The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-11
IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
YHK EXPERIENCE or LIEUTENANT
RAY AND HIS PARTY AT POINT BAR
ROW.
A Isisresiinz skeis Of LILO in the PoInr
Regions.

~ lutcTSsuuA FhfN Y IsHC IN tue ROM
Regions.
In view Of The early sailing Of tho ex-
petition in search OF Lieutenant Greedy
and his party, it may not be out OF place
10 give the result Of conversation with
members of Lieutenant Rays Arctic
colony, which arrived in San Francisco
some time ago on their way home from
the Point Barrow Signal Service station.
Lieutenant Rays official report has not
yet been published, and the story Of his
work in the Arctic is interesting both to
scientific men and the general public.
IL will be remembered that both Lieu
tenant Greely's party and that OF Lieu
tenant Ray formed the two Polar sta
tons established by the United States
for the purpose Of scientific observation
and geographical investigation. 1t will
be seen that the results Of Lieutenant
Rays work have been exceptionally
rich.
Lieutenant Ray left San Francisco
early in the morning Of July 8, 1881, for
the purpose Of going TO the most north.
westerly point of the American CONT
pent 10 establish signal service station,
there 10 make such observations as his
department required. With him were
DR.. OldmiIoD, Captain Herendeen, ice
pilot and whaling master, and seven en-
listed men. On September 8, 1881, the
party reached Ooglaamie, nine miles
north OF Point Barrow, and Immediately
commenced the construction Of their liv.
ing house, which they had 30 far com
pleted by the oath Of the month as TO
make 1t fit for occupancy. This living
house was constructed Of rough timber,
but ceiled inside with matched lumber.
IL was in dimensions 30 by 46 feet, and
contained one large living room, a kitch-
en-, and several small sleeping apart
ments. During the stay Of the party
they found their quarters comfortable,
and at no time did they suffer from
the extreme cold weather which pre-
walls in the Arctic. Ooglaamie is tho
highest and only safe point on which n
party conld risk themselves. Ii il in
latitude II deg. % min. north. Point
Barrow proper liz long, low sand spit,
and its marshy character makes it imprac-
ticable for building stations or obscrya.
tories thereon. However. during the
favorable seasons Of the year many OBJ
servstions were taken at Point Barrow
BY the party.
GETTING TO WORK.
On September 8, the day of the arrival
Of the party at Point Barrow, Lieut.. Ray
commenced taking meteorological obser-
vations. Three observatorics were put
up on the 26th, each one being lix16 in
size, tvo of them being devoted to mag.
netio observations and one to astronomi-
cal. The first magnetic observation was
taken OH Friday, October 2S, 1881, and
observations were taken daily in this line
thereafter until the station was aban-
doned.
n December, 1881, the Lieutenant
built his snow tunnels to the Observable
hes, distance Of fifty yards. He then
banked the houses with snow nearly TO
the caves, cut and corded at the back of
the house sufficient ice to last the party
for seven months. The same month no
commenced sinking shaft for earth
temperature. After going down about
twenty feet he conceived the idea of
converting II into storehouse for pre-
serving meats, the temperature being 40
low. He then ran tunnel twenty feet
further and excavated room large
enough 10 hold q ton OF meat. This
new style Of refrigerator many times
afterward proved blessing to the party.
a when game was abundant it was
carefully stored therein, and in n few
hours II was frozen hard, and was thus
kept in good state Of preservation until
consumed by the party. In making
this excavation the frozen earth was
harder TO work than granite. Powder
had NO effect Whatever upon IL, aud when
. blast Was inserted II would always
elbow ont" The drills used we're
highly tempered, but in few hours at
furthest the tempering was gone. Ray
says he found that the extreme cold had
tho same effect on tempered steel as ex-
trcme heat. The steel would lose its
temper, become softened and bend
saAity.
A PRkHrsroRro RELIC.
When Lieutenant Ray was sinking
this shaft for earth temperature in 1881,
Of twonty-six feet below the surface and
fourteen feet below the sea level they
found pair Of wooden snow goggles OF
Tho same pattern rs is now worn by the
[nnus on the northern coast. The wood
Wss - bright and fresh rs il made yes
Ierday and the deer sinew strings we're
!troug and perfect, showing do apparent
decay. When il is remembered that on
Me surface Of this ground was cover.
nc Of moss, which II is estimated has
bssn 1000 years forming and that the
PoeAd was frozen 20 that NO edged
eools could penetrate II, that the psrtv
penssd through stratas Of sand and
ofoVA alternately, showing II had taken
many centuries 70 form this spit Of land,
y nay b realised that that race Of peo.
% wsre alive and inhabited the country
cag before Columbus penetrated the
ltghS q ages and discovered the coun.
y, o. before his name was even known.
lAAHos HRYscrs OF Low TEMPERATURES.
IL required many days of arduous Ia
= to complete this shaft, rs the earth
q virtually to be scaled off, Lieuten.
{ Ray never found the accumulation of
and boar frost in this shaft so preva-
It In buildings occupied by men above
'und. This accumulation OF ice on
inside Of the houses Is one Of the
atest Inconvenience Of Arctic Life,