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pec Wiasworth Wall, (. C19 1809 DONCASTER. S20 oN st NARRATIVE SECOND VOYAGE IN SEARCH OF NORTH-WEST PASSAGE,
RESIDENCE IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS
DURING THE YEARS 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833.
BY
Se JOHN ROSS. C.B. K.Si4., K.C.S., &. Ke
CAPTAIN IN THE ROYAL NAVY.
MNCLUDING THis REPORTS OF
COMMANDER, now CAPTAIN, JAMES CLARK ROSS, #.N., FAS, ELS, &e.
AND
Che Miscoberp of the Morthern sHagnetic ole.
LONDON:
A. W. WEBSTER, 156, REGENT STREET.
1835, REV. JAMES ©. ROSS,
@Hadworth Wall, Vi DONCASTER. a
ApOwORTH Hy, a ee 1899 27
» BEAUFORT HOUSE, STRAND.
TO
HIS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY,
WILLIAM IV. KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, IRELAND, &.
THIS NARRATIVE
OF THE
DISCOVERIES MADE IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS,
IN THE YEARS 1829, 1830, 1831, 18382, ann 1833, IS DEDICATED WITH HIS MAJESTY’S GRACIOUS PERMISSION,
BY HIS MAJESTY’S LOYAL AND DEVOTED SUBJECT,
JOHN ROSS,
CAPTAIN IN THE ROYAL NAVY.
ADVERTISEMENT.
Tue Author is sensible that he owes his numerous and generous Subscribers some apology for the delay which has occurred in the publication of his work: a delay, as vexatious to him as it must have been wearisome to them. But they who know the troubles connected with printing, and still more with engraving, will not be surprised ; while to those causes he must add his absence from England during many months of
the last year. Trusting in this, he subscribes himself, Their most obedient humble Servant,
JOHN ROSS.
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INTRODUCTION.
TuaT the public should expect some introduction to the journal of a voyage which has attracted so much notice, is natural; but having placed at the commencement of the narrative, all those matters which relate to the original project, to the financial arrangements under which the expedition was undertaken, to the fitting out of the ship, and the selection of the officers and crew, I have anticipated, if I may so say, in the work itself, much of that which is generally referred to an introduction, in books of this nature.
That im giving an account of the last voyage which has been undertaken for the discovery of a north-west. passage, and of the last which will probably be attempted for some years to come, I ought to have sketched, at least, the history of the endeavours made to find such a passage to the westward round the northern shores of America, has been the opinion of many of my friends, and of him in particular on whom I have most relied.
But so much has been published on this subject, and by so many writers, long before my first voyage, and still more during the years which have intervened between that and the present one, that I cannot but believe that all who interest themselves in this question, must be as fully informed respecting it as they could desire ; while perhaps every reader of this journal is sufficiently acquainted with the subject, either from the interme- diate voyages, the public journals and reviews, or that work of Barrow which has long been in circulation, to render such a sketch superfluous ; as it could also be nothing
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il INTRODUCTION.
more than an abridged compilation, prolonging a work which has already extended to
a much greater length than I at first foresaw.
I have thought it best, therefore, to refer to Purchas, Harris, Churchill, Barrington, to works in many hands, and always easy of access, but above all to Barrow’s Chrono- logical History, published in 1818, for such fuller information as I might have extracted from those writers, had I thought it expedient. Yet not willing to leave entirely in the dark on this subject, those to whom such reading may be neither familiar nor acces- sible, I will here give a condensed list sufficient for such a general purpose, from the writers above named. It will thus be the easier for those who are desirous of extend- ing their knowledge of this question, to refer to any author or any voyage which they may fancy; though I imagine that Barrow’s sketch will be sufficient to satisfy most readers.
It was in the ninth century that this problem seems to have been first proposed : and the first northern expedition by sea, of which we know, was that of Othervie, who sailed from Drontheim to the White Sea. Iceland was also discovered about the same period, and subsequently, Greenland, by means of a voyage from that island in the year 970.
1495 John Cabot, sailed, and made an unsuccessful voyage in the same quarter; and in
1498 Sebastian Cabot went to the west coast of Greenland, and reached the latitude of 56°, but without effecting the particular object in view.
1500-1502 Gaspar and Michael Cotreal made two voyages to Greenland, and affirm that they reached the sixtieth degree of latitude. They discovered the straits of Gaspar and several islands, together with the strait which was called Anian, by them.
1508-1535 Jacque and Aubert Cartier made several voyages for the purpose of ex- ploring a new passage to the countries from which Spain derived her treasure, and they discovered the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
1524 Estevan Gomez was employed by Spain for the same purpose, but was unsuccess- ful; having only reached Labrador.
1542 Mendoza Coronada tried to find the supposed strait of Anian, but saw nothing to satisfy him respecting its existence.
1527 Robert Thorne, of Bristol, is said, in Hakluyt’s Collection, to have sailed for the
discovery of the North Pole ; but there is no account of his voyage.
INTRODUCTION. ili
1553 Sir Hugh Willoughby sailed from England, and is said to have discovered Nova Zembla; but, on his return, he was frozen to death in Lapland, with all his crew.
1555-1557 Steven Burough and Richard Chancelor made two voyages, in which they reached the Island of Weigatts, and Nova Zembla, but without effecting a north- east passage, which was the object these navigators had in view.
1576 Martin Frobisher made his first voyage, discovering the strait which bears his name, which was at one time supposed to have divided or cut off a portion of old Greenland : but this expectation was afterwards proved to be fallacious, while it is now concluded that this imaginary passage is probably nothing more than one of the openings on the west coast of Davis’s strait.
1577 The same navigator made a second voyage, and named Mount Warwick, to the southward of what has since been called Frobisher strait; but it does not appear that he made any advance towards the discovery of a passage.
1578 In this year he made a third voyage, which was unsuccessful. After this, two brothers of the same name sailed to discover a north-west passage, but they never returned, nor is there any conjecture respecting their fate.
1579 Edward Fenton sailed to discover a north-west passage, by the way of the Pacific ; but he returned, without having even proceeded towards the object which he had in view, in consequence of his fear of the Spaniards, by whom he expected to be taken or intercepted.
1580 Mercator, Pet, and Jackman tried, without success, to penetrate through Weigatz strait, and returned with much difficulty.
1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert, intending to discover the north-west passage, sailed to Newfoundland.
1585 John Davis made his first voyage, and discovered the strait which bears his name. On the eastern side of this wide sea, so improperly termed a strait, he discovered and named what has retained his appellative of Cape Desolation, and, on the western shore, Mount Raleigh, Cape Walsingham, Exeter Sound, and some other places still bear the names which he gave them.
1586 In his second voyage, this enterprising and persevering seaman examined the coast on the west side of the strait between Cumberland island and the latitude of 662° north.
1587 Not discouraged, however, by his want of success, this navigator made a third
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iv INTRODUCTION.
voyage, and affirms that he reached the 73d degree of latitude. In this, he examined the coast which he had seen before, giving names to some other places, but made no advance towards the solution of the problem which he had in view. The discoveries, however, which he made in the course of his three voyages proved of great commercial importance: since, to him more than any preceding or subsequent navigator, has the whale fishery been indebted. Let not his name be slightly passed over. In talent he has not had many rivals: and it is ignorance, probably, rather than ingratitude, which fails to thank him for the debts owed him by British commerce.
1588 The voyage of Maldonado has been so strictly canvassed, and so utterly discre- dited in consequence, that if I name him in this chronological list, it is but for the sake of those who may have heard of his voyage but not of the criticisms which it has justly received. He did not make the north-west passage to which he pretends; beyond this I need not say what it was that he asserted himself to have done.
1592 Juan de Fuca was sent to discover the supposed strait of Anian. By his own account he followed the coast until he discovered an opening, up which he sailed in various directions during twenty days, after which he entered into the North Sea; when finding it to be so wide for 30 or 40 leagues within the strait as to make him suppose that it really would afford that passage of which he was in search, he conceived that he had discharged his duty, and therefore returned.
1594-1596 William Barentz, in company with three others, made three voyages ; in the last of which he and half his crew perished: but these voyages were all directed to the north-east passage, and he advanced no further than Weigatz strait, and the north-west end of Nova Zembla.
1602 George Weymouth sailed from England, but he reached no latitude higher than 64°, and therefore made no discoveries.
1605 James Hall sailed to Greenland with two ships, and coasted the land up to 63°, but made no discovery.
1606-1607 In these years he made two more voyages to the same coast, but he only reached 66°, and returned without success.
1606 John Knight sailed to discover that same north-west passage which seems to have
occupied the dreams of half the navigating and commercial portion of mankind,
INTRODUCTION. Vv
at this time, and during so many previous and subsequent years: but he only reached the coast of Labrador, and returned, abandoning the enterprise.
1607 Henry Hudson’s first voyage was to the east coast of Greenland, and he returned by the way of Spitzbergen and Cherry island.
1608-1610 In these years, this commander, whose name has had the good fortune of being perpetuated in no common manner, by the results which gave rise to the incorporation of so opulent a mercantile company as that which bears his name, and by the enormous terntory which has fallen under their sway, made two other voyages. He then discovered the bay which bears his name, but made no other discovery.
1611 Inhis fourth voyage his men mutinied, and he lost his life, after he had penetrated to 73° north.
1609-1611 James Poole made two voyages, and reached the 73d degree of latitude in Davis’s straits, which was the nearest approach to the Pole that had been made down to that period.
1611 Sir Thomas Button made a voyage for the discovery of a north-west passage, but it was without the expected success: his voyage was never published.
1612 James Hall sailed on a fourth voyage for the discovery of a north-west passage. He reached Ramelsford, in Greenland, in 67°, and was there killed by a savage. The new master decided on returning, without making any further effort.
1614 Captain Gibbons sailed to discover a passage, but having been entangled in the ice, he took shelter in a creek about the latitude of 57°, where he remained five months; after which, contriving to escape, yet not without considerable damage, he returned to England.
1615 In this voyage Robert Bylot was master, and Wm. Baffin acted as the mate and pilot. Their success was not great, since they only reached as far as 65° north, examining the coast of Davis’s strait, and tracing the coast thence to Resolution island, where they abandoned their pursuits, returning to England in September.
1616 Bylot and Baffin again sailed, and circumnavigated the bay which now bears the name of the latter, until they came to a sound which was named Sir James Lancaster’s sound, in lat. 74° 20’. The narration of this voyage is very im- perfect, while there is a reference to a chart which is not given by Purchas, and as
far as I now know, is not to be found at present. There are charts, however, which
vi INTRODUCTION.
probably give these discoveries in the exact manner in which they were laid down by Baffin: but as I have had occasion to remark at some length at the end of this Introduction, it is exceedingly incorrect in the longitudes, though sufficiently true in the latitudes, while the consequences of the former error are of such im- portance as to have led me into a detailed criticism on the question of this geo- graphy.
1614-1616 Fotherby made a voyage for the discovery of a north-west passage, but without success. .
1619 Jans Munk, entered Hudson’s bay, in this year, and visited Thorfield inlet, re- turning without success.
1630-1631 Luke Fox (commonly called north-west Fox), made an attempt to pene- trate by Hudson’s bay, but he added nothing to former discoverers, and re- turned unsuccessful.
1601 James sailed from Bristol, and asserted that he discovered that now well-known island to which he gave his name. Since my own voyage, in 1818, there have been doubts respecting this “ James’s island ;” and the subject is so remarkable, not less than complicated, that I must refer it to the end of this Introduction, where I have attempted to elucidate this somewhat troublesome piece of geography, and, as I trust, with some success.
1633 Seven Russian sailors, who appear to have been shipwrecked at Spitzbergen, remained there one year. |
1636 The Russians discovered the Lena and other rivers in the north of Europe and Asia, the account of which will be found in Churchill’s collection of voyages.
1640 Bernarda, a Spaniard, affirms that by a coasting voyage he sailed from the Pacific through a strait, and reached an isthmus which divides the west from the east sea at Baftin’s bay, where he could see the sea on each side from the high land, which he ascended.
1646 Forty-two persons were wrecked at Spitzbergen, and remained there a year.
1719-1722 There are voyages recorded to have been performed between these years, by Knight, Barlow, Vaughan, and Scroggs; but very little is known of these navigators, except that they sailed to discover a north-west passage. As no ac- count of them was ever received, it must be presumed that they were lost.
1719 John Munk sailed on a voyage of discovery to the north, but his men all died
INTRODUCTION. vil
excepting two, and he was unsuccessful, as far as any record of him has arrived to our days.
1722 Behring’s strait was discovered by the navigator of that name: he was after- wards wrecked on Behring’s island, which he had discovered, and there he died.
1741 Christopher Middleton sailed to Hudson’s bay in the Furnace, for the discovery of a north-west passage ; his failure led to a controversy between him and Dobbs, and also with the Admiralty, on which I need not here enter.
1743 Six Russian sailors were left at Spitzbergen, and remained there six years.
1740-1746 The Russian government employed several officers, and traced, by land, nearly the whole coast of Europe and Asia, between Nova Zembla and Behring’s strait.
1746 William Moor and Francis Smith made an unsuccessful attempt in this weari- some pursuit by the way of Repulse bay ; this being one of the speculations, the execution of which has since been repeated in our own times, and, as all know, without success.
1769-1772 Hearne discovered Hearne river, by means of a journey by land, which has been so often quoted as to be familiar to every one.
1773 Phipps (afterwards Lord Mulgrave) made an unsuccessful attempt to reach the Pole; this voyage is equally familiar, and is often quoted, the more so, perhaps, on account of its style, and of the honours conferred on his name.
1776 The justly celebrated Captain Cook (accompanied by Captain James Clerke), who had already performed two voyages round the world, attempted to discover the north-west passage, by Behring’s strait, which he entered in August, 1779, and penetrated to a point which he named Icy Cape, in latitude 70° 29’ N, and in longitude 198° 20’ W, where he found the ice impenetrable, being a solid mass ten feet thick and extending across to the coast of Asia, aground in twenty-seven fathoms. He returned to the Sandwich islands, and there, as is well known, he lost his life in a contest with the natives.
1780 Captains Clerke and King made another unsuccessful attempt in the same quarter; but the furthest point to which they proceeded was lat. 70° 33’ N, in 194° west longitude.
1776 Lieutenant Pickersgill was sent out in the Lion brig to meet Captain Cook, by Baffin’s bay: he reached the latitude of 68° 10’, and bore up for Labrador,
returning unsuccessful.
Vill INTRODUCTION.
1777 Lieutenant Young, in the same ship, was sent for the same purpose: he reached 72° 45’ (Woman’s islands), and retumed without making any further progress. 1786-1787 The Danish Admiral Lowenorn, sailed to “ re-discover” (as the phrase is), East Greenland, but his vessels being. damaged by the ice, he returned to Den-
mark unsuccessful.
1789 Alexander Mackenzie, afterwards knighted, discovered the Mackenzie river by a land journey, and traced it to the Frozen Sea. His tediously-written journey has been read by every one conversant with voyages and travels.
1790 Mr. Duncan examined Chesterfield inlet: his men mutinied, and he returned, in consequence, without success.
1815-1818 Lieutenant Kotzebue, in a vessel named the Rurik, fitted out for discovery at the expense of the Russian Count Romanzoff, proceeded round Cape Horn, and attempted the discovery of the north-west passage, by the way of Behring’s strait. This he passed, and entered on the sea which washes the northern shore of the American continent; discovering also the sound which bears his name, and which had been passed unobserved by Captain Cook. He returned unsuccessful, as far as even the slightest attempt at a passage is concerned, since he did not succeed in reaching Icy Cape.
1818 In this year I cireumnavigated Baftin’s bay, and by this means restored to our charts, whence they had been expunged, the valuable discoveries of that great navigator, whose name it bears: correcting them only where the imperfection, of his means, and other circumstances, had left errors, of small importance compared to what he had effected. I need not name here, what else in its consequences to commerce, was the result of this my first voyage.
1818 Buchan made a fruitless attempt to reach the Pole ; having failed, from circum- stances beyond his control, he returned in consequence of the damage sustained by his ship.
1819-1820 Parry in his first voyage, between latitude 74° N, and 113° W, discovered Melville island, North Georgian, now called Parry’s islands, and Prince Regent’s inlet, and was the first to winter in these regions.
1820-1821 Franklin, in his first journey from Hudson’s bay, by land, for this purpose, traced the coast of America between Hearne river and Point Turnagain.
1821-1822 Parry, in his second voyage, discovered the land which he has termed Melville peninsula, together with the strait which he has named after his ships
the Fury and Hecla.
INTRODUCTION. 1X
1822-1823 Franklin, in his second journey, traced the coast of America between Mackenzie river and Cape Back; while Dr. Richardson, separating from him for this purpose, surveyed the coast between Hearne and Mackenzie rivers.
1822-1825 Parry, in his third voyage, penetrated down Prince Regent’s inlet as far as latitude 72° 30’ in longitude 91° W. In this voyage the Fury was lost, and he, in consequence, returned unsuccessful.
1823-1826 Beechy, in a voyage which occupied the period denoted in these dates, passed through Behring’s strait, and attempted to penetrate to the eastward ; he reached the 71° 232’ latitude and the 156° 213’ west longitude, leaving about 150 miles unexplored between his own and Franklin’s discoveries.
1827 Parry, in this year, made an unsuccessful attempt to reach the North Pole ; it having been imagined that a free passage to the equator might possibly be made in that direction.
The results of all these voyages show that the discovery and survey of the land between Greenland and Asia had gradually advanced: so that when my voyage was undertaken in 1829, there were only 150 miles on the west side, near Behring’s strait, and 500 miles on the east side, between Cape Garry and Cape Turnagain, unexplored, Davis may be said to have made the first important advance towards a passage, and Baffin the second. The latter was found to be correct in his latitudes, but his longi- tudes were proved to be the reverse. The last of these statements on his part seems to have led to the unjust supposition that he was equally incorrect in every thing ; whence it happened, under some criticisms which I have now no intention to examine, that all which he had done was asserted to be incorrect and false. Hence was James’s island expunged from our charts, as I have remarked in a former note on his voyage ; but far more uncharitably as well as improperly, the bay which had so long and so justly borne his name, was equally obliterated: as if this great navi- gator had seen nothing and done nothing. It is not thus that men will be tempted to sacrifice their time, their comforts, their fortunes, and their lives, in the service of mankind: but if fame must hereafter be allotted or withheld by any one who may assume the office of a judge, then let the men of ability and enterprise withdraw, unless they are of that better spirit which finds its reward in an approving conscience.
If the name of Baffin was restored to its exalted place, as I trust it was by my voyage in 1818, I may now proceed to remark, that the results of my late expedition
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x INTRODUCTION.
consist in the Discovery of King William’s land; the isthmus and peninsula of Boothia Felix; the gulf of Boothia: the western sea of King William, and the true position of a northern magnetic pole; and in regard to the question of a north-west passage, it is fully established that there is none through Prince Re- gent’s inlet, or to the southward of the latitude of 74° north. Besides this, many important and interesting facts regarding Magnetism and other branches of science and natural knowledge in the conclusion of the voyage. The banks of the Isabella and Alexander were restored to their former position in the chart, and the line of coast fully verified; and several harbours surveyed and discovered.
There remains, therefore, still the 150 miles to the westward, and to the eastward the space between Cape Turnagain and the coast seen by Sir Edward Parry, which may be estimated at 400 miles.
It is not generally known that the question of “a north-west passage,” which had been lying dormant since the voyage of Captain Phipps, was, in 1817, revived by Mr. William Scoresby, a highly gifted and talented navigator, who then commanded a ship on the Greenland fishery, but now a respectable and useful member of the Church of England, at Exeter. This gentleman, in a well penned letter to Sir Joseph Banks, represented that so great a change had taken place in the seasons and the position of the ice in the Arctic Regions ; that the time had probably arrived when the long- agitated problem might be solved.
