172 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



years been engaged in the seal fishery of the Labrador 

 ice, and was one of the most experienced captains and 

 ice-navigators of Newfoundland. 



Greely's party, numbering twenty-three men in all, 

 left St. John's, Newfoundland, on 7th July 1881. 

 Lieutenant Kislingbury was the second in command, and 

 Lieutenant Lockwood was third. Dr. Pavy, the surgeon 

 of the expedition, had spent the preceding year in Green- 

 land, and joined the party at Godhavn. 



Gales and thick weather delayed the Proteus, and the 

 island of Disco, at Godhavn, was not reached until the 

 15th July. Twelve dogs with a supply of dog-food were 

 purchased here, and the Proteus again sailed on 21st July. 

 Some more dogs with food and other supplies were 

 obtained at Ritenbenk, and a considerable number of 

 sea-birds were shot and hung up in the rigging to dry. 

 At Upernavik two Eskimo were engaged : Thorlip 

 Frederik Christiansen, aged thirty-five, and Jens Edward, 

 aged thirty-eight. 



From the Berry Islands a direct course was laid for 

 Cape York, which was sighted on the 31st July. 

 Melville Bay had been found almost clear of ice, and 

 was crossed in the remarkably short period of thirty-six 

 hours. 



The Carey Islands were reached on the 1st of August, 

 and the cairn erected by Sir George Nares in 1875, and 

 also the depot of 3600 rations, were examined. On the 

 whole, the depot was still in good condition. 



A quantity of coal was landed on the extreme south- 

 western point of Littleton Island, and the mail landed 

 by Sir Allen Young for the English Expedition was dis- 

 covered at the extreme northern end of the west coast. 



To the northward from Littleton Island the sea was 

 entirely free from ice, and Greely decided not to touch 

 at Cape Sabine, but to shape a course for Cape Hawks. 



