XVI. PREPARING FOR HOME.

Hardly had Lieutenant Lockwood reoccupied his corner long enough to get thoroughly rested and warm, before we find him hard at work again and ready for any emergency. At the request of Lieutenant Greely, he undertook a task in which he himself feared that he manifested more zeal than discretion. Dr. Pavy, the natural history custodian of the expedition, having failed to render reports of the collections, or properly care for them, was relieved soon after Lockwood’s return from the west, and the department was transferred to Lockwood. With very little aid from the doctor, he made lists and secured the specimens from further injury, the men having shown much industry and zeal in adding to the collection. In the mean time, Fredericks, who was a saddler by trade, rendered good service by making for Lockwood and the men seal-skin boots, which were of great use; and he also made himself useful by overhauling the sleeping-bags and making new ones for the contemplated boat-voyage to Littleton Island at a later day. Snyder had also made some wearing gear for use on board the relief-ship.

“What a change for us all,” wrote Lockwood on 280 the 3d of June, “if we ever return home! And how much to talk about, and how much to hear! Just two years ago, I left Baltimore on the Nova Scotia, to join the Proteus at St. John’s. Open water is reported in the straits near Cape Baird. How eagerly we watch for any change that may effect our release!”

On the 22d of June, a party was sent up the Bellows for game and returned successful, having killed eight musk-oxen, one seal, and a few geese, all of which were duly brought in. Many waterfowl and ptarmigans were brought from other points; and then followed a grand dinner in honor of Dr. Pavy’s birthday. To show the social relations of the officers, Lockwood says, “The only remark at dinner was a very sage one by myself, viz., that the sun was now on his way south, to which Lieutenant Greely assented.

“The men all busy and all cheerful. Lieutenant Greely remarked that it did not look as if the ‘gloom which their coming fate cast over the spirits of the men’ was quite as deep as Lieutenant Kislingbury thought it to be. Another day gone,” wrote Lockwood—“another day nearer the end of our stay here! A miserable, gloomy day it is too. Snow, or snow mixed with rain, all day, and last night it blew a gale from the right direction to clear away the ice—north-east. I think myself now in excellent condition for a hermit’s life, having had two years’ experience of a life not very dissimilar.”

On the 3d of June, Lockwood made the ascent of an immense “hog-back” north of the station. Hog-back was the term used by the English to designate 281 the oval-shaped elevations so common in this region, being neither mountain nor table-land, but immense undulations which, with more or less slope, rise three, four, or even five thousand feet above the sea-level. He was the first to ascend this one, and did so to view the country northwest of it, which he desired to explore. It was the highest of a series of ridges, half a mile or so apart, each just high enough to suggest the idea of its being the genuine top, but showing another beyond still higher. He pressed on, frequently resting, and finally did reach the top, and saw, beyond, the United States Mountains in the distance. The view from this elevation, more than half a mile above the sea-level, was superb. The straits seemed one solid mass of ice. The Greenland shore and Archer’s Fiord were in full view. The whole land was made up of mountains.

The 4th of July was celebrated by a game of baseball, in which Lieutenant Greely took part; also the Esquimaux, but they confined themselves to running after the ball. A good dinner followed, to which Lieutenant Greely contributed four bottles of Sauterne; but the doctor declined the wine, and made a hasty meal. They also had a rifle-match. Several of the men donned white shirts and other “store-clothes,” metamorphosing themselves completely, flannel shirts, with trousers in boots, being the usual costume.

On the same day Lieutenant Greely issued an order directing Dr. Pavy to turn over to Lieutenant Lockwood all the medical stores, journals, and collections, 282 the former having declined to renew his engagement, which had expired. On the 11th of July, Lockwood started with Brainard on an exploration toward the northwest with a view of reaching, if possible, the United States range of mountains. They carried an outfit weighing one hundred pounds, or twenty-five pounds for each man at the start, as Henry and Biederbick were to help them with the impedimenta for one day and then return. They went without sledge or tent, and carried only blanket, sleeping-bags, a small lamp, and a few pounds of food, with instruments, snow-shoes, etc. They soon reached the top of the hog-back beyond “Sugar-Loaf,” and afterward the true hog-back Lockwood had visited before, finding it 2,700 feet high. Thence they kept a north-northwest course toward a prominent glacier in the United States Range, moving about parallel to North Valley Creek, which empties into St. Patrick’s Bay. After traveling fourteen miles they camped—that is, selected as smooth and sheltered a spot as could be found, made some tea, spread out the sleeping-bags, and crawled in.