His object was, no doubt, employment on this arduous service, that as he had been the proposer he might share in the glory of the enterprise. Why his services were rejected does not appear, but I have his own authority for saying that he would have accepted “ any situation in the expedition which a gentleman could hold.”” He cannot, however, be deprived of the merit of being the promoter of all the attempts which have been made since that time. Sir Joseph Banks’s high recommendation of his proposal to the Government was attended to, and a circular was written to discover what officer of the navy had served most among ice. In the mean time ships were purchased, and were not only in a great state of forwardness before I was selected to command them, but all the junior officers were appointed. The purser and my nephew, then only seventeen years of age, being the only individuals of my own selection.
I believe there is no instance on record where an officer was appointed to command
such an enterprise without his having been consulted as to the qualities of the ships he
INTRODUCTION. xi
was to conduct ; but with me it was not the case, and when I arrived in London I was concerned to discover that the ships (by that time half finished), were totally unfit for such a service ; but my remonstrances were too late, and I was told that if I did not choose to accept the command some one else would; and as I had left the Driver, it was the only chance I had for promotion. I must here remark, however, that I throw no blame on the late Admiralty on this account; their lordships consulted, before I was selected, people well qualified to give them information; but these people had ships to sell or strengthen, and the temptation of gaining 6 or 7000/., was sufficient to turn the scale; and I alone, who had the whole responsibility, was doomed to be the sufferer. The truth of my assertion is fully demonstrated in the narrative of my first voyage, and in the employment, subsequently, of ships of a totally different class. The officers were all, certainly, as seamen and navigators, well qualified, but none had ever wintered, or had any considerable experience among ice; the service was entirely new to them, and for this reason ice masters and mates were appointed, whose opinions of course had much the more weight, but if I had had officers of my own selection, I could have found those who combined those qualities with experience among ice, even more than my own; and I would certainly have employed Mr. Scoresby. As the results of my first expedition have been long before the public, and as it has been alluded to in the course of this narrative, I need only remark that it, as well as the sub- sequent voyages which precede my last, proves how much, or rather how entirely our humble endeavours depend on Divine Providence, which has wisely put less within our power than in any other kind of navigation. Added to the disadvantages which I have mentioned, there were others which were beyond our control, which seemed to com- bine against the success of the enterprise, and the disappointment created a feeling towards the commander, against which nothing but a consciousness that he had always done his duty, could have supported him ; and which he now confesses made him anxious to prove that he could treat with a far different feeling all the abuse which has been so unsparingly, and he must add unjustly attached to his name. The expeditions sub- sequent to my first were closely watched by myself, with the view of correcting errors from whatever cause they might arise, and I soon discovered that the ships which had been employed since 1817, had been far too large; for while they carried pro- visions only in the same proportions to their crews, as a vessel half the size does to her crew, they drew such an increased depth of water, viz., eighteen feet instead of eight,
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xii INTRODUCTION.
as to render navigation in them much more unsafe, as in the instance of the Fury, which ship was damaged because her depth was greater than that of the ice, and when damaged had to be unloaded and hove down, and during this process that occupied several days, she was wrecked ; whereas the Victory was actually laid on the ground, with all her stores, and when the tide fell she was dry (for she drew only seven feet), and her leak was stopped. Like the Fury, she carried two and a half years’ provisions, besides coals for 1000 hours ; and had the boiler and other parts of the machinery not given way, there can be no doubt but the services might have been performed, as far as the navigation was concerned, in fifteen months instead of four years and a half. Baffin’s ship, though only thirty tons, was far more fit than either the Isabella, Fury, or Hecla. Sir Edward Parry’s two voyages in that direction, and Sir John Franklin’s jour- neys to the Polar Sea, had directed the eyes of the scientific world to Prince Regent’s inlet, and with the exception of the late Major Rennell, there was no one that I conversed with on the subject, who did not say, that if no passage was found between Cape Garry and Point Turnagain there could be none at all. The Major was indeed of opinion that there was none there, and his reasons for it were well founded. It was, how- ever, obvious that it became my duty, in undertaking this enterprise, to decide that question in the first place, and then turn my attention to the next opening further north, and it was an extraordinary fact that the first discovery we made was, that Cresswell bay was at least thirty miles deeper than where the land had been laid down on the preceding voyage, even after it had been seen from both the ship and the shore for several days, and it was not until we actually walked round it that we were certain that no passage existed in that direction; proving how very deceiving the appearance of ice in a bay or passage is, by its having deceived all the officers of both Hecla and Fury, after, too, an experience of eight years, just as it had myself and the pilots of the Isabella, in 1818. Nevertheless I determined to follow my first plan, which was also that approved of by Commander Ross, and Mr. Thom, the second and third in the direction. I shall leave the remainder of my proceedings for the reader of my narrative, which is carried on in the shape of a journal, which was written by my- self daily. The ship was fitted out in a manner far superior to any other, “as she combined every improvement which had previously been made, and the pro- visions were of the very best quality; and although the feeling was against her
qualities, in consequence of the lamentable failure of the machinery, she proved
INTRODUCTION. xiii
to be the very best vessel that was ever employed on such a service. The instru- ments were chiefly my own; the transit was 36 inches, and the theodolite 9 inches, both by Jones; and several instruments were lent by the Admiralty and Colonial Secretary, all of which were lost, excepting a dipping needle, now in the possession of Captain J.C. Ross, belonging to the. Admiralty ; two of the chronometers were my own, one the property of Messrs. Parkinson and Frodsham, and three belonged to Mr. Murray: all of these performed well, but four of them were lost with the ship. Com- mander, now Captain J. C. Ross, who was second in command, had during the whole time the charge of the transit, and to him belong all the observations made withit, and with a sixty-six inch telescope of 33 object glass, belonging to me; but these observations must, with the Natural History, also by him, form a part of an appendix, which will be published separate from the narrative, in which are only the abstracts, which would concern the general reader. The sketches from which the drawings were made were taken by Mr. Ronald’s invaluable perspective instrument, and therefore must be true delineations: these, although they have been partly redrawn by Harding and Rowbotham, and engraved on steel by the first engravers, whose names will be found on the plates, were originally my own sketches, but they are only offered to the public as faithful illustrations of the work, beimg well aware that I do not possess such talents in that art as could embellish it, were the scenery even more favourable. The Meteorological Table, which is given in abstract, will be in full in the Appendix, as well as the Diurnal Variation, and a new theory of the Aurora Borealis: indeed, the length of the narrative has so much exceeded what I expected, that I have not been able to give any of the scientific observations at full length; as I have preferred giving Commander Ross’s journeys, in which will be found the most remote and extended part of our discovery ; and also that of the present position of the Magnetic Pole. The methods which necessity pomted out for the preservation of the health and discipline of the crew will be found in full; and at the end will be found an Addenda, comprehending the conclusion of our proceedings after our happy return.
In short, our whole voyage, from its commencement until its conclusion, will be found a wonderful chain of providential circumstances, affording an evident proof that those who “ go down into the sea in ships,” &c., are, of all others, the most dependent on the Divine aid, and the most short-sighted of mortals ; while it must
be no less manifest, that if men rusting in “ Him who cannot err,” will only make
xiv INTRODUCTION.
use of the means mercifully put within their power, there are no difficulties which cannot be overcome, and no case too desperate !
It is not necessary that I should, in this Introduction, enter into a formal discussion respecting the probability that yet remains of finding a “ North-west Passage,” to the northward of the 74th degree of latitude. Such remarks as | have had occasion to make on this subject, will be found in the course of the following narrative, wherever occasion for them chanced to arise: while, even had I aught more to say on this great question than I have done, any such dissertation has been long super- seded by that of Sir Edward Parry, to which I gladly refer.
Let no one suppose that I do not estimate the merits of that officer, both as a writer and a navigator, as highly as the public has agreed to do. We were once partners in the same pursuit, and have together undergone the same dangers and the same anxieties ; we have since, if separately, carried on the same warfare with ocean and ice, with storms and toils; each still pursuing one object and endeavourmg after one fame. If we have thus been as rivals, it has been a rivalry in which neither jealousy nor dislike could ever have intermingled: as well mightit be supposed that La Perouse should hate the memory of Cook, or that this great man, had he then lived, should have sickened at the success of the bold and intelligent French navigator. Brothers in the Service, we have been such also in one track of discovery. If there are men who please them- selves with imagining or exciting jealousies and dislikes among those who pursue a common object, their just punishment will be to know that they have failed.
But although I do not think it needful to discuss the question of this passage, I may here make a few remarks on the subject which might not very readily occur to my readers, or, not at least, to those who have not familiarized themselves with this great point in geography, by previous reading.
Before I left England on the present expedition, various hypotheses were afloat respecting the probable place of the expected passage. All these were justifiable, in some manner or other, or in a greater or less degree; as hypotheses must ever be when they pretend to no more, or when, at least, the evidences on which they rest, fall short of proof. On the asserted, or imaginary, indications of such a passage, in one direction or in another, I had never, myself, laid any stress; though willing to listen to all, and desirous, rather than otherwise, to leave every one to the indulgence
of his own speculations or fancies,
INTRODUCTION. XV
If also I had then no hypothesis of my own, I think I may now safely say that I have not gained any knowledge by this voyage, which would justify me in forming one; as- suredly at least, not in proposing anew scheme for the discovery ofa north-west passage. Of the imagined, or hoped for, or possible, passage through Lancaster strait and by the way of Melville islands, I know nothing more than was known before; nor have I any conjectures, nor any hopes or doubts, to offer respecting it, which I could add to what has already been amply discussed. It was a portion of this region to which we never gained any access, inasmuch as the scheme which I had determined to follow was a different one, leading me in another direction, and because we could never afterwards extricate ourselves from the place where we had been imprisoned, from the very day, I almost say, when we first trusted ourselves to this barbarous shore.
Thus also, whether the impossibility of passing northward by the way of the Pole, is now fully admitted, or not, since the failure of Parry’s bold attempt, this too is a question respecting which the course of my own navigation did not allow me to form any additional conjectures.
If now, the attempt which I carried on, of which, as far as a passage is concerned, the failure is now before the public, has given me no new hypothesis to offer, nor any fresh scheme to propose, and if all, therefore, of a positive nature, as hope is concerned, remains as it was, the negative result is of much value on this question, independently of all the other knowledge in geography or whatever else, which has been gained by this laborious voyage, under the hard-earned honours which may be assigned to it, or, possibly, refused.
That point on which our own attempt was made, had formed one of the places of hope: I may call it one of the hypotheses, or rather a basis for one of those to which I have just alluded, In this direction, and with a vague, but justifiable and natural hope of succeeding, was the last effort of Parry made, as the preceding one had been, though under a different plan, and by taking a very different course from mine. How he failed in both, from causes beyond human prudence to avert or control, is well known ; and that hope, or that possibility, still therefore remained.
This hope is now extinguished ; and if it be, on all occasions of life as in this, a gain to demolish those hopes which only tend to delusion, the merit of this result at least
belongs to our present voyage. We navigated, or examined by travelling on shore, the
XVI INTRODUCTION.
only part of these lands where the possible passage in question might have existed: and by means of our journeys the examination was made complete.
How complete it was, the journal, but, still more clearly, the appended chart will show: yet the result, though it was but to fail in finding this problematical opening, is highly interesting ; while it was very tantalizing to us, and, as I really may say, without more temper than the event justifies, proved in the end mortifying. It ds mortifying to labour hard and suffer much, under hopes so often held out, to be ever on some anticipated brink of the discovery which should indemnify us for all those toils, and place the crown of success on our labours, and then at length to find that we have not missed that reward by having indulged in absurd or groundless expectations, have not been striving against those obstacles, the utterly insurmountable nature of which may console us for the disappointment, but have been, in reality, nearly within reach of the expected object, yet as far from attaining it, for ever, as if mountains had intervened. ‘
It will be seen, on examining those documents, that the tract of land which separates Prince Regent’s inlet from the northern sea of America westward, at the place of our investigations, is not only very narrow, but is largely occupied by lakes, by which the length of the land itself which separates the two seas, is reduced to three miles. Howlittle, therefore, nature has here done towards preventing such a passage between the eastern and western sea, or otherwise, how nearly she has approached towards permitting it, is apparent; while no one can be surprised if we had often indulged in hopes that it actually existed.
Thus has it proved that there was some justification of the beliefs or hypotheses of those who had expected a passage somewhere in this quarter, though they had no grounds on which to point out its probable place. Yet I must not be supposed to say, that even had we found an opening through this low and narrow tract, it ever could have been a “north-west passage” in the actual sense of that phrase, or ever could have been turned to purposes of communication or commerce. The state of the inlets by which we reached it, and not less the nature and condition of those seas or openings through which Sir Edward Parry might have reached it had he been more favoured by fortune, is such, as he and I have shown, that all utility of this kind would be a wild hope, not only at any given period, but for ever.
It remains, therefore, to say, since I need not longer dwell on this subject, that
INTRODUCTION. XVii
while my voyage and its results have demolished all hypotheses and hopes but those which may still be entertained respecting Lancaster strait, and the Pole, if, indeed, the latter has still an advocate remaining, there are now fewer temptations than ever to make any fresh attempt for solving this problem.
This at least is true, as far as an actual or practical communication round the north coast of America is concerned: yet how is it more true now, than when the problem was first proposed (I will not say by the early navigators), but by those who again brought forward this scheme before my first voyage, in 1818, and caused it to be put into action during so many successive seasons, under a course of expenditure so heavy?
It did not require more than my first voyage, it scarcely required that to show, that no commerce could ever be attempted in this direction, even had some singular good fortune proved that the American continent did not extend further north than Hecla and Fury strait, or had terminated much short of this: even, I may say, had the actual passage been effected by some lucky ship. Merchants risk much on commerce, it is true, but they are not given to hazard every thing, in opposition to the dictates of common sense, or in equal defiance of experience and probability. They have a test, also, by which their united body judges of every thing in cases of this nature ; and that barometer is stationed at Lloyd’s Coffee-house, to be consulted by all. On what terms could such an insurance be effected; on what premium, even under the favourable circumstances which I have thus supposed? Where the sum, and therefore the hazard for each man is small, men will go very far, under very slight hopes; but it is to be doubted if a premium, even to the value of the entire ship and cargo, would have filled the list handed to those who, bold and liberal as they are, or hopeful as they may be, are men of acute understandings, and of more information than is sometimes suspected. Commanders there are, it is certain, who would have tried, and tried any thing ; for in such men, thank heaven, England has never been deficient, and, I hope, never will. As to our seamen, there is nothing which they will not undertake: or at least, in my younger days, there is nothing which they would not have undertaken, throwing all their cares, as they ever do, on him by whom they are conducted. May it so continue under this new era of rising light and spreading knowledge! But more than this would have been wanted ; and that, I verily believe,
would never have been obtained.
xviil INTRODUCTION.
With respect to any future attempt of this nature, my opinion, I presume, may be easily extracted from the general tenour of the following journal, and from various remarks made as occasion gave rise to them, as well as from what I have just said; since the conclusions from this are almost too obvious to require a distinct statement.
If there are now no hopes of a useful passage, as these ought to have ceased long ago, I am aware that it would be a matter of just boast to Britain, could its navigators, who have already effected so much for geography, complete the navigation and survey of the northern shores of America. Still more may this be a justifiable, as a desired object, when it is to their spirit of enterprise and ability that the world owes nearly all that is yet known respecting this long obscure and difficult piece of geography. Surely also it is right, that this bold spirit should not flag for want of the means of exertion, nor these abilities and experience and science lie dormant, or cease to be cultivated for want of objects capable of rousing ambition, and of occupations which may tempt men to make or maintain themselves what men can be, when inducements are held out to them.
Where economy is put into the balance against all this, it is a contemptible economy indeed ; too much as such false economy has become the rule of an age which has rendered our once liberal, and splendidly liberal country, a far other Britain than it once was. Alas, that men cannot see how miserable is the spirit of money making and money saving, how wretchedly debased man becomes when this forms his sole pursuit, when all his notions of moral conduct are confined within the base code of Franklin’s “ Poor Richard ;” to produce the effects which it has done in the country to which he preached his—“ religion,” I may call it, not merely its morality. Not such is the spirit of my noble-minded friend, to whom the world is now indebted for the products of the present voyage: may this example teach Englishmen what they may be again; for such as he is, have Englishmen been.
Let me be excused a remark into which gratitude and justice, not less than pure and disinterested adiniration have led me: while I must conclude these observations with a repetition of the suggestions which I have offered in the commencement of my journal. If I was unfortunate in my own steam vessel, this was not the mis- fortune of the plan, but of the vessel itself: yet no, not of the ship, its size or construction, but of its wretched and discreditable machinery. My opinion re-
mains unaltered: a vessel intended for discoveries in these regions ought not to
INTRODUCTION. xix
draw more than ten feet of water; she ought to be strong, as our own was, and handy also in point of rigging: and she ought further to have a steam engine, for occasional services, the reasons for which I have assigned in the beginning of the following narrative.
I have not, in these miscellaneous remarks on the question of a “north-west passage,” given such sketches of my geographical discoveries as I ought perhaps to condense, in some form, in this Introduction, since no opportunity for it has offered in the journal, and since a connected view of the facts might not, pos- sibly, be easily extracted from it, by readers not previously acquainted with the subject, and above all with the preceding discoveries, made by myself and my successors.
It is impossible, indeed, to do this in words alone, and without reference to a chart, to a picture of facts which saves many words, and also presents to the eye what no length or detail of language ever can do. Let the reader at least turn to that chart, as it is here given, and, with its aid, a few words will effect all that is necessary.
It will thence be seen that the last point in Prince Regent’s inlet which Sir Edward Parry had been able to attain, was Cape Garry; and hence my own dis- coveries may be marked as commencing at this place. Ifnot very extensive in point of space, they are minute and accurate: under our extraordinary detention for so long a time, in so narrow a tract, they could not indeed have been enlarged, over a country where travelling by land was so completely restricted by its mountainous, or rather hilly form, and far more by the ice and snow with which it was almost eternally covered, as not less by the very short season of a few weeks when alone any travelling was possible. This minuteness and this accuracy are indeed far ereater than the subject required ; so that it may be but a worthless boast to say, that they exceed in this respect any thing ever yet done by navigators. In New South Wales, such work would have had a value which it never can possess here; but we had little else to do, and no harm at least was produced by this superfluous eare.
The chart will show that from the point which I have named, our survey of this shore extended to the 69th degree of latitude, and between the longitudes of 89 and 99, terminating at the place to which I have given the name of Point Franklin. Hence it
d2
xX INTRODUCTION.
extended through this portion of the Northern American continent, so as to give a correct draught of the interior land, with its multifarious lakes and rivers, over a space for which the chart must be consulted, since it cannot be defined by words. Thus, further reaching to the western shore of that isthmus to which I have given the name Boothia, it has defined that portion of the coast between the latitudes 72° 30’, and 69°, and under longitudes lying between 89° and 99° west.
What it has thus effected for the geography of this part of the continent of America is therefore obvious ; but I must further note in what manner these discoveries conduce to that general problem, to which an interest, next at least to that of a “north-west passage” has been attached ; namely, the completion of the coast line of the Northern American continent, from Behring’s strait to Baffin’s bay, as it had been determined by the several navigators employed on this inquiry, under the more recent as more remote voyages.
If, in the catalogue with which I have commenced this introduction, I have men- tioned the several distant and unconnected points which had been noted, or the coasts which had been more extensively examined, by Hearne and Mackenzie, by those who had preceded them in coming from the eastward through Behring’s strait, and by the navigators and travellers who were employed on these services after my first voyage, namely, Parry, Franklin, and Beechy, so may I now say that the line of the American northern shore which has thus been traced by their joint labours, is the following. The chart indeed shows it; but for those to whom the examination and measuring of charts is a matter of some effort, and for whom especially it is difficult to trace an extent in miles, under the ratio which these bear to degrees of longitude in those northern lati- tudes, the following verbal explanations will be of use.
