In the month of December 1852, I had the honour of receiving special orders from the Secretary of the Navy of the United States, to “conduct an expedition to the Arctic Seas in search of Sir John Franklin.”
I had been engaged, under Lieutenant1 De Haven2, in the Grinnell Expedition, which sailed from the United States in 1850 on the same errand; and I had occupied myself for some months after our return in maturing the scheme of a renewed effort to rescue the missing party, or at least to resolve the mystery of its fate. Mr Grinnell, with a liberality altogether characteristic, had placed the Advance, in which I sailed before, at my disposal for the cruise; and Mr Peabody of London, the generous representative of many American sympathies, had proffered3 his aid largely toward her outfit4. The Geographical5 Society of New York, the Smithsonian Institution, the American Philosophical6 Society, and a number of scientific association and ? 10 ? friends of science besides, had come forward to help me; and by their aid I managed to secure a better outfit for purposes of observation than would otherwise have been possible to a party so limited in numbers, and absorbed in other objects.
Ten of our little party belonged to the United States Navy, and were attached to my command by orders from the Department; the others were shipped by me for the cruise, and at salaries entirely7 disproportioned to their services: all were volunteers. We did not sail under the rules that govern our national ships; but we had our own regulations, well considered and announced beforehand, and rigidly8 adhered to afterward9 through all the vicissitudes10 of the expedition. These included—first, absolute subordination to the officer in command, or his delegate; second, abstinence from all intoxicating11 liquors, except when dispensed12 by special order; third, the habitual13 disuse of profane14 language. We had no other laws.
All hands counted, we were eighteen at the time of sailing. Another joined us a few days afterward; so that the party under my command, as it reached the coast of Greenland, consisted of—
Elisha Kent Kane, Commander.
Henry Brooks15, First Officer. Isaac I. Hayes, M.D., Surgeon.
John Wall Wilson. August Sontag, Astronomer16.
James M’Gary. Amos Bonsall.
George Riley. George Stephenson.
William Morton. George Whipple.
Christian17 Ohlsen. William Godfrey.
Henry Goodfellow. John Blake.
Jefferson Baker18.
Peter Schubert.
Thomas Hickey.
Two of these, Brooks and Morton, had been my associates ? 11 ? in the first expedition; gallant19 and trustworthy men, both of them, as ever shared the fortunes or claimed the gratitude20 of a commander.
The Advance had been thoroughly21 tried in many encounters with the Arctic ice. She was carefully inspected, and needed very little to make her all a seaman22 could wish. She was a brig of one hundred and forty-four tons, intended originally for carrying heavy castings from an iron-foundry, but strengthened afterward with great skill and at large expense. She was a good sailor, and easily managed. We had five boats; one of them a metallic23 life-boat.
Equipment
Our equipment consisted of little else than a quantity of rough boards, to serve for housing over the vessel24 in winter, some tents of India-rubber and canvas, of the simplest description, and several carefully-built sledges26, some of them on a model furnished me by the kindness of the British Admiralty, others of my own devising.
Our store of provisions was chosen with little regard to luxury. We took with us some two thousand pounds of well-made pemmican,[C] a parcel of Borden’s meat-biscuit, some packages of an exsiccated potato, resembling Edwards’s, some pickled cabbage, and a liberal quantity of American dried fruits and vegetables; besides these, we had the salt beef and pork of the navy ration27, hard biscuit, and flour. A very moderate supply of liquors, with the ordinary et ceteras of an Arctic cruiser, made up the diet-list. I hoped to procure28 some fresh provisions in addition, before reaching the upper coast of Greenland; and I carried some barrels of malt, with a compact apparatus29 for brewing30.
[C] Pemmican, cured meat, pulverized31, mixed with fat and packed in hermetically sealed cases.
We had a moderate wardrobe of woollens, a full supply ? 12 ? of knives, needles, and other articles for barter32, a large, well-chosen library, and a valuable set of instruments for scientific observations.
We left New York on the 30th of May 1853, escorted by several noble steamers; and, passing slowly on to the Narrows amid salutes33 and cheers of farewell, cast our brig off from the steam-tug and put to sea.
It took us eighteen days to reach St John’s, Newfoundland. The Governor, Mr Hamilton, a brother of the Secretary of the Admiralty, received us with a hearty34 English welcome; and all the officials, indeed all the inhabitants, vied with each other in efforts to advance our views. I purchased here a stock of fresh beef, which, after removing the bones and tendons, we compressed into rolls by wrapping it closely with twine35, according to the nautical36 process of marling, and hung it up in the rigging.
After two days we left this thriving and hospitable37 city; and, with a noble team of Newfoundland dogs on board, the gift of Governor Hamilton, headed our brig for the coast of Greenland.
We reached Baffin’s Bay without incident. We took deep-sea-soundings as we approached its axis38, and found a reliable depth of nineteen hundred fathoms39: an interesting result, as it shows that the ridge40, which is known to extend between Ireland and Newfoundland in the bed of the Atlantic, is depressed41 as it passes further to the north. A few days more found us off the coast of Greenland, making our way toward Fiskernaes, the harbour of which we entered on the 1st of July, amid the clamour of its entire population, assembled on the rocks to greet us.
