GREBLY RELIEF EXPEDITION. 21 



Your stay at St. John's will be limited to the time actually needed to flU up with 

 coal, to receive twenty dogs, with their harness, to receive two pairs of sealskin boots 

 and one Elsinore cap for each person composing your sliip's company, and to make 

 inquiries as to the ice conditions to the northward. 



You will purchase, in addition, four ookgook (large seal) skins to be used for soling 

 boots. The foregoing articles, except the ookgook skins, have been ordered through 

 the United States consul at St. John's. 



After all supplies have been obtained you will proceed, as soon as practicable, to 

 Oodhaven, Disco, and thence to Upemavik, at which place you wi)l await the ar- 

 rival of the Thetis, except in the contingencies hereafter mentioned. 



In the interval you will call upon the Danish authorities, whom you will doubt- 

 less find ready and willing to render you any assistance. At this point you will secure 

 through the authorities an Esquimaux interpreter to act as driver for the dogs, en- 

 tering into an agreement for his services, paying him such compensation as the 

 authorities may deem proper and just; if possible, you will secure a similar person 

 for the Thetis and Alert to be ready on their arrival. 



Should you receive information before my arrival that Lieutenant Greely's party, 

 or any of them, have come as far south as Littleton Island, you are to seek the 

 earliest occasion when, in your judgment, it will be safe to attempt the passage 

 across MelviUe Bay in order to reach him. This fact you wUl. report to me in a com- 

 munication, to be left at Disco or Upemavik, or at both places. 



Should you not hear at Disco or Upemavik of Greely or his party having reached 

 Littleton Island, you may proceed beyond Upemavik, if any special circumstances 

 justify such movement; but, you will, under no circumstance, advance into Smith's 

 Sound until one of the vessels of the rehef expedition shall arrive at Littleton Island, 

 unless some unaccountable delay leads you to believe that no other ship will arrive, 

 in which case you will use your best judgment. 



In case of your advance beyond Upemavik, it is expected that you will proceed, 

 with caution, onward to Cape York or beyond, if necessary to Littleton Island; but 

 in navigating the ice through Melville Bay I would suggest the importance of keep- 

 ing in with the land ice, as the safest and surest means of working north, availing 

 yourself of the local knowledge of your ice pilot, as far as it may be useful; your 

 search then must include the coast and islands from Cape York onward. 



If it should be necessary to proceed onward before my arrival, you will leave 

 minute information for my guidance in following you; islands or headlands, at 

 which cairns are to be established with records, must be indicated with exactness, 

 and the situation described accurately, in order to avoid loss of time in searching 

 for them. 



If the information received should lead to the rescue of Lieutenant Greely and 

 his party, you wiU take them on board and return to Upemavik; in this event you 

 will leave a record of thefact at Littleton Island, Cape Parry, and at Conical Islandi 

 and while on your way south keep a bright lookout for the Thetis and Alert. 



From the moment of sailing for the destination indicated you will constantly 

 exercise the mo3t vigilant watch over the safe navigation of your vessel, and you 

 will institute such inspection of her, day and night, as will effectually guard against 

 fire or other casualty; when in the vicinity of ice you will at all times be on the alert 

 to avoid damage from collision with bergs or floe ice; during thick or foggy weather 

 joi will regulate the speed and signals in accordance with the maritime regula- 

 tions, and, upon all occasions, when near the land you wiU keep the lead going. 



In all matters of navigation much must be left to your judgment to seciire the 

 safety of your command, but you must always keep prominently in mind that the 

 region over which your ship is to pass, after reaching the latitude of Cape Farewell, 

 is not accurately surveyed, so that much of its navigation must of necessity be de- 

 termined by your judgment and alertness. 