Commencing at Behring’s strait and from the Cape Barrow of Beechy, the coast has now been marked, by means however of nautical surveys only, and those of course far from minute, while also not always boasting of much accuracy, thence to Point Back of Franklin. Here, and as far as the mouth of Mackenzie river, being the only discovery of that traveller, it is again laid down by Richardson to the exit of the Copper-mine river, being Hearne’s sole discovery on the coast. Thence to Point Turmagain, lie the discoveries of Franklin; after which, in the progress eastward as far as Point Jane Franklin, there is a blank of 222 miles, which we hope will be filled up by Captain
Back. Should this expectation be gratified, the discoveries which I have thus traced
INTRODUCTION. XXxi
will be united to our own; when all that will be wanted to complete our knowledge of the northern coast of America will be the space between the Banks’s land of Parry, and Boothia Felix. Thus the progress and connexion of these several discoveries brings us to Cape Turnagain, being the nearest point toward which we had protracted our own investigations: and hence it appears that the blank which now remains on the chart between that point and the westernmost land which we had either touched, or inferred by the usual modes of observation, amounts, in English miles, to500. I have elsewhere said, how much I regretted that Commander Ross was prevented from extending the journeys which he undertook toward the west, so far as to have completed this con- nexion, which would thus have left nothing for future examination between this point and Behring’s strait, but the other spaces already mentioned. I must, however, admit his plea, grounded on the difficulty of carrying or procuring provisions, rather than on any impediments offered by the country or the climate ; unavoidably regretting, nevertheless, that we could not command the means of completing this very short por- tion of the coast, and of thus drawing on our chart that line, of which perhaps the only satisfaction that can ever be derived would be, that there is, on a piece of paper, a black line instead of a blank. But of such imaginary joys does human happiness full often consist: and what matter, if even less than this, the anatomy of a fly’s toe, or whatever else, will serve to make men happy, and proud of themselves ?
On what else remains unknown of the American coast, from the northernmost point on this western shore which our voyage had ascertained, I need say nothing, since I have not undertaken to analyze or describe the whole cf this yet unsettled line. The chart itself can be consulted for what remains hence to Lancaster strait; of the con- tinuity of which coast I presume there can be no doubt, since this may be inferred from that of the eastern shores examined by Sir Edward Parry and myself. Of the exceed- ingly uncertain and obscure nature of that land termed Melville islands, I have not the smallest right to speak: and although I circumnavigated Baflin’s bay in my first voyage, thus restoring to that able and extraordinary man the honours of which it had been attempted to rob him, I will not say that there may not be in it an opening to the northward, and possibly at more points than one, and will therefore not offer any con- jectures respecting the nature of all this tract from Melville islands even to Greenland, its insularity, or rather insularities, or on what the extent, nature, and connexions of
these islands may be, if, as is presumed, they form a group of this kind, so defined
Xxil INTRODUCTION.
and restricted too, as to leave a wide and clear ocean about the northern pole of the earth; if not a “polar basin” in the sense of one of the well-known speculations on this subject.
But the results of the present voyage, and a comparison of that of Baffin with my original one, which I could not have-made at that time with the same confidence as I now do, added to some further investigations into this subject which I could not then have ventured on, and might probably not have had the confidence to propose without the new grounds of judgment which I have now acquired, have led to some conclusions which I must now state. To myself, they seem of considerable moment, not merely as they concern the accuracy, or otherwise, of the ancient navigators of the seas in ques- tion, but as they relate to the true geography of those regions, so long obscure, and so long the source of error and obscurity to more modern voyagers, as to geographers and their labours; with the consequence of producing confusion and doubt in all that relates to the charts of these seas, and to the true forms and relations of the land in this part of the world. If, in any manner, the examination and analysis in question may seem, to the ignorant, to attack the reputation of any of our modern discoverers, let me assure them that there are no such thoughts in my mind; as it is not my own opinion, that any thing on which I can defend the discoveries of the ancient navi- gators, ought, in the slightest manner, to interfere with the claims or diminish the merits of those who have recently followed in the same career.
No one, of those at least who are acquainted with the theory of navigation, or with the sciences on which it depends, can be ignorant of the difficulty which the ancient navigators found in determining their longitudes. I need scarcely say how little was then known even of practical magnetism, of such simple facts as the variation and the dip of the needle; and still less need I here notice how uncertain were the means of determining “ the longitude.”
That Baffin should but have shared in this general difficulty, 1s no cause for surprise ; and thence it is that I have traced those errors of his which I am about to note, not to such observations as he might have made during a run of a few days across the head of the bay bearing his name, but to the distance and length of time which was passed over and occupied during his voyage thither from England ; the latter amount-
ing to some months, and the former being only a few days.
INTRODUCTION. XXill
In consequence of this more than suspicion, since it was the unquestionable source of all his subsequent errors, I have commenced by laying down the true longitude of the east coast of this bay, as determined by those modern methods which leave but the slightest error; thence assuming this as the basis, or “point of departure,” for all the subsequent determinations which he has made, and which I have here undertaken to correct.
Having first determined this, and thence assuming that the distance estimated by him in his short passage across the bay is correct, since I do not see how he could here have committed an error of any possible moment, it must follow that he had seen all that land to the east of Melville islands and the north of Fury strait, which we have supposed to have been first discovered by our recent navigators.
The consequence of this becomes very remarkable on an inspection of our present and new charts. The strait of the Hecla and Fury, as laid down by Parry, thus proves to be the Baffin’s strait of this navigator ; while the land now laid down by us as lying to the eastward of Prince Regent’s inlet, will turn out to be James’s island, as named by James. Further, that land to the southward of this island, of which we have traced the eastern coast, but of which we have not examined the inlets, should be the “three islands” of Baffin and his Cumberland island : while it is to be hoped that future examina- tion will verify his assertions. On the same grounds, our Barrow’s strait will be the Lancaster sound of Baffin, as our coast of North Somerset, thus named by Parry, will prove to be that which Baffin termed Prince William’s land. The opposed shore, there- fore, which has been called North Devon, will equally be the west side of James’s island.
Let it now be supposed that these views are incorrect, and we will then see the con- sequences which will follow; as these, if I mistake not, will confirm the criticisms which I am here making. Though Baffin’s longitude is incorrect on the east side of his bay, which he has placed nearly four degrees too far to the eastward, it has been found, on the west side, to be so coincident with the observations of modern navigators at that place which I formerly considered the entrance of Lancaster sound, and have thus named in my chart of 1818, that the result would be to exterminate James’s island altogether: which cannot be, without considering James’s account to be false.
Having thus passed such geographical criticism on this subject, as my voyages and
the deductions I have since made from them seem amply to justify, l must now turn to
Xxiv INTRODUCTION.
the western portion of these northern shores, that I may compare the really puzzlmg and obscure account of Bernarda and Juan de Fuca with the recent examinations, or dis- coveries, as they have not unnaturally been termed, which my followers and coadjutors have made on this part of the northern coast of America: still, however, disclaiming all intention to deprive them of their well-merited and hard-earned honours.
I think I have good reasons to suppose that these very early navigators effected their voyages by pure coasting, as was the practice in the far more remote times of the ancients, and, for the most part, of our Scandinavian ancestors, without any regard to observations, for which they did not much care, as they had little means of making those. Thus do I believe it possible that they passed through Behring’s strait, and held on their course even as far as that part of this coast which I have termed the isthmus of Boothia; while I find, in their accounts, a sufficient congruity with those of our modern discoverers to justify this belief. This is especially remarkable in the fact which I noted in a former part of this Introduction, namely, that Bernarda had sailed towards the east, to a certain longitude, and had there ascended a land, not far from Davis’s strait or Baflin’s bay, which I have concluded, on good grounds, as it seems to me, to have been the isthmus of Boothia. Supposing now that my views of the voyages of these two navigators are correct, it is plain that they had long ago effected, in some manner at least, what has since been performed by Kotzebue, Beechy, Hearne, Mackenzie and Franklin; doing even more, since the last point to the eastward which they reached was that isthmus which I have just named.
This subject, however, is so obscure in itself, while the novelty of this criticism, added to that obscurity, is such as to render all verbal explanations insufficient, that I have constructed a chart, here appended, for the purpose of rendering it more intelligible. It will require some attention, even to consult and understand that chart; but the follow- ing explanation will, I hope, render it intelligible to every reader, and at the same time adequate to the appreciation of this piece of geographical criticism. It will be seen that it also serves to illustrate those remarks on Baffin which I have just made; while having nothing of the same nature to discuss respecting Bernarda and De Fuca, I
must entirely trust to this chart, and the following explanations of it.
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INTRODUCTION. XXV
Explanation of the Chart.
This draught, which I have constructed from a comparison of our modern knowledge with the records of the old navigators in question, presents at one view the space which extends from Britain to Behring’s strait.
The black and shaded outline shows the form of the land as it is now known by the researches of modern navigators.
The dotted line denotes the coast which was erroneously laid down in longitude by Baffin ; and the difference between this line and the shaded coast on the east side of his bay, is the great error in his longitude of this shore which I have noticed in the preceding remarks.
The red line, where it reaches along the eastern shore of Baffin’s bay, represents his draught of that shore, but it is transferred further westward according to the real longi- tude; while the same lines to the westward exhibit his notions of the land on this side, according to the difference of longitude which he has himself given: thus denoting the breadth of his bay in longitude, together with the position of James’s island, Baffin’s three islands, and Cumberland island.
Again, the two lower pairs of red lines to the westward, represent the tracts of De Fuca and De Fonte, as drawn in their charts. But as there is no opening on this part of the coast, they must have gone through Behring’s strait, if they ever made such a passage as they relate: and the two upper lines are therefore meant to represent the track they must have made to reach the isthmus of Boothia, which I have reason to believe they did, from the conformity of their descriptions to what we saw. Bernarda must have equally passed through Behring’s strait ; and thence thesame lines may serve
- to represent his track also.
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EXPLANATION OF SEA AND TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN ICY SEAS.
Iceberg, an insulated mountain of ice.
A field, a piece of ice so large that its extent cannot be seen.
A floe, a piece of ice of considerable size, but the extent of which can be distinguished.
A patch, a number of pieces of ice overlapping and joining each other.
A stream, a number of pieces of ice joining each other in a ridge or in any particular direction.
Loose ice, a number of pieces of ice near each other, but through which the ship can make way.
Sailing ice, a number of pieces of ice at a distance sufficient to enable a ship to beat to windward among it.
_ Brash ice, ice ina broken state, and in such small pieces that the ship can easily force
through.
Cake ice, ice formed in the early part of the season.
Bay ice, newly-formed ice having the colour of the water.
Hummocks of ice, lumps thrown up by some pressure or force, on a field or floe.
Heavy ice, that which has a great depth in proportion, and not in a state of decay.
A lane or vein, a narrow channel between two floes or fields, or between the ice and the shore.
Beset, surrounded with ice so as to be obliged to remain immovable.
Nipt, caught and jammed between two pieces of ice.
A tongue, a piece of ice projecting from an iceberg or floe, which is under water.
A calf, apiece of ice which breaks from the lower part of a field or berg, and rises with violence to the surface of the water.
e 2
XXVIII EXPLANATION OF SEA AND TECHNICAL TERMS.
A barrier, ice stretching from the land ice to the sea ice, or across a channel so as to be impassable.
Land ice, ice attached to the shore, within which there is no channel.
Sea ice, ice within which there is a separation from the land.
A lead, a channel in a direct line through the sea.
Pancake ice, ice formed after a fall of snow.
A patch of ice, separate masses of ice joined, but of small extent.
A pack, masses of ice joined by pressure, the extent of which cannot be seen.
Sludge, ice having the appearance of snow just thrown in the water, which scarcely impedes the ship.
A bight, a bay in a floe of ice.
To bore, or boring, pressing the ship through small ice or young ice, under sail. A crow’s nest, a cylindrical house at the mast-head, to protect the look-out man from cold.
A blink, ice blink, peculiar white appearance of the sky in the direction of the ice ; or over distant ice.
A blink, land blink, peculiar yel/ow appearance of the sky over the distant land.
Water sky, a dark appearance of the sky indicating clear water in that direction.
Young ice, ice which has been formed during the day or night.
Drift ice, pieces of ice less than floes of various shapes and sizes.
Hummocky ice, ice so uneven and rough as to be impassable or nearly so on foot.
Fresh-water ice, ice formed on a lake or fresh water, and which is transparent.
Fire hole, a hole in the ice, kept open in order to obtain water to extinguish fire.
Scupper, holes through the side or gunwale to let water out.
Jigger mast, a small mast at the stern, with a sail resembling a lug sail.
Krang, the body of a whale after the blubber is taken off.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. The Project of the Expedition and its Outfit, p. 1.
CHAPTER II. Leave the River—Detention at the Isle of Man—Accident to the Engineer—Landing at Port Logan—Arrival in Loch Ryan—Meeting of the John Tender, p. 8.
CHAPTER III. Leave Loch Ryan—Gale of Wind off Ireland and Loss of the Fore Topmast—First Sight of the Iceblinks—Entrance of Davis’s Straits, p. 30.
CHAPTER IV. Off Cape Farewell—First Iceberg seen—Abreast of Baal’s River—Sight of Sukkertop—Land and Islands near Wideford seen—A Codbank discovered—Mountain called Old Woman’s Hood—Arrival at an Anchorage, p. 43.
CHAPTER V Visit of the Danish Governor of the Settlement at Holsteinborg—Residence there and Purchase of Stores from the Wreck of the Rookwood— Departure from Holsteinborg, p. 59.
CHAPTER VI. Disco Island—Enter on the First of August—Reach our furthest intended Point north—Steer for Lancaster Sound—Enter the Sound—Remarks on the former Discovery of this Spot, p. 78.
CHAPTER VII.
Progress down Lancaster Sound—Sight of Catharine and Elizabeth Mountains—Pass Cape York and steer for Prince Regent’s Inle-—Cape Elwin and Elwin Bay—The Compasses cease to traverse—Discover Adelaide Bay—Approach to Fury Beach—First Sight of the Tent Poles left at the time of the Wreck—The Victory moored, p. 93.
CHAPTER VIII.
Examination of the Fury’s Stores—Embarkation of those which we intended to take—Departure and Progress down this Shore—Several new Discoveries made and named—Obstructed by the Ice, and moored, p. 107.
CHAPTER IX.
Attempts to Work along Shore—Discovery of Port Logan—Land there—Traces of Esquimaux
—Labouring among the Ice—Discovery of Elizabeth Harbour, p. 125.
CHAPTER X. Attempt to quit Elizabeth Harbour—Slow Progress along Shore—Critical Position of the Ship among the Ice, and Escape through Perilous Passage—Discovery of Eclipse Harbour— Further Discoveries—Cape St. Catherine and Lax Harbour, p. 143.
XXX CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XI.
A heavy Gale: Succession of Tempestuous Weather, with Snow—Partial clearing of the Ice, and extrication from it—Discover the Island of Andrew Ross, Cape Margaret, Best Har- bour, and Martin Islands—A new Bay—End of September—General Remarks on the progress of the Ship and the mode of navigating among Ice, p. 157.
CHAPTER XII.
Remarks on the present condition of the Ship, and preparations to reduce the encumbrance of the Engine—Unrigging of the Ship—A successful Bear Hunt—-Ascertain that we are truly frozen in for the Winter—A Powder Magazine erected on shore—Provisions exa- mined—The Guns and parts of the Engine hoisted out, p. 181.
CHAPTER XIII. :
Remarks on the actual Temperature and on that of Sensation—Proceed in lightening the Ship—The Engine finally landed, and the Krusenstern secured — Roofing of the Ship completed—Remarks on the Temperature—Abolition of the use of Spirits on Board—Con- trivances for Warming and Ventilating the Vapour between Decks—Description of the several arrangements made for Wintering, as relating both to the Ship and the Crew, p- 196.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Month commences Stormy and Cold—Improvement in its progress—Remarks on the Thermometer and Barometer—Occurrence of a splendid Aurora Borealis—Summary of the Month, p. 216.
CHAPTER XV.
Repeated occurrence of Aurora Borealis—Christmas-day—Summary of the Month—Remarks
at the termination of the Year 1829, p. 227.
CHAPTER XVI. Commencement of the Year 1830—First meeting with the Esquimaux on this Coast—Deserip- tion of their Village, and of their Society and Manners—They are entertained on Board— Communicate some Geographical Information, and promise more, p. 239.
CHAPTER XVII. Receive more Geographical Information from one of the Natives ealled Ikmallik—Continue our Communications with them—Pure Mercury freezes at length, at minus 39°—The first Sunrise of the Year—-Death of the Armourer—End of the Month, and Summary, p. 259.
CHAPTER XVIII. Pilfering on the part of the Natives—The first fall of Snow of this Year— Native Dance— Summary of the Month of February, p. 279.
CHAPTER XIX. Purchase of Dogs from the Natives—Commander Ross departs on an Expedition to the Native Huts, for information—Process of building Snow Huts—Summary of the Month of March, p. 289.
CONTENTS. XXX1
CHAPTER XX. Proceedings to the Tenth of April—Journey and Narrative of Commander Ross, p. 301.
CHAPTER XXI.
Narrative of Commander Ross, p. 304.
CHAPTER XXII. Proceedings in the Ship, and with the Natives, p. 320.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Commander Ross’s Second Journey and Narrative, p. 326.
CHAPTER XXIV. Departure of Commander Ross on a Third Expedition—Threatening of a Rupture with the Natives—Commander Ross’s Return, p. 333.
2 CHAPTER XXV. Narrative of Commander Ross, p. 338.
CHAPTER XXVI. Repetition of heavy Snow—Another Expedition by Commander Ross—Another Expedition under my own charge—Summary of the Month of April, p. 372.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Expedition commenced—Narrative of our Journey—Return to the Ship—Observations made to obtain the difference of the Elevation of the Eastern and Western Seas—The Dip of the Needle, and intensity of Magnetic Force, p. 381.
CHAPTER XXVIII. Proceedings in the Ship from the First of June—Commander Ross’s Return, p. 398.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Commander Ross’s Narrative, p. 401.
CHAPTER XXX. Continuation of the Journal—Summary of the Month, p. 436.
CHAPTER XXXI. An Expedition to Fish for the supply of Fish for the Crew, undertaken by Myself and Party— Narrative and Return, p. 443.
CHAPTER XXXII. Journal of the Month of July—Summary of the Month—Transactions during August, and its Summary, p. 454.
CHAPTER XXXIII. Warping out, Unloading, and final Escape from our Harbour—Ineffectual Movements among the Ice—Become fixed in the Attempt to find a new Harbour for the Winter—Summary of September, p. 466.
XXXIl CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Labour in Cutting through the Ice—Become fixed for the Winter—Summary of the Month, p- 476.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Transactions in November—Summary of that Month—Proceedings in December, with a Summary, p. 484.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Transactions on Board the Ship in January, 1831—Summary of that Month. February: with its Summary. March: its Summary, p. 500.
CHAPTER XXXVII. April—An Expedition undertaken—Account of this Journey—Summary of the Month, p. 510.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. May—Commander Ross’s Journey, p. 519.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Narrative of Commander Ross, p. 521.
CHAPTER XL. Journal of May—A Journey in company with the Natives, p. 528.
CHAPTER XLI.
Transactions in June—Return of Commander Ross from his Expedition, p. 543.
CHAPTER XLII. Commander Ross’s Narrative—His Journey for ascertaining the Place of the North Magnetic Pole—Observations for the Purpose of assigning its Place, and Deductions from those, p. 549.
CHAPTER XLIII. Remarks on the Assignment of the Magnetic Pole, p. 567.
CHAPTER XLIV.
Transactions during the remainder of June—The Journal and the Summary of July, p. 572.
CHAPTER XLV.
Proceedings in July, August, and September, with the Summaries of those respective Months, p- 577.
CHAPTER XLVI. Journal of August—The Victory moved out of her Harbour—Attempts to proceed along the Shore—The Ship forced by the Ice into another Harbour—Summary of the Month—Journal of September, and its Summary, p. 588.
CHAPTER XLVII. : Journal of October—The Journals of November and December, and the end of the Year, p- 609. CHAPTER XLVIII. The Journals of January, February, and March, p. 624.
CONTENTS. XXXiil
CHAPTER XLIX. April—Commenee the operation of carrying forward Boats, Sledges, and Provisions, with the view of abandoning the Ship—May—Continuation of the same work—The Ship is aban- doned, p. 632.
CHAPTER L.. June—Our Journey with the Sledges and Boats—Arrival at Fury Beach—Transactions and Detentions during July, p. 645.
CHAPTER LI. August—Departure from Fury Beach in the Boats—Detention and Difficulties on the Coast— Summary of August—Transactions in September—Baffled in our attempts to proceed— Return towards Fury Beach—Summary of September, p. 656.
