1 88 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



After leaving Cape Britannia, where they again obtained 

 the snow-shoes, deep snow was met, and Lockwood and 

 Brainard used the shoes for the first time, and, found 

 immense relief. Both bitterly regretted they had not 

 used them going north. 



From Cape Bryant to Polaris Boat Camp was passed 

 over in six marches. Here three of the supporting party 

 awaited their return. From this camp the whole party 

 crossed Robeson Channel to Cape Beechy in fourteen hours 

 in face of a violent snowstorm. Conger was reached on 

 1st June, after an absence of sixty days. 



The mean temperature during the outward part of this 

 journey was below zero. The distance of 276 miles entailed 

 travel of 470 miles. Lockwood personally during the 

 sixty days covered 1070 miles in forty-six marches. His 

 discoveries extended 95 miles along the North Green- 

 land coast beyond the farthest point seen by Beaumont. 



The winter at Conger had been of great severity, the 

 mean temperature for the 131 days without the sun being 

 -32-3°. 



On 19th May 1882, Greely visited the coal-mine. He 

 found the seam 200 yards long and extending 8 feet above 

 the level of the creek. An immense quantity of coal 

 could be easily mined. 



On 24th June, Greely with four men left for the 

 interior of Grinnell Land, through Black Rock Vale. A 

 two-wheeled wagon was used to carry the provisions, etc. 

 This valley was entirely barren of snow, and in most 

 places was covered with a comparatively luxuriant vegeta- 

 tion. Grasses or sedges 10 or 12 inches in height were 

 frequently noticed on the banks of a river. The tempera- 

 ture during the journey remained extremely high. On 

 one occasion the thermometer reached 74° F. in the shade, 

 and as many as fifty butterflies were seen in one day ! 



Beyond this valley, a system of small lakes, draining 



