accompany the ' Pandora ' with a view to the study of ice navigation in the Northern Seas, Dr. Arthur Horner served as surgeon and naturalist in the ' Pandora ' last year, and again joined in the same capacity. He also had charge of the meteorological register. Mr. Grant, who had been educated at Harrow and graduated at Oxford, volunteered as photographer, having made a special study of the art. Mr. W. Taylor served as boatswain in the 'Assistance,' under the command of Sir Edward Belcher, and, notwithstand- ing his age, I was glad to engage so experienced and trust- worthy an officer. Thomas Florance, who had served in the ' North Star,' and under Sir Leopold M'Clintock, again joined in his capacity of last year as captain of the hold. t 'f OFFICERS AND CHEW. 89 Many of the remainder of the potty officers and crew had served with me for some years in different ships, some of them in tlie ' Pandora ' last year, and the others were all selected owing to superior characters they had received while serving in the Royal Navy or Merchant Service. When the crew was all complete, I felt that I could congratulate myself upon having a splendid ship's company. \ 1 ) '■i ? ( ^0 ) CHAPTER II. TlIK VOYAGE TO DISCO. The 'Pandora' being completed in her ontfit, and ready for sea, left Southampton Docks on the 17th of May, 1870, and anchored in the river to receive her gunpowder, and to .settle down the crew on board. On the 18th she proceeded to Cowes, and moored to the Royal Yacht buoy, when all the spare and old stores were landed, and all empty cases, portmanteaus, and casks were placed in my store there, as I intended on my return to dismantle and lay up at that p( rt. On the 22nd we proceeded to Portsmouth, and moored alongside tli. dockyard to take in the mails and despatches for the 'Alert ' and ' Discovery,' and to await my final instruc- tions from the Admiralty. Whilst at Portsmouth, we had visits from many kind friends who came on board to wish us good-bye and all success, and I had the opportunity of obtaining the advice of my former commander. Sir Leopold M'Clintock, upon many points con- nected with our projected cruise. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, with H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, also honoured the ' Pan- dora' with a visit on the 23rd, and on that day I returned to London, to settle some private affiiirs, until the 27th, when we left Portsmouth for Cowes, the crews of Her Majesty's ships in harbour, as well as the ' Valorous ' at Spithead, giving us a hearty cheer. We again moored to the buoy in Cowes Roads, and, it being Saturday, some of the crew were given leave until Monday, in order that they might go home to arrange anything requisite before their final departure. Mr. llarjiei-, my agent, met us at MiMkMwMMMlBM VA-y: DOWN CHANNEL. !)1 Cowcs, paid down all wages due to tlio men, and gave them allotmeiit notes for halt-pay to bo allowed to their families, and, having settled all the ship's accounts with hini, I returned to London until Wednesday, when, having all my alVairs arranged, wo left Cowes at 4 p.m., and ran out tln-ough the Needles under steam and all canvas. As we passed the Royal Yacht Squadron Castle, we were saluted by the battery. I had determined to bo guided by the wind in tlie Channel whether to go east or west, r d finding a light easterly breeze outside, as it was inside the Solent, we bore away for l*ly- mouth to take in our last instalment of coals and to fill u}* water. If the wind had been w^esterly, I should certainly have ])referred to make the passage round by the North Sea and Scotland, as I am confident that at this season, and after my oxiierience of last year, that is the better route in consequence of tlie prevalence of strong N.W. winds in the Atlantic between the parallels of 45*^ to 55^ N. latitude, or, as the old seamen call thein, the " roaring forties." But, with the pi'ospect of a fair run out of the Channel, I determined again to try my luck in that direction, trusting either to get at once to the northward when clear of Ireland, or, if the winds should come in strong from the westward, to bolt through St. George's Channel, and out to the north of the Irish coast. We had a pleasant run down Channel, and anchored under Drake's Island, in Plymouth Sound, at eleven o'clock on the 1st of June. In the evening we filled up with coals and water, taking about fifteen tons of coal in bags upon deck. We received the greatest attention from the authorities during our short stay. Admiral Sir Thomas Symonds and several ofticers, and other visitors came on board. I had received a letter from the Admiralty giving me instructions as to their Lordships' desires with reference to r 1 00 RUN DOWN CIIANNML my comnuinicatiug witli tlie eiitmncc to riiuilli Sound in the event of Captain Nares liavinj:^ sent a travelling- piirty there this spring for the pnrpose of leaving desiiatclies or any inlbr- niation whicli he might deem of sufticient importance. On .arrival at IMymouth, I received a further letter from Admiral Robert Hall, saying that their Lordships desired to leave to my own judgment the steps that were most advisable for carrying out their general views. It was a lovely evening when we slipped from the buoy, on the 2nd of June, and ran out of Plymouth Sound, receiving a hearty cheer from the training brig * Liberty ' and the yacht ' Speranza ' as we passed. I felt some relief that we were at last fairly off, and putting all sail on the ship, stopped the engines, having a pleasant breeze from the N.W., and stood off on the starboard tack during the night. Next day the wind came in strong from the W.S.W., and we commenced thrashing out of the Channel under canvas. By noon we were close under the Lizard, and made our number to Lloyd's station. This was altogether a disagreeable day, as it was our first breeze, with a nasty Channel sea and torrents of rain. Our screw was lifted and the funnel housed, and by evening we were under close reefs. On the 4th of June the wind was S.W. to W.S.W. We stood all day to the N.W., made the Wolf Lighthouse at noon, and passed to the northward of the Scilly Islands, about four miles distance. At night we were again under close reefs, with a strong S.W. wind and a high confused swell. Divine service was performed in the evening. On the 5th the wind was still S.W. to W., then N.N.W. We made all plain sail and pumped the water out of the boilers, by which we lightened the ship twelve tons. Since we had commenced knocking about in the sea, we found that ws had a slight leak. I did not attach much importance to it, feeling nUN DOWN CHANNEL. iia Kiiro tliat it was merely a repetition of what we found on our last voyage, and trustinf^ either that the leak would take up or discontinue as the ship lightened. On the (>th we were at noon in hit. 50''23'N., long. 8° 45' W., and the wind continuing westerly I considered the advisahility of hearing up for St. George's Channel ; hut as I did not like to give up any westing that we had gained, I stood on a wind to the northward, antl saw the Fastnet Light. In the forenooii we had spoken a French fishing lugger from Boulogne, and the master came on hoard with ahout fifty fine mackerel and a ling, for which we gave him some salt l^eef. lie rei)orted that there were several of his fleet in the neighhourhood, and that they had had fair catches with their drift nets. lie had now If) ,000 mackerel, and intended in a few days to return home, and start again for the herring fishing in the north. Wo availed ourselves of this opportunity to send some letters. Our surgeon also prescrihed for one of his crew, of which ho had a complement of eigliteen. His vessel was fitted with a small steam capstan for heaving in the nets. During the night we had the wind all round the compass, with a high confused sea and heavy rain. On the nth we made some westing, and at noon were in lat. 50° 50' N., long. 13° 4G' W., Cape Farewell being N. G2°, W. 115G miles. We continued on the starboard tack all night, with a strong northerly wind, until eight on the morning of the 10th, when the wind backing into the westward, we tacked and stood away to the north ; and I now determined, if we could weather the coast of Ireland, to get away to the northward as fast as possible, even at the sacrifice of our westing, and as the only means of securing a favourable passage across the Atlantic. Our ex- perience of last year in July, and also that of the Polar ships in this month, proved that the best chance of avoiding the strong westerly and north-westerly winds and gales, and the 94 CUOSSINi; TIIK ATLANTIC. I continued nortli-wcntorly swells In making this ])assago, is to get as (luickly as ])osHil)lo into a liiji^li norllicrn latitnde. All tlio afternoon of the l.'Jtli wo had evidence of an ap])roaching gale. The wind gradually hacked to the south- ward with a confused sea, torrents of rain, and the haronieter rapidly falling from 21) '82 at noon to 28*80 at 4 a.m. on the 14th. In the meantime tlie heavens had been constantly changing and the wind increasing in gusts. At midnight a hright "eye" was suddenly opened in the N.N.W., and then I knew tlmt we should have a gale from that quarter. Although fully prepared, I did not anticipate the violent storm which burst upon us. I had put the ship on the star- board tack to prevent our being taken aback, and during the early part of the day the weather cleared, the rain ceased, and the sun shone out brilliantly between the passing showers; but dense masses of yiim/*/ hung round the horizon, with large patches of cumuli occasionally detached and flying across the zenith. The sea in the meantime began to roll in on pyramidal waves from the north, meeting the old westerly swell, and causing the * Pandora ' to tumble about in a most unpleasant manner. At eleven the gale arose in a sudden and lieavy squall from the N.N.W., and we reduced canvas as fast as possible until we were under a balance-reefed main trysail and storm-reefed fore staysail. All other sails were stowed with extra care, and we at once commenced to batten hatch- ways and all openings, and secure everything. We were not a minute too soon, for the sea arose to such a lieig] t and com- menced breaking so violently that we were flooded with spray and now and then the crest of a wave ; but by lying-to and taking extreme care not to allow the ship to fall off, we rode tolerably comfortable, and escaped all heavy water and those formidable " breakers " which are so dangerous if they happen to tumble on board. The wind blew as if nailed to the N.N.W. with almost I (•||()SS1N'(} TIIK ATf.ANTK' 1)5 Imnioanc violence all tlio 14tli and ir)tli and until 7 a.m. on llie Kllli, the s([nall.s liein^ so kg v ere tliat it wa^' wonderful liow even our very Nniull dis[)Iay of canvas withstood it. Hut wo fortunately escaped without any daTnaf>-e whatever, excontin;^ the loss of the iiead-hoiuds on our starhoard side. Our hoats had heen |>reviously jj^ot in lioard and otherwise secured. I was nnich interested in watciiin^ tiie fulmar j)ctrels,' during" tlie hei^iit ol' tiic storm, calmly resting on the waters in our wake on the windward (quarter, and apparently quite at their caHo and as keen us possiMe for anythin<^ they couKl ])ick up from the ship. I noticed that they always laced the wind, never allowin^^ themselves to turn round for a moment, and just lil'ting themselves with their feet, and as it were with reefed wings, through or just over the crests of the sea. By noon on the lOth wo had driven hack to lat. 57° 9' N., long. 10° 18' W., but the wind had moderated, the heavens had cleared, and we stood away again to the northward under all sail, and with varying fortunes in wind and weather until the 2Lst, when we were at noon in lat. U0° 57' N., long. 31° 9' AV., Cape Farewell being o88 miles distant, bearing 8. 