CHAPTER LILI. Attempt to Proceed in the Boats—Obstructions by the Icee—Proposal to Return to Fury Beach —Renew our Attempt—Put ashore near Batty Bay—Land the Stores—Summary of August —Abandonment of the Mineral Specimens, p. 665.
CHAPTER LIII. Continuation of our Travelling Southward in October—Return to Fury Beach—Establish our- selves at Somerset House for the Winter—Summary of this Month—Journal and Summary of November and December, p. 677.
CHAPTER LIV. The Journals of January, February, and March, with their respective Summaries—Death and Funeral of the Carpenter, p. 689. CHAPTER LV. April: the Journal and Summary—May : the commencement of the Journeys intended for the future Expedition—June : the continuance of these advancing Journeys—July : the aban- donment of the Winter House, and arrival at the Boats—Summary, p. 697.
CHAPTER LVI. August—Detention at Batty Bay—The Ice breaks—Departure in the Boats—Reach the Eastern Coast of Prince Regent’s Inlet-—Meet with the Isabella, and are received on Board, p. 713.
CHAPTER LVII. Proceedings on Board of the Isabella—Survey of the Coast—Departure—Arrival at Hull, and in London, p. 724.
PLATES PAGED FOR THE BINDER.
PAGE
1 Victoria Harbour - - - Frontispiece. 2 Comparative Chart - - To face page xxv 3 Victory dismasted in a storm - - - 32 4 Taking possession, &c. - - - - 116 5 Elizabeth Harbour - - - - 142 6 Christian’s Monument - - - 155 7 Andrew Ross Isiand - - - - 169 8 Cape Margaret - - > = 172 9 Victory finally stopped by Ice - - = 175 10 Felix Harbour (Summer) - - - - 194 11 Ditto (Winter) - - -— - - 232 12 First Communication - - - - 243 13 North Hendon - - - - - 249 14 Ikmallik and Apelagliu Ps id te 260 15 Chart by the Natives § 16 Tulluachiu and Family - - - - 272 17 Felix Harbour (Chart) - - - - 300 18 Umingmack (Commander Ross shooting a Musk Ox) - 350 19 Lady Melville’s Lake - - = = 390 20 Graham’s Valley - = w 2 = 401 21 Sheriff’s Harbour, and Copeland Islands - - 518 22 Saumarez River - ~ - - 531 23 Tilson’s Islands S a 542 24 River Lindsay - =. - =) eee 581 25 Victory under sail for the last time - - 595 26 Victory Harbour (Chart) - - - - 608 27 Somerset House (Summer) - - - 656 28 Ditto and Ground Plan - - - - *688-9 29 Victory’s Crew saved - - - - 720
80 Chart - - - = Finis.
SECOND
VOYAGE OF DISCOV ERY
TO
THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
CHAPTER IL.
THE PROJECT OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS OUTFIT.
AFTER the return of that expedition which had attempted to reach the Pole in 1827, I submitted, to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and, subsequently, to the Lord High Admiral, the plan of the voyage which I am now about to relate. I had long been convinced that the navigation of the arctic sea would prove more easy to a steam vessel than to any merely sailing ship, and for reasons which will, I believe, be fully appreciated by all to whom this navigation is familiar. When the ice is open, or the sea navi- gable, it is either calm, or the wind is adverse, since it is to northerly winds that this state of things is owing: so that the sailing vessel is stopped exactly where every thing else is in her favour, while the steam boat can make a valuable progress. Tne small draught of water in these vessels is another advantage; their power can also
B
2 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
drive them through bay ice where, except in a fresh and favourable breeze, a sailmg ship would be entirely impeded : while to add to all, the facility with which they can be moved, without wind, or in spite of it, must render it comparatively easy for them to avoid the masses of ice, and also to find places of shelter, where other vessels would fail.
This proposal was not, however, accepted: but being satisfied that the possibility of the expected route to the westward, through Prince Regent’s inlet, might thus be established, or otherwise, and the question, therefore, as far as related to a north-west pas- sage by this strait, be set at rest, I resolved not to abandon my design, without making some further trials, in another manner.
I therefore laid the scheme which I had formed, before Mr. Sheriff Booth, an old and intimate friend, with whose liberality and spirit I was well acquainted: butas, at that time, the parlia- mentary reward of 20,000/. was still held out to the discoverer of a north-west passage, he declined embarking in what might be deemed, by others, a mere mercantile speculation. |
In 1828, [ again submitted my plan to the Admiralty, with some improvements; but the answer which I received was, that govern- ment did not intend to send out any more expeditions on this inquiry. we
I was then persuaded to apply to Mr. Thornton, of Old Swan, a well-known London merchant: pointing out to him, as a temp- tation, the value of the promised reward, and that of the Fury’s stores, which I could not fail to reach. My answer was delayed
for three months; and, at the end of that time, it was a refusal.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 3
Soon after, it was with some surprise I heard that a bill had been brought into parliament and passed ; of which, while abolish- ing the board of Longitude, the effect also was to repeal that which had held out the above named reward for the discovery of a north- west passage.
Whatever else might be my thoughts on this subject, it had the advantage of at least removing the scruples of Mr. Sheriff Booth : and I accordingly received from him, in the most liberal and dis- interested manner, entire power to provide on his account, all that I deemed necessary for the expedition.
After examining various steam ships that were advertised for sale, I purchased, at Liverpool, the Victory, which had been once employed as a packet between that port and the Isle of Man, and replaced the old paddles by the superior ones of Mr. Robertson’s construction: arriving with her in Londen, on the second of November.
Here she was put into the hands of Mr. Fearnall, to be raised on, and to be strengthened in the usual manner, which I need not describe. Her original tonnage was 85; but by raising five feet and a half on her, she became capable of carryig a hundred and fifty tons, including the engine with the necessary complement of provisions.
The engine was made by Braithwaite and Erickson, being a patent contrivance; and the paddle wheels were so constructed that they could be hoisted out of the water in a minute. There was no flue; instead of which, the fires were kept in action by bellows, and it was, of course, a high pressure engine, the boilers
B2
4 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
of which were heated by pipes passing through them, in a manner now sufficiently familiar.
The stores of provision and fuel were for a thousand days: the former being of the best quality, and containing a proportion of preserved meats: while all the usual necessaries which experience had taught us to provide for such voyages as this, were supplied in the same liberal manner.
With instruments we were well furnished: having every thing that could be really wanted. Besides two chronometers of my own, there was one lent by Messrs. Parkinson and Frodsham, and three were intrusted to us by Mr. Murray. I had a transit instrument of three feet radius, a theodolite of nine inches, and a powerful telescope by Tulley; with five sextants, two altitude instruments, four barometers, twelve thermometers, two dipping needles, and several compasses: besides which H. M. Government lent me several valuable instruments and books which had been used in the former expeditions.
Having at length brought every thing to a state of forwardness, I signified my intentions to the Admiralty; and soon after made them public. On this, applications to serve in the expedition under me, came from many quarters, even from officers of my own rank; some of whom also offered to bear a share in the expenses, so strong was the interest which had been excited. They were not less numerous from men who wished to serve as sailors: but my officers had already been chosen, and the list of men was soon filled up.
As my second in command, I had chosen my nephew, Com-
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. | o
mander Ross, who had been on every one of the northern voyages : while my former Purser in the Isabella, Mr. Thom, volunteered as third; both of these officers undertaking, like myself, to serve without pay. A Surgeon, Mr. Macdiarmid, was procured some time afterwards. :
Among the petty officers were three mates: and our crew con- sisted of a carpenter and his mate, two engineers, three stokers, a steward, a cook, and nine seamen; the names of the ship’s
company were as follow:
John Ross, Captain, R.N.
James Clark Ross, Commander, ditto. William Thom, Purser, ditto. George Macdiarmid, Surgeon. Thomas Blanky, first Mate. Thomas Abernethy, second ditto. George Taylor, third ditto. Chimham Thomas, Carpenter. Alexander Brunton, first Engineer. Allan Macinnes, second ditto. William Light, Steward.
Henry Eyre, Cook.
Richard Wall, Harpooner.
James Curtis, ditto.
John Park, Seaman.
Anthony Buck, ditto.
John Wood, ditto.
6 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
David Wood, Seaman.
Robert Shreeve, Carpenter’s Mate.
James Marslin, Armourer,
James Dixon, Stoker,
George Baxter, ditto,
William Hardy, ditto, afterwards, in consequence of the loss of his arm, replaced at Port Logan, by
Barnard Laughy, ditto.
Thus were the arrangements of our ship completed: but this did not constitute the whole of the plan,
It being necessary to carry stores and provisions for several years, to which our own tonnage was unequal, it had been in- tended to take a consort storeship for this purpose: on the sup- position that while carrying to Prince Regent’s inlet whatever was thought necessary, she might also fish by the way, and further, bring away some of the stores of the Fury; so as to compensate, to the liberal fitter-out of this expedition, fer such additional expense as might thus be incurred.
A whaler, built of teak, and in every way adapted to such a service, was therefore purchased at Greenock; by name the John, manned with a crew of fifty-four men,-and commanded by the master, Coombe, under whom she had formerly sailed in the whale fishery. Her appomted rendezvous was Loch Ryan, and she was under the charge of Mr. Thom. The event of this arrangement, which proved a failure, will appear but too soon in the following journal.
It bemg also thought expedient to have a secondary vessel of
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. |
as large a tonnage as our own could conveniently manage, we obtained, by the kindness of the Admiralty, the decked vessel of sixteen tons burden which had accompanied a former expedition mtended for the Pole; giving her the name of Krusenstern: and we were provided with two boats which had been used by Captain Franklin.
In March 1829, I addressed letters to the several learned societies, signifying my imtentions, and requesting to know in what manner I could aid them in their several objects of pursuit; receiving from each, such answers as they thought proper.
My last application was to the different foreign ambassadors, with a request to be considered neutral in case of war; on which passports were readily granted: while the Treasury issued an order for the remission of duties on such articles embarked in the vessel, as were subject to impost.
I may end by saying, that the ship was visited before our departure, by the Lords of the Admiralty and several persons of rank and science; and that I had the honour of receiving the best
wishes of his present Majesty for the success of my enterprise.
8 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
CHAPTER II.
LEAVE THE RIVER—DETENTION AT THE ISLE OF MAN—ACCIDENT 2 TO THE ENGINEER—LANDING AT PORT LOGAN—ARRIVAL IN LOCH RYAN—MEETING OF THE JOHN TENDER.
‘ lay ae ‘I HE twenty-third of May having been at length fixed on for our
departure, I attended at the Admiralty, and took my leave: the official engagements of Lord Melville and Sir George Cockburn not permitting them to pay a final visit to the ship, as had been intended. Arriving at Woolwich, I found my excellent friend Sir Byam Martin, Comptroller of the Navy, and Sir John Franklin, on board; and we were afterwards honoured by the visit of the Duke of Orleans (his present Majesty of France), attended by the (then) Duke of Chartres and a numerous suite.
If the mspection of the arrangements was a source of gratifica- tion to our visitors, my friends were as little satisfied as myself with what I had long anticipated, if not to so great an extent; and which, while it was to be a cause of hourly torment and vexation to us for many weeks, was at length to lead to the abandonment of one of our chief hopes, in addition to all the waste of time and
money, consequent on the grossly negligent conduct of our engine-
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 9
makers. The ship had been brought by her steam power from the upper part of Galleon’s reach, to the buoy opposite to the dock ; but her progress was so:slow as to promise nothing but disappoint- ment; while, even thus early, a part of her machinery had become displaced, so as to be an additional source of delay.
Receiving here the materials of the boats which had been lent us by the Government, together with a spare foreyard which had been made for us, we were also joined by Mr. Thomas Abernethy, Gunner of the Blossom, and Mr. Chimham Thomas, Carpenter of the Eurydice, who had both volunteered ; the former on the pre- ceding day, and the latter but a few hours before. Abernethy had been leading man on two former expeditions, and Thomas was also accustomed to the northern seas; while both had been promoted for good conduct. If I had reason to consider these two men as forming a valuable acquisition, so have I especially cause to be grateful to the Admiralty for the prompt and handsome manner in which they were discharged on my application; leave of absence having been given, and their names placed on the cheque at Woolwich. |
At three o’clock, my deservedly esteemed friend Mr. Booth, with his nephew and two more gentlemen, came on board, with the intention of accompanying us to Margate, and we sailed at six, with our boat the Krusenstern in tow, after taking in our gun- powder at the lower buoy; Captain Beaufort, the Admiralty hydrographer, with Mr. and Mrs. Fearnall, having been the last to quit us. We arrived at Gravesend, under our steam, at eleven o'clock, anchoring to stay the tide and wait for a pilot; and here
C
May 24.
10 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
the constructors of our execrable machinery, Messrs. Braithwaite and Erickson left us. The river pilot being discharged, and the new one coming on board, we weighed at 6 a.M., with a light breeze from the west, through which, although aided by the engine, we did not reach Margate under twelve hours, though by the inner channel; our rate of going varying from 33 to 45 miles per hour. Hailing a fishing beat at seven, our best friend, with his companions, took leave of us; little foreseeing at that time the length of our separation, and the doubts hereafter to arise whether we should ever meet again on this side of eternity.
Whatever my former fears or suspicions might have been, the defects of the machinery, now that we were fairly embarked on our voyage, began to weigh very seriously on my mind; as I now also discovered much more imperfection than our former opportu- nities had afforded the means of even conjecturing. ‘The boilers leaked so much, that the additional forcing pump which had been placed in the engine room to be worked by hand, was kept con- stantly going; while the fresh water necessary to compensate that loss could not be spared, even on the passage to Scotland. It was moreover impossible for the men to remain, for any length of time, at this work, in a place where the temperature was above 95°: while, although they performed it without murmuring, they soon became exhausted, as I was fully convinced by the fainting of one of them, whom it therefore became necessary to bring on deck before he could be recovered. How much more painfully I was yet to be convinced of this, will shortly be seen.
Nevertheless, we had no resource but to persist ; when, about
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 11
eight o’clock, while rounding the north Foreland, a breeze sprung up from the north-east, which induced us to heave our paddles out of the water and trust to our sails; under which, passing the Downs im company with several vessels, we discharged our pilot and pro- ceeded to sea. But as the wind increased, and with it the swell, we soon had the mortification of finding, that in addition to the evils of our vexatious machinery, the ship was so leaky as to require the constant use of two pumps: though I hoped that this would prove but a temporary inconvenience, as such effects are very apt to follow the doubling of vessels, and had actually occurred in the Isabella on a former occasion, and moreover, to such a degree, in the Trent, that it became necessary to heave her down in Shetland, during the expedition of 1818.
The wind however continuing fair, it was some consolation to find that our vessel sailed, with the wind free, as well as any ship in company; and in the morning we were off Beachyhead, with the wind ENE, and comparatively smooth water, which accom- panied us in our passage of the Isle of Wight the same evening. At midnight, bemg off the Bill of Portland, the wind and sea had increased so much, that we ran some risk of losing the Krusenstern, im. consequence of her being driven against the quarter during our plunges in this detestable Race, while we were endeavouring to secure her by another rope. In the following evening, however, we again reached smooth water under the Bolthead, where she was effectually secured.
The wind continuing in the same quarter, but being more moderate, we passed close to the Lizard, cleared the Rundlestone
c 2
May 25.
May 26.
May 27.
May 28.
May 29.
May 30.
12 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
a little before daybreak, and hauled up for the Longships, the wind being now directly against us. ‘These last days had been employed by the engineer in examining the machinery, and it was thus discovered that one of the guide wheels of the piston rod on the starboard side was so much worn, as to require a piece to be brazed to it, to restore its thickness, while the connecting keys of the main shaft were also found to be loose. It was plain that these defects were or ought to have been known to the manufacturer, who had nevertheless omitted to inform us of them, and his con- cealing his negligence in not supplying spare keys, or any mode of remedying the impending evil, of which he must or ought to have been fully aware, was in my opinion most unjustifiable. Holding on, we, on the 28th, passed between the Longships and the Wolf rock, and standing to the westward, observed the lati- tude at noon in 50° 24’ N. On the 29th, another observation at the same hour gave us 50° 21' N: and as we were nearly in the same longitude, we found, that during the last twenty-four hours, we had lost three miles in beating against a steady foul wind. The engine being however supposed capable of being again used, we put on the steam, and as the wind had shifted to the ENE, began to make some way to the north. In the night, however, it was repeatedly stopped, by the keys of the main shaft becoming loose; and on the 30th at 4 a.M., the principal one on the star- board side broke, so as to render the whole machine useless. On examination, it was found to have been formed of a bad piece of steel; and there being none on board sufficiently large
to make a new one, we constructed one from iron, which, as
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS, 13
might have been expected, gave way very shortly; so that it was not till after two days, and having made three new keys, that we were enabled to replace the machinery in what we hoped to prove a workable condition.
By our observations we now found that we had gained twenty miles against the wind, and on this day spoke a fishing boat from Kinsale, from which we procured a supply of fish. The thirtieth, being Sunday, was made a day of rest by us, as it had been made such by nature herself, since it was an absolute calm; our latitude being 50° 43’, and our longitude, west, by the chronometer, 7 degrees.
The three new iron keys being ready, and the weather moderate, the fires were lighted and the engine again set to work; but each of them broke after about an hour’s trial, so that we were obliged to give up our hopes from such expedients, with all further attempts at repairing the evil in our present situation. Inde- pendently of this, the performance of the engime was most unsa- tisfactory. Even with a pressure of forty-five pounds on the inch, we could never obtain more than fifteen strokes in the minute; and as it thence followed, that the outer edge of the paddles had no greater velocity than five miles in the hour, that of the vessel could not possibly exceed three. The boilers also continued to leak, though we had put dung and potatoes in them, by Mr. Krickson’s direction. The men were moreover so fatigued by the work required at the extra pump, for the supply of the boiler, that I contrived to get it wrought from the lower deck; though, even with this alteration, the labour continued too severe to be endured.
June 1.
14 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
This however did not include the whole of our nearly fruitless attempts to remedy the evil inflicted on us by the discreditable conduct of our engine manufacturers. Finding, further, that the condensing apparatus was defective, inasmuch as the air pump always drew a quantity of water, and the feeding pump was insufficient to supply the boiler, we disconnected the whole appa- ratus, except the latter, which we proceeded to supply by a cock ; and having led the steam from the eduction pipe, by tubes and hose to the upper deck, we put the engine in motion, and thus, : by means of a pressure of forty-seven pounds on the inch, obtained a velocity of sixteen strokes in the minute; being one more than when the condensing apparatus was in action. _ It was thus shown that power had been wasted, partly in this part of the contrivance, and partly through the vacuum pump; but whatever our correction was, it could have availed us nothing at sea, from the great loss of water to which it gave rise.
In addition to these unproductive corrections, we next tried the effect of disengaging the great bellows; yet though we saved considerable power in this manner, we found that it did not last, and that the small one was quite incapable of maintaining the requisite heat : while it was now also plain, that tliey were wearing so fast as to threaten to become utterly useless in no long time. Every thing in fact was imperfect; since even the cylinders were too small to perform the duties required of them: so that, if TI had not been satisfied of it before, I was now convinced that we had little to expect from the assistance of an engine which, at the best,
could, if acting alone, scarcely move our ship three miles in the
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 15
hour, and was therefore utterly inadequate to aid us in taking in tow our consort the John, as had been contemplated in planning this expedition; or could not at least have towed her faster than her own boats.
In blaming the execution and workmanship of this engine, I must however do justice to the principle, which was judicious, and, under a careful execution, might have rendered this machinery of great service to us on many of the occasions which occurred im our voyage. The diminution of weight, and the removal of incon- venience, caused by the omission of a funnel, constituted a manifest advantage; and a still greater one was the reduced consumption of fuel involved in the plan of this newly contrived engine. And while the plan of lifting the paddles out of the water, and thus out of the reach of eventual ice, was well suggested, so was the execution of this part of the machinery correct, even to superfluity ; since we were enabled to take away the counterpoises and guide rods, and thus to diminish both the weight and the trouble. The pieces of timber placed to keep out the sea, above and below the shaft, succeeded perfectly: but finding that the scuppers on the lower deck would not let out the water from that and from the pumps, without also letting in the sea, we were obliged to invent a remedy by carrying a pipe from the pump to the scupper, which proved effectual.