We found Mr Lassen, the superintending official of the Danish Company, a hearty single-minded man, fond of his wife, his children, and his pipe. The visit of our brig ? 13 ? was, of course, an incident to be marked in the simple annals of his colony; and, even before I had shown him my official letter from the Court of Denmark, he had most hospitably42 proffered everything for our accommodation. We became his guests, and interchanged presents with him before our departure; this last transaction enabling me to say, with confidence, that the inner fiords[D] produce noble salmon-trout; and that the reindeer-tongue, a recognised delicacy43 in the old and new Arctic continents, is justly appreciated at Fiskernaes.
[D] Fiord, an abrupt44 inlet of the sea.
Hans Christian
Feeling that our dogs would require fresh provisions, which could hardly be spared from our supplies on shipboard, I availed myself of Mr Lassen’s influence to obtain an Esquimaux hunter for our party, he recommended to me one Hans Christian, a boy of nineteen, as an expert with the kayack and javelin45; and after Hans had given me a touch of his quality by spearing a bird on the wing, I engaged him. He was fat, good-natured, and, except under the excitements of the hunt, very stolid46 and unimpressible. He stipulated47 that, in addition to his very moderate wages, I should leave a couple of barrels of bread and fifty-two pounds of pork with his mother; and I became munificent48 in his eyes when I added the gift of a rifle and a new kayack. We found him very useful; our dogs required his services as a caterer49, and our own table was more than once dependent on his energies.
Bidding good-bye to the governor, whose hospitality we had shared liberally, we put to sea on Saturday, the 10th, beating to the northward50 and westward51 in the teeth of a gale52.
From the time we left Fiskernaes, we had the usual delays from fogs and adverse53 currents, and did not reach ? 14 ? the neighbourhood of Wilcox Point, which defines Melville Bay, until the 27th of July.
On the 16th we passed the promontory54 of Swarte-huk, and were welcomed the next day at Proven by my old friend Christiansen, the superintendent55, and found his family much as I left them three years before. Frederick, his son, had married a native woman, and added a summer tent, a half-breed boy, and a Danish rifle, to his stock of valuables. My former patient, Anna, had united fortunes with a fat-faced Esquimaux, and was the mother of a chubby56 little girl. Madame Christiansen, who counted all these and so many others as her happy progeny57, was hearty and warm-hearted as ever. She led the household in sewing up my skins into various serviceable garments; and I had the satisfaction, before I left, of completing my stock of furs for our sledge25 parties.
Coasting along, we passed in succession the Esquimaux settlement of Kingatok, the Kettle—a mountain-top, so named from the resemblances of its profile—and finally Yotlik, the furthest point of colonisation; beyond which, save the sparse58 headlands of the charts, the coast may be regarded as unknown. Then, inclining more directly toward the north, we ran close to the Baffin Islands, sighted the landmark59 which is known as the Horse’s Head, and passing the Duck Islands, bore away for Wilcox Point.
“The Bergy Hole”
We stood lazily along the coast, with alternations of perfect calm and off-shore breezes, generally from the south or east; but on the morning of the 27th of July, as we neared the entrance of Melville Bay, a heavy ice-fog settled around us. We could hardly see across the decks, and yet were sensible of the action of currents carrying us we knew not where. By the time the sun had scattered60 the mist, Wilcox Point was to the south of us; and our ? 15 ? little brig, now fairly in the bay, stood a fair chance of drifting over toward Devil’s Thumb, which then bore east of north. The bergs which infest61 this region, and which have earned for it among the whalers the title of the “Bergy Hole,” showed themselves all around us—we had come in among them in the fog.
It was a whole day’s work, towing with both boats; but toward evening we had succeeded in crawling off shore, and were doubly rewarded for our labour with a wind. I had observed with surprise, while we were floating near the coast, that the land-ice was already broken and decayed; and I was aware, from what I had read, as well as what I had learned from whalers and observed myself of the peculiarities62 of this navigation, that the in-shore track was in consequence beset63 with difficulty and delays. I made up my mind at once. I would stand to the westward until arrested by the pack,[E] and endeavour to double Melville Bay by an outside passage. A chronicle of this transit64, condensed from my log-book, will interest the reader:—
[E] Pack, a large area of broken floating ice.
“July 28.—Born up to the northward and eastward65, heading for Cape66 York in tolerably free water.
“July 29.—Entered broken ice, intending to work to the northward and eastward, above or about Sabine Islands, in search of the north eastern land-ice. The breeze freshened off-shore, breaking up and sending out the floes, the leads[F] rapidly closing. Fearing a besetment, I determined68 to fasten to an iceberg69; and after eight hours of very heavy labour, warping70, planting ice-anchors succeeded in effecting it.
[F] Lead, a navigable opening in the ice.