83° W. This was our highest latitude reached in the Atlantic. Wc were now nineteen days out from Plymouth, and I had every reason to be thankful that we had made so far a favourable passage, witliout a single hitch or mishap. Considering how very deeply our ship was laden, it was a matter of relief to me to find liow well she rose to the seas. One thing I had always insisted on, and that was to keep the ship under as little canvas as possible in reason, as in my experience nearly all accidents with deep ships in the open ocean arise through carrying too much canvas, with the hope of making more progress, whereas the contrary is generally the case, for the ship becomes at once wild, and one plrngo into a head sea, one ' See note, \\ G. fl i\ 9G THE FIRST ICE. heavy lurcli to leeward with a beam sea, or a broach-to with a following sea, may do more damage than all the gales with the ship well in hand. I noticed in this passage an entire absence of the schools of porpoises which are generally met in this route, also of the finner whale {Physalus antiquorwii) or rorqual,' which frequent the latitudes we had passed. "We were usually accompanied by fulmar petrels {Procellaria ; Iacialis')yMiinx shearwater (Puffinus anglorum^\ and a few skua gulls {Ster- corarius paraskicus), and during bad weather by the charming little stormy petrel. On the afternoon of the 21st the wind came from the north- ward, as I had expected, and soon freshened to a strong breeze, increasing to a heavy gale from the E.N.E., with very thick weather and constant rain. We ran under low canvas on a course to pass about seventy miles south of Farewell, and the sea rose to such a height that we were threatened with being pooped. By the night of the 24th I began to be very anxious about the chance of our falling in with drift ice. We watched the temperature of the water every two hours, and it gradually fell to 39°, when the most prudent thing to have done in such a gale nnd in such constant thick weather would have been to run off to the southward, but the sea was so heavy and breaking that it would have been impossible to bring it on our quarter, and therefore I had no alternative between running on before it or lying-to with our head to the southward. I chose the former, and nearly paid dearly for my determination, for about 2 a.m. of tlie 25th we fell in with small washed pieces of ice, and although I hauled out to the W.S.W. as much as I dared do for the sea, by five the ice became more frequent, and at six we came to a stream of very heavy and close pack lying across our path. It was too late to haul out now, and as we could not weither it, and there was nothing left but tc take ' See n. 5 (note) ■^CO [I. •) (iioto). See \\ (3 (nnti'). CAPE FAREWELL ICE. 97 the most open-lookinp" place and run tln-ongh, tlie high sea rendering it very difficult to distinguish the sea from the ice. However, having selected one point where it appeared to he most slack, I ran for it, and clewing up the close-reefed top- sails, we passed through under bare poles excepting a fore staysail, and by good steerage escaped, but not without some violent blows. It was with a great sense of relief that on trying the pumps we found that we had not received any injury, and we again set the two close-reefed topsails, and scudded on, keeping a course more to the south-westward, as the pack we had passed through now defended us from the breaking sea. This was a lesson to me, so often taught and again so often on my part disregarded, never to trifle with this Cape Farewell ice, and on no account to be induced by a fair wind and the prospect of making progress, to run on in tJiick weathe.' if blowing hard and there is any swell on, and if within 100 miles south of the land. I know too well the temptation to cut off a bit of the journey, and after battling against constant head gales in the Atlantic to take all advantage of a fair breeze to run round into Davis Straits. But this temptation may lead to a fatal error ; and although one hopes that even if ice should be met with, it may not be so close, or it may not be so heavy, or we may forget for the moment past experience in dealing with it, and only think of the escapes in other ice navigation, yet I insist that it is the most dangerous position that a ship can be placed in, for in off-lying streams it affords no protection, and therefore no inducement to encounter it, and in a heavy oceanic sea It resembles a mass of infui'iated rocks and islets, forming a lee shore of the worst description, if you happen to run suddenly upon it. The only safe course to pursue, in my opinion, formed after having been frequently in encounters with the Cape Farewell drift ice, is, if running before a gale from the eastward past the Cape, and the weather is thick and the temperature of the sea surface goes below 42^ or n ■ I 98 llOUNDING CATE FAliEWELF.. 43° Fall!'., immediately to put the sliip under as low canvas as will keep Iki- under command, and then dodge her with lier head to the southward until the weather clears up. In doing this a ship will not be altogether losing time, because the current will diift her and carry her fast to the W.N.W. On the 25th we continued scudding before the wind with the two topsails close-reefed, the weather always thick, with mist and rain and a heavy sea, passing icebergs and heavy ground pieces. Our position by dead reckoning was lat. 59° 4' N., long. 47° 39' W. We had not seen the sun since the 21st, and we could only hope that our calculation was correct, and that we were now well round Jb'arewell/ At 10 p.m. we suddenly came upon a barque, close-reefed and lying-to, with her head to the southward, but passed her in the mist almost immediately. She seemed like a phantom ship peering out of the gloom, and the quartermaster on watch was so taken by surprise at the apparition that he ordered the helm " hard-a- port," although we were well clear of her, and thus we lost an opportunity of speaking her. I think that she was one of the ships trading to Ivigtut for cryolite, and was lying-to in the storm awaiting clearer weather, and as a precaution against the ice. On the 2Gth we were still running before an E.S.E. wind, no sun, and no relenting in the mist, fog, and rain. On the 27tli the wind hauled into the N.E. and the sky cleared, so that we were able to get observations, the first for six days. Our latitude proved to be 01° 50' N., longitude 54° 48' W., and we found that we were but slightly out in our reckoning, only about thirty miles to the N."\Y., and which was to be accounted for by the current. On the 28th we stood to the N.E. all day, and by noon our latitude was G2° 29' N., longitude 55° 54' W. (N. 45° W. ' I onglit to niciitiou tliiU tlie cohnir of the soa, in rouiKlin;:; Farewell duriug the last lliree days, iiad quite cliaii;ied from tlie oceanic blue to a uuuldy f^rceu. I OFF THE GREENLAND COAST 99 45 miles). At G p.m. I sent away a boat to an iceberg to get some fresh water from some debris of ice that surrounded it, and observing that the summit was covered with kittiwakos {Rissa tridactyla) roosting upon it, two guns were taken in the boat, but they only succeeded in bringing back three birds. On the 20 th we were still standing to N.E., with the wind fresh from N. by W. At noon the latitude was G3° 20' N., longitude 52° 55' W. (N. 58° E. 96'). As by our position we expected to pass over the bank marked here on the chart, I sounded at noon, and at 4 p.m., but found no bottom with 120 fathoms. The weather had been thick all day, and so a good look-out was kept for the land, which we made at six o'clock, being one of the islands supposed to be off Buxa Fiord, but the weather was too thick and obscure to distinguish anything. We then tacked to the westward, and as it was blowing hard from N. by W., with a nasty short sea, tlie ' Pandora ' was put under snug convas to await some more favourable change in the weather. We passed many icebergs to-day lying about fifty miles off the land, and then suddenly came into a clear sea as we con- tinued to the eastward, from which I suppose that they ground on the western end of the bank, and are unable consequently to approach the land beyond that limit. On the 30th the wind was strong from the N.W. all night, with a high, hollow sea. We stood oif the land until 4 a.m., then in till noon, when we were in lat. 63° 57' N., long, 52° 20' W., having made since yesterday only N. 22° E. forty miles. We tacked off ana on all the afternoon, averaging about ten miles from the off-lying islands on the coast, in the neighbourhood of Godtliaab. This morning we sounded on the insitle edge of the bank in forty-five fathoms, sand and sliell bottom. We detected that our progress to windward had been much assisted by the current, although from the appearance II 2 i ' 100 OFF THE GUEENLAXl) COAST. of the sea we could suppose a strong stream to the northward, causing the waves to curl and break in a manner otherwise unaccountable, and certairdy not due to the force of tlie wind, which has not exceeded a double-reefed topsail breeze. Wo noticed this especially about the time when we sounded this morning, and there was a marked difference on getting into deeper water. This evening the mist cleared off, and we had a pleasant view of the coast, with the gigantic mountains and icy valleys of the interior. I would have gone into Godthaab to avoid this persistent N.W. wind, only that I feared, as the settlement lies eighteen miles from the sea, it might involve my getting up steam when inside the islands, and our good Welsh coal is far too precious to expend without a better reason. On the 2nd of July we had a gale from the south, lasting only about eight hours, and attended with snow and sleet. The wind backed at 4 a.m., the barometer falling slightly, and the temperature of the air going down to 32", with dense weather. By 9 P.M. it cleared off, and came from the old quarter, N.N.W. This is the sixth day of baffling and head winds, and we have consequently made but poor progress. We stood in this morning to the coast by the entrance to the deep fiord, the northern entrance of which is bounded by old Sukkertoppen, and tacked about five miles off. This delay was very tiresome and tedious, and quite unex- pected. The weather, moreover, was unusually cold, and gave evidence of a backward season. We had divine service this evening, and the ship's company sang some hymns very creditably. Lieutenant Becker playing the accompaniment on the harmonium. I always find tliat seamen are most attentive at church, and the performance of divine service always seems to have the best possible effect upon them. It is the only occasion on which we all meet on the lower deck upon the same terms and with one holy oljject. / OFF THE GREENLAND COAST. 101 On coming upon deck after service the mountain peaks suddenly appeared above the fog, clear and brilliant, as if they were giving glory to the Almighty. The golden light of the sun was reflected from their summits into the heavens above, and they seemed almost to overhang the ' Pandora,' although distant at least ten miles. We had an escort of kittiwakes constantly with us ; they followed in hundreds, hovering over the stern, until suddenly attracted by something on the water they all darted off, but to return again almost immediately. It was also curious to observe the movements of the two or three skua gulls who seem to delight in chasing the kittiwakes.^ They were always in company and always darting down suddenly on them, but without ever actuallv coming in contact. "VVe had kittiwake stow for breakfast, which was excellent, and quite equal to the Bordeaux pigeon, if not better. We had been beating, for the last two days, against a northerly wind, standing close into the coast of old Sukker- toppen, again near Strom Fiord, and again near Cape Burnit.'