The ship, as I had expected, had now become less leaky, and was easily kept clear by one pump; but the engine, I need not now say, being perfectly useless, we were compelled to trust to our
sails, under which we had the mortification to find, not only a
June 2.
June 3.
June 4.
June 5.
June 6.
16 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
steadily adverse breeze, but that we were beaten by every vessel that we saw, so ill did we sail upon a wind. Our passage thus promised to be as tedious as it was irksome; but, on the second of June, we saw the Small’s light, found ourselves off Wicklow on the same day, and on the third, it then blowing fresh, fetched the Calf of Mann, in time to get under its lee and shelter ourselves from the increasing gale.
On this morning we came to anchor in Douglas bay; when still desirous to make another attempt with our engine, I here procured proper materials, so as to construct two new keys for the shaft; writing also to London and to Liverpool for a supply of other spare ones, in case we should at all succeed in carrying this machinery further on our destination. We were here detained two days; yet losing nothing by the detention, since it blew a storm from the north-west the whole time, while we were thus also enabled to lay in a supply of beef, vegetables, and water.
As we had had good opportunities of observing the efficacy — of our rigging during our passage, we found that our present method of managing the after sails admitted of some improvement. I therefore purchased some spars, together with some canvas, to replace the square sail, which we had lost during our voyage; here also receiving the visits of many friends, and others, all more or less interesting themselves in our success. Every thing being completed on the evening of the fifth, we waited for a change of weather, which accordingly took place with a shift of wind on the following morning; enabling us to weigh our anchor at'six o'clock,
with a breeze from the north-east. We stood towards the Calf of
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 17
Mann; but, the wind falling light, made little progress, though working the engine, as we had attempted to do before, without the condensing apparatus. Yet, even thus, succeeding in obtain- ing only fifteen strokes in the minute, and being unable to make some intended repairs while the engine was at work, we had once more to depend on our sails alone, and against a wind which was now adverse.
On Sunday we were off the harbour of Peel, when by taking advantage of the tides, and carrying a press of sail, we made con- siderable progress, and soon saw the Mull of Galloway to wind- ward. Early on Monday morning, the engine being once more ready, such as it was, we let down the lee paddle wheel, keeping the weather one out of water, with the expectation of advantages in which we were not disappointed. Instead of fifteen, we now found that we could easily make eighteen strokes in the minute, and that we could thus beat to windward as well as any of the vessels in company ; even gaining on them, very shortly, as much as they had gained on us before.
Thus were we flattered with the hopes of soon reaching Loch Ryan; but an accident, as miserable as it was unforeseen, soon occurred to destroy the pleasure resulting from this new and unex- pected success. We had just tacked close to the Mull of Galloway, after having made about thirty miles during the night, and were getting fast to windward, with the tide in our favour, when, at ten m the morning, our principal stoker, William Hardy, came up from the engine room on the deck, unassisted, and alone, and though without complaint or exclamation, presenting his left arm,
D
June 7.
18 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
shattered, and nearly severed, above the elbow. It appeared on inquiry, that his foot had slipped im consequence of the motion of the vessel, while examining a part of the machinery near the piston rod ; thus causing him to fall in such a manner as to entangle his arm between the guide wheels and the frame, so that it was crushed, during the back stroke, in the horrible manner which it now exhibited. The bone being splintered as well as fractured, and the muscles and skin so bruised and torn that the two parts of the limb scarcely held together, there could be no hesitation m determining that it demanded amputation, and as far as my oppor- tunities of surgical reading had extended, that no time ought to be lost m performing this operation. Unfortunately, our surgeon, Mr. M‘Diarmid had not yet joined us, being on board the John, our intended consort; so that it became my duty to apply to this unfortunate case such knowledge as the sight of amputations in my naval service, added to my limited reading on such subjects, could supply. It was well that the instruments for the surgeon were on board, together with the medicine chest; and a berth having been prepared for our unlucky patient, I have only to say that I did, as well as I could, what seemed necessary, as far as my want of experience enabled me to do it; applying the tourniquet first, and then securing, with the tenaculum and ligatures, the only two arteries which I could find, while I cut off the injured muscles and skim in such a way as I hoped sufficient to remove the dead and hazardous parts, and to leave materials for producing a decent stump. Unfortunately, the amputation saw was not to be found,
so that I was not only unable to remove as much of the bone as I
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 19
ought, but was compelled to leave the broken extremity in a splin- tery state, to the further care of the surgeon whom I expected to find on shore before a day was over. And that I may not return to this case, I may now add, that as we reached the land so as to put our patient under proper surgical care before any material inflammation had occurred, that which I could not finish was completed without difficulty; so as to leave, in the end, a stump, which though not such as to have done much credit to a surgeon, is not worse than hundreds occurring under better auspices, and has not finally prevented this mutilated engineer from returning to his original employment in the establishment whence we pro- cured him.
If I need not say that I should have been much more at my ease m cutting away half a dozen masts in a gale than in thus “ doctor- ing” one arm, I could not but be gratified as well as interested by the effect which this occurrence, vexatious and painful as it was to me, produced on the men. ‘The arrangements of the medical chest and instruments, the neatness of every thing, and the abundance of the supply, with, I hope, the further conviction that there was a good will to apply them all to their security and use, and that good will to be rendered more effectual as soon as the proper medical officer should join us, seemed to give them a confidence that nothmg which ceuld conduce to their comfort had been neglected: as, in this feeling, I found an ample confirmation of what I had long before read in the work of Monsieur Larrey, respect- ing the effect of his excellent medical arrangements on the troops of the farsighted soldier under whom his system was organized.
D2
June 8.
20 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Anxious as we were for our progress, we were now even more impatient on account of our unfortunate engmeer; and we thus viewed with pleasure the progress which we were now making by the new help of our lee paddle wheel. We thus calculated that we should make Port Logan, then about nine miles off, before the end of the tide; but at noon all our hopes were destroyed by the breaking of the teeth which turned the fly wheel of the small bellows. On a sudden they gave way with a loud crash, so that this instrument became useless, and although, as the steam was then high, we hoped that this failure would not have much effect, it was shortly reported that the boilers had burst: as if it had been predetermined that not a single atom of all this machinery should be aught but a source of vexation, obstruction, and evil. This report did not indeed prove quite accurate ; but some of the joints had so far given way, that the water was pouring out of the furnace door; and with such effect, that in ten minutes the fire was extinguished, and the engine stopped.
During these few hours the tide had changed against us; and as the wind was done, there remained no prospect of gaining either Port Logan or any other harbour on that day. Nevertheless, towards the end of the tide, we made a tack toward the Irish shore, in hopes that the wind would shift more to the westward. These however were not realized; and we had the further morti- fication of seeing all the vessels which we had passed, repass us; so as to convince us of the necessity of improving our own sailing qualities, by some change in our rigging, if that should indeed
prove competent to such an end.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 21
On this morning we contrived to fetch within four miles of the harbour ; and the tide being in our favour, reached Port Logan at eight o'clock; finding sufficient water at the end of the pier, though it was now three quarters ebb. ‘This, formerly called Port Nessock, is a safe and commodious pier harbour, constructed at the expense of Colonel M‘Douall, of Logan, on the south side of a spacious bay, situated nine miles north of the Mull of Galloway. It is easily known by a remarkable building on the hill to the north of the bay, and by the watchhouse and flagstaff on that to the south, forming the station of the coastguard at this place. There is good holdmg ground in the bay; and ships may choose their depth of water, since it shoals from thirty to three fathoms. It is secure to the south-west, but is open to the north-west winds. It isa great advantage here, that ships can run for the pier, though at half tide; since, even at low water, it has seven feet, as, in the former case, there are fourteen, which at spring tides is increased to eighteen. ‘There is no danger in entering, as every thing is visible ; and as the tide sets outwards during eight hours, on the north side, a vessel has no difficulty in beating out. This is decidedly the best harbour of refuge, even in its present state, on this part of the coast ; deriving advantage also from the proximity of the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway. It has been computed that a breakwater might be erected within the bay, at an expense of 80,000/.; and should this ever be effected, it will become one of the most safe and commeodious harbours in Scotland.
Before entering the pier, we were boarded by Mr. Harvey, the
officer of the coastguard, with an offer of his services; and it was
June 9.
22 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
here, on landing, that we procured a spring car for the conveyance of our patient to my house at Stranraer, where he was put under the care of our own surgeon, Mr. M‘Diarmid, and that of Mr. Wilson and Dr. Ritchie, who completed the operation which I was obliged to leave imperfect, and attended him kindly to a cure. I must not however quit the history of this spirited fellow, seaman though he was not, without adding, that while he found his way up the two ladders of the engine room without help, and made no complaint at any time, the only regret he expressed was, that he should ‘“ now not be able to go on the expedition.” I might well regret, myself, being obliged to leave behind such a man as this.
Having followed Hardy to my house, that I might see him pro- perly disposed of, I sent for Mr.'Thom, to whom I had confided the management of the John; when I had. the vexation to learn from him, that her officers and men were in a state approaching to mutiny, having taken advantage of our delay in joining that ship. It was soon easy to see in the looks of the officers and men, that Mr. Thom’s report of their unwillingness to go on this expedi- tion was but too true; the latter appearing disorderly and dirty, as they skulked and sneaked about the ship. Judging it therefore necessary to come to an immediate explanation, I went on board the John, and ordered all hands to be called. I then expressed my regret at finding there was dissatisfaction among them ; but as I dared not suppose that it proceeded from fear, I trusted that a little explanation would rectify this misunder-
standing. Having myself sailed from Greenock, I had desired
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 93
that Greenock men should share with me the honours and advan- tages of this expedition ; and of the advantages there could be no doubt, under the knowledge which I possessed and the plans which I had adopted. It was true, that the season might appear to them somewhat advanced ; but, independently of the advantages our steam power might give us, I knew so well where to find abundance of fish, that there could be no question of our success, and that we should not, in the end, prove a day too late, I there- fore expressed my trust that they would return to their duties, and not proceed in a mode of conduct which would bring disgrace both on themselves and their native port.
On this, a pause took place, when, after some interchange of significant looks and whispermgs between the mates and the men, the boatswain stepped forward, and after calling on some others to join him, observed, that as the season was so far advanced, they were not willing to go without a fresh agreement ; a resolution in which he was joined by the majority of the crew. On inquiring into the nature of this new demand, I was answered that they would not go, unless I would ensure them, in writing, the same shares as if they had returned with a full ship. It would not have been easy to frame a much more unreasonable request, when such a promise would necessarily deprive them of all inducement to exert themselves in fishing. I could not hesitate therefore in answering to so absurd a proposal, that I would ensure finding them fish in abundance, but that, to take them and fill the ship, must be their own business. I was answered, however,
that nothing less would satisfy them than an absolute promise of
June 10.
24 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
200 tons of oil, with a further guarantee, in writing, that they were not to be detained on the expedition, but returned home in the usual time.
I now, therefore, began to suspect that the real motive of their present conduct was the fear of being detained beyond the sum- mer; but I was soon convinced that their fears were even deeper than this, since it was in vain that I represented to them the egre- gious folly I should commit in taking them out with only six months’ provisions, had I intended to keep them out longer, or even did I foresee the possibility of such an event as their deten- tion. The best policy therefore now seemed to be that of shorten- ing the stay of the Victory at Port Logan as much as possible; while I hoped that when we should join, and they were made to comprehend the advantages arising from the presence of a steam ship to aid the John in towing, this feeling would subside and they would return to their duties under our agreement.
I returned therefore to Port Logan without loss of time; and the remainder of this day, June 9, was employed in landing the small boiler, together with the apparatus intended for cutting the ice, which, it was now evident, exceeded the power of the engine to work. We thus got rid of six or seven tons of what was now mere lumber; replacing it by three tons of water. On the following day I was visited by ny friend,Colonel M‘Douall, accompanied by others, relations and friends: nor did he part with us without a substantial present to furnish our next Christmas dinner, in the shape of one of the best Galloway cattle from his own estate. At six in the
evening we cast off from the pier; and, with the assistance of the
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. . 25
coastguard, were towed round the point of Logan, under a light air from the south-east. At eight it fell calm, and we were obliged to stop the tide off Port Kale, under our kedge; and though weighing again the followimg morning at six, with a light breeze from the north-east, we were unable to round Corswall point, so that we were again compelled to stop the tide in the same manner.
These delays allowed us to examine into the nature of the damage already mentioned as having been indicated in our boilers ; when we found that the failure consisted chiefly in that of the iron cement which had been used in securing some of the joints; while the engineer had neither been informed of this, nor provided with the materials for replacing it in case of need. The small bellows, with the machinery belonging to it, was also in need of a thorough repair, as was the large one more partially; but I must be excused from dwelling on this endless and provoking subject at present, further than to say, that every day convinced us still more that we must consider ourselves in future, as dependent on our sails for such progress as it should be our good fortune to make.
We now weighed anchor once more at half-past five in the after- noon, rounded the point of Corswall, and bore up for Loch Ryan; but, as it fell calm, were obliged to come to anchor until the next morning, when, favoured by the breeze and a flowing tide, we ran alongside the John, having taken Mr. Thom on board the evening before, on making the Loch.
The Victory being now alongside of the John, and her crew
E
June 11.
June 12.
26 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
ranged on the deck, I again went on board. When the hands were called, I explained at considerable length the advantages they would obtain, and that I did not entertain an intention of keeping them out a second year. But seeing that all I said was without effect, I addressed my own crew, by remarking that such cowards as the men of the John were not worthy to accompany such gallant fellows as themselves, even to the edge of the ice. Yet as it was also necessary that I should prove a positive act of disobedience, I desired Mr. Coombe, the master, to order his crew to assist ours in removing the coke. ‘This was refused at once by the men, who at the same time called on those of the Victory to join them in ‘“‘ standing up for seamen’s rights,” as they expressed it. But the appeal, as I expected, was received by my own people with indig- nation ; upon which I returned on board, and after praising them as they well merited, both for this and all their other good conduct, proposed that we should sail by ourselves, and leave the cowardly Juhn to her own proceedings. This proposal was received with three cheers ; entirely disconcerting the mutineers, who had believed that I could not do without their assistance, and that they might therefore make any terms they pleased.
Tt was still necessary, however, that I should muster the John’s crew, so as to ascertain the feelings of each individual ; and this therefore was done by the master, at my instance. It commenced with the first mate, Muirhead, who declared that he would not abide by his agreement, nor go on the voyage, without a guarantee for 150 tons of oil and the immediate return of the ship: a speci-
inen of the rest, at which I was exceedingly surprised, as he was
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 247
the son of the worthy commander of the Larkins whaler, from whom I had formerly received both kindness and services. The answers of the second mate, Robb, were the same; and it was not difficult to see that the master was kept in awe by these two men. The boat- swain and the harpooners being next asked if they would assist in weighing the anchor, joined in refusing, while some added to their refusal, umpertinence ; and this example was followed by the whole crew, with the exception of the cook, the cooper, and two men, the latter of whom both entered with us afterwards for the expedition. A disgraceful scene of confusion soon followed, in the attempts of the discontented men to leave the ship; that being opposed by the master, whether from a wish to conciliate my favour by a pre- tence, or from real repentance for his conduct, I could not be sure. Be that as it may, he proposed to lower down the boats and tow them on shore, that he might deprive the men of the means of quitting the vessel; but no sooner was this done, than several of them were taken possession of by the mutineers, who at the same time removed their chests from the ship, with the most insulting language, attended by the hisses of the Victory’s crew and the reproaches of the coastguard, and a crowd of spectators who had collected to witness this scene. It was completed, as far as we could see of their proceedings, by their beginning to sell their clothes, to get drunk, and to fight, as soon as they were landed ; thus proving that their mutinous conduct was but a part of a general character from which we could have expected no good. The number which thus left the John in the course of the day, amounted to thirty-eight; those who remained, including the E 2
28 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
master, some officers, and the apprentices, being eleven. In the course of these scuffles two boats had been stove, and one man had fallen overboard; but no lives were lost nor any known injury sustained.
This drama having thus terminated, including an attempt to seduce four of the Victory’s men by inviting them on board the John to make them drunk, which however failed, it remained for me to make a legal call on the master tu perform his contract, and to leave him a written order to sail before the first of July, if he could reman the ship; failing which, he was to proceed to Greenock and deliver her over to the agent, Mr. Oughterson. It became necessary also for me to write an account of these proceedings to Mr. Booth, to which I added letters on the same subject to Sir Byam Martin, Captain Beaufort, and the Honourable Hugh Lindsay, in case any false reports, injurious to myself and my officers, or to the expedition, should be circulated, after my de- parture, by the people or ofiicers of the John.
I cannot now, however, transcribe this narrative from my journal, without communicating to my readers what only came to my knowledge, after my return from this long banishment. Whatever else it may prove, to those who are but too ready. to pronounce on that justice which it becomes no mortal to distribute, even in ima- gination, it served to satisfy us that we had lost nothing by the defection of our intended consort, and had perhaps escaped far greater evils than those which ultimately befel us: teaching us too, that the events, which in our shortsightedness we are so apt to view
as evils, are full often intended as blessings.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 29
_It was but in the following year, that the John, under the same master and officers, and with the same crew, barring one or two exceptions, sailed to Baffin’s bay on a whaling expedition. From causes which have never come to light, a mutiny took place on board, attended by the death of the master, Coombe, but under circumstances which have not yet been rightly explained, as far as I can understand. The mate, with a boat’s crew, were expelled at the same time; and having never since been heard of, are supposed to have perished in the ice. . The ship, then put under the com- mand of the Spikesoneer, was afterwards lost on the western coast, when most of the crew were drowned ; the remainder being saved
by a whaler which was accidentally passing.
1829. June 13.
June 14.
20 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
CHAPTER III. »
LEAVE LOCH RYAN—GALE OF WIND OFF IRELAND AND LOSS OF THE FORE TOPMAST—FIRST SIGHT OF THE ICEBLINKS—ENTRANCE OF DAVIS'S STRAITS.
Own the same day that we had got rid of the John and her mutinous crew, I returned on board the Victory, where the crew were occupied in removing the coke and some other stores which had been intrusted to the John as our consort and storeship. This occupied the best part of the following day ; and, at six in the evening, all being ready, I cast off and stood to sea with a light breeze from the south-west ; having taken leave of all our friends on shore and settled respecting the future management of our patient Hardy; receiving the cheers of Captain Sharpe and his men, whose countenance and aid had been of great service to us during the troubles of the preceding day. On the morning of Sunday it was calm, and at noon the Mull of Cantyre bore north, the Craig of Ailsa bearing east; when a fresh breeze from the south-west, with a favourable tide, carried us rapidly through the north Channel.
It was at the first moment that we found ourselves settled and
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 3]
at peace after the disturbances of the preceding days, that I took the opportunity of expressing to my officers and crew the grati- tude I felt for the support which all had afforded me, and of declaring my entire confidence m them through the future voyage, whatever troubles we might be destined to contend with. Assembling them for this purpose, and also thanking them for the confidence which they had placed in me, it became further my duty to state to them that the defection of the John must now, as they could not fail to be sensible, affect their pecuniary interests; since no prize allowances, under the term of oil money, could now accrue to them, as there could be no fishery carried on by ourselves alone, for want of stowage. As it was therefore no less just than necessary for us to commence under a right mutual understanding on the subject of wages, I proposed that their pay should be settled -according to their rating, as had been done in the former voyages of discovery. This was agreed to without hesitation, and with expressions of perfect satisfaction ; the surgeon leaving it to myself to settle the compensation due to him on this score.
