38 



NATURE 



[Nov, 9, 1871 



west, along the coast line he had discovered in the 

 previous autumn. 



In regard to the first of these two journeys, that under- 

 taken over the ice towards the north, it is my duty to its 

 Commander and his followers to state that, knowing the 

 extremely rough road over which they would be obliged 

 to travel, I had little hope that they would reach a high 

 latitude, for their daily progress with light or heavy 

 sledges must necessarily be very slow. I thought it best, 

 nevertheless, to make the experiment, to prove whether or 

 not the Pole could be reached by a direct course over the 

 ice without continuous land along which to travel. 

 Having such willing and determined leaders as Com- 

 mander Markham and Lieut. Parr, and the pick of the 

 ship's company, who themselves were all chosen men out 

 of numbers at hand, I sent them forth with full confidence 

 that whatever was possible they would perform. 



In organising this party, nothing was known of the 

 movements of the Polar ice. I was even in doubt 

 whether it was not always in motion in the offing, conse- 

 quently I decided that boats must be carried of sufficient 

 capacity for navigation, and not merely for ferrying pur- 

 poses. This necessitated very heavyweights being dragged. 

 It was also necessary that the party should carry a heavy 

 load of provisions, or, owing to our clear weather and 

 lofty look-out station, we had previously ascertained that 

 no land existed within a distance of fifty miles of Cape 

 Joseph Henry. 



When a sledge party have to drag a boat even with only 

 a few days' provisions, and over a smooth floe, double 

 trips are necessary over the same road daily, in the same 

 manner as Sir Edward Parry was compelled to journey 

 in 1827, consequently, the utmost limit that could be 

 transported in this way with two trips on level ice was 

 chosen, and this provided the party for an absence from 

 the land for sixty-three days. The plan usually resorted 

 to of reducing the weights carried by the advance party by 

 providing a chain of supporting sledges is not applicable 

 when each assisting sledge requires a boat capable of 

 carrying its crew. 



On the day following the departure of our travelling 

 parties, Mr. Egerton and Lieut. Kawson returned from 

 the Discovery after a rough journey, with a tempe- 

 rature ranging between 44° and 15° below zero, but all in 

 good health and spirits, and beyond sore noses and tips 

 of fingers from frost-bites, were none the worse for their 

 cold journey. 



The news from the Discovery was most cheering with 

 the exception that, although they had succeeded in obtain- 

 ing upwards of thirty musk-oxen, one man was in the 

 sick list with a bad attack of scurvy. With this exception 

 the crew of the Discovery had passed a very comfortable 

 winter, plenty of cheerful work leading to and inducing 

 constant employment of mind and body, coupled with a 

 fair share of mirthful relaxation and a frequent meal of 

 fresh meat, I refer you. Sir, to Capt. Stephenson's full 

 report for a detail of his proceedings. His crew were 

 preparing for the exploration of Lady Franklin Sound 

 and the coast of Greenland, 



On April 8 the first supporting sledge returned from 

 Commander Markham's and Lieut, Aldrich's parties. 

 As usual on the first starting several of the travellers were 

 much distressed by the severe and unaccustomed work, 

 and the cold weather preventing sleep at night, but were 

 gradually improving. One man who had been ailing 

 slightly during the last month was sent back, and one of 

 the crew of the supporting sledge returned with a frost- 

 bite, the only serious case during the season, although the 

 travellers, on two days out of the six that this party were 

 away, experienced a temperature of — 46°. 



On April 10 Lieut. Wyatt Rawson and Sub-Lieut. 

 George Le Clere Egerton, having somewhat recovered 

 after their cold journey to the Discovery, equipped with 

 light sledges, started to ascertain the nature of the ice in 



Robeson Channel, and to mark a convenient road acros 

 it for the heavier exploring sledges coming north from th 

 Discovery under the command of Lieut. Lewis A. 

 Beaumont. 



On April 24 the second division of the supportin 

 sledges returned, reporting the main parties to have settle 

 steadily down to their work, and with the exception of on 

 marine suffering from debility who was sent back, all wer 

 in good health and capital spirits. The temperature ha 

 fortunately risen to about — 26 degrees. The very col 

 weather had tried the party much, and there had bee 

 numerous light cases of frost-bites, which but for the pn 

 sence and care of Dr. Moss might have proved seriou: 

 The appearance of the ice within six miles of the land wa 

 anything but cheenng to the northern party, but the 

 looked forward with hope that the floes would get larg{ 

 and less broken up as they advanced. Ench sledg 

 carried extra tea in lieu of the usual midday allowance < 

 spirits. Both men and officers were unanimous in favoi 

 of the change, and willingly put up with the misery ( 

 standing still in the cold with cold feet during the Ion 

 halt needed for the purpose of boiling the water, and a 

 agreed that they worked better after the tea lunch tha 

 during the forenoon. 



On the i6th Lieut. Lewis A. Beaumont and Dr. Richai 

 W. Coppinger arrived from the Discovery, having bee 

 ten days performing a travelling distance of seventy-si 

 miles with light sledges, so broken up and difficult w£ 

 the nature of the ice in Robeson Channel. They brougt 

 news that the ice was continuous and afforded fair trave 

 ling across Hall's Basin, and that the depot of provisior 

 at Polaris Bay was in good condition and fit for use. The; 

 circumstances enabled me to arrange for Lieut. Beaumoi 

 to proceed with lightly laden sledges along the Greenlan 

 coast to the eastward, and after completing his journey 1 

 fall back on the Polaris depot before June 15, by whic 

 time two boats would be carried across the straits froi 

 the Discovery, ready for his retreat should the ice ha\ 

 broken up. 



On the 18th Lieut. Rawson and Mr, Egerton returne( 

 having succeeded in crossing the channel without findin 

 more than the usual difficulties amongst the heavy hun 

 mocks, which they had now become so accustomed t 

 They had landed on the Greenland coast north of th 

 position marked as Repulse Harbour, which proves to t 

 only a slight indentation in the coast line, having a fresi 

 water lake inshore t f it, which from, an inland view migl 

 readily be mistaken for a harbour. 



On April 20 Lieut. Beaumont, accompanied by Lieu 

 Rawson and Dr, Coppinger, started for his Greenlan 

 exploration, the few days' rest having materially benefite 

 his men, who may be said to have started from the Di. 

 covery unexperienced in Arctic sledgmg, that ship havin 

 had no autumn travellmg in consequence of the ice r( 

 maining in motion until a very late period of the season, 



On April 23 Capt, Stephenson and Mr, Thomas Mitchel 

 assistant-paymaster in cliarge, arrived from the Discover 

 and I had the advantage of consulting with the form< 

 unreservedly concerning the prospects of our numerot 

 travellers then scattered over the neighbouring shorei 

 the two ships remaining tenanted only by officers and 

 few invalids. Arrangements were made for the exph 

 ration of Peiermann's Fiord, and should the season pro\ 

 favourable, for the examination of the ice-cap south ( 

 Bessels Bay. On April 30 Capt. Stephenson returned t 

 the Discovery. 



Until the latter end of May sledge parties were coi 

 tinually arriving or departing, carrying forward depots ( 

 provisions for the use of the distant parties on their returi 

 In carrying out these duties I was much indebted to D 

 Edward L. Moss, who again volunteered to command 

 sleage, and I the more readily availed myself of his sei 

 vices knowing that it would afford him a wider field fc 

 continuing his scientific studies. Mr, James Woottoi 