^ The wind persisted in the N.X.W., varying a point or two now and then, and we took every advantage to gain ground. One of my objects in keeping the coast close aboard was to ascer- tain if there was any current running to the northward here. We sounded at every opportunity, and the bottom which was brought up by the lead was carefully preserved. ' The kittiwuko a))peai's to find iisniall fish among the lloatiug seaweed and iuniiedi- atcly rises with it, and is then chased by the skua, who endeavours to make the weaker bird drop the food, upon whieh the skua at once [lounces. ^ There is reason to think thatBurnit is a corruption, as in okl charts it is Burnil j in which case it was no doubt named after OHver Brunei, the earliest of IJuteh navigators. In the Danish voyage to Greenhmd commanded by Cunningliam Hall and Knight, in 1G05, Oliver Brunei was one of theoflicers; and several names on this part of the Greenland coast refer to this expedition. There are the Knight Islands, Cunningham Fiord, after one of the commanders, and Cape Burnit (Brunei) after another. Lieutenant Koolomans IJeyncn has exhaustively discussed the history of Oliver Ih'unel in his introduction to the ' Barcnt's' voyages, and thinks that he also accompanied Knight on his ill-fated English voyage of IGOU. i '■ ti Mi 102 OFF THE GREENLAND COAST. On this day we reached lat. (JG° 56' N., long. 54° 38' W., and were olT Ilolsteinborg. The wind, which came in fi'om the west for a few hours this mornincf with rain, now returned to its old quarter, N. by W., with a brilliant clear sky. We looked forward to seeing the midnight sun on this night. The sea was very smooth, although a smart breeze was blowing, and notwithstanding the vexation at this delay in our passage we enjoyed some rest after the incessant rolling in the Atlantic. All kinds of work had commenced, scientific and otherwise. The stoke-hole had been cleared of the coal bags and the boats got out and secured at the davits. The photographer had also begun some views. In the evening our little band of music might be heard on the lower deck, and everybody appeared in high spirits, excepting, I must own it, the Captain, to whose temper a persistent head wind, lasting already seven days, and spoiling an otherwise fair passage, had been rather trying. ( 103 ) CHAPTER III. DISCO. Wk anchored in Goclhavn at seven o'clock in the morninj^ of the 7th of July. We had continued to beat to windward from the 4th, the wind remaining at N.N.W. By 2 p.m. on the Otli we saw the high land of Disco, at eight we passed the Western Islands, and at eleven tlie Dog Islands. We then got up steam for the first time since leaving the buoy in Plymouth Sound, and steamed into Godhavn. On approaching the harbour this morning, there was not a sign of anyone moving : no boat came off, or kayak, and as it is so 1 nusual at this season for the natives not to be out shooting or fishing in the early morning, I could not but think that there was some cause for this apparent indifference to our approach. This was, however, soon explained, for on opening the harbour we noticed that the large storehouse was unroofed and appa- rently burnt out ; and as soon as we were anchored, Johan, the old schoolmaster, came off with a doleful story of how on the 17tli of June, in boiling oil, the storehouse had taken fire, and the whole of the winter's production of oil and blubber — 200 barrels — fvS well as all the stores belonging to the United States Polaris Expedition, had been totally destroyed. He related how he had been injured in the hand, as well as many other natives in their endeavours to arrest the flames and to save the property, and how almost everybody was sick at heart, and especially the Governor, who, he said, was very bad indeed, and unable to leave his house. Tlierc was gloom over the whole place, and the affair was evidently looked i . 104 OODIIAVN. upon as a great catastroplic, such as we might consider the burning of lialf London. My first business was to call on Mr. Edgar Fenckcr, the Governor, to inquire about lils health, and I certainly found him in the most desponding state of mind. However, wo did our best to cheer him and encourage him to take a happier view of tilings, and I am glad to say that by the time we left he had recovered his spirits. He requested me to survey the premises, and to give him a disinterested report with reference to the accident and the United States stores, which I gladly did for him, assisted by Lieutenant Arbuthnot. On the 11th we had completed our refit, filled up water, made some alteru-tions in the sails, re-stowed stores, prepared the after hold to receive coals, and put everything in order on board. The crew had leave every evening, and enjoyed themselves dancing with the natives. Pirie took magnetic observations with Jones's and Fox's instruments. Grant photographed everything of interest, and the Doctor was away botanizing each day. We also lost no opportunity of shooting ducks, and one night the officers all went off to Fortune Bay and brought back a good supply. We lived on eider ducks and salmon, which is here most deh'cious and delicate. It is a kind of salmon trout weighing about eight pounds, and when boiled is of a very pale colour. In fact we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in port, and all made great friends with the Greenlanders. The only drawback was caused by the quantities of the most venomous mosquitoes I ever saw, and they did their very best thoroughly to torment us. I never in any cli late knew such a pest as we found these Greenland mosquitoes, for wherever we went, either on shore or in a boat, and even on board shij), they followed us persistently, and at whatever hour, night or day, it was always the same. I was this time more bitten than I ever was before. !My head and hands were completely swollen, ami one of my eyes shut up. Perhaps 1 suffered THE ESKIMO ANTIIONE. 105 most from lying out shooting clucks on the ponds of tho land. Last Sunday we had divine service on the lower deck, and the crew sang several hymns very creditably, especially tho hymn " For those at sea." We find the harmonium very much liked by all hands, and a great addition to our outfit. I sent a kayakcr round to Disco Fiord for Christian Anthone, wlio was with us in the ' Fox,' and on Sunday he arrived quite prci)ared to go in the ' Pandora,' and evidently supposed that was the object of my sending to him, so I agreed to ship him at 21. per month as hunter and dog-driver, as well as inter- preter as far as he was able ; I gave him a new kayak, rifle, shot gun, and a kit of clothes and hunting gear ; i.nd he came on board quite happy. He left his wife and three children under the care of his brother, and she was to receive so much per month during his absence. He had been very poor, and seemed to have gradually gone down in the world, and was almost starving, having no kayak or rifle, and scarcely any clothes fit for work in bad weather. He looked, however, very well, and although it was nearly sixteen years since he left us in the ' Fox,' I could not say that age had told upon him. Ho was thirty-eight years of age. Anthone was at Disco Fiord last October, when Lillingston went there in the steam cutter, and he saw the boat, but having no kayak he could not cross the fiord, and thus was unable to come to see me, as I hoped he would do. One day Pirie missed one of the small boxes containing a magnetic needle, after observing on shore, and on this being reported, the Governor sent for the head of the Greenlanders' Connnune and informed him that it must be found and returned, and the whole settlement turned out to find it. It was produced later, apparently broken by the teeth of a dog, and was said to have been found among the dogs. However, we were glad to have it back, and looked upon the explanation as satisfactory. ': A 1' 106 PRICES AT (tODIIAVN. I paid five DaniHli dollars for a kayaker to Disco Fiord and back, a distance of eighty miles, to tell Antlione to conic. Tlio charge for labour in watering ship was one shilling (English) and one glass of rum per man per day. I engaged a kayaker to come with mo in the ship to Kudlisot, eighty miles, to bring back letters, making a journey of 160 miles altogether, and an absence of four days at least, for ten Danish dollars and food whilst in the ship. The price of a new kayak and all imple- ments is three pounds ; dogs, four and five Danish dollars each; salmon, three for a shilling; ducks about twopence each. I bought four fine dogs, intending to procure more at Ujaragsugssuk in the Waigat. At this season duck may be shot in any quantity by going to a point on the south-east side of the island and killing them as they pass in flights, having a kayaker with you to pick the birds up. The best way to come-to, in Godhavn, is to anchor nearly in the middle of the harbour off the western houses of the settlement, and rather nearer to the western shore, in about nine fathoms, then run a warp to a ring in the rocks by the large storehouse, so as to prevent the ship going round and round her anchor, and having out about thirty fathoms of chain. I prefer this to mooring with two anchors, as then you have always one anchor clear for letting go if the wind should come in strong from any quarter. I ji Pill Mini, uiiii.'i ( 107 ) CHAPTER IV. KUDLISET AND UPERNIVIK. We steamed out of Godliavn at nine o'clock in tlie eveninir of tlic 11th of July, towards the Waigat, and arrived off Ujarag- sugssuk at six o'clock on the evening of the 12th. We made a calm passage, with lovely weather. I sent Arbuthnot on shore to request the Governor, Mr. Jansen, to accompany us to the coal mines with some natives to assist in working the coals, also to buy three dogs and harness. After three hours' delay, owing, I believe, to the priest and his wife having determined to take the opportunity of going with us as far as Kudliset, on their way to Narsak, and taking their time in packing their baggage and getting their umiak ready, and after blowing the steam whistle for some time, the Governor, the priest, and lady, with three daughters of the Governor and about twenty natives, came off, and wo proceeded, anchoring at Kudliset at midnight in seven fathoms, about a small half mile from the beach. We were coaling for two complete days and a half, and, having taken in fifty tons, we had altogether 175 tons of coal on board. The natives were of great assistance to us, but we had to feed them all the time, and moreover, more or less another party which came after us, and encamped in tlie neigh- bourhood for the purpose of bartering or selling some seal- skins and other articles, and thus drawing considerably on our stores. They all seemed to think that a ship ought to provide provisions for all comers, and ^Drought nothing whatever them- selves, which is all very well when homeward bound; but bound as we were on an unknown and indefinite cruise, i< i : I 108 TASSINU llAIiK ISLAND AND .SVAUTK-lll'K. was rather exacting, and it was very clillicnU to diHpcnsc tlio expected hospitality. AVo had most lovely weather for onr coaling, witli a calm sea, so that our hoats could land on the beach without Jvny trouble whatever. AVo worked steadily from the time wo anchored until we were full on deck and below, and I was out every night duck-shooting, at a point two miles northwaid of the mines, with more or less success. Our crew finished cleaning all the boats on shore, and washed all their clothes in a mountain stream which divides the cliffs here, and wo sent our letters back to Godhavn by the postman whom wo brought thence with his kayak. The Governor and family left lis after dinner, all the workmen were paid, and we weighed anchor at 3 p.m., and steamed slowly out of the Waigat on the 15th. On the IGth wo were off Hare Island. A fair wind springing up at 8 a.m. we ceased steaming, but at night we were beating to windward, the wind having come to the north- ward. We were not yet round Svarte-Huk, which was about fifteen miles north of us. At six there was divine service on the lower deck. In the Waigat the flood tide runs to the north- west, vue ebb to the south-east, contrary to the streams of the tides outside the island, where the Hood runs to the southward and ebb northward. We have been in alternate calms and light southerly winds all the 17th, ending in a light north wind at night. Passing Svarte-Huk under all canvas, we then steamed for six hours, until 8 P.M., when we were off Kingulek^ Island, and the wind freshening from the north, we stopped steaming and went on under canvas. I was anxious to save every pound of coal, and I did not intend to steam in the open sea unless it was calm. It was necessary to reserve all for Melville Bay, and the ice, ' Kingulck incaus scurvy gxas& (CucJdmria Qtcenlundku). \ Ul'EUNIVIK. 