GREELY RELIEF EXPEDITION. 51 



in -working out of this heavy ice pack around the north side of Hak- 

 Inyt Islands, into a small space of open water on its southwest side. 

 Here we were detained until 3.30 p. m. hefore the ice permitted us to 

 ram our way into open water, under the south side of Northumher- 

 land Island, where we arrived ahout 5.30 p. m., when both ships 

 came to anchor on the edge of a large floe piece. All leads were 

 closed to the southward across Whale Sound. This position was 

 much exposed and the ships in much danger should any northerly 

 movement of the tide set the heavy floes against the south side of 

 Northumberland Island. The utmost vigilance was necessary to de- 

 tect the slightest opening in the ice across Whale Sound to effect es- 

 cape into more open water and to a less exposed situation. At 7.30 

 p. m. the tide changed, and fortunately there was but little wind. 

 The opening, as expected, began at this time, and both ships were 

 pushed into a lead near by, though it required some heavy ramming 

 for a distance of 6 miles to reach the open water that had made with 

 the change of tide under the land in the direction of Cape Parry, 

 where both ships arrived about midnight. 



A cairn was erected on the top of Cape Parry, in the most promi- 

 nent position to be seen in passing north or south. Orders and news 

 were left in this cairn for Commander Coffin. 



At 3 a. m., June 36, got under way and steamed towards Wolsten- 

 holm Island through a narrow lead. At a point near that island we 

 fell in with the Dundee whalers Jaen Maen, Esquimaux, Corn- 

 irallis, Narwhal, Triune, Nova Zemhla, and Polynia, and an- 

 nounced to most of them the news of the rescue of Lieutenant Greely 

 and six of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition. This was done in 

 order that they might not continue on into the dangers of Smith's 

 Sound or be led farther north, if they had so intended, in view of 

 the reward offered by Congress for the rescue of Lieutenant Greely 

 and his comrades. This was eight days after we had passed Cape 

 York. 



In connection with these splendid sailors of the Dundee fleet I 

 would state to the Department that they were most cordial to me 

 during the interval of time when the ice conditions of Melville Bay 

 kept us together. From them a vast amount of usefiil information 

 touching the navigation of this region was obtained, which aided 

 greatly, and increased my confidence much, in pushing the expedi- 

 tion into the perils of Melville Bay at that early period of a very 

 close and unfavorable season. At both Disco and Upernavik the 

 governors informed me that the season was the closest and severest 

 for thirty years. 



In their behalf I am glad to say that their appreciation of the deso- 

 late situation of Lieutenant Greely and his party in the Arctic regions 

 inspired them, as it did us, with a determination to assume any risk 

 necessary to reach the imperiled party. If the expedition had met 



