52 GREELY RELIEF EXPEDITION. 



with accident some of these noble men wouM have reached Greely, 

 though, as the sequel has demonstrated, too late to have saved the 

 few survivors we had the good fortune to reach in time. 



Continuing onward we reached the land ice near Saunders Island 

 about 9 a. m. , June 36, and both ships were secured to it with ice 

 anchors. On account of a very low barometer, 29.10 inches, and 

 strong northerly wind then blowing, I remained at this point until 

 7.30 p. m. in order to avoid being caught in a more exposed position 

 in the heavy ice floes south of it. 



Notwithstanding this low barometer the weather continued fine. 

 Another move was made towards Conical Rock and Cape York. Very 

 heavy ice was met in passing Cape Athol and the Petowik Glacier. 

 Towards midnight of the same day the wind hauled suddenly to the 

 southwest and packed the ice so densely that it was found impossible 

 to reach Conical Rock. Both ships were, therefore, secured under 

 the lee of small bergs. Securing this ship in a strong tideway she 

 collided with a berg and lost a part of her head booms. 



At 3.30 a. m., June 37, the iceberg to which the Thetis was fast 

 pivoted round and exposed the ship to very heavy floe ice driven by 

 wind and tide up Smith's Sound. 



As the Bear appeared to be more secure under the lee of a steadier 

 berg the Thetis steamed over and sent a line to her to hold on by. 

 The wind freshened up and her ice anchors slipped, so that both 

 ships were obliged to keep under way during the rest of the night, 

 holding the largest open water space available until a favorable lead 

 opened toward Conical Rock about 4.30 a. m. Steaming through 

 this lead Interpreter Hans Hansen, Eskimo, of the Bear, bounded 

 over the rail and attempted to reach the Petowik Glacier by cross- 

 ing over the ice floes. After an exciting race to cut him off we suc- 

 ceeded in capturing him an hour afterwards. It was discovered that 

 he was somewhat oiit of his mind. He was landed and discharged 

 at Upernavik at the request of Governor Elberg. 



Conical Rock was reached at 7 a. m., and both ships were secured 

 to grounded bergs on its north side. Orders and news of Lieutenant 

 Greely's rescue were left for Commander Coflin in the cairn we had 

 built in going north. 



By 9 a. m. the weather had so much improved that both ships got 

 under way and steamed through tortuous leads, ramming their way 

 in a number of instances through the pack ice nearly up to Cape 

 York, when dense fog, with occasional snow, set in. 



Abreast, and to the westward, of Cape York a formidable ice bar- 

 rier was met, which forced the ships to the westward about 18 

 miles, in order to gain more advantageous leads. During this de- 

 tour, in foggy weather and in snow squalls, it was often almost im- 

 possible to distinguish leads, but after some hours of anxious work 