109 ami iiitricdfo rli.iTinulH boyoiid. Ft was most lovely woatlicr, witli u perfectly Hmootli hch jukI many maf^niiicont icelergs. 'I'liero was much hiiow on tlio lii^^li land, ])iit at sea it whh tho l»ii;;litoHt summer weather. Wo sat on dock and read, and skinned birds, and enjoyed the brilliant sunshine. On the 18th wo had light southerly winds freshoninp^ in the forenoon, and wo ran to the northward nndcr canvas towards Uperjn'vilc. We passed the rock which lies south- west from the Hope about nine miles. It is the most dangerous reef on this coast, as it lies quite in the track in coming from tho south, and wo wore closo to it before we discovered it just on our bow. A fog came on as wo approached tho islands lying off Sanderson's Hope, and so I close-reefed topsails in order to lessen our speed ; but, as it cleared off at noon, we made steam, and, passing between the two islands to the westward of tho Hope, wo arrived off Upcrnivik, and anchored in the outer roads in sixteen fathoms, midway between the two points next above the settlement. One day was occupied in exchanging visits with Governor Th}'gesen and Madame, who is tho celebrated Sophia Tapita of Arctic history. We also bartered for skin clothing of all descriptions, and for eggs, of which tho natives had a good store, although most of them were bad. In the evening our men had a dance on shore, but as there were only five ladies, the ball was rather a fiiilure, and a damper was thrown over it by one of the natives being seized with a fit. This was just after dancing a very pretty native dance, in wdiich the opposite sexes stand in two rows. One couple, leading off down the middle, separate at the end, and an endeavour is made by the man to catch the woman, who dances round and in and out the others. When touched they fall in at the lower end of the two rows, and a fresh couple break off and begin from the top. This contiiiues until a man has failed to catch his partner, when the dancing is reversed, Ml : I 1 I 110 UPERNIVIK. and the woman now trios to catch lior partner ; and so tlic dance goes on until she has also failed, when it is finished. It is altogether a very pretty and graceful dance. The oflScers went off at 4 a.m. on the 19th in a whale-boat, rowed by natives, towards Sanderson's Hope to shoot looms at the rookery there, and returned at noon, having expended all their ammunition, and brought back 130 birds. We were all fully occupied on the 19th writing letters, photogra;:hing, and sketching, besides the visits to and fro to the Governor's house, wliere we met with the kindest reception. In the evening the Governor, with bis wife Sophia, the priest, a Greenlander who had been resident two years in Copenhagen, and is the first ordained Eskimo, and a very intelligent agree- aljio person ; and Madame's servant Carlotta, a pretty Eskimo {^'irl, came off to tea, bringing with them several presents, besides a cask of eggs. They all left at eight o'clock. We then weighed our anchor, finding that we had lost the stock, i suppose by striking on the hard rocky bottom of this anchorage, which is very bad, and also much exposed to westerly winds. In fact, a ship coming here should go at once into the Danish harbour on the north side of the settlement. i ~ ll 'I' ' ( 111 ) CPIAPTER V. MELVILLE BAY. We left Upcrnivik at 8 p.m. on the 19th, and stood ont to the westward between Wcdg-e Island and the Talbot Beef, when the densest fog came on that I think I ever experienced. We lite- rally could not see fifty yards ahead, and weie caught in a very difficult situation, being surrounded by islands of unknown size and position, besides icebergs. I put the ship under fore-and- aft canvas, going dead slow. At 1 a.m. of the 20th we just shaved a reef oif the weather point of an island, and half an hour later we ran so close to another island ahead, that I had to go astern full speed and pay oif before the wind with uhe sails. It was altogether a most anxious night, and I was glad when at 9 a.m. the fog gradually lifted as the north wind went down and we could see our way. At noon on the 20th we were just south of Brown Island, in lat. 72° 35' N., having only made twenty miles direct since the previous evening. All the 20 th and 21st there were light and variable winds, with dark weather. We passed the Duck Islands at noon of the 21st, and stood to the north until 3 p.m., amidst innumerable ic' ergs and many streams of floe-ice, which appeared very thin, and of one year's growth, and perhaps came from icebergs inshore. At 4 p.m. there was a dense fog, with wind fresh from N.N.W., and we were dodging until 9 p.m. under fore- and-aft sai^s, when we came to a very large lloe, extending as far as visible eas", and west. We made fast to it with two anchors, to await a change in the weather, as I could not sec 200 yards in any direction. I ■' 112 MELVILLE BAY, Wc were not destined to have much repose, for at midnight the Hoe broke away, and we were again adritt amongst the bergs, the fog continuing so dense that it was with tlie greatest difficulty we could clear them. We thus dodged principally to the N.E., tacking every ten minutes either for icebergs or streams of floe, until seven in the morning of the 22nd, when it cleared off, and the coast showed out in all its wild magnifi- cence. We could see Sugar Loaf Hill bearing S.E., and round to the northward as far as Wilcox Head. Thousands of ice- bergs of every conceivable form arJ shape surrounded us, intermingled with drifting floes of ice, which almost blocked our way towards the north. We were about fifteen miles from Wilcox Head, bearing about E. by N., and the land ice seemed to be all broken up and intermingled with the bergs. I never passed a more anxious week than that which ended on Saturday the 29th. It seemed to me like a year. On the 22nd w^e were sailing through wide lanes in the ice to the W.N.W., with a strong S.E. wind, having started off from near Wilcox Head towards Cape York. Our progress was rapid, the lanes opened as we proceeded, and, excepting an occasional detour to round an ice field, or a rush through a wall where the points were pressing together, or against an iceberg, we con- tinued our course, and were in hopes of reaching Cape York and the North Water on the following day. But the weather became thick with mist and rain, and by midnight we could scarcely see to guide the ship. At 4 a.m. of Sunday the 23rd, we ran into a blind lead, and had to return out to the south- eastward until 2 P.M., when, baflSed in all directions, and the wind still blowing hard from the S.E., I made fast to a floe at the edge of what appeared to be an extensive open water to the south-west, intending as soon as we could in the least see our way out, to stand off in that direction, and dodge under canvas until the weather improved. But on that night a complet'? stoi'm arose from the S.S.E., h A SEVERE NIP. 113 f, with dense snow, limiting our range of vision to a few hundred yards. And what was my anxiety at 4 a.m. on Monday the 24th to find that we were completely shut in, in the drifting pack ! One place stemed a little more open to the water in the S.W., and at this I immediately charged under steam and canvas. We succeeded in getting within half a mile of the water, and then the gale increased to a perfect hurricane from the S.E. The ice came driving along the outside edge of our coast line under which we were lying, and, accumulating as it passed, we had by evening at least four miles between us and the water ; and the force of the gale began to make itself felt in the pack. The floes crushed together, and at 7 P.M. we had so severe a nip that the ship was hove over on her side, and the timbers began to crack in such a manner that we com- menced blasting with gunpowder all round the ' Pandora * where the pressure seemed to be the greatest. However, all was of no avail, the floe still pressed sadly on our poor little ship, and two enormous icebergs came driving through it towards our position, causing more and more pressure. At 8 P.M. things looked so serious that I ordered every preparation to be made to abandon the ship, the boats were all prepared for lowering at a minute's notice, provisions for one month stowed in them, the tents, sleeping, cookin.^, and travelling gear brought on deck, all ready to be thrown out on the ice ; navigating instruments, fuel, spare clothing, medicine, &c., &c., with guns and ammunition, were stowed in the steam cutter, and in half an hour we were all ready to leave the ' Pandora ' should she show any further signs of succumbing and sinking beneath the ice to the bottom of Mel- ville Bay. How we were to escape afterwards was a questioi* which passed constantly through my mind, for the ice was all broken in large hummocks in every direction, which would render it impossible to haul our boats over, and in which direction wc should attempt to travel ^"as so completely * I ''! 1 1 /^ 114 PRErARATIOXS TO ABANDON THE SHIP. V I' b f! t \ . i I * bewildering to think of, that I contented myself with taking only the necessary steps for our inuuediate safety should the ship go down. It is at such moments as these that one requires all the self-possession at one's command, for the whole scene is too distracting to calmly contemplate any one point. The men are rushing about the deck, and on the floes with ice anchors, warps, and blasting gear. The coxswains are preparing and loading their difterent boats at the davits ; the officers are each one preparing stores in his own department, and the "^vhole tribe of dogs are fighting in a most frantic manner indiscriminately together, urged on by the excitement and bustle, and the prospect of some plunder. Wlierever you move about tlie decks a battle is going on, accompanied by the most fearful noise, which of itself is enough to drive one mad ; and had it not been that I looked upon tliem as so much live stock should we be turned out upon the floe, I really think tiiat I sliould have ordered a general battue and a slaughter of those distracting animals. Among the most painful episodes was the conduct of my faithful follower " Cliarles," who came every minute to me with something in his hand, or with an imploring inquiry as to whether he should save this or that article : clocks, photographic books, pairs of worked slipi^ers, neckties, in- sti'uments, all my little vahiables, which he knew I prized so much as the gift of some kind friend, and each time he looked more and more disappointed when I told him that we could think of saving nothing that would be practically useless on the ice, and that our whole attention must be given to provi- sions, warm clotliing, and, beyond everything, t^ the arms and ammunition. Notwithstanding all my injunctions, Charles had, however, managed to conceal in tlie steam cutter every kind of thing — from a watch, boxes of cigars, eau de Cologne, BESKT IN MELVILLE BAY. 115 two silver cups, to a cabin stove, and all tlie sea-Loots and clothing-, inchulin^ a white shirt, wrapped carefully up in a worked Indian skin coat. By 8 P.M. the nip eased ollf, and although the wind con- tinued to blow in violent gus^ts from the southward, we lay tolerably quiet during the night. On the 2Gth there were strong S.W. winds, and we were enveloped in mists, swarms of auks passing and repassing. In the intervals of clear weather we could see that the ice was accumulating outside, and tliat we were fast being driven into the middle of the pack. On the 27tli we wei'e hopelessly beset ; no water visible from the west, though a dark sky was