The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-17 00:00:00

THE VOYAGE OF THE " EIRA " TO

FRANZ-JOSEF LAND.

At an ordinary meeting of the Royal Geographical
Society, held in London on Monday night in the
theatre of the London University, a paper on the
second voyage of the Eira to Franz-Josef Land was
in the absence of Mr. Leigh Smith, who was suffering
from a cold, read by Mr. Neale, the doctor with the
expedition. The great hall was filled and several dis-
tinguished Arctic explorers were present.
Lord Aberdare, the President of the Society, who
was in the chair, after expressing his regret at the
absence of the author of the paper, referred to Mr.
Leigh Smith's previous voyages, mentioning his voyage
in 1872 to Spitzbergen.

Mr. Neale then read the paper, of which The Times
of Tuesday gave the following account :
Leaving Peterhead on the 14th of June, 1881, with
a company of 25 explorers, officers and men, with the
objent of extending and completing the knowledge a
the coasts of Franz-Josef Land acquired during the
previous season of 1880, the Eira met the ice on the
22nd of June in 72deg. 45min. N. and long. 17deg.
20min. E., and the edge was followed until the 30th,
when Novaya Zemlya was sighted. As no opening
was found in the ice an attempt was made to enter
the Kara Sea, which failed.
On the 13th of July an opening was found in the
ice, and te Eira steamed northward through large
water-holes, the ice being, for the most part, very
much decayed. But as they advanced northwards it
became much closer and thicker and many large floes
were passed. One was at least fifteen miles long.
Several necks of ice had to be charged and broken
through, and twice the Eira was caught between large
floes, but she received no damage.
After ten days of ice navigation the goal was
reached. Franz-Josef Land was sighted on the 23rd
of July, the Eira steaming towards Cape Ludlow, and
reaching a point further west than she had got in
1880.

Having experienced some thick weather, and finding
little chance of penetrating further north, the Eira
steamed inshore and, passing between icebergs and
overhanging glaciers, entered Gray Bay, where it was
quite calm, and the sun was shining brightly. Many
walrus were basking on patches of ice, and 17 were
shot. Near the ship was an old sea beach 90ft. above
the level of the sea, and cliffs of columnar basalt about
800 ft. high. Many flowers were in bloom, among them
a potentilla, which had not been found before on
Franz-Josef Land. Having made some short trips,
the explorers returned to Bell Island, and built a
storehouse with materials brought out for the par-
pqse. This house was christened Eira Lodge, and in
its honour a dinner was given on board the steamer,
and a concert and ball afterwards in the lodge. Mr.
Smith was prevented by ice from proceeding in search
of the Jeannette.

On Sunday morning, the 21st of August, the sun
was shining brightly and it was nearly calrd: There
was nothing to warn the explorers of the approach of
a disaster that was near at hand. The pack ice came
in with the tide, and the Eira was caught between it
and the land floe. She was protected by a grounded
berg, and for some time no serious injury was done to
her, although she received several severe nips.
Suddenly, when the worst seemed to be over,
the berg gave way, and shortly afterwards the
Eira heeled over to port away from the land floe,
and it is supposed that a tongue of ice went through
her aide. All hands were at once employed in passing
provisions out, and in saving all that could be got
at. As the good ship went down the ice caught her
jib.boom and broke it short off. Then the lower yards
held her for a few seconds and righted her. But they
soon broke in the slings with a loud crash, the yard
arms turning up as she settled down. "She's awa' 1"
the men exclaimed sorrowfully, "she was our home ;
she was a bonny ship." When she reached the bottom
in eleven fathoms the main and fore topmasts were
still above water. Looking down from the ice they
could see her quite distinctly, and did not perceive
any injury done to her hull. A tent was rigged up on
the ice, made of spars and sails rescued from the ship,
a fire was lighted and tea was made. Then, after a
good sapper, no one having eaten anything since
breakfast, all turned in except the watch.
Early next morning they began to take the stores that
had been saved to Cape Flora in the boats, and when
everything had been landed, a tent was pitched on an
old sea beach covered with turf and flowers, about
201 t. above the level of the sea. Thus were 25 men
left shelterless on those icy shores to face the rigours
of an Arctic winter, and they at once set to work with
pluck and resolution, confident in themselves and
firmly trusting in their leader. They at first intended
to make for the storehouse erected a few days before
at Bell Island. But there was so much ice in the
channel, that it was impossible to get across, so they
set to work collecting driftwood, and preparing to
winter on Cape Flora. On August 26 they began
to build a hut of turf and stones; the cold in the
tent was so intense that the men could not sleep; the
wind blew it down and the rain came through every.
thing. The rest of the month was spent in shooting
looms, walrus, and bears. Their very existenae
depended on their success in obtaining fresh animal
food and it was most providential that, in this part of
the Arctic regions, it was possible to live on the re-
sources of the country throughout the winter.
Eire Harbour was visited on September 1, the boat
crossing Gunther Channel to the storehouse on Bell
Island, a distance of 12 miles. Poles for roofing the
hut, some salt, and six bags of coal were brought back.
During the autumn 21 bears, 13 walrus, and about
1,200 looms were shot.

