GREELY RELIEF EXPEDITION. 37 



The pack of lower Smith's Sound, studded with hummocky pack ice, 

 was very formidable in appearance. The strong tides made it danger- 

 ous in movement. About midnight the pack to the northward was 

 examined, but finding it impenetrable and impassable the Thetis was 

 forced to return and moor again to an iceburg, grounded under the lee 

 of Conical Rock, until 1.45 p. m., June 19, when the southerly wind, 

 which had sprung up that morning shifted, and the ice under the 

 tidal influence had become slacker. Another advance was made 

 after considerable ramming and by using torpedoes, when practica- 

 ble, until open water was gained some hours later near Capes Dudley 

 Digg's and Athol. Ten hours of hard work through the pack, fol- 

 lowing narrow and winding leads amongst hummocky floes, brought 

 the Thetis up to a narrow open water space about the western end of 

 Wolstenholm Island, where a cairn was erected and notices depos- 

 ited for Emory and Coffin. This concluded, she was continued on- 

 ward to Saunders Island, where she arrived about 3 a. m. of June 

 20. At this latter island we met a large number of natives, but could 

 learn nothing from them of the Greely party. Indeed they were not 

 even aware that any white men were in the north country. 



Some broken oars and pieces of wood were given the natives for 

 their kayaks, and some bread and meat to encourage them to acts of 

 friendliness to others coming after us. The uncertainties of the 

 navigation in these regions suggested the importance of cultivating 

 kindly relations towards the natives, who had on previous occasions 

 aided parties returning after disaster from the northward. 



The coast and islands up to this point had been carefully searched 

 with glasses, but Avithout discovering any indications of Greely's 

 party. The natives here stated that during the early spring, before , 

 the ice had broken, a party of them had hunted well off on the ice, 

 towards the Carey Islands, but had not seen anything to indicate that 

 any white men were there. This information determined me to move 

 to the northward with all dispatch from Saunders" Island, about 5 a. 

 m., for Cape Parry and Littleton Island. 



Great difficulty was experienced during this entire day in working 

 my way through the very heavy and very troublesome ice, studded 

 as it was with numerous large hummocks. Cape Parry was reached, 

 however, about 2.30 p. m., and another cairn erected on its western 

 side, and records were left in it for Lieutenant Emory and Comman- 

 der Coffin. 



Leaving Cape Parry, this vessel grounded upon a sunken rock, 

 not marked on my small scale chart, but as her speed at this time 

 was about two knots no injury of consequence was sustained. 



Standing across Whale Sound, through very heavy ice, ramming 

 frequently through tongues connecting large floes, Northumberland 

 and Hakluyt Islands were reached about 8.30 p. m., and examined 

 carefully in turn without results. We continued onward to Little- 