“We had hardly a breathing spell, before we were ? 16 ? startled by a set of loud, crackling sounds above us; and small fragments of ice, not larger than a walnut71, began to dot the water like the first drops of a summer shower. The indications were too plain; we had barely time to cast off, before the face of the berg fell in ruins, crashing like artillery72.
“Our position, in the mean time, had been critical, a gale blowing off the shore, and the floes closing and scudding73 rapidly. We lost some three hundred and sixty fathoms of whale-line, which were caught in the floes, and had to be cut away to release us from the drift. It was a hard night for boat-work, particularly with those of the party who were taking their first lessons in floe67[G] navigation.
[G] Floe, a portion of ice detached from the main body.
“July 30.—Again moored74 alongside of an iceberg. Holding on for clearer weather. Two lively bears seen about 2 A.M. The ‘Red Boat,’ with Petersen and Hayes, got one; I took one of the quarter-boats, and shot the other.
“August 1.—Beset thoroughly with drifting ice, small rotten floe-pieces. But for our berg, we would now be carried to the south; as it is, we drift with it to the north and east.
“About 10 P.M. the immediate75 danger was past; and, espying76 a lead to the north-east, we got under weigh, and pushed over in spite of the drifting trash. The men worked with a will, and we bored through the floes in excellent style.”
On our road we were favoured with a gorgeous spectacle, which hardly any excitement of peril77 could have made us overlook. The midnight sun came out over the northern crest78 of the great berg, our late “fast friend,” kindling79 variously-coloured fires on every part of its surface, and ? 17 ? making the ice around us one great resplendency of gem80 work, blazing carbuncles, and rubies81 and molten gold.
Our brig went crunching82 through all this jewellery; and, after a tortuous83 progress of five miles, arrested here and there by tongues which required the saw and ice-chisels, fitted herself neatly84 between two floes. Here she rested till toward morning, when the leads opened again, and I was able, from the crow’s-nest, to pick our way to a larger pool some distance ahead. In this we beat backward and forward, like gold-fish seeking an outlet85 from a glass jar, till the fog caught us again; and so the day ended.
Everything now depended upon practical ice knowledge; and, as I was not willing to trust any one else in selecting the leads for our course, I spent the whole day with M’Gary at the mast-head.
The North Water
At midnight we were clear of the bay and its myriads86 of discouragements. The North Water, our highway to Smith’s Sound, was fairly ahead.
We succeeded, not without some laborious87 boring and serious risks of entanglement88 among the broken ice-fields. But we managed, in every instance, to combat this last form of difficulty by attaching our vessel to large icebergs89, which enabled us to hold our own, however swiftly the surface floes were pressing by us to the south. Four days of this scarcely varied90 yet exciting navigation brought us to the extended fields of the pack, and a fortunate north-wester opened a passage for us through them. We were now in the North Water.
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1
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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5
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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7
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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8
rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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9
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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10
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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11
intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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12
dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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13
habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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14
profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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15
brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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16
astronomer
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| n.天文学家 | |
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17
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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18
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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20
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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21
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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23
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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24
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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25
sledge
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| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
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sledges
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| n.雪橇，雪车( sledge的名词复数 )v.乘雪橇( sledge的第三人称单数 )；用雪橇运载 | |
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ration
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| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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30
brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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pulverized
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| adj.[医]雾化的，粉末状的v.将…弄碎( pulverize的过去式和过去分词 )；将…弄成粉末或尘埃；摧毁；粉碎 | |
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32
barter
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| n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易 | |
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salutes
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| n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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34
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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35
twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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36
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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37
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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axis
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| n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线 | |
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39
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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40
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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41
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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42
hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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43
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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45
javelin
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| n.标枪，投枪 | |
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46
stolid
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| adj.无动于衷的，感情麻木的 | |
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47
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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48
munificent
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| adj.慷慨的，大方的 | |
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49
caterer
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| n. 备办食物者，备办宴席者 | |
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50
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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51
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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52
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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53
adverse
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| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
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54
promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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55
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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56
chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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progeny
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| n.后代，子孙；结果 | |
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58
sparse
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| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
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59
landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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60
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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61
infest
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| v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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64
transit
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| n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过 | |
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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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66
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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floe
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| n.大片浮冰 | |
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68
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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69
iceberg
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| n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人 | |
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70
warping
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| n.翘面，扭曲，变形v.弄弯，变歪( warp的现在分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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71
walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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72
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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73
scudding
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| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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74
moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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espying
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| v.看到( espy的现在分词 ) | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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kindling
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| n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式 | |
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gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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rubies
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| 红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色 | |
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82
crunching
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| v.嘎吱嘎吱地咬嚼( crunch的现在分词 )；嘎吱作响；（快速大量地）处理信息；数字捣弄 | |
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tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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outlet
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| n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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87
laborious
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| adj.吃力的，努力的，不流畅 | |
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entanglement
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| n.纠缠，牵累 | |
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icebergs
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| n.冰山，流冰( iceberg的名词复数 ) | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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