Henry and Biederbick left the next morning evidently well satisfied to forego the pleasures of this trip. Their departure rendered it necessary to reduce the load somewhat, which was done by leaving behind the snow-shoes and rubber spread, trusting to luck to find a bare spot for their sleeping-bag. After tramping through much wet snow alternating with mud and stones, and getting their feet soaking wet, they came to two deep gorges close together, each occupied 283 by a considerable stream of water. They crossed these and ascended a dome beyond, three thousand feet high, and thence came to a still larger stream whose gorge was one thousand feet deep. Here they stopped for the night after a tramp of twelve miles. The next morning the sky was overcast, with barometric indications of a storm; but they continued their way with reduced loads, having only one day’s food left. Following the stream northwest a few miles, they crossed it and ascended a high elevation, from which the United States range could be very distinctly viewed, and then came to the conclusion that they had gone far enough.

With the telescope they could see distinctly, about twenty miles away, the walls of the great glacier, and its face ten miles wide. In fact, the whole range was full of glaciers. The country intervening between them and the glaciers seemed comparatively level. At noon they started back, and did not stop until the camping-place of the night before was reached. Thence, after a drink of tea and something to eat, abandoning their sleeping-bags, they made for their first camp, where had been left the rubber spread and one extra bag. The traveling was execrable, but they reached Fort Conger on the 14th, hungry, tired, and decidedly used up.

On the 24th, preparations began for the proposed boat-journey toward the south on which they would start when the ice would permit. Lockwood, in obedience to a general order, prepared to take no clothing except what he wore, and the few pounds of his 284 baggage would consist of his journal and other papers. He felt depressed and low-spirited, and totally indifferent as to the risks they were to encounter.

The straits were reported clear of ice below Cape Lieber on the 26th, but the bay near by was still full, though with many leads. Every preparation was made to leave on the 1st of August, if possible, or as soon after as the ice would allow. The men fiddled and sang, and seemed in joyous spirits; and the hilarity was kept up by the dogs Ritenbank and Ask-him having a terrible fight, resulting in victory to the latter. The probable consequence was that Ask-him would now be king. Ritenbank went about with his head down and tail between his legs, a dethroned and friendless monarch. The usurper’s reign, however, was likely to be a short one, as, on the party’s leaving, the dogs would either be shot or left to starve to death.

The 5th of August arrived, and the ship was the only thing talked about. Some of the men reported smoke down the straits, but it was soon found to be only water-clouds or fog. In the midst of these excitements, Lockwood gave expression to the following feelings: “As the time for moving approaches, I feel a singular apathy. If we had plenty of fresh meat and more good books, I could stand another winter here.”

Soon after, heavy winds from the south making great changes in the condition of the ice, active preparations were made for leaving.

Lockwood writes: “I don’t feel as though I was going away, much less toward the south. Have felt more stirred up on beginning a sledge-journey.”
285
TABULATED STATEMENT OF THE DISTANCE TRAVELED TO LOCKWOOD ISLAND.
    Distance traveled.     Time.
    Adv     Tr     Add     Tot     Adv     Tr     MPH
    Miles—Geographical.     Hours.     Geo. M.
OUT.                            
Fort Conger to Boat Camp     48     67     157     224     21?     28?     2·23
Boat Camp to sea-coast     36     86     25     111     18?     44?     1·92
Sea-coast to Cape Bryant     37?     103?     12     113     21?     471/??     1·74
Cape Bryant to Cape Britannia     60     118     ..     118     32     55?/??     1·87
Cape Britannia to farthest     95     95     ..     95     39?     48?     2·39
Total (out)     267?     469?     194     701     133?     223?     2·07
BACK.                            
Farthest to Cape Britannia     95     95     ..     95     37?     41?     2·52
Cape Britannia to Cape Bryant     60     60     ..     60     25?     28     2·33
Cape Bryant to Boat Camp     61?     61?     ..     61?     27?     36?     2·25
Boat Camp to Fort Conger     48     48     ..     48     22?     28?     2·13
Total (back)     264?     264?     ..     264?     112?     1342/??     2·34
Aggregate (out and back)     541     734     194     965?     24511/??     357?     2·20
Aggregate (out and back) in statute miles     623     ..     ..     1069            

Key to Headings:
    Adv: Advanced.
    Add: Additional miles traveled.
    Tr: Traveled.
    Tot: Total.
    MPH: Number of miles per hour.

The word “advanced,” both here and in the journal, refers to the simple distance from camp to camp, and the actual time occupied in making that distance—all stops deducted.

The word “traveled” includes total number of miles traveled—the number of miles advanced added to those traveled in going back and forth in “doubling up.” The time corresponding refers to the whole time from leaving one camp to arriving at the next, all stops included.

The “additional miles” refer to incidental journeys not numbered as marches.

The rate per hour is computed from the distance and time advanced.

The whole statement is confined to the dog-sledge.