iseen from the S.W. to W., and a slight swell came in under the ice. We had no observations, but in tlie afternoon the weather cleared a little, and we could see land round Melville Bay for a moment only, and then all was mist and gloom again. The wind was still strong from the soutiiwaixl. I was in a fright- ful state of anxiety, which can only be understood by those who have been placed in a similar situation. AVe obtained an observation, in lat. 75° 43' and long. 02° OG', being our first glimpse of the sun from our position since the 22nd. Now there was no doulit about it, we were driven into the very heart of Melville Bay and could see no water. I incessantly studied Saunders's narrative of his besetment and drift in 1849 in the 'North Star,' and also that of our own in tlie 'Fox ' in 1857, and I derived but little comfort from either, for Saunders was only released, after hairbreadth escapes, on the 25th of September to enter Wolstenholme Sound, while the ' Fox ' never escaped at all, and drifted all the winter with the pack, until released the following spring in the southern part of Davis Strait. What was to be our fate ? Were we to drilt and drift with the pack through grounded icebergs and autumnal I 2 * t i ri Hi 1: '■ IIG BESET IN MELVILLE BAY. storms, or were we destined by some intervention of Pro- vidence to be allowed to get free and continue the errand upon which we were employed ? The suspense on this day was awful. Deadly silence reigned around, broken only by the voices of tlie crew, who seemed quite happy at quiet prospects of " all night in," and were busy in washing clothes and various amusements. The officers were all out, walking or shooting, and I dwelling con- tinually on this apparent arrest of our project. In the evening Cape Melville appeared close astern to the N.N.W., although it was actually distant twenty-five miles. Sleepless from anxiety, I remained up the entire night, listening with ear on the rail for the slightest sound or movement in the ice. Everybody was sound asleep. The death- like stillness so often de- scribed, but which can never be realized, was too awful. I felt that the ' Pandora ' was in her icy tomb, and that escape was hopeless. Now and then I fancied I could detect a slight pulsation. On the 28th Cape Melville, Cape Walker, and Peaked Hill, all showed out. We were in the heart of the bay, on the spot where 450-fathom soundings are marked on the chart. At last a murmur was heard on the ice, and it slackened slightly, and by 2 p.m. the huge bergs which surrounded us began to plough up the floes, causing a severe pressure on the ship. A lane opened, and we instantly pushed into it, and proceeded for about a mile towards water seen to the soutli-w est ward. At four the ice again closed up tiglit, and we could not proceed a yard, notwithstanding our frantic efforts and risk to our screw, besides heaving and warping, so we piped down to await events. In the evening thousands of auks flew past towards the water, which was now visible six miles from us in the W. and S.W. V\^e shot many as they passed, besides several ^3als, only two of which we succeeded in landing, as they generally BESET IN MELVILLE BAY. 117 sink. Last night a bear came near the ship and was shot; tliree others were also seen prowling around, but did not come within our range. At 10 P.M. the wind increased from the eastward, and by 4 A.M. of the 29th it was blowing a frightful storm from the S.E., with dense snow and sleet. We drove with the pack at a furious rate past some huge icebergs, and watched the floes as they piled up in front of them, calculating if we should clear them. To me this is the most awful feature of the pack. A berg is seen through the gloom ; the bearing taken ; ques- tions asked how we are drifting ; Is the berg aground ? Shall we clear it ? No ! Then our destruction is at hand. Yes ! Then we shall escape for the moment, unless the lateral pres- sure becomes too severe. We pass it, and can hear the roar of the ice smashing against its sides. The snow flies in dense eddies over its summit, like a cloud of steam ; our floe is ground into the ship's side, and we are pressed into that on the opposite side, until the poor ship groans under the pressure ; then the ice eases off, the ship comes upright, and we watch our approach towards the next mountain of ice which appears to lie in our path. It was altogether a fearful night, and glad I was when it passed away and left us in the morning of the 29th with a moderate breeze from the S.W., and the elements at rest. We saw the water nearer at hand, and made additional struggles to approach it ; the ice alternately closed and eased, and we gained a few yards until 8 p.m., when a strong S.W. wind arose, and a distinct swell undulated through the pack. We could hear the breakers like the roar of surf upon a coast ; the fog lifted, and we saw water, large water, open water, but two miles off, extending E.N.E. and W.S.W. as far as visible. All hands were called, we put on all steam, and after two hours of forcing inch by inch and yard by yard, we got into the sea, and were free. Cheers burbt spontaneously from the 118 THE NOUTll WATEI!. crew as we launched out into the ocean and made all «ail to a fair wind from the S.W. Such was our escape. To me the relief was so great tliat I remained in the crow's-nest contemplating the dark blue sea, looking inky black in comparison with our late ice world ; and as the ' Pandora ' gave lurch after lurch, the boats and stores and all on deck began to stray and roll about, and I felt that once more I had the dancing waters under my feet. 1 ! 1 ( 110 ) i CHAPTER VI. A HUURICANE IN THE NORTH WATER. CARY ISLANDS — SUTHERLAND ISLAND. We were in the " North Water," and could bear away towards Cape York, and thence onward in pursuance of our mission. We were released upon the same day and nearly in the same position as the ships of Sir Edward Belcher's squadron were in 1852, and we had the whole season before us. On the 30th we were under all sail, with the engines stopped, but with the same thick weather which had accom- panied us since leaving Upernivik, we having had but one clear day, and that for only a few hours since the 19th. So far we have come through storms and snow, and fog and ice. We steered a course as nearly as we could calculate to pass outside Cape York. At night it was blowing again hard from the S.E. with snow and sleet. We ran under close-reefed topsails until 4 A.M. of the 31st,^ when the sky cleared and we found ourselves off Cape Dudley Digges. I then ran in close to the land, passing just outside the ice which hung upon the shore, and skirting this we were at 9 a.m. about a mile from Cape Athol. We passed Wolstenholme Island in the forenoon and steered for the Cary Islands, as I was anxious to visit the dep6t of the Polar ships in order to ascertain if it was intact and to report thereon. By noon it was blowing a gale from the S.E., and we shortened sail to reefed storm trysail and hove-to ; the mist so dense that we could not see half a mile ahead. Towards night the gale increased to a frightful storm with a breaking sea, which washed in over all. I ran to the ' The ' Alcrl " biukt; out ol' licr wiiilcr quarters uu July 31st. hi 120 A HURRICANE IN THE NORTH WATER. ft ;, N.E. to try to close the land for some shelter, but was headed off near Booth Sound by innumerable grounded beigs and wash pieces, and so I wore off at 9 a.m. with our hesid to the south-westward, and we lay-to through the night, the sea breaking constantly on board, and icebergs incessantly seen suddenly through the snow drift. By 2 A.M. of the Ist of August it was blowing with such fury that the ship lay down to it, and the sea-drift blew straight over her. Our deck cargo had all fetched away, and began working in the lee scuppers. The boats at the davits were threatened, and our first whaler was smashed. The others were all secured or got on board, notwithstanding the risk attached to the manoeuvre, and the men working up to their middles in water. Such is a S.E. hurricane on this coast. No previous voyagers have experienced or recorded it, and I must confess that I was caught quite unprepared, and had little expected that within two days of our being ajiparently hopelessly beset in the pack, with quantities of all stores on deck in case of our having to abandon the ship, we should be laid down by a hurricane and forced to batten the ship down. As it was, and notwithstanding all the measures taken, we received a quantity of water below, and one of our best boats was almost destroyed. The barometer gave us but slight warning, having fallen gradually to 29*38, which betokened nothing unusual in these latitudes. The only indication of the coming storm was the silent shroud-like clouds which crpped the land all the previous forenoon. By 6 A.M. of the 1st of August the gale moderated, but the sea continued to break in a most dangerous manner. We saw an island ahead which we made out to be the easternmost of the Cary group, and we got up steam and proceeded to it, (I CAUY ISLAND DEl'OT. 121 ^ soon making out the cairn wliicli Captain Nares built last year, and which wo vibited in September last. All day wc stood round and round the island, waiting for the sea to subside, and looking for a chance to land ; and we descried the depot of provisions and the boat on the southern point. But it was not till 4 P.M. that I could venture to send ii boat away with Lieutenants Arbuthnot, Beynen, and Becker, who volunteered to go to examine the depot. By 8 P.M. the boat returned, and Arbuthnot reported that the island had apparently not been visited since the * Pandora * was here on September 10, 1875, and that the depot was in good order. Having deposited a record stating the object of our visit in the cairn at the summit, he returned as quickly as possible to the ship, according to my orders. Our photo- grapher, Mr. Grant, also went on shore to take some views. Being rather short of water we delayed an hour, to load our boat with some pieces of ice recently detached from a grounded berg, and at nine I bore away for the north. On the 2nd of August we ran all night before a pleasant and light southerly wind, passing west of Hakluyt Island,' and by 2 A.M. we were under all plain sail, with engines stopped. The west land was visible all the morning, but the shores of Prudhoe Land^ were enveloped in mist, which cleared away towards midday, and gave us a splendid view of the stratified cliffs and glaciers, with the snow-capped mountains in the distance. In the evening we rounded-to close tf Sutherland Island,^ sounding in twenty-five fathoias, sand and shells, about a quarter of a mile from the West Point, and I sent a party ' So named by Baffin. Its position was corrected by Inglefield in 1852. (See • Summer Search,' p. 64.) ' Inglefield gave this name to the part of Greenland north of Whale Sound. ' So named by Inglefield, in 1852, after Dr. Sutherland, the surgeon of the ' Isabella.' 122 CAPTAIN IIARTSTKNE'S RECORD I). on shore, consisting of LieutenantH Arl)ut)inot, Becker, and Boynen, to oxploro the island and to deposit a record of our proceedings. Sutherland Island being one of the stations named by Cap- tain Nares as a possible position for notices, I fully expected to find some despatch from him there, but after a thorough search of the island, which occupied four hours, our party were unable to find any indication of the Polar ships having touched there. They, however, found the remains of an old cairn, which had been cither pulled down by the natives or the bears, and near it a broken earthenware blacking-bottle, half full of water, containing a fold of paper in a pulpy state, which proved to be a record, left by Captain Hartstene of the United States Navy, dated August IG, 1855, when in command of the steam brigs * Arctic ' and * Release ' he arrived here in search for traces of Dr. Kane. The following is a copy of the record found on Sutherland Island, August 3, 187G : — " Cape Alexander, Aujust IG, 1855. " The U.S.S. Brig • Arctic ' separated from her consort the ' Release ' on the morning of tbo 15tb inst., off Wolstenholmo Island, arrived hero this day, and Laving made unsuccessful search for traces of Dr. Kane or Sir John Franklin and their associates, proceeded immediately on to Cape Hatherton for the same purpose. (Signed) " H. J. Hartstene, Lieut. Commundimj U.S. Arctic Exitcdition.'" Written in pencil. " Returned here from Cape Hatherton, Aug. 18, have received information from Esquimaux, Dr. Eane had lost his vessel and gone in his boats. I am going to Bccchoy Island. " Hautstene. " Aug. 19, '55.