Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-10-25

were QepOeibco- IeIscisJ III uOpcs ina
Capt. hgle6eld on his return would fint
them and convey them to England, b
! be forwarded to America. Their mos
important object, however, in landin;
at 1ittleleon Island was to deposite pro
visions and large metallic life boat
which, in case 8 disaster should over
take their vessel, they might be able Il
reach it and by it make their return t
Greenland. u i5t<
From Ettleleon Island they saw th'
first block of ice. They then pushed
on north, and the first ice they met will
was in latitude 78 deg. SO min. Th'
morning was foggy and as the iceberg
were floating by in considerable mum
bers they sent boat to look for har
Dor. A small harbor was found at the
coast where the vessel was moored, anC
boat parties were sent ahead to see i
there was any possible chance of get
ting any further. In a few days &
chance presented itself, the ice having
somewhat opened, and they passed OF
by means of warping and made tha
day about fifteen miles, passing three
small islands of rocks, none of which
exceeded hundred feet in diameter
They were subjected to a heavy nir
south of a point which corresponds in
description to Stafford Head, but for.
tunately escaped any damage. Abou
the first of September, found the expe
dition with bay ice forming about then
pretty thick, in latitude 78 deg. 81 min
Here they found deep bay running
between two headlands. They found
in this bay a good harbor, and moored
their ships there. This formed their
first winter harbor in the winter of '53
and '54. After our vessel was moored,
DR.. Kane started with party to exam
inc the ice north. They went with a
boat. The left their boat about ten
miles north of the ship, and then pro-
ceeded on foot. The party returned in
about week, having made a good
many forced marches, when they COM
menced making active preparations to
60 into winter quarters.
On August eed the party lost the sun
altogether. l went at dip below the
horizon for the first time, and the nights
began gradually to increase-grow lon
ger-until October %, when-having
the day previous just raised his face
above the borizon-the sun vanished
again, and did not honor them with his
smiles for four months more. At l9
O'Clock for two or three weeks there was
considerable twilight, but this was soon
lost, when for three months the twilight
was very iuconsiderable. The moon
light days and nights were beautifully
bright The vast extant of snow and
ice with its millions of mirrors rejecting
the silvery rays of the moon produced
brilliancy, beauty AMI grandeur Who'll
ly inconceivable to those who never have
made an excursion to these regions.
These illumined scenes were generally
edged by black, scraggy and barren
rocks, which added to the mysterious
sublimity of the whole.
The first winter which this expedi-
ton experienced is remarkable for being
one of the severest and the longest in
darkness ever experienced by civilized
man. When the cold began to increase
it was 10 deg. below zero early in Sep
tember, and as the season advanced,
although it proved to be much milder
winter than many described by the ma
tives, 48 deg. so Odeg. and so deg. below
zero was recorded. Early in November
if not on the last of October, at tenn
perature of 49 deg. below zero, old
Monongahela whiskey-so famous for
its strength-was converted into ice.
A portion of the first winter passed
very smoothly. 1t was a period of rest
and amusement; but as the light began
to dawn and the spring to draw nigh,
preparations were made for sledging.
As early as the middle Of March
party was sent out for the purpose of
reaching the west shore. The cold was
intense, and the great obstacle was the
hummocks that obstructed the progress
of the travellers.
Later in the spring, when the wealth
er became warmer, another party star
ted, which was led on by DR.. Kane.
They started with dogs and sledges.
They crossed the sound and returned
safely.
Another party was sent out to large
glacier of eighty miles in extent. The
extremity Of this glacier was the most
northerly limit of the field of search.
Beyond this glacier the land altered its
trend, it having trended from the vicini-
ty of Staford's head about east, nearer
east than north. Beyond this it tren-
ded again to the north, and when the
whole bay was frozen up, from a short
distance north of this glacier was dis
covered channel of open water run
ming north and south. In and along
this stream were innumerable cetacia
and birds.
The extreme severity Of the previous
season made it evident that the brig
could not be liberated before the winter
set in. She was fast imprisoned in a
large field Office The provisions, though
abundant, were not calculated to resist
scurvy; and the fuel. owing to the emer-
gency of the present winter, was def
cient in nuantitv TIndar tbasa c;rc,,,,