While our experience on the voyage to Loch Ryan had itself convinced me that our crew was deficient in the requisite number, the defection of the John rendered it still more imperious on me to increase our strength. For this purpose, after having taken an Trish labourer from Logan as a fire stoker, to replace the loss of Hardy, I also enlisted a third man from the John’s crew, in addition to the two formerly mentioned ; thus giving us an increase of three men, all volunteers, and immediately coalescing in har-
mony with the remainder of our people.
a2 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
We had no sooner passed the island of Rachlin, than we found a heavy swell setting in from the north-west; the apparent conse- quence of the long series of gales from that quarter which had recently occurred. ‘Thus at least we at first thought : but we were soon undeceived, since it proved the forerunner of a storm still more severe than any which had yet occurred. It assailed us in a moment, when we were in hopes that we had at length overcome all our difficulties ; and as the gale continued to increase rapidly, we were obliged to reduce our canvas without delay. The topsail had just been reefed, and there were two seamen on the topgallant yard, furling its sail, when the head of the foremast gave way with a terrible crash. Fortunately, however, the topmast did not fall immediately into the sea, but hung suspended by the rigging in a diagonal position; thus giving the two men time to escape from their perilous place, and to us, the opportunity of taking steps for saving the sails and rigging. We found the mast broken so close to the rigging, that it was only held in its place by the splinters ; yet it seemed possible to frapp the shrouds and stays in such a way as to secure it from going overboard.
Having determined on this, no time was lost in putting it into execution, so as to preserve both the mast and rigging without discontinuing our voyage; while substitutmg such sails as we could contrive to carry on the crippled mast. Nor could any thing exceed the exertions and the enthusiasm of our men, whom if it is but justice to praise without exception, so must I especially notice the active and energetic conduct of my nephew, Commander Ross.
It was highly gratifying to me, at this early stage of our career, to
’
~~ ~ N\ Ss S S SS S ~ ~ os ~ £ N gS S S N
raat i
+2)
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 30
find in them all, the true spirit of seamen, since it taught me that I could depend on them in any emergencies; ready obedience, cheerful looks, and a general effort in every man to distinguish himself among his messmates and companions in this undertaking.
Before the night had quite closed in, the storm sails were conse- quently all set, and the Krusenstern was secured by an additional rope. At midnight, the lights on Insterhull bore west, and those of the Rinns of Isla nearly east; showing that our accident had occurred in the middle of this channel. The gale now seemed to moderate a little; but it was only to return with double violence, though more from the westward ; while the sea was so heavy as to assure us that we could make no progress through it.
Thus did it continue to blow on Monday, yet with some intervals more moderate; during one of which we ventured to cross the topsail yard for a foreyard, setting on the reefed topsail for a foresail: our situation among the islands of this dangerous coast, rendering it necessary to set all the sail possible. ‘Thus, although we were constantly obliged to wear the ship with great caution, im consequence of our having the Krusenstern in tow, we found that we at least kept our ground. At midnight we split the jib; and on searching for the storm jib to replace it, we found nothing but the rope; the canvas having been cut off and stolen by some plunderer, before we had left the Thames.
On Tuesday the gale rose to its height, and obliged us to le to under the close-reefed mainsail; but the wind having veered considerably to the north-west, our drift was to the southward, in which direction there was plenty of sea room between us and the
K
June 16.
June 17.
June 18.
34 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Trish coast. We were therefore able to maintain our westing ; and shortly after noon the gale began to break, when, by the chronometers, we ascertained our longitude to be 7° west; the latitude observed at noon being 56° 23’ N. In the evening we were enabled to add the reefed foresail; but as the sea was very heavy, we made little progress. During the night we stood to the northward, in consequence of the wind having backed to the west ; but in the morning of the 17th it became northerly, and we again wore. At seven we saw the Bishop’s isles, together with Tirey at a great distance to the north-east.
The gale had gradually decreased; but the swell continued, and the ship laboured so much as to prevent us from taking any steps about our crippled mast. At midnight it fell calm; and the swell having abated on the eighteenth we contrived to secure the rigging on the foremast head somewhat better. The topmast: which had been broken off above the fid hole, and thus reduced m length, was pointed up; and the heel being secured by a lashing to the lower mast, about six feet below the rigging, there was sufficient length remaining to set the topgallant sail as a topsail. No sail could however be set on the pole, which was sprung about halfway up. At noon Malin head was in sight to the south-east, and the observed latitude was 55° 57’ 14’ N, the longitude by the chronometer being 7° 40’ W. On this day the carpenters were employed in making a trunk to carry the water from the pumps to the scuppers, owing to the circumstances stated in the account of our passage down the river. It was satisfactory to find that one
pump had been sufficient to keep the ship clear, during the whole
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. _ 35
of this gale, though we were obliged to have that one constantly going; but as this labour became less imperious as the wind moderated, we were convinced that the principal leak must be somewhere above the water line.
On this day the wind was still adverse; and as we had every prospect of a long passage, [ began to entertain serious thoughts of putting in to Loch Swilly, which was now im view, and. which we could just fetch, m order to take in an additional supply of water and provisions, and either to get a new foremast, or to cause the old one to be stepped on the lower deck, and to procure a new mast-head to be fitted on it. With this intention I stood to the southward, and at noon we were within 18 miles from the entrance, being in latitude 55° 32’, longitude 7° 55’ W, with Malin head in sight. A boat now came off which we believed to be a pilot vessel, but it proved to be a Dublin fishing boat, from which we obtained a good supply of fresh fish. The wind, which was now variable, died away entirely at 6 P. M., when we were ten miles from the entrance of the loch ; but at nine, a fresh breeze unexpect- edly springing up from the south-south-west, we changed our plan, and bore up under all sail to continue our voyage.
As it was now evident that we had not water and hay enough to feed both the bullocks in our possession as far as the edge of the ice, one was killed. At midnight the breeze had increased, and the sea had also once more risen, so that we had again a fair prospect before us. Both increased as the day advanced; but we could entertain no doubt, that it was nothing more than the sea occasioned by the late gales, though, as it crossed the course of the present
F 2
June 19.
June 20.
June 21.
June 22.
June 23.
June 24,
36 “SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
breeze, it made our vessel labour violently. Notwithstanding this, and our course being to the north-west, the Krusenstern shipped very little water, which, as we were situated, was a fortunate cir- cumstance; and, by midnight, having completely cleared the channel, we were all in high spirits, hoping that we had now left the chief of our troubles behind us.
The wind was from the south-east both on Saturday and Sunday, and we found that we had made about 200 miles. Divine service was performed on this last day, being the 21st, at eleven o'clock, and we trusted that our thanks to the Providence which had hitherto protected us through a series of troubles, which, though not extreme, were by no means light, were accepted. )
On Monday the wind came to the north-east, beng much more moderate; and at an early hour in the morning we passed the spot marked in the chart as that where Pickersgill sounded in 300 fathoms. The state of the weather did not, however, permit us to repeat this trial at so great a depth. ‘The distance we had thus run was 103 miles, the latitude being 56° 52’ N, and the longitude 19° 3’ W; and we here saw a strange sail, which we took to be a vessel from the Baltic bound for America. ! ;
The wind being still fair, we made 113 miles, but had no obser- vations. The tow ropes of the Krusenstern appearing to be chafed, we shortened sail and secured them, after which we held on our course. We were here surrounded by shearwaters, but there was too much swell to allow us to hoist out a boat in this pursuit. On the twenty-fourth we were enabled to make observations; and,
finding ourselves to the southward of our reckoning, altered our
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 37
course to north-west by west, so as to make a true west by north course. In the afternoon of this day we got up our proper fore- yard, and set the foresail with the lower and topmast studding sails. The swell had considerably abated, and the wind was now much more moderate.
Though we had some small rain on this day, the wind and the sea continued to decrease, and we employed the carpenters in fitting up a dispensary for the surgeon. The engineers and armourer were also enabled to go on with the repairs of the engine and boiler, while the bellows were further put into the best con- dition in our power. We began also to prepare sails for the altered masts; that we might waste no time, when it was uncertain how long we might enjoy our present tranquillity.
On this morning there sprung up a fine fresh breeze, but towards noon the weather became calm and foggy, so that no observation was procured. ‘The carpenters and engineers continued their work of yesterday, and in the afternoon we picked up a piece of drift wood, which, with the animals attached to it, was preserved by Commander Ross (our naturalist in addition to all else) ; as were afterwards some specimens of the shearwater (procellaria puffinus_) which we contrived to shoot.
A fresh and fair breeze sprung up once more at midnight; and at half-past three on the morning of the 27th, a strange schooner was seen standing to the north-east. The boilers having been at length repaired, they were now filled with water, and found to be water tight ; on which the engineers were set to work to connect
the forcing pump to the small engine, in hopes of saving the
June 25.
June 26.
June 27,
June 28,
38 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
trouble which our men had formerly experienced in working this machinery. The little skiff was now taken in to be repaired ‘and strengthened, and the new topmast was also finished.
A smart breeze of wind now enabled us to keep all our sails set, and we found a considerable swell coming from the south-west. There were some shearwaters and mollemokes about the ship, being the first time that we had yet fallen in with the latter. Our latitude on the following day, Sunday, was 57° 7 N, and the longitude by the chronometer 35° W. The ship’s company was mustered, and divine service performed. The wind was now variable, and tending to a calm; and, towards the evening, the little breeze of the day was quite done, and the sea smooth. We there- fore took this favourable opportunity to set up the new topmast m place of the jury one which we had made out of the fragment of the former ; and having lashed and cleeted the heel about ten feet below the lower rigging, we found it sufficiently high to allow us to set the proper topsail on it, close reefed. ‘This was accordingly done ; and our topgallant sail, which had been used as a topsail since the accident, was also set in its proper place.
These arrangements were no sooner finished than a fine breeze arose, but it unfortunately lasted only a few hours. We had shot some of the shearwaters that had attended us, and now determined to try whether this bird was not eatable, in spite of its bad repu- tation, since it might be important for us hereafter to increase our resources of this nature, and to know to what we might trust in case of our coming to short allowance. We found them excellent,
even ina pie, though the most supicious mode of cookery for meat
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 39
of such a nature, and were glad to find that we need not even be forced by hunger to adopt a food which, if it never did more, would at least afford us variety. And I will now make this remark for the benefit of all who may be situated: as we have often been, whatever use it may be turned to by those who, not knowing want, may find in the sea birds a source of variety or luxury. It has been overlooked by every one, that the fishy flavour of all these animals is confined to the fat; the whole of which also is lodged immediately under the skin, and is chiefly situated on the haunches. The muscles are always free of any oily, or rancid, or fishy taste ; so that nothing more is requisite than to skin the animals, and especially on the back, to render them undistinguishable from a Jand bird. In this way even the cormorant and the puffin, strong- tasted as they are, can be cooked in any manner, without the possibility of being recognised for seafowl. In fact this is equally true of many land birds; and in Sweden, where the cock of the wood and the black cock feed on juniper and fir, especially in winter, they are often scarcely eatable, from the flavour of tur- pentine; while that is entirely removed by the same mode of treatment, so as to render them a very acceptable game for the table. I believe, however, that I must except the mollemoke (fulmar peterel) ; since, in this bird, the fat is so mixed with the muscles, that no contrivance can rid them of their detestable flavour.
It being daylight soon after three in the morning of this day, a light air came from the eastward, and we set all our sails. We had seen an iceland hawk last night, and now observed two
June 29.
June 30.
July 1.
AO SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
finners running to the north-east. The carpenters were again set to work on the skiff, it being Monday, and were also employed in making a jigger-mast. We had made but twenty miles in the last twenty-four hours; being the worst run we had had since quitting the Irish coast ; but, in the evening, a breeze came from the eastward, which continued during the night, and served to help us on considerably. At sunset there was a shower of rain ; after which we saw an iceblink bearing north-north-west, the coast of Greenland being computed to be about 220 miles off in that direction. We also saw at this time many of the birds called boatswains, besides our former attendants the shearwaters and mollemokes.
On the thirtieth we had fresh breezes and cloudy weather, with the wind from the north. All sail was set; and the carpenters finished their work on the boat and the jigger-mast. The fresh beef of the bullock which we had killed was this day exhausted : but we decided on keeping the other animal, if possible, until we arrived at the ice, as we might then contrive to use the whole, by means of the cold, in a fresh state. The boilers seemed to continue tight, and the pump was in considerable progress; the bellows being also finished ; so that we had a prospect of being again able to use our steam, to some extent at least, should the necessity for other aid than our sails arise, as indeed could not fail to be the case.
The leaks which had now required us to keep our pumps going for at least an hour during every watch, in fine weather, and
without cessation when it blew hard, were this day discovered
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. Al
to be the produce of three treenail holes on the larboard side, abreast of the engine room. The largest of these, which was about three feet below the water line, was easily stopped, and this gave immediate relief to the pump. The other two, though less in size, were situated near the floor-heads, so that we could not get at them till an opportunity should offer for laying the ship aground: it was, however, satisfactory to have found out the real nature of these two leaks, which also, in point of effect, were of little consequence.
The Jandblink was now very perceptible;an d in the evening we discerned the land itself, which we conceived to be Cape Fare- well. The latitude and longitude of this point are 59° 38’ N, and 42° 45’ W, while our own, at the time that we saw it, were 58° 8’, and 42° 30’; so that, presuming these several things to be correct, our distance from it must have been about 31 leagues. During this day the temperature of the air and of the sea fell three degrees; the air being 46° and the water 47°, at sunset.
On this day we began to keep our regular register of the ther- mometer every two hours, though unfortunately losing one at the very first trial, through the unhandiness of the mate. The wind was from the eastward, but there were evident signs of a change about to happen before no long time should be past.
We had, on this day, completed a fortnight of fair wind, and with it, our run from the point of our last departure, Loch Swilly, to Cape Farewell. Towards the evening, as we had foreseen, the wind veered to the northward, and our vessel could no longer lie her course. We now passed the spot where the Hecla and Gnper
G
July 2.
July 3.
July 4.
42 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
had been on the thirteenth of June, 1819, after having left Fair island on the nineteenth of May; and as we had taken our own departure from Loch Swilly on the eighteenth of June, it followed that we had gained eleven days on that expedition, in nearly the same run of 1300 miles.
We had served out to the men, on the first of July, an allowance of clothes calculated for the climate we were now to encounter. This consisted of a blue jacket and trousers, a flannel shirt, a com- fortable, a pair of wadmal hose, a pair of flannel drawers, a Welsh wig, a pair of sea boots, and another of carpet boots. The jackets of the officers and petty officers were slightly distinguished, so that our equipage had altogether a very uniform and orderly appearance. These clothes, with exception of the boots, were a present to the men; and a reserve set for each was kept in store, in case of need.
Our new jigger-mast had been got ready on the second (yester- day), together with two beams at the stern to support it and the out-rigger; and, after examining our run, we found it to be ninety-six miles, but unfortunately on only a south-west course. Thus, on this day, we found ourselves in latitude 57° 47’, and in longitude by account, 46° 53’. The temperature of the air at mid- night had been 41°, and that of the sea 43°. After making a board to the south-west, we tacked at 8 p.m., and stood all night to the northward ; so that at noon on the next day, we found ourselves in latitude, by observation, 57° 59’, and longitude 47° 31’. The weather was hazy, and the winds light and variable.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 43
CHAPTER IV.
OFF CAPE FAREWELL—FIRST ICEBERG SEEN—ABREAST OF BAAL’S RIVER—SIGHT OFF SUKKERTOP—LAND AND ISLANDS NEAR WIDE- FORD SEEN—A CODBANK DISCOVERED—MOUNTAIN CALLED OLD WOMAN'S HOOD—ARRIVAL AT AN ANCHORAGE.
Tuts day, being Sunday, it was calm during the whole morning. At half-past ten the ship’s company was mustered, as we were then just entering Davis’s straits, bemg off Cape Farewell. The weather bemg cold, and the men im their warm dresses, we for a moment for- got that we were now in the very midst of summer and in its hottest period ; scarcely even thinking of the contrast between our own situation and sensations and those of the friends we had left behind. After divine service, a fine fair breeze soon sprung up, and we secured a piece of fir timber which was passing us; the fragment of some ship, since it was full of treenail holes. It was covered by different marine animals, and was therefore a prize to Commander Ross.
At eight o’clock this evening we were going at the rate of six miles an hour, and our rate increased during the night so rapidly, that we were at length obliged to shorten sail, chiefly on account of the Krusenstern, which we could not conveniently tow along when
G2
1829. July 5.
July 6.
July 7.
44 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
under any considerable velocity. We now distinctly saw the land, which we supposed to be Cape Farewell, about thirty leagues distant, and near it a number of icebergs, bearing north-east by north.
The breeze continuing favourable, we had a prospect of making ourselves amends for the former two baffling days, and now passed many pieces of drift wood, but under too rapid a motion to allow of our securing any. Our latitude at noon was 59° 33’, and longi- tude by the chronometer 50° 54’; so that we found that we had made 140 miles in the last twenty-four hours. The temperature of the air was 48°, and that of the water 44°; and there was now no land in sight.
_ The breeze still eontinued till three in the afternoon of this day ; and we found by the log, at noon, that we had run 1388 miles since the preceding one; but as the haziness of the weather prevented us from taking any observations for the chronometer, we could not form a more accurate computation. As the latitude, however, which was 61° 33', gave four miles more of northing on a north- west course, we attributed this increase of westing to a swell from the south-south-east. In consequence of this swell we were obliged, in the evening, to shorten sail, by taking in the mainsail, gaff top- sail, and topgallant sail. We however set the latter again at day- light on the next day; replacing the mainsail also by the studding sails on each side.
At nine this morning we had altered the course to north-west half north, true meridian ; having found this to be north-east by
north according to our compasses, which, including the variation
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 45
and the deviation, differed, on this course, four points and a half from the true bearings. Some shearwaters were still seen, and the mollemokes increased in numbers, as did the pieces of floating drift wood. After three, this fair breeze gradually fell off; and at mid- night we were not making more than two miles and a half in the hour, with the weather still somewhat hazy.
On the whole of this day there were light airs with intervals of calm, and with cat’s paws coming gradually to the north-east. We accordingly wore, and stood to the eastward. A little before noon we picked up a tree which measured twenty-one feet in length and three feet in circumference near the root. It was without branches or bark, and proved to be larch, perfectly sound. The root fortu- nately contained a natural knee exactly suited to one of our wants, which was that of a boat’s davit: and it was accordingly converted into one, as was a part of the other end; so that with these two, when completed, we found that we should be enabled to carry another boat over the quarter. Some shearwaters were shot, and a small fish taken; a drawing of which was made for our collection of natural history, while the specimen itself was preserved in spirit of wine. At midnight the temperature of the air was 39°, and that of the water 42’.
On the ninth, having observed for the latitude, we found it to be 62° 36’, and the longitude by the chronometer 54°31’. The whole day was passed between light airs and calms; but as the swell set from the southward, we contrived to keep steerage way on the ship. A quantity of shearwaters and boatswains were shot by
Commander Ross, who kept the best for specimens, the rest being
July 8.
July 9.
July 10,
July 11.
46 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
added to our usual commons: and we also found that a gannet pie was preferred to the best piece of corned beef which we could pro- duce, confirming the remark I have already made. Many more shearwaters were afterwards seen, so that I might safely call their numbers immense. ‘Two finners also came alongside; and one of them was struck in the shoulder by a musket ball, without however being killed, as far as we could discover.
This day was perfectly calm during the whole twenty-four hours, with the exception of some cat’s paws that lasted only a few minutes. The ship’s head was generally to the north and north-east, and I now had occasion to regret that the engine was not so ready for use as I had anticipated a few days before. The gear of the foremg pump had taken much more time than was expected, though the engineers and armourer had been steadily at work. The carpenters, however, contrived to fix the new davits, and we got out one of the six-oared boats and hoisted it up on the larboard gangway. We took this opportunity also of getting out of the Krusenstern five casks of salt provisions which had been left in her for ballast, together with a log of oak which we wanted for present use. A great many shearwaters, boatswains, and kittiwakes, were killed for use; but on this day we were unable to get any observa- tions on account of the haze, which was very thick. |
This morning the wind sprung up from the north by west, being directly against us, so that we began to be fearful lest our passage should be delayed. | We stood to the eastward; and at three, picked up a piece of an American cedar-tree, sound and convertible to use.