— I have returned from Capo Hatherton, and am on my way to rejoin you. If I miss you, remain off Capo Alexander till I return. " Hautstene, U.S. Briy ' Arctic' " ON 8UT11EULAND INLAND. 123 WrilUn in ink; " U.S. Brno ' Anmo,' Capie Alexander, Auj. 10, 1855. " Sir, " Finding no traces of the missing ones, I shall proceed imniodiatoly to Capo Hathurtun iu continuanco of my search, whoro you will join. You will ro-ontor tlio record of our touching hero together with another from yourself to the same ofibct. " All your records to bo within 12 feet north by compass of a cairn erected ou the most conspicuous and accessible point. — Bospectfully yours, ** H. J. Hartstenk, Lieut. Commandiny Arctic Expedition, " Lieut. Carl Cuaules C. Bimmm, U.S. Barque * Jielcaie.'" Having erected a conspicuous cairn on the slope of the western point, our party deposited a record of our proceedings, and re-embarked, having liad to pull through much loose ice both in going and returning. Mr. Grant took some photographs of the glacier on the main, from the summit of the island, and Lieutenant Becker shot a blue fox ; a great many ducks and rotches were seen in and about the island, and some eggs, which, however, were already in a state of incubation. The boat being hoisted up, I bore away round Cape Alexander, passing quite close to its foot, and soon opened Hartstene Bay, and observed Littleton Island,* towards which we steered, carefully examining all the indentations and bays as we passed, to look for a suitable harbour. ' Named by luglefield, after a brother of Lord Uathcrton. ( 124 ) d CHAPTER Yil. LITTLETON (SLAND AND PANDORA HARBOUR. We arrived off Littleton Iskmd at 2 a.m. on tlio 3rd of August, and found that the ice which we had observed all yesterday extending in a pack on our port liand from S.W. west to N.'vV^. now trended round and touched upon tlie island, while some heavy pieces lay around the southern side. On closing the island we observed a cairn on the summit nearer the eastern end, and so we pushed through the loose ice into the channel between the island and the main, which from aloft we could see to be open, and from the formation of the land to be deep. After passing the thickest of the ice I sent a boat ahead to oound, and we thus advanced slowly through this narrow passage without obtaining soundings with the hand lead, although at times we were almost alongsidv^ the rocks. Coming out on the N.E. side of the island I liauled round it towards M'Gurry Island into a very narrow pat-'sage, and having sounded it and finding from three and a half to five fathoms (it was lov/ water), I entered it and anchored, mooring the ship with warj^s to the ice foot with ice anchors. I was in hopes that I should be able to remain in safety here for a sufficient time to search the island, but the wind now (6 A.M.) began to blow in gusts from the W.S.W. through the passage (the wind outside evidently blowing fresh LITTLETON ISLAND. U') from the S.S.W.), and heavy pieces ofhuramocky ice began to drive through and foul our warps continually. Lieutenants Arbuthnot and Becker had started off in light costume to explore the island, and I had landed a quantity of provisions and sleeping gear in case of our being driven off. By seven o'clock, notwithstanding that we had taken our port bow hawser to the foremast head, the ice so continually fouled it and threatened to break us adrift that I determined at once to get out, and to dodge under the lee of the main island until we could pick up our rib'^entees ; so weighing the anchor, by careful manoeuvring and guiding with the lines we managed to back out again stern first, after great difficulty, from the eddy gusts of wind and ice, and we lay-to off the N.E. corner of Littleton Island. I was so anxious about tlie party on shore that I could not rest for a moment, and when nine o'clock came and no signs of them, I felt very anxious for their safety. "We had a loose driving pack on our north, the wind increasing, and the appearance of bad weather; and once separated from .he island I knew not when we could again reach it. Fortunately the wev 'her continued clear, and to my extreme relief at 9 . 30 our two absentees were observed coming over the hill towards our late temporary refuge. I immediately hoisted the ensign at the main, and sent on a boat which soon brought the party off, and also the provisions which we had left for them. Arbuthnot reported that he had found three cairns, the larger one which we had seen on the summit, another neaier the centre, and the third on the slope of the western point. In the positions agreed with reference to this cairn he found a tin case containing the following record and despatch from Captain Nares, dated July 28th, 1875, and a closed letter addressed to C. Markhnm, which he had deposited there on his upward passage last smnmcr :— 12G RECORD LEFT BY CAPTAIN NARES. i - \ " AuOTIr EXI-KDITIOK, II.M S. ' Ai.KRT' at J .VSFN Pt., HautstIlNE ]5ay, 28M Juli/, 1875. " Tho ' Alert ' and ' Discovery ' arrived liorc tliiB morning. As soon as I have examined the neighbourhood of ' Lifeboat Cove,' I sliall cross to the west shore of tho strait, and proceed northward on tliat side. Tlicro is now no ice in sight. Wind strong from north. Shonhl the cairn not bo visited by a sledge party from the expedition before June, 1870, our despatches will bo found near a cairn on Cai)e Isabella, But if the strait is easily crossed, tho slodgo will visit this position. " SI:ould any letters for us bo brought thus far, I request that they may bo brought ac far north as tho vessel intends to come on tho west side of tho strait. " If the vessel is not t "tor the strait, then I request that our letters may be placed in my cairn on Capo Isabella. " Should the weather aot permit my visiting that position and establishing a cairn, I must ask the captain of the vessel to build one and deposit our letters 20 feet magnetic north o'l it, or in such other position as he may decide on, leaving due notice at the eairn. " My intended stations on the west shore of the strait where cairns may be expected to be found, and which will be regularly visited as long as tho expedi- tion remains north of Smith Sound, arc ; Capo Isabella, Island olV Cape Sabine, Dobbin Bay or Cajro Leidy, Carl Eitter Bay, and Cape Bellot. " All are well on board. A notice will be loft >n Sunrise Point — lat, 78° 20' N., long. 73^ 15' W. (Signed) " G. S. Nares, Com manding E.cpcdit ion ." From the contrnts of this despatch it vas evident that no sledge party had visited Littleton Island this s])ring, and that the Polar ships had proceeded northward up the west side of Smith Sound. Our work then was completed so far as this side of the strait was concerned, excepting the desire expressed by the Admiralty that I should look for a suitable harbour for the relief ship next year. I therefore decided for the mome'it to return back towards Cape Alexander and cndeavoiu' to examine the bays and islands betw^een it and Littleton Island. I considered, moreover, that if the supply ship was to be on this side of the straits, she should bo near Littleton Island, or just southward of it, as the only position where she rOULKE HARBOUR. 127 i could be of any avail and free to enter and get out in the navigable season. The wind had now (10 a.m.) freshened from the S.S.W. ; the main pack lay off about four miles distant in the westward, and as far as visible in the S.W. round to north ; but tlie loose ice had already driven north past Littleton Island, and I was enabled to steam round the western point, and in passing easily distinguished Captain Nares's cairn which is about .100 to 150 feet above the water, and which we did not see in coming from the South. 1 now steamed l)ack head to wind to Julia Glen Bay, and putting the ship under fore-and-aft canvas I continued dodging during the afternoon, as everybody was worn out with fatigue. The wind now blew in gusts over the land under the lee of which we lay. This is a bay with a beautiful cascade pouring over the summit of the mountain, and falling with one drop of many hundred feet. The slopes of the hills are luxuriantly green, the verdure extending nearly to the very tops, and we were tacking in and out so close to the shore that we could see the white hares running about. At 5 P.M. the wind moderating, though still blowing hard from the south, I stood in to examine " Foulke Harbour." I cannot reconnnend this small indentation in the coast, for it is really nothing more. We commenced sounding, and could get no bottom with the hand lend cither in passing the three islands, Star, J\nor, and Redcliff, or in entering the bight, and we proceeded until we were far too close to have thought of anchoring. In fact, it is nothing more than a little cove com- pletely open to the west and south-west, and very unsafe, unless for a ship entering at the end of the i 'igablo season and upon the point of being frozen in. I then turned round into Foulke Fiord, sending a boat ahead to sound, and having also a lead line going in our fore 128 SEARCHING FOR A HARBOUR. chains. We found a piece of ice aground north of Star Island, apparently on a reef, and passing round this and getting into the centre of the entrance we obtained soundings varying from twenty fathoms to fifteen and ten, with uneven hard ground, and apparently forming a bar to the entrance. We soon passed over this, and when about the meridian of 73° by the chart we were again in deep water. We then steered towards the bay at the back of Port Foulke without obtaining sound- ings, except twenty fathoms when close in, and again no bottom. I then turned rour d towards the Huts of " Etah," which were visible on the beach, but deserted, and still finding deep water and the fast ice to extend from the southern point, enclosing the off-lying island to the Huts of Etah, I returned out of the fiord, and we dodged for the night off and on under canvas in Hartstene Bay with a fresh southerly wind. I think that a harbour might perhaps be found round the back of the island and the southern point ; but the fast ice prevented our going there to ascertain, and this ice was too rotten for us to hold on to. • This morning broke with a coming southerly gale, the ice began to set into Hartstene Bay in a most marvellous manner, and by 8 a.m. it had jammed in upon Littleton Island and Sunrise Point, filling the entrance to Foulke Fiord and gradually entering Port Foulke. To the west and south-west was a heavy pack, with occasional lanes of water ; and several icebergs, which we had noticed off Sutherland Island on the evening of the 2nd, were now coming in fast towards Cape Kenrick. I got steam up, and pushed down to the Crystal Palace Glacier, but finding the ice still sweeping round Cape Alexander, I bore away for M'Cormick Bight, and placing the ' Pandora ' as near the centre of the entrance as possible we sailed gradually in with a sounding boat ahead and leads in the chains. We soon found regular soundings, beginning with 17, PANDORA HARBOUR. 