By the end of October the birds had all departed.
Besides the 25 human beings three other shipmates
were landed at Cape Flora. One was a black retriever
"Bob," a most useful companion, who often found
bears and walrus and gave timely warning to his human
friends. The other shipmates were a kitten and a
poor little canarybird which survived until New Year's
Eve. The provisions landed from the ship consisted
of 1,5001 b. of flour, 4001 b. of bread, a barrel of salt
meat, I,ooolb. of preserved meat, and 8001 b. of soups;
tobacco enough to give each man 2oz. a week, 60 gal.
ions of rum, a few cases of brandy and whiskey, some
sherry, six dozen of champagne, plenty of preserved
vegetables and some small stores.

All the coal was used by January 8, and from that
time the only fuel was blubber The preserved meats
and soups were kept for the boat voyage, and were
not used during the winters. They had no limejuize.
Breakfast for all hands consisted of about 101 b. of
bear and walrus meat, cut up small, and made into
soup with some vegetables. Each man had also a pint
of tea with sugar and milk. This meal was served at
8 a.m. For dinner at 12 30 they had sconce, made with
151 b. of bear or walrus boiled with vegetables, each man
also having a dough-boy made with lb. of flour and
boiled in the soup. Five o'clock tea consisted of 101 b.
of meat made into soup with vegetables and a pint of
tea. A glass of rum was served out at six p.m. On
Saturdays there was a larger allowance of rum. The
ship's cook, named Masson, a hardworking, cheerful
fellow, did all the cooking, except of the dough-boys,
which were made by Captain Lofley while the flour
lasted, It came to an end on the 30th of April. The
cook was at work from six a.m. to six p.m., and often
it was very, trying and disagreeable work; while his
mate, a lad of 16, cut up the blubber and wood,
and helped in other ways. Dr. Neale undertook the
duty of weighing out the provisions, and serving out
the meals in twenty-five cans made of old provision
tins. These were handed to the men, who sat up in
bed and ate their food like so many blackbirds in a
nest. On Sunday morning, at 9.30, the ship's bell
rang for prayers, and Dr. Neale performed Divine
service. There were festivities, consisting of a grand
dinner, followed by a concert, on Christmas Eve and
New Year's Eve.

During the winter the men employed themselves in
making and mending clothes and boots and in darning
and stitching stockings. Several musical instruments
had been saved and the men amused themselves by
playing and singing. They also had several packs of
cards and often played euchre and other games.

There was not much total darkness; even on the
21st of December there was about four hours' twilight.
The moon was only away ten days each month, when
she would have been of little use, and remained always
above the horizon for some days before and after full
moon. The auroras were not frequent or brilliant;
they resembled, thin gossamer clouds lighted by the
moon.

The most important work during the winter was
the capture of bears and walrus, and in this the
retriever "Bob" was a most efficient auxiliary. On
one occasion his zeal led to his receiving a hug from a
bear before it died. By diligent watchfulness, by
being always on the alert, and aided greatly by
" Bob's " sagacity, sufficient fresh meat was obtained
to last throughout the winter.

In May the men were busy making sails for the
boats and preparing for the attempt to escape south.
ward as soon as navigation was possible. The weight
of the boats made it impracticable to drag them for
any distance over the ice. There were no means of
undertaking sledging expeditions, but the state of the
ice up the fiords showed that much exploring work
might easily have been done by sledges, and that a con-
siderable extent of coast line could have been examined
by travelling parties. On the 21st of June the party took
their last meal in the hut, and, leaving six bottles of
champagne in the hut for any one who might call,
launched their boats and made sail for the south. Th
circumstances of their meeting with the relief expedi
tion have already been reported in the papers.
Captain Sir Allen Young, in the discussion which
followed, took occasion to express his thanks to the
distinguished foreigners, Baron Nordenskjold, Com-
modore Jansen (Royal Dutch Navy), and Captain.
Payer, of the Austrian Tegethoff expedition, and
also to the Lord a of the Admiralty for permitting
four experienced naval officers to accompany him in
the Hope. •

Mr. Craig Sellar, M.P., acknowledged on behalf of
Mr. Leigh Smith's family the interest shown in the
fate of the expedition by this society and by the
Admiralty.
Sir Leopold M'Olintock remarked on the shortness

of the time within which the miming expedition had
been found.

Sir George Nam drew some lessons from the expe-
rience of the explorers; and Mr, Clements Markham
read some observations made by his cousin Captain •
Markham, who was unable to be present, and who
urged that in return for the assistance given by the
Americans in the search for the Franklin expedition,
we should assist in the search for the Jeannette.

Lord Aberdare proposed a vote of thanks to Mr,
Leigh Smith for his paper, and the proceedings ended,