We killed as many birds as would suffice for the men’s Sunday
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 47
dinner, and accordingly served out to them flour enough to make crusts for their pies. We could get no observation at noon; and the wind increased, as did the cold, the air and water being both at 43°. At ten in the evening the temperature of the latter suddenly fell to 38°; which, indicating the approach of ice in some form, induced us to tack and stand to the westward. We had seen the coast of Greenland at intervals, and had therefore little doubt that we were approaching the land ice. _ It blew too fresh to use the engine, even had it been completed; but we still hoped that we might be able to. take advantage of it on Monday.
On Sunday the weather was thick and foggy, and it was blowing fresh. At daylight we saw a strange sail standing to the eastward ; she seemed a brig, but we were at too great a distance to make out exactly what she was. There was too much swell to admit of divine service, so that we could but muster the men. We had an indifferent observation immediately after noon, and found the lati- tude to be 63° 15’, and the longitude 54° 23’. Much drift wood, and many birds, passed by us; the kittiwakes becoming much more numerous. As on the preceding evening the water fell in tem- perature, but again rose shortly after; the lowest being 373°, and the highest 43°: whence we concluded that we had again ap- proached some ice. At eight in the evening we fell into a strong rippling current, which made the ship very uneasy, and seemed to indicate the set of a stream out of Davis’s strait. The temperature of the water was then 39° and 40°, but it afterwards rose to 41’, though we were nearest to the eastern land, and, as we computed, not more than fifty miles from it.
July 12.
July 13.
48 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
We had stood first to the eastward last night, and then to the westward after midnight, the wind gradually decreasimg ; and on this day it fell calm at noon. We had tacked at three in the morning, when we found ourselves im the ripple, and as it cleared up about ten, we concluded that we were within fifteen leagues of the land near the exit of Baal’s river; discovering then also the first iceberg which we had seen since entering the straits. We could not help noticing it as a remarkable coincidence, if it was no more, that this berg was nearly in the same latitude and longitude as the second one which we had seen from the Isabella eleven years before. It is indeed not to be conceived that it could be the same; yet, having in my possession a correct drawing of that one, it was even more remarkable that the resemblance between the forms of the two should have been so great as we found it.
We sent a.boat to it for the purpose of procuring ice which might furnish us with water, and she returned in three hours with two tons on board. The officer reported that he saw several whales, and many seals near this iceberg, which was covered with birds; and he found no difficulty in landing. The brig which we had seen on Sunday morning was also in sight, nme miles to the north of us; and when the breeze sprung up about five, we saw her steer for Baal’s river, whence we concluded that she was a Danish vessel. We saw more birds to-day, including dovekies, than we remem- bered to have ever seen together before, as well as a quantity of seaweed from which many small fishes and other marine animals were procured, and preserved by Commander Ross. Of these, I may say once for all, that they have been reserved for the Appendix
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 49
on Natural History which this officer has furnished ; since descrip- tions of them would not only interrupt the narrative of our pro- ceedings, but be of less distinctness and utility to the reader, than as they now stand in a regular approximation.
Another large piece of useful American cedar was also picked up to-day; and the carpenters were employed in fitting an oak mast-head to the foremast, that we might be ready to fix it on at the first convenient opportunity. The engineer having also finished his work, consisting in the repairs and improvements of the engine which we had planned, it was tried so far as to ascertain how the feeding pump would act, and whether the boiler could now be trusted. The former was found, or thought to have been, a success- ful piece of work; but though the principal leak of the latter was stopped, the small one at the foremost end was not cured. The engine was not, however, set going, because the springing up of a breeze rendered 1t unnecessary.
On the same evening we were abreast of Baal’s river, and shaped our course to the north-north-west, that we might gain a little more offing, as the wind was to the south-west. ‘The weather remained cloudy all day; and, judging by the land, we thought ourselves carried by a current to the northward. This mdeed was made manifest by our observations, which gave us 63° 39’ of latitude, or about nine miles more than the latitude by account. The breeze went on increasing, so that at midnight we were going three knots,
On Tuesday at daylight, which was now about two o’clock in the morning, the weather was foggy, and continued so till eight, when it cleared away; and the breeze at the same time began to fall off,
H
July 14.
July 15.
30 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
so as to subside into a calm at six in the evening. Nevertheless, we were able to keep steerage way on the ship, as there was a swell from the southward. We had a good observation at noon, by which we found ourselves in latitude 64° 48', and in longitude 53° 45’. We obtained on this day a fine view of the remarkable mountain Sukkertop (the sugar loaf), of which I was enabled to make two drawings; the one bearing east-north-east and the other due east. It appeared to be about twelve leagues distant, and far overtopped all the surrounding mountains.
The carpenters continued to be employed upon the new mast-head ; and as we had replenished our water, we served out an allowance for washing, together with a quantity of soap to each man. Some rain fell about six in the evening, and the swell increased so much as to be very troublesome; while a breeze also sprung up from the north-east by north, our true course being north by west. At nine it cleared away, when we had another view of the magnificent mountains near Cockin Sound, and saw the land as high as Queen Anne’s Cape. But one iceberg was seen to-day, and that a very small one; and we continued to meet with birds, seaweed, and drift wood. During the calm, the ship’s head being to the eastward, we found that we had neared the land considerably ; but after the wind was up, we found ourselves within about twelve leagues of it, the Kin of Sael bearing east by north, and Sukkertop south-east by east-half-east.
The swell continued all night, and this prevented us from using the engine, which, as far as our yesterday’s trial had gone, seemed
at last ready for use. The ice which we had seen in the morning
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. ol
had been left behind, and we saw no more this day, but, as usual, passed many birds and some drift wood. It being clear at noon we succeeded in getting an observation, by which we found our- selves in latitude 65° 20’, and longitude 54° 20’. In the morning, at eight, the temperature of the air and water were at 48°, and it rose to 49° at noon. In the evening, the wind advanced to the north-west; and, at half-past ten, we tacked and stood to the eastward. We, on this day, crossed the track of the Isabella on the 30th of June, 1818, and were as far north as the Hecla and Griper had been on the 2d of July, 1824; and in the evening had a fine view of the striking range of mountains on this coast; Queen Anne’s Cape bearing east-north-east at ten o’clock, and the land being seen to a great distance. The carpenters had been fully employed the whole of the day in forwarding their work.
The wind was against us all this day, and attended by so much swell that we could neither attempt to employ the engine nor make any progress by our sails, At noon we were in latitude 65° 34, and in longitude, by the chronometer, 55° 21’. We stood to the eastward till four in the morning, and found ourselves nine leagues from the land ; standing to the westward after this till four in the afternoon, when we again wore. We soon lost sight of the land, m consequence of a fog which came on about six; but it cleared away about ten, after which we saw no more land, nor any ice. The temperature both of the air and water was 40°. We saw a few loons and shearwaters; but we believed that we had yester- day eaten the last allowance we should get of the latter, as we had always found that they ceased to frequent the sea further north.
H 2
July 16.
July 17.
32 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
The wind was more moderate this day, and the swell so much - abated that we set the lee paddle of the engine to work. We found that it made seventeen revolutions in the minute, and assisted us very much in plying to windward. In fact we could now keep the ship one point nearer the wind, with a velocity also of three and a half miles, instead of two and a half, and without making more than the half of our former leeway. In the morning watch, a good many whales and seals were seen, with numerous flocks of shearwaters asleep on the surface of the sea. Land was also seen a little to the northward of that which we had noted yesterday, yet only for a few minutes between seven and eight o’clock; while a fog that attended us cleared away. At eleven in the morning, the engine not having been at work more than three hours, one of the boilers began to leak. The fire was therefore immediately put out in it, when the other was found not to have sufficient power to keep the wheel going. Every thing was therefore stopped, and the fires extinguished, that we might endeavour once more to get the damage repaired. On examination, it was found that the largest and the larboard pipe, which are placed within the boiler, had been pressed flat, and that the outer edges of each had rent; thus accounting for the escape of the water, which was found to have made its way out at seven points in the larger, and at three in the smaller one.
We immediately set to work to replace the large, and to repair the small pipe: but found this to be both a tedious and a difficult undertaking. The screwholes in the fiaunches did not correspond
to each other, so that we were obliged to make new ones, after
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 53
plugging up the old. Neither did the flaunches themselves meet as they ought to have done; thus materially increasing the trouble of the workmen; while we regretted every hour the loss of the valuable time which was slipping away. ‘Thus did we labour till midnight, when on trying the pipes by forcing water into them, we still found further alterations necessary, as, eventually, we had to fit two new pipes, so as to occupy us the whole of this, the 17th day of July.
Our latitude by observation this day at noon, was 65° 37’, and the longitude by the chronometer, 50° ; showing that we had made ten miles northing. ‘The temperature of the air and the sea had not changed, and the wind had rather increased, without however any sensible augmentation of the swell.
The engineers and armourer were still employed on the engine; my own anxiety also causing me to pass nearly all my time in the engine room, since I found that this repetition of adverse winds might materially obstruct our passage to Whale islands. By noon, consequently, we had only made four miles northing; and it was not till five in the afternoon that the work was reported to be ready. After an hour’s labour in getting up the steam, the engine was thus at last set to work on the lee paddles; but they had not been quite half an hour in motion when the main key of the shaft gave way, and we were once more obliged to stop, under greater provocation to the patience of all of us than it would be easy to describe. There seemed indeed no end to the vexations produced by this accursed machinery; since the !arboard boiler also was again found to have sprung a leak. Nevertheless we took the opportunity of screwing up
the flaunches, though they were still warm; and the workmen set to
July 18.
July 19.
July 20.
o4. SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
work immediately to make a new key, though we could not hope to. be ready for Monday. The paddle was consequently also hove up; when, as if we were not sufficiently troubled already, the tackle block gave way, and it came down, but, fortunately, without doing any damage. We however fitted a new tackle, and thus got it out of the water.
During the last might the wind and weather remained without alteration, nor was there any change in the temperature of the sea or the air. ‘This morning, being Sunday, the weather was foggy, and the wind in the same direction, but more moderate: we conse- quently made little progress. At noon, as usual, the men were mustered in good health, and spirits, and divine service performed. We saw the first walrus this day, with a good many whales, and abundance of birds. We stood off the land till noon, and then tacked ; our latitude being 65° 42’, and longitude 55° 12’ with the temperature of both the air and sea 42°, and the same at midnight as in the day.
This day commenced with a calm, which continued till about eight, when a light breeze sprang up from the southward, and con- tmued so as to give us a run of about fifteen miles during these twenty-four hours. Every one that could work was employed on the engine; and having fitted a new key on the shaft with all possible care, it was ready for use by the evening; even the boilers now seeming less likely to leak than they had done before. ‘The breeze, however, was such as to render it unnecessary ; so that we delayed a trial, which was perhaps only destined to disappoint us
once more.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 55
We had now been beating about for fourteen days, in a situation little calculated to make much progress, from the various mis- fortunes which had beset us; and I had therefore determined, should the wind continue so unfavourable but one day longer, to look for some convenient anchorage on the coast, where we could fish or tongue the foremast, and make such other alterations as would enable us to carry more sail. With this view the anchors were got ready; but the occurrence of this last favourable breeze suspended the execution of this design, and gave us hopes that some better fortune was now in store for us.
We now sounded with the deepsea lead every two hours, and found from 38 to 50 fathoms, bringing up shells and small stones; while the nature of the bottom and the depth of water showed that we were probably on a fishing bank. We therefore tried our lines, and caught some excellent cod and halibut, which proved very acceptable as a change from our salt provisions. A large iceberg was seen this evening at a considerable distance, with many whales and birds. We still continued to shoal the water, which diminished from 39 to 35 fathoms by midnight; continuing to sound and fish during the whole night.
At four on the following morning it shoaled to 23, after which the water became suddenly deep, and we found no bottom at 70 fathoms by six o’clock. When on the shallowest part, we judged ourselves toe be in the latitude of the rock on which the Victorious man-of-war struck during the last war, being 66° 21': and though we conjectured that this shoal might be a continuation of the same
ridge, our time would not admit of a closer examination.
26 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
The land and islands near Wideford were now seen bearing east by north, about ten leagues distant ; but we could not see the sun so as to obtain any observation. At three in the morning we passed the iceberg which we had seen the day before yesterday, being but the third one we had seen since our arrival in Davis's straits. The carpenters were employed im fitting up a lugyard to our jigger-mast; and the iron hoops for the foremast head were now also finished, with every thing else necessary for repairing this damage as soon as a convenient harbour should be found. We were even in hopes of getting to Whalefish islands this week. At noon the land about Wideford bore east: but our fair wind gradually fell off in the afternoon, and the engine being supposed to be now serviceable, we put on the steam and stood to the eastward, with the intention of clearing some rocks which appeared above water much further west than any which are laid down in the chart.
We had been swept towards the shore, either by the tide or a current; but at midnight we had made considerable way from the land by the aid of the engine and our sails. The former, however, was but of partial use. Owing to the leaky state of the boilers, we could employ but one, under which we could make no quicker progress than a mile within the hour. We therefore stopped it at four o'clock, to clear the furnaces ; renewing the attempt at eight, but with no better success. In compensation, we had the con- tinued advantage of enduring these endless trials of our patience ; and whatever rewards may be allotted to the exertions of this
virtue, we had assuredly a fair claim to them.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. oF
It bemg calm this morning, the steam was continued till nine, when a breeze sprung up from the north-north-west, being right ahead, and so strong, that the engine, as it was now acting, was quite useless. It was therefore stopped. We had fished on the bank as long as it was calm, in depths varying from 14 to 36 fathoms; but on standing to the west, we dropped suddenly into fifty, and then into seventy. As the sinall engine had been unable to work the bellows, this duty fell on the men, who had conse-
quently undergone about twelve hours of this disagreeable labour,
and were much fatigued ; so that we were obliged to give them a_
turn of four hours’ rest. The wind increasing in the course of the day, the weather became foggy, and we stood to the westward. At eight in the evening we renewed our attempt with the engine, using only the lee paddle; when it proved that the average of revolutions in the minute was but ten, no effort of the engineer having been able to carry them beyond sixteen, though the ship received so much aid from the sails as considerably to diminish the resistance of the water against the wheel.
The quantity of fish which we had caught, consisting of cod and halibut, was found to weigh 453 pounds; so that we were able to serve the crew with an allowance of two pounds each, a variation in their food not less conducive to their health than it was acceptable. In the afternoon the swell increased so much, that the engine was no longer of use. It was therefore stopped, and the wheel hoisted up; while the engineers took the opportunity of renewing their never-ending repairs. At five we made the land ; and as it was then blowing fresh, with every appearance of a con-
I
July 22.
08 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
tinued adverse wind, I determined to look for a convenient harbour where I might repair our damages.
We accordingly stood in for the entrance of a large inlet; and when as near as we could approach with safety, Commander Ross was despatched in a boat to look for an anchorage. In the mean time, having passed to the southward of some small islands, I stood off with the ship, waiting with much anxiety for the appointed signal to bear up. I continued to sound as we stood on, and found the water deepen from thirty-five fathoms till there was no bottom at seventy. A stream, which was either the tide or a current, I could not be sure which, appeared setting here toward the north, and a creek was seen at the entrance of an inlet between the land and an island with a beacon on it. The land itself was very remarkable ; bearing a high mountain with a sharp peak on it, quite unlike in character to that by which it was surrounded ; the mountain itself is called the old woiman’s hood: and there is also among the charts a draught of the harbour which it serves to mark.
We could not help once more observing from this point in our present voyage, what had already struck us so forcibly, in the rarity, almost the absence of icebergs, namely, that all the visible land was peculiarly free from ice. This led us to hope, as we had in reality believed likely before our departure from England, that the preceding winter had been peculiarly mild, and that the tempt- ation under which it was, chiefly, that we had determined not to lose the present summer, late as we had been in setting out, would be followed by better success than we had expected under some of
our recent disappointments.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 29
CHAPTER V.
VISIT OF THE DANISH GOVERNOR OF THE SETTLEMENT AT HOLSTEIN- BORG—RESIDENCE THERE AND PURCHASE OF STORES FROM THE WRECK OF THE ROOKWOOD—DEPARTURE FROM HOLSTEINBORG.
On the morning of Thursday we continued in expectation of our boat, which made her appearance about one o’clock; coming out to the southward of the island with the appointed signal flying, to signify that she had discovered a harbour. We therefore bore up for it under all sail, as the wind had now much moderated On approaching the high land, we found it nearly calm, though there was a strong breeze still in the offing; and at two o’clock Com- mander Ross came on board. His report was, that he had disco- vered a cove at the east side of the beacon island, appearing to be perfectly safe, and with four fathoms a little after high water; being at the same time so small that it would be necessary to moor the ship both head and stern. Admitting that the water might ebb another fathom, there would be still enough for a ship of so mo- derate a draught as ours ; so that we determined to make for it at
once.
12
1829. July 23.
60 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Proceeding, we first passed a round island, and afterwards a rock above water, resembling a dead whale, situated to the right hand of the island. There appeared to be a good channel, how- ever, on each side of it; and standing on till we approached the island, we found it to be about two hundred yards in length. It was between this and the beacon island that our intended harbour lay, which was thus defended from the north by the main land and the islands near, as, to the south, it was covered by many others, situated at various distances. The boats soon towed us round, and we entered from the south, mooring by ropes from each bow and quarter.
It was during this attempt that we first saw the moon since we had quitted the coast of Scotland on the fourteenth of June. The consequence was, that we had been unable to procure a single lunar observation during the whole passage. It was now most brilhant; and being seen between the peaks of the lofty and picturesque mountains of this coast, the effect was splendid in the highest degree; the rugged sides and peaks of all these hills appearing in all their distinctness through an atmosphere which seemed as if it had never known a vapour.
At five o’clock the tide had ebbed considerably, so as to leave us only twelve feet water. We found no inhabitants on the beacon island ; but the presence of three Esquimaux dogs assured us that we were not far from some settlement. Ascending to the beacon, TI gained a view of two magnificent inlets, surrounded by mountains of a very striking character; far more striking now than they had
appeared on entering the harbour, as the view which I obtained
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 61
was more extensive. Being entirely clear of snow, while broken - into precipices, and shooting upwards their sharp and rugged peaks, their aspect was very different indeed from what had occurred to us in our former voyage, when the season was earlier, and the presence of snow on them not only obscured their forms in many places, but, by bringing them near to the eye, destroyed all atmospheric perspective; all keeping and all landscape effect. lt was truly a splendid and a striking scene, well worthy of the pencil of a very different artist, as it defied the little power which I possessed. |
The sight of numerous rocks and breakers, both to the north and the south, now proved that we had chosen the right passage, or rather the only navigable one; guided more by good fortune than by observations which we had not in reality the power of making. The island itself was a far finer object than our former experience at an earlier, and perhaps in a worse season, had given us reason to expect on this icy coast, and reminded us in a lively manner of the far fairer lands which we had quitted but a month before, and the summer which we believed we had left behind. Every practicable part of the surface, even the smallest spot which was not a pure precipice or a sea rock, was covered with verdure; while a profusion of wild plants, now in full and luxuriant blossom, rendered that a summer garden which we expected to find what we had often done before, a chaos of rugged rocks and cold snow. We no longer, therefore, wondered at those who had given the name of Greenland to a country, which others as well as ourselves had long thought to
have been ridiculed by such a denomination. It was in truth a
62 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
green land, as far as our present situation was concerned ; and that green the more striking from the long absence of all but sea and sky, and the desolation of ice and rocks which, if we did not see at this moment, we knew full well lay all around us, as we had amply witnessed it on former occasions. Nor was it free of the usual accompaniments of a hot climate, the especial torments of a northern summer, in the crowds, swarms, of mosquitoes, which pursued us with a virulence even greater than many of us had often experienced in the West Indies. | Returning on board at eight o’clock, I found that the water had Gontinued to fall, so that we had but a few inches between our keel and the ground. There were in fact but eight feet six inches at low water, though it was somewhat deeper astern: but as there was no swell, nor any prospect of one, we were satisfied to remain as we were. The approach of any boat from the inlet could not here be seen, from the position of the island; so that we were taken by surprise at the arrival of a Danish flag, shortly after I had returned on board, accompanied by a multitude of canoes. They were alongside almost as soon as they were seen; and we were pleased to find that there were two Europeans in the crowd, which at first seemed to consist of Esquimaux alone; being dressed in the usual clothing of the natives. They introduced each other as the governor and clergyman of the district of Hoisteinborg, saying that they had come to know who we were, and whether we were in want of any assistance. They had not seen us enter, but had observed our masts appearing over the rocks, so that they supposed us to be a
wrecked vessel, since no ship had ever been seen in this creek.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 63
We found this governor, named Kall, a person of very prepos- sessing manners and appearance. He seemed about thirty years of age, and had been resident during six, with the charge of this district under the title of Colonies Bestyrere, subject to the Gover- nor of Leifly, who has the rank of Major in the Danish Navy. The clergyman, named Kijer, seemed to be about the same age, with the manners and language of a well educated and intelligent man. He had been resident during the same time, with a wife and small family.