120 then 15, 14, 12, and 10 fatlioms, shoaling evenly to 8 and 7 as we passed the nari'owest part, and wlien in a fair berth formed by the point extending from the sonthern slioi'e we let go tlie anchor in G^ fathoms witli a good bottom of mnd, very bhick and apparently very soft, as the lead snnk in to half its lengtli. I then veered to 30 fathoms of cable, and ran a warp to a rock on the point, and we found ourselves to be in a flii- harbour, open only to four points of the compass. A reef, which appeared at low water extending from the north shore of the entrance, narrowed the exposed position by 15 degrees less. It was now liigli water (10.30) by the shore, and we rode comfortably, the storm blowing in furious gusts down upon the water, and I congratulated myself upon being safe at anchor. Next day, if it was finer weather, I intended to have a rough survey mado of this harbour, which appeared to me to be the only good one and fit for a relief ship tc enter and remain at, for it evidently has the advantage of opening early in the season, has good holding ground, and is almost land-locked, with room for several ships ; and I doubt not that a ship pro- perly moored might lie in safety here all the season, and until she was fairly frozen in for the winter, if this was desired. Notwithstanding the storm and the blinding snow, some of our sportsmen immediately landed, and returned at 6 p.m. with ten hares which they had shot on the slope of the southern hills. As I wrote the gusts were coming over with sucli strength as to heel the ship, but we held on with perfect confi- dence, and were content to see the ice driving past outside, and some floes wliich in attempting to enter our refuge hung upon grounded berg pieces on the reef off Reef Point, and thus offered us still greater protection should the wind fly into the westward. On the 5th of August it continued to blow a heavy storm throughout the night, but we lay quite comfortably in our K 130 PANDOKA HAIJI'.OUH. \ ?! I \ sheltered linrbour. Three times in tlio night the officer of the watch called me to say that ice was driviii. " ' Alort ' and * Discovery ' erected this cftiru 29tli July, 1875. Should the strait be iiupassablo for a slcnljije, the despatches from the expedition will be deposited in a cask, on the lower i)oiut magnetic west of this position, each spring of our stay uortli of Smith Soui) i "Anyone having dcspiitchcs or letters for tho expedition is requested to dejiosit them in tho casks, unless he is coming further north. In that case, a cairn will probably bo found at Capo Sabine, Dobbin Bay, Carl Ritter Bay, and I'ort BoUot. " All well on board. No ice in sight. Should the strait be passable, tho despatches will bo taken to Littleton Island. (Signed) " G. S. Nakes, CommdndiiKj Expedition ." A record from the 'Pandora' was left here, giving par- ticulars of onr proceedings up to this time, and also stating that having visited the cairn at the sunnuit of the Cape, and carefully examined the point mentioned in Captain Nares's record, and finding no signs of any sledge party having visited Cape Isahella from the Polar ships, our cask of letters had been placed at the point named, and close to Captain Nares's depot of provisions ; and that the bulk of the letters, with the Admiralty despatches, would be carried farther north if possible ; if this were not possible, they would probably be placed on Littleton Island. I did not think I could ever imagine a more desolate coast than this appeared to be. The land seemed to be covered with I « IirSOLCTION TO RKTURN TO CAPK ISAHFJ.I.A. 1.15 everlastiiit;" kmow, .'ukI mijLj^lit lio Kiid to 1)0 oiio vant glacier, with merely tlie capeH protriidiiii;- towarils tlio Bea. It was linrril)lo to look at, and friglitl'id to ('onf(Mn[»lMto tlio rcsidts of disastci' to a ,slii|»'s crew tlirowii upon it. TowiU'ils evening the gale died away, our al>sentec8 wcro sidely on lioiird, tlio lio.it hoisted up, and we stood away to the N.R under steam aiKJ tore-and-al't canvas, with a strong hut steady hreexe fVoni tlu! norlli. AVe did not see any ice to the northward, save a lew heavy groinul |»ieees and isolated Hoes; hut thei'e was an ominous yellovvish-wdiite tinge in the sky in the N. and N.E. 1 hoped, however, that we should be able to reach (\ipe SMbine at least. Looking into Baird Inlet, it appeared about half fidl of ice, the precipitous (dills seeming to afford no anchorage. It looked lilut, on reconsidering the wliole question, I came to the conclusion that I must make another attempt to reach Cape Isabella beTore going north. For the whole results of our voyage depended upon getting news which would inform us whether a sledge pait\ had actually been to Cape Isabella. ( l-'37 ) CHAPTER IX. ^ v\) ATTEMPTS TO REACH CaFE ISABELLA. Next day, if it was fine, 1 intended to go to Lifel)oat Cove, and try to get a viewoftlio ice from Littleton Island. Tlie weatlier was very boisterous outside, and quite fine in Pandora Harbour ; our sportsmen were all out; a reindeer had been seen, and I went away bagging ducks as a distraction. The 'Pandora' looked very tired after our late battering, and several severe scores in her bows and sides showed what a severe battle she had endured during the last week ; indeed, I had given her one or two blows which almost sent my heart up into my mouth. The ice we encountered seemed to be oceanic, together witli heavy hummocky ice formed in the bays, tide creeks, and nips on the beach, and so unyielding that with the slightest speed in the ship it brought her uj) all standing, and threatened to smash in lier bows. Fortunately we had sus- tained no material damage, nor had we injured our screw or rudder. We were all well, and ready for another struggle as soon as we had had time to rest. But a more tired-out crew I think I never saw% although they were in the highest spirits, and keen for the work before them. I had given up all idea of my own project to try for the North-West Passage by Peel Straits. I felt that I must stop here until the end of the navigable season, if not during the wintei', and everything must be sacrificed to the one object of obtaining some information of the Polar ships. We were bound to cruise these straits to the last with that view, or u[)on the chance of a boat party comin^': down. ^y : 138 CIIUISIXG IN SMITH STRAITS. Oil the lOtli of August wo were fast to the edge of the pack, sixteen miles off llio cape, and preparations were made for sending a sledge party, but we had to return to Pandora Harbour, a strong soutlioi'ly wind having come on with thick weather. Wliile at anchor our sportsmen killed aljont sixty hares and some ducks, so that we had plenty of fresh food. I erected a cairn north of the hai'bour, ])lacing a record magnetic north stating our movements. On the 13th vve went out again, and got about ten miles from the cape. We had a boat and sledge party again prepared, but the driving ice, the northerly gale blowing, and the dreadfvd weather, quite pre- cluded all idea of sending a party away from the ship. Thus day after day passed away, and we were helpless. AVe could not get into Cape Isal)ella, although our repeated attempts sometimes gave hope. All the 13th and 14th we lay-to in a north gale with the ice driving in great streams to the south- ward. I had hoped that the pack would be driven away, but on its clearing at noon, the same unbroken curve from about Cape Paget in the .vest round to Cairn Point in the east lay before us. We could not get north, nor could we regain Cape Isabella ; but we had to struggle in the middle of the straits with ice, fogs, and winds. 1 did not like returning to harbour, as there was so much off-lvinc; ice that it miiiht set in and make us prisoners for some time, so we cruised contiinially across the straits from side to side, through the pack, awaiting events, but unable to do anything beyond keeping the ship under control, and avoiding the heavy masses of the heaviest ice I ever saw. On the IGth of August there were strong northerly winds, with the main pack conu'ng down to the southward, and extending fi'om as far as possil)le in the S.S.W., round towards Cairn Point. No water was seen in any direction in that quarter. On tlie previous evening I steered up between the pack and Littleton Island, and tried to get to the north- CURRENTS IN SMITH STRAITS. 139 ward, as tlio ice »c3med to ease oif the land. By 4 a.m. we readied a position N.W. of Cape Inglefield in lat. 78° 45', and about seven miles off the land, Cape Sabine bearing W.N.W. ; but here the ice brought us up and extended in a curve into the land about three miles N.E. of us. It was composed of the heaviest pieces, forty to fifty feet thick, lying in streamc, and then the unbroken floes and hummocks as far as visible from the crow's-nest, stretching from shore to shore. I came to the conclusion that these straits had not broken up this year owing to the prevalence of southerly winds all the spring and summer, and that the ice we saw was the solid winter pack moved down some distance by the north winds of the last eight days. It seemed an exceptional season, for all to the northward was one solid bjirrier. We could see the land up to Cape Ila^rke this morning. The land on the east side was impossible to distinguish from the chart, as the capes and points do not bear the test of the sextant in attempting to verify them. We tried a series of soundings \vith Negretti's and also C^asella's thermometers, and when one mile west of Littleton Island we could get no bottom with 150 fathoms. The temperature of the sea surface and air was 28° ; while at 25 fathoms and 100 fathoms it was 33° Fahr., thus showing a current of warmer water running in on this side of the straits. Moreover, we found a constant difference of about three degrees in the temperature of the sea between the east and west side of the straits, and with our other experiences of a northerly set in the east side, I have arrived at the conclusion that the permanent current sets northward on the east side and south- ward on the west at Cape Isabella. Where the line of division lies I am not able to say, but I should give it, from watching carefully the ice movements, at about ten to fourteen miles west of Littleton Island. 140 A WALRUS HUNT. ;i Finding tliat it was impossible to got noitliward by the east side, I ran back towards Littleton Island in order to get a larger space to lay-to in, and thus avoid the nsc of steam, as we have been so constantly of late burning coals to cloar the ice ; and at 4 p.m., seeing that the ice slackened in the direction of Cape Isabella, I once more ran before the strong N.N.E. wind under canvas in that direction. It was only, however, to be again baffled. The S.W. pack had eased off, leaving the space of one mile of broken and loose ice to within seven miles of the cape beyond, which was a jumble of hummocks and a pack of broken heavy pieces, through which the ship could not force, and over which one could not travel, or move a boat ; so I came out again into clearer water to escape being beset. The heavy fog to the southward, and clouds arising in that direction, indicated the approach of a southerly wind. On the nia*ht of the IGth, when three miles N.W. of Littleton Island, we saw three walrus on a small piece of ice, curled up ; and going away in the first whale-boat, I succeeded in securing one weighing about 18 cwt., a female with only one tusk, and measuring thirteen feet from snout to flipper. We hove her in with the capstan and fish tackle, and took a photograph of her before cutting her up. At twelve o'clock, three miles west of Cairn Point, four more walrus were seen on the ice. We lowered two boats and captured them all after a most exciting chase. Pulling up to them we wounded two with our rifles, and our Eskimo, Anthone, put his lance into another, which was soon despatched on its again rising ; another came up to the jolly boat, and Becker hacked at its head with an axe until he lost the axe over- board, and finally killed it with his rifle. In the meantime we in the whaler had two wounded, and conn'ng up occa- sionally ; l)ut one was shot through the head, and the otlier was fired into with the harpoon gun and secured. In the SOUNDINGS IN SMITH STRAITS. 