FARTHEST NORTH WITH GREELY 



posed exploration of the northwestern coast of Greenland 

 was the principal subject of discussion, and the chief ambi- 

 tion of each member of the party was to be chosen for this 

 important work. The experiences of Hall and Beaumont 

 were exhaustively considered during the tedious weeks of 

 waiting, and the mental depression and melancholia, which 

 seemed the inevitable accompaniments of this dreary period 

 in the Arctic regions were somewhat relieved by the ex- 

 pectation that the expedition was destined to accomplish 

 wonderful things. 



During this time Lieutenant Greely formulated a com- 

 prehensive scheme of exploration covering three different 

 directions. To Lieutenant Lockwood was assigned the 

 northwest coast of Greenland, and that officer was directed 

 to assume complete charge of the field work, having all the 

 available resources of the expedition placed at his disposal, 

 including all the caches previously established. 



In the months of February and March several pre- 

 liminary journeys were made in unprecedentedly cold 

 weather, thus giving the party an experience in the details 

 of field work which later proved invaluable to it. One of 

 the most important of these journeys was made by Lieu- 

 tenant Lockwood, Sergeant Jewell, Eskimo Frederik, and 

 myself, across Robeson Channel, to the " Gap " and to the 

 grave of the gallant Hall, at Thank God Harbor. Return- 

 ing, we crossed the peninsula, back of Polaris Promontory, 

 to Newman Bay, and thence home by way of Capes Sumner 

 and Beechey. 



At last, all preparations being completed, Lieutenant 

 Lockwood organized his field force into two parties — the 

 main and the supporting. The former consisted of Lock- 

 wood, Jewell, and Frederik Christiansen, with a sledge and 

 team of eight dogs. The supporting party was composed 

 of ten men, commanded by myself, and was assigned 

 to Hudson Bay sledges dragged by hand as follows: 

 " Sledge Hayes," Sergeants Brainard, Ralston, and Private 

 Whisler; "Sledge Kane," Sergeant Linn and Corporal Eli- 

 son ; " Sledge Beaumont," Corporal Salor and Privates 

 Biederbick and Connell; " Sledge Hall," Privates Henry and 

 Frederick. 



Our little house at Fort Conger had been a valiant home 



57 