They informed us that the harbour of Holsteinborg, instead of being in the great inlet to the south of us, lay in the smaller one, only three miles distant, and entreated us to move our ship to it, as we should then be in a place of greater security : offering us at the same time any aid that we might require, whether in the way of supplies, or aught else, and expressing a desire to show us such hospitality as was in their power. We learned from them, that the Rookwood whaler, belonging to Mr. Mellish, and from Lon- don, had struck ona rock near Woman’s islands, on the fourth of June, and had proceeded hither to repair her damages. It was found, however, that her main keel was broken in three places, so that she now lay a wreck in the harbour; the master, Flett, having consequently landed all his stores and provisions, and sold a part to the Danish government; leaving the remainder under the governor’s charge, together with the hull and rigging.
I informed them of the nature and object of our enterprise, and requested permission to purchase such provisions and stores, with
spars or whatever else might be needful and suitable to us, of those
64 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
which remained under his custody from the wreck. To this he readily consented; assuring us that he took much interest in the success of our undertaking, and also repeating his offer of fur- nishing us from his own stores with whatever else we might want. It occurred to me immediately, among other things, that the mizen mast of the Rookwood, which had once been the Rattler sloop of war, must be about the size of our foremast, and that by taking it, instead of tonguing our own, we should not only save much time, but get a far more secure and suitable mast. In reality, this mast was already proved to have been two feet too short; and the pro- jected repair to which we had been driven, would imcrease this deficiency to three feet and a half.
The governor having, on my announcing my consequent desire to see the wreck, kindly offered me a passage in his boat, I embarked together with Commander Ross, that we might imspect the mast in question, and determine on our proceedings respecting it. In the way, these gentlemen, who spoke English, communi- cated to us the names of the several islands, rocks, mountains, and inlets which we saw im passing, as I shall have occasion to notice in the place appropriated to those circumstances. To this useful information was added the most agreeable news which we had heard since we had left home; confirming what we had already been led to believe from the absence of ice, and the more gratifying that it still more completely justified us in having determined to prosecute our expedition this summer, notwithstanding all the untoward circumstances by which it had been obstructed and
delayed.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 695
We were assured that the present season was the mildest which had been known during the memory of the oldest person in this settlement, and that the preceding one had also been unusually mild. With this, they declared their conviction, that if ever the north-west passage was discovered, it would be in the present summer. In detail, they stated that there were only three days durmg all the latter part of the preceding year, in which the harbour might not have been crossed by a boat, that the thermo- meter had only been for one day as low as minus 18°, and that since that time it had never stood beneath 9° below zero (both) of Reaumur. This was a great contrast to the five preceding years, during which it had often, and for a considerable time, been as low as 32° below zero of the same scale. They also added, that although there had been a good deal of snow during the winter, there had been very little frost in comparison with the usual course of things; every particular confirming the general assertion respect- ing the mildness of the present summer.
Having proceeded about three miles up the inlet, we gained sight of the flagstaff and the town. This opens to the north-west ; being on an elevated spot about five hundred yards from the land- ing-place, which is situated at the head of a little creek, that by its curvature towards the south-west is hid from the sea, and forms a secure basin for boats or small vessels, which are also easily taken in at high water.
We found the Rookwood lying close to this landing-place, heeled to starboard, but with her topmasts still standing; and though it was not at that time low water, it was evident that she was com-
K
66 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
pletely stranded. We landed under a salute; an honour which I did not expect, but which we returned afterwards, of course, as soon as an opportunity occurred. We were received by Mrs. Kijer, who was in waiting to conduct us to their hospitable mansion; and in both, Commander Ross was delighted to recognise two old acquaint- ances, having known them during a former voyage, at the Whale islands. Fortunately, knowing the Danish myself, I was enabled to converse with this lady also, as her knowledge did not, like her hus- band’s, extend to the English language. We were treated with what we might here consider an elegant repast of venison and other things, and served by Esquimaux females im their native costumes, but far surpassing in cleanliness those with whom we had been in communi- cation on former occasions, and moreover decorated with a profusion of beads, while their hair was bound with pink handkerchiefs, After dinner we inspected the settlement, which consisted of the governor’s and’clergyman’s houses, a church, two storehouses, a bakehouse, and about forty Esquimaux huts. The two houses were built of wood, having a ground story containing a commo- dious diningroom, a good bedroom, a small parlour, and a kitchen; the governor’s having an extra room adjoining, for the accommodation of his two boats’ crews and two pilots. The apartments were low, and having cross beams in the ceiling, resembled the fore cabin of a 50 gun ship. The upper story con- tained only bedrooms for servants, being a species of attic. To the church there is a small steeple somewhat surmounting the building; the inside being neat and plain, with an organ at one
extremity and the altar at the other, though the former was not
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 67
seen, as it had been sent home to be repaired. The church is capa- ble of containing two hundred persons, and is well attended ; the sermon and prayers being in the Esquimaux and in the Danish language on the alternate Sundays. I need not say that the Danish form is the Lutheran ; nor need I repeat the praise so well deserved, and so often bestowed on the Danish government for their attention to the spiritual welfare of the Greenlanders; and as little need I notice the well-known success which has attended the labours of the worthy clergymen who have undertaken this office, under such a banishment and such privations.
The storehouse at the landing-place is the receptacle of all heavy articles; and at the other, higher up, some of the people reside. There is no view of the sea from the town, the harbour alone being visible. It is defended from the east by high rocks, and also from the west by others, so as to be well sheltered : while it is covered from the south, though at a greater distance, by the huge mountain called the Old Woman’s Hood, and has alsoa prospect of a range of lofty hiils fronting the harbour. » It is thus a really interesting, and almost a romantic spot; being, nevertheless, scarcely endurable as a residence, were even a tolerable portion of the year such as it chanced to be at our visit. From an eminence a little way beyond it, we obtained a fine view of the sea and its countless islands; forming an interesting maritime landscape, out of the power of our pencils at least, if not of better ones than ours; and, from the same point, we could also discern our own floating home, lying snug in her little cove. The Esquimaux name of this town is Tirieniak Pudlit, meaning, as we understood, the “ foxes’ holes.”
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68 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Proceeding, after our return, to examine the Rookwood, I soon found that some of her stores would be a valuable acquisition to us ; so that besides the pleasure which we were here enjoying, in the only day of comfort which we had met with since our departure from Woolwich, we had also fallen on what was as good to us at least, considering our few wants, as an English dockyard. The mizen mast suited us as well as if it had been made on purpose for our foremast; and the provisions which remained unsold, were sufficient to make our own up again, to our needful complement. It thus gave great satisfaction to our hospitable friends to find that I should lose no time in brmging the Victory into their harbour; and having promised to dime with the governor on the following day, we tock one of his pilots on board in his boat.
On my return, I found that Mr. Thom, whom I had left on board to superintend the necessary operations, had already got out the foremast, and was in the act of doing the same for the mizen mast. These things being finished, I prepared to run up the harbour, by hoisting a topsail upon the sheers which had been set up, the wind being fortunately quite fair, and by the aid of warps; under which we soon reached the town, and made fast to rigs on the rocks, by means of whale lines; our situation beig within a hun- dred yards from the shore on the east side.
We immediately proceeded to get the mizen mast out of the Rookwood ; and about nine on the same evening, the Victory was hauled alongside of the wreck, it being then high water. The mast was soon hoisted out by means of our own mainmast; when
we again hauled to our moorings, and the carpenters were set to
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 69
work; the men being sent to take their four hours’ rest at one o'clock. The next day they were employed in getting up the foremast and foretopmast; and Mr. Thom went on shore to take an account of the provisions, which were shipped off in the Krusenstern, together with some other stores that we had selected.
_ In the mean time, I proceeded, in company with Commander Ross and the surgeon, to an eminence on the shore near to the ship, which commanded a complete view of the rocks, shoals, and ‘entrance of this place; when sights were taken for the chrono- meters, together with a meridian altitude of the sun by the artificial horizon. A series of angles were further observed, for the purpose of determining the positions of several places in view; but under an annoyance from the mosquitoes, which far exceeded the persecu- tions of the former day, and under which my nephew suffered in a most extraordinary manner. Who is it that abuses Acerbi for his eternal repetition of the sufferings he endured from these pestilent animals, which, in these climates, render every moment a torment, so as to occupy the entire attention, and to make it almost as impossible to act as to enjoy? Let them try the experiment, not of a whole summer, but of a single day in Sweden, or even here in Greenland; and I am mistaken if they do not justify the accu- mulated complaimts of all the travellers that ever annoyed their readers with the records of what they had endured from this most incredible, and never to be forgotten generation of worse than
vipers. Having nevertheless completed our observations, in despite of this
July 24.
70 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
army of ruthless devils, we proceeded to dine with the governor; meeting also the clergyman and his amiable wife, and being regaled with fare and wines that would have done credit to a very different land from this most unpromising of all the regions on earth. Peace and happiness are of no country or situation; and here at least, while they seemed to exist in perfection, we had no wish to think that it was ever otherwise than as we now saw it in this narrow, but apparently contented circle.
In the mean time, the Esquimaux natives, who had crowded round us in their canoes from the moment of our arrival, gave their assistance in hauling on the ropes, or doing any other work which chanced to be in hand; showing their good will at least, and in reality giving us some useful help. Many also brought for sale such articles as they had for disposal; and thus our men furnished themselves with boots and gloves, in exchange for cotton handker- chiefs and old clothes. Few of them seemed to be acquainted with the value of money: and one, who had proposed a pair of handsome gloves to Mr. Thom, preferred an old handkerchief to either a shilling or a sovereign, which were successively tendered to him in exchange.
After dinner I proceeded on board to superintend the work; and Mr. Thom, by means of the Krusenstern, continued to ship the pro- visions, sails, and cordage which we had purchased. Commander Ross, with Mr. M‘Diarmid, took a walk to collect specimens of plants, or whatever else might offer itself; after which we all met at supper at the governor’s house. At table, we were entertained
with an account of the manner in which they spent their time; the
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS, 71
principal occupations being hunting wild animals for their skins, and catching whales, seals, and fish, as the seasons chanced to permit. We understood that the annual number of reindeer skins exported to Denmark was three thousand, and that the quantity of whale and seal oil, which varied much according to the seasons,
might be estimated from the capture of the former ranging between two and twelve. It was in the mildest seasons that the least number was taken.
We further understood that Mr. Kijer had the pastoral charge of the districts of Holsteinborg and Sukkertop, under the esta- blished church, and that he visited the latter durmg the spring; baptizing and confirming the natives as they were born and as they grew up to years of discretion. He further informed us, that a regular account of the population is transmitted to the Danish government. If I myself witnessed nothing but the most perfect good order during our short stay here, so I was informed that there were very few instances of immorality, and that the general cha- racter of the Greenlanders was so mild and pacific as to afford no instances even of common fighting; as, in no case, were they the ageressors when contests took place between them and the Danish settlers or other Europeans,
I have placed in the Appendix correct accounts of the popu- lation of the settlements which were kindly furnished to me by Mr. Kijer.
No one expects to hear that there were trees in the governor's garden, when even the Shetland islands are reputed to contain but
one; but we found it cultivated, with sallad, radishes, and turnips.
7/9. SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Here, as in Lapland, the wild angelica abounds, as do the well- known scurvygrass and sorrel, so useful to a people consuming such quantities of the grossest animal food. The winter is reputed the healthiest season ; and it is in summer that their chief diseases, being pulmonary or catarrhal, prevail. Whether these are to be amended by physic or not, it was for our surgeon, not for me, to determine; but the patients cannot at least suffer much from medicine, since the nearest medical person is two hundred miles off, at Baal’s river; and even there, his practice is not extensive enough to afford him the means of doing much harm.
The stepping of the foremast was finished this evening, and the crew were allowed six hours’ rest, after a day of very hard labour. In truth, with all that had happened to us, and all that had oc- curred to tease and provoke them, besides the real hard work which they had undergone, mine was a crew whose duties had been as little of a sinecure as will easily be found, either in the naval or the merchant service; while if they had had a right to expect a far easier and better passage, and a voyage of no more than the usual maritime toils and troubles up to this point, so, in having been | thus unexpectedly harassed and disappointed, they were sensible that what might have been their comparative holiday was now at an end, and that henceforward nothing but labour and risk was to be expected. Yet there was neither murmur nor regret. Their zeal was unwearied, and their enthusiasm as lively as ever; while I could not too much praise their steadiness and sobriety, nor be otherwise than pleased at the amicable and good-tempered manner with
which they conducted themselves towards the natives. I do them
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 7°
but bare justice to praise them, even now : with but little exception, and that proceeding from the most unexpected and severe sufferings and disappointments, I found far more reason to admire them in the coming years which none of us could then have foreseen.
When I came on deck this morning at six, the crew being still asleep, I found a poor Esquimaux waiting in his canoe alongside, with an oar which had been lost from one of the boats, and which he had picked up. He was of course handsomely rewarded for his honesty ; showing at the same time that he had no expectation of the present by which he was so delighted. I know not how far the exertions of the worthy clergyman deserve to share in the merit of this and the other good conduct which we witnessed; but be this as it may, I do but justice to the natural character of this race, almost every where within our experience, to say that they are among the most worthy of all the rude tribes yet known to our
voyagers, in whatever part of the world.
Here also, I must not forget to notice, we procured six Esqui-
maux dogs; a portion of our moving force that we were likely to want before the winter had long arrived, and might not obtain when we desired. Eventually, they proved of essential use to us. The payment for the articles which we had procured was of a somewhat complicated nature, but by the kindness of the governor, was made very light. He would take no return for the greater part of what he had furnished, the dogs being also his present : and as far as the stores taken from the wreck of the Rookwood were concerned, all that we had to do was to send a list to Mr. Mellish, with a reference to Mr. Booth.
L
July 25.,
July 26.
74 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
After breakfast we went on shore to renew our operations for determining the exact situation of Holstemborg, and found the latitude to be 66° 58' N, and the longitude 53° 54’ W, by the means of five chronometers. The governor and the clergyman’s party dined with us, and gave us an opportunity of showing them our present arrangements, together with those which we should be obliged to adopt in the future, adding to this whatever else might gratify their curiosity about an expedition in which they seemed to take an interest equally friendly and anxious, and not less than that shown by our own countrymen. Our ship was still however in great confusion, as could not fail to be the case; and it was not till late in the evening that we could expect to be m readiness to proceed. !
Taking the boat, I therefore landed on the small spot called Lines island, which afforded the best view of this settlement, making a sketch of it and of the magnificent screen of mountains by which it was backed; after which, having written the last letters to England which I was now likely to write for many a day, I joined the whole party at the governor’s house at nine, that we might take our probable farewell, and, accordingly equally to northern and maritime custom, shake hands over a “ parting glass.” There was every appearance of a favourable change in the wind, and the letters were forwarded to Baal’s river, to the charge of the Danish ship that had on board the master and crew of the Rookwood, through whom we could be sure of their being carried on to England.
This day, being Sunday, it was quite calm in the morning, and
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 739
as the launch, which had been on shore for coals, was aground, we could have no prospect of sailig before two o'clock. — I there- fore attended the church with the governor, and should have been surprised at the smging of the Esquimaux females, had I not long known of their musical talents, and the great facility with which they learn to sing even the more refined sacred music of the German school; as those talents also had been widely cultivated by the missionaries, even on the American shore, under the directions of Mr. Latrobe and others.
This is a subject on which my opinion and experience are, equally, of no value; and it is of no moment therefore, that, both in this and the former voyage, the tribes with which I communi- cated seemed quite indifferent to music, or imsensible to it, as we thought. The authority of such a musician as the one whom I have named, is paramount: and when the Moravian missionaries in Labrador, under his charge, have found, net only that their converts could be rapidly taught, m addition to their accurate singing, to play on the violin, and not only this, but to construct their own imstruments, no one can question the inherent musical talents of this race, though the faculty may not belong to every tribe. I presume it to be pretty well known that these worthy missionaries have not treated this subject as a mere matter of amusement or curiosity, but that, in their enlightened practice, it has been rendered a powerful auxiliary in religious instruction and civilization, as far as civilization is possible under such circumstances as those under which these tribes exist. The phrenologists may here seek to confirm their theory, as far at
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76 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
least as the existence of this single faculty can assist them: but whatever this, and the parallel case of the Hottentots under the same tuition, may prove, it must not at least be forgotten that the Moravians have been the instructors in each case, and that, possibly, more merit is due to the instructor than the pupil.
The clergyman afterwards presented me with a hymn in the Esquimaux language, which I subjoin for the sake of the few who
may take an interest in this wide-spread tongue.
KONGIVTINIK.
Erin.—Nallunakau tokoviksara. 1.
Amerdlarsorsoangortikit
Atatak! Kongim udloee !
Tamasa pillée attatikit
Paralugo kotsinguerme
Tussarkit tuksiautivut
Sajmangiuglo Kongerput !
2.
Tennitarpin opérnarsusek Arsitigeinarliuk Tamatigudlo sajmarsusek Hhigut neellundeliuk Tussarkin—a! Kenutivut Sajmaugiuglo Kongerput !
The translation will be found in the Appendix.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 77
The breeze being at last fair, and our vessel afloat, it was neces- sary to take our departure, as we could not now afford to lose even a single day, nay, scarcely an hour; so far was the season advanced and so much ground lay yet before us, between our pre- sent place and that in which, wherever it might prove to be, we should be compelled to winter. Our kind friends accompanied us on board, and we immediately weighed anchor, under a salute from the fort, which we of course returned. They attended us to the entrance of the mlet, and we there parted, with final and cordial adieus on each side.
Whether the two kind and worthy men with whom we had thus parted, and whom we were little likely to see again, may ever read this testimony of gratitude to them, is unknown to me, but I am happy in the opportunity of recording their benevolence. To their disinterested generosity we could not find the means of making any return, beyond the simple keepsakes which they were willing to receive ; refusing every thing in the nature of remuneration. I thought it however incumbent on me, as an officer in the King of England’s service, to write a letter of thanks to the governor, which I accompanied by one to the Danish Court: a simple testimony in favour of one, to whom no recommendation from me could be of
any service in that quarter.
78 SECOND VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
CHAPTER VI.
DISCO ISLAND—ENTER ON THE FIRST OF AUGUST—REACH OUR
FURTHEST INTENDED POINT NORTH—STEER FOR LANCASTER SOUND—ENTER THE SOUND—REMARKS ON THE FORMER DIS-
COVERY OF THIS SPOT.
Tue pilot having quitted us, Commander Ross continued to take the angles necessary for determining the positions of the sur- rounding islands, of which he had given us the names, as well as those of the several mountains and promontories. We understood from him, that Lieutenant Graaf had set out on a very interesting expedition to East Greenland, and that Captain Holboll had removed to the district of Baal’s river. Having finished our angles, the breeze continued to freshen in our favour, and we passed through an excellent channel inside the Reef islands, holding our course to the northward between them and Waroe. The Holsteinborg mountains were soon out of sight ; but we gained a view of others not less grand though much less romantic in picturesque character. We then shaped our course for Disco island, and thus were gradually carried to a considerable distance
from the land.
TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 719
- It being no longer necessary to call at Whale islands, that inten- tion was abandoned ; and as I had no desire to meet the John, our intended consort and tender, supposing, as was not very likely, that she had sailed, I held on our course in pursuit of our main object. The wind continued to favour us all Monday, and at mid- night it had increased’ to a smart gale, which made us regret that we had not taken time to clear the Krusenstern of part of her cargo.