141 middle of the scrimmage the old boatswain, who was left in charge of the sliip, thinking that we were in difficulties, steamed up full speed right on to us, thus increasing the con- fusion, and nearly smashing the ship's bows in the solid pack, off which we were. We got all four walrus safely on board, and with the one which we captured earlier in the evening we had about two-and-a-lialf to three tons of meat and oil. At 4 A.M. another group was seen, but our fiendish dogs were fighting as usual, and disturbed them, and we did not succeed in getting near enough to kill them with the boats, which we lowered. In the afternoon I stood back towards Cape Isabella, but could not get within eight miles of tlie land, the intervening space being filled with the same broken-up pack of heavy huramocky pieces. In the evening at 5 p.m. whilst in the loose S.W. pack, the wind suddenly changed to the soiiJiward, and I stood on under fore-and-aft sails, and back to the western land, where we lay-to until 8 a.m. When I stood back again towards Cape Isabella, on the 17tli of August, the wind which had blown freshly throughout last night, did not appear to have made much change in the ice. We entered the pack at about thirteen miles from the cape, and when about seven miles off we could still see tlie same accumulation of h'Mnmocks, bergs, and sraashed-up ice, extending to about six miles off the cape. Seeing that it was impossible to land there, I again stood out of the pack into the clear water in the eastward. We had been sounding to-day, and after several attempts we got bottom with 650 fathoms, about half-way across the straits, between Littleton Island and Cape Isabella. The bottom was a soft and greenish mud, and a beautiful starfish was brought up from it clinging to the line. This specimen of the deep-sea fauna measured three feet when the tentacles were IH 142 REXEVVED EFFORTS \ ;^ outstretched, witli five rays, from which double brandies sprung of a yellowish-brown colour, very sluggish, but <|uitc alive when brougii : on deck, and answering to the description of the Asteroj^hyton linckii^ figured in Prolessor AVyville Thomson's ' Depths of the Sea.'' The temperature of the sea surface was 84° Fahr., while Casella's thermometer registered 29° when brought up with the sounding machine. I became more and more anxious about our position. "We could not proceed north, for the main pack still extended from as far as possible in the south-west, round in an unbroken curve to Cairn Point. Ever since August the 3rd, when we arrived at Littleton Island, we had been crossing and recrossing the straits, or attempting to get northward. It was the most fatiguing work I ever had, this battling with the elements of storm, ice, and currents. I had already anchored three times, but only for a few hours at a time, as I was too anxious to keep the ship outside and under command, so as to avail myself of every opportunity ofi'ered by a change in the ice, which seemed destined not to occur. I resolved, however, to struggle on, in the hope of yet regaining Cape Isabella, and clearing up the mystery about the despatches, and of proceeding northward, if possible. One thing certainly occurred to me, that although it was my duty to remain in these straits as long as I could — and I intended doing so even at the risk of wintering there — yet from the present appearance of the ice, which completely filled the sea from shore to shore in the northward, it was evident that no boat expedition nor the Polar ships themselves could p )ssibly come southward unless some great revolution took place before the end of the month. We already had signs of an approach of the autumn : the birds were beginning to fly southward, as the young birds were strong enough, and even ' r. 19. — In 1819, on the 1st of September, Sir John Koss broiirjht uj) one of these bcaiitifal creatures ou the lead line, at a dciith of 800 fathoms, in 73° 37' N. Ho called it " Caput MedusfT." The ' Valorous ' obtained them off Hare Island. TO HKACII CAl'K ISABELLA. M3 on onr last visit to P.indora Harbour the rookery of auks was already nearly deserted. On August the 20th we were still cruising in the entrance to Smith Sound. "VVe had since the 17th been again twice across towards Cape Isahdla, but had not succeeded in getting within seven miles. Tliis was most harassing work. We were continually entering the pack, and sometimes saw a promising lead, towards the land, then a change of tide would close it all up, or a thick fog or change of wind, and we were obliged to back out again, and each time at extreme risk of being beset in the S.W. pack, and carried away with it. This pack still persistently stretched from S.S.W. as far as could be seen, close to the land and round in a curve to Cape Ilatherton, where it rested on the shore, moving slightly north or south according to the wind and tide, but it never left either shore, nor was there ever any break through it. It was in just the same state as Dr. Kane showed it on the chart of his voyage in 1853-54, during each month of August, It was composed of the heaviest ice, 40, 50, or GO feet thick, some of the pieces being an accu- mulation of blocks heaped upon each other by severe pressure, and it was impossible to strike it with the ship without danger of starting something. On one or two occasions, when unable to avoid it, we struck it as if upon a rock. I had a theory that this ice was the forerunner of the great pack clearing out of Kane Basin, and. that ihese heavy pieces at the edge were the floes found along shore, near the tide-creeks and amongst the grounded bergs. Oh ! Isabella, you have given us one opportunity, shall we ever have another ? It would be unlike your sex ; but ought not our perseverance for three long weeks and our constancy to touch your heart and cause you to relent ? In the afternoon of August 19th it was calm and fine. We lay three miles west of Littleton Island. I took the steam cutter with the dingy, and asking all the officers to accompany me, I 144 'POLAIJIS" WINTER QUATlTKnS, went into Lifeboat Cove +o visit tlio scene of the Polaris encamp- ment and wreck.' Passinp; M'Garry Island we saw two walrnscH on the ict, but as wo had no harpoon, and I was anxious not to delay, wo pushed on, and were surprised to find enormous flights of ducus passing round and round the island. The s"a was also literally covered with rotches, the young birds assem- bling in '■ ousands,apparertIyj< ooivi !'i th' ir education in swim- ming and diving prepaiutory v- ilsou' departure on their long flight southwards. This was ve; ■ iTiC; ".raging, as for the last few days we had seen nothing of them ai :»., and I had almost concluded that the migration of the birds had already taken place. We soon made out the point on which the 'Polaris' was run on shore, and on landing we found the site of the house. But it svas entirely destroyed, not a vestige remaining save a few broken pieces of wood. All around, among the rocks and on the beach, we found various relics, such as lamps, old boots, and clothing, parts of machinery, torn paper, copper utensils, and almost every twenty yards, caches formed of stones, some of which still contained walrus beef, while the walrus heads wore strewn plentifully about in all directions, but all having the tusks sawn off close to the skull. Although I had reason to suppose that the ' Alert' touched here, I made a careful examination for anything like the books, instruments, or a record, but I only succeeded in finding in one place (in which I consequently gather that the instriunents were originally stowed) the copper box of a seven-inch compass, and some parts of a telescope with a long tube, whicli might 1 The ' Polaris ' was grounded at Littleton Island on the ir.thof October, 1872. Tlui day before nineteen persons had been left on the ice ; and only fourteen men remained with the ' Polaris,' namely, Cajitain Budington, Dr. Bessols, Mr. Chester, Mr. Morton, Bryan, Schumann, Odell, Coflin, Booth, Campbell, Mauch, Hayes, Siemens, and Hobby. It was found imj^ssiblc to remain in the ship, so they built a wooden house on shore. During the ^ 'inter they had much intercourse with the Eskimos at Etah. The party lift Polaris Ilousi in boats on June 2, 1873, and, as is well known, was picked uj) by the ' Pnvens- craig' whaler in Melville Bay on the 22nd, lat. 75' 38' N., long. (iS' 35' W. They left many books and instruments behind, in caches. •POLAIIIS" WINTEll gUAllTEnS. ]45 have been part of an astronomical telescope. We found iilso ^mr gun-bar.*e]s cit in half, as if to make pistols, many Eskimo arrows and spoar.^, and oi-o lamp v/ilh Sidney Budington scratched on it. But tlie whole place appeared to have been subjected to the most wanton destruction, and the storms of tlie wniter had scattered ^he remains. W] -Ist /e were still on shore a gale suddenly sprung up from the southward. Our ship was five miles off, and much drift ice, or rather heavy shore ice, passing with the curi-ent, so wo made all haste to the boat, pushed off, and arrived on board the ' Pandora,' thoroughly drenched with the heavy sea which arose immediately with the wind. We had some '.Hi- dtv in getting the boat up, but eventually all was safe, ud stood towards the pack under fore-and-aft canvas. W^' su>/ no traces of any recent visit of natives, and the caches of , alvus moat were in a putrid state. I had hoped to have f(>': ^d the Eskimos, but I suppossd that they had not yet come nori-iru'ard.' * I was more fixed in my opinion than over (after having watched tlic ice continually night and day since the 3rd instant, and liaviiig crossed and recrossed the straits at the edge of the pack, and tlirough any navigable ice, sometimes being ten miles within the pack), that a relief ship ought to be here continuously during the stay of the Polar ships northward, for I could not see how Captain Narcs was to get his ships down at all, if such a pack as we found should be here again next season. It appeared to me that if lie was well uixju the west side, and could not get back with liis ships this season, he would travel next spring over the ice, dragging the boa* ; with him, and striking across from Cape Sabine to Littleton Island. The channel had certainly not been open, for even Iwat navigation, up to this time, since our arrival ; and it was here, at Littleton Island, that he would require the boats, should the relief ship fail to arrive. ( IMi ) CHAPTEK X. SKCOXI) VISIT TO CAPK JSAUELLA. From the evening of tlic lOtli until the morning of the 23r(P we had a gale from the southward, with snow, sleet, and rain. We hung on outside until the 22nd, when it came on to blow with such fury that I went into Pandora Harbour for the night. We found some loose ice, but it was mostly aground round the inner shore, and did not incommode us. We took advantage of this opportunity to fill up eight casks of water from off one of these pieces. During the m'glit of the 22 nd the squalls came down over the high land into the harbour with such fury as to drive the spray over the ship, and the men watering on the ice had to be careful that they were not blown off. We held on securely with only thirty fathoms of chain, the anchor sinking right over in the stiff blue mud. It moderated on the 23rd, and at 8 a.m. I left the harbour to view the effects of the storm upon the pack outside ; but there was the same thick weather as had prevailed for the last five days, which prevented our seeing any distance in the west- ward. For a few moments onl} it partially cleared, and I could then see from the crow's-nest that an enormous pack had driven up from the S.W., past Cape Isabella, and from our position six miles west in the straits we could see no water in the direction of the cape. The northern pack had driven right up to the X. and N.E., and between it and the S.W. pack there was a crack in the W.N.AV. to N.W., the north pack ' On the 20th the 'Alert' and ' Di.scovery ' cros.scd Lady Franklin 8trait on their Avay luinie, and rounded Cape Lieber, On tlic 23rd they jinchored iu a biuall bay near C'liin' Fraser. 1 i'! I' I i ■ i MAIt, l,.\NI>HI) AT MTTUVroN lSl,AS'l». 147 appjirciitly tlion oxtun