The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-11-16
Signal Service Operations Near the
North Pole.
CAMPING IN SNOW HUTS,
Lieutenant Rays Record Of
Arctic MeteorolOgy.

document. This Government has two stations
one at Lady Franklin Bay and the other at
-Ooglaamie That at Lady Franklin Bay is the
highest station maintained by any government.
Relief parties were sent to both stations early
in the summer. Lieut. Powell succeeded in
reaching Lieut.. Ray at OOglaamie, and brings
back an interesting report of their life there.
Lieut.. Ray sets forth the progress made in es-
tablishing the stations in the face of extreme
cold weather and great discomforts.
By the 22d of September the building was so
far advanced that they moved in all the stores
that were likely to become damaged by the
weather, and the whole party moved in on Oc-
tober 8. More or less snow had fallen during
this time, and the ice was five inches thick in
the inlet, but the sea still remained open, with
no heavy ice in sight. A strong current setting
continuously to the northeast along this shore
kept the young ice from becoming solid; but
the sea was covered with loose pancakes of ice
as far as the eye could reach. Storms of snow
and sleet continued up to late in October.
There was not single place between the sta
ton and the extreme point where the observa-
tory could be safely built without carrying
the stores long distance back from the beach,
which was impossible with such a small party.
There was never a time after the Golden
Fleece sailed, and before the sea was closed by
ice, that it would have been possible to have
landed the stores. As it was, there was not
pound of stores lost or damaged, or an instru-
ment injured.
The inside work of the main building was
completed after the party moved in, and at the
same time the meteorological instruments were
placed, and hourly observations in that depart
ment were commenced October II. Posts II
inches square were set into the frozen earth to
depth of one foot, and cemented into their
places by pouring water around them and allow
ing it to freeze. These piers answered every
purpose, were perfectly solid and did not
change their position in the slightest degree
and when the observatory was taken down this
summer
THE ICE WAS UNMELTED
around their bases. After December l, 1881,
hourly magnetic observations were made and
the galvanometer observations began in August
In the department of natural history every
effort has been made to make the collection as
perfect as possible. hesupply of fresh meats is
limited at the station, but sufficient can always
be obtained for q party of this size. Reindeer
and seal only can be depended on. During the
summer few reindeer came as far north as the
station, but they cannot be found in any num-
Der this side of Dease Inlet or north of Refuge
Inlet. During the winter they cannot be found
in any numbers north of latitude 70o Seal
can be taken all through the winter after the
sea closes by means Of nets, set after the man
ner of the natives at their breathing holes
The meat of the white whale was found to be
excellent for food. Last fall about 500 pounds
of deer meat was purchased from the natives
before the winter set in.
THERE is NO FUEL
to be found in this vicinity except drift which
is chiefly cottonwood or balm of inferior quail
ity.
The natives have, as a rule, behaved in a
very friendly manner, and those belonging to
Ooglaamie, especially, rendered valuable assist
ance when the party landed, both in landing
stores from the ship in their canoes and in car
rying them from the beach to the station.
The sending of the revenue cutter into this
sea a month or two after the fleet has entered
is farce, unless her course in the future should
be different from that in the past. On the 23d
of March an expedition left the post with sled
drawn by eight dogs, accompanied by two ma
tives with their families They travelled along
the coast on the ice southwest to the entrance
of Woody Inlet There they left the sea and
struck inland in a southerly direction, and
CAMPED IN A SNOW HUT,
without fire, twenty -seven miles from the sta
ton, on the shore of what the natives said was
a large lake, with an outlet leading into Woody
Inlet. The party travelled nearly due south;
crossed during the day several large lakes, and
two streams flowing northeast. 1t was almost
impossible to define their banks, as the whole
country is nearly dead level and covered with
snow. 1t was very difficult to keep the course
by the compass, as the guide and dogs were con-
stautly getting out Of their direction by the
force of the wind and the drifting snow hid
ing every landmark left nothing to travel by.
After travelling about fifteen miles, they came
to large river with high banks as they were
swept clean by the wind, the river was well
defined. 1t was 200 yards wide at the point
they crossed at, and, where the ice was exposed,
it seemed very winding; its general course is
northeast it was named MEADE River" in
honor of the late Major General George G..
Meade, U. S. A. They travelled up the right
bank three miles, and came to the camp of
native deer hunter. The natives, while hunt
ing deer in the winter, never remain long in
one place, and live exclusively in snow huts
which they construct very quickly. They are
simply obong holes cut into the hard SNOW
where it has drifted deeply, and covered with
slabs of the same material, cut out with large
knife, which they carry for that purpose.
The party returned to the station on the 31st |
of March, having purchased quantity of fresh
meat for which purpose the expedition set
forth. They found the natives very friendly.
On June 29th the steamer North Star hove in
sight, working up through small lead of open
water about nine miles from the station. When |
she was nearly abreast of the station she became
fast in the ice, the pack closing down upon her. !
Captain Herenden and Lieutenant Ray went |
off to her. and received the first mail since sail
ing. The ship at the time was suffering Sc
we're nip, and was considerably raised up. She |
remained in this position until July 9TH, when |
the pressure Stacked up, and she worked her |
way into within three miles of the station, and |
again the ice closed upon her. On the Sth |
sudden shout was heard from the crew, and in |
twenty minutes the vessel was out of sight. |
The crew, forty-seven all told, were safely |
rescued by the party at the station. Most of
the crew were put on board the BoWhead |
which worked up near here on the 18TH To !