The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-11-29

February, Iooo-siAty- SiA uce5t Coo ooAO''
zero. In this February oar mercury
froze and remained solid for fifteen
DAYS. The mercury in the thermometer
invariably rose during storms or high
winds. The highest barometer was
slightly above thirty-one inches, the
lowest slightly below twcnty-nine
inches. The greatest variations were
in winter. The electrometer, an IN
strument used to ascertain the presence
of electricity, was set up, but not the
slightest results were obtained. The
displays of aurora were very good, bat
not compared with those seen at Disco
Island or Upernavik.- So far as Greedy
could observe, no cracking sound &C
companied the displays, and the gen
eral shape was that of a ribbon. The
so,ithwesterly horizon was the quarter
in which the highest displays were seen.
Mares reported in 1876 that no shadow
was cast by the aurora, but Greedy says
be distinctly observed his shadow cast
by it. There were no electrical
disturbances save those manifested
by rumbling, distant thunder heard
twice in the far away north In the
course of the tidal observations made,
a very interesting fact was discovered,
that the tides at Lady Franklin Bay
| came from the north, while those, at
Melville Bay and Cape Sabine came
from the south. The temperature OF
this north tide is two degrees warmer
| than that of the south tide at Cape
Sabine. Why this was, Greedy would
not venture to state. He used in meas
uring the ebb and flow of the tides a
fixed gauge iron rod, planted in the
| mud. The average rise of the spring
! tides at Lady Franklin Bay was found
1 to be eight feet. At Cape Sabine the
highest tides rise was twelve feet.
Surf was only observed twice during
| the two years At Lady franklin Bay
the average temperature OF the water
was twenty-nine degrees above zero.
Wolves weighing ninety pounds were
killed around Fort Conger. There are
foxes and other animals there. Fish is
wonderfully scarce. Perhaps the great
est surprise in all was the taking from
Lake Alexander, fresh-water lake
fifteen feet above sea level, a four-pound
salmon. From the bay or sea only two
very small fish were taken during the
entire two years, and few are found
north of Cape Sabine. The vegetation
on Lady Franklin Bay is about the same
as at Cape, Sabine, and comprises
MOSES, lichens, willows and saxifrage.
The highest velocity of the wind was
registered during a terrific snowstorm,
and was seventy miles per hour. Lock.
wood trips to the North in 1882 and
1883 were productive Of the most val.
liable results. Standing May ~, II
each year. where DIR. Hayes had for
:nerly' stood. about the same time o.
day, lockwood, from an elevation O
two thousand feet, and using hi.
strongest glass on Halls Basin ane
Robeson's channels, could discern
: nothing but ice packs. Here it was tina
DIR. HAYES claimed to have seen hi
open Polar Sea on the trip of 1858
Lockwood reached the highest latitude
ever attained. ieighty-three degree
I TWENTY-FIVE minutes north. This wa
Il about five hundred miles directly nortl
of Lady Franklin Bay, but to get ther
d he had to travel over one thousan'
miles of open water and broken packs
q which frequently caused him to retrac
Y his steps fifty miles. Lockwood sounde
4 sea both years between Cape Bryan
; and Cape Brittania. but could not touc
: bottom with one hundred and thirty
: five fathoms of line. Markham, fe'
n wears before, about one hundred mile
+ to the west, found bottom at seventy
}. two fathoms. Lockwood found at hi
9 farthest northern point abouts the sam
8 vegetation as at Lady Franklin Bay
= but no signs of polar current or ope
y polar sea. In 1883 he was stopped nea
9 Cape Bryant, 125 miles from Lad
9 FranklinBay, by an open channel extend
. ing west to the coast of Grinnell Lane
The width of this channel varied frol
J two hundred yards to live miles, but o
e the north the ice packs extended as Il
. as could be seen with a glass. Wit
IS his supply of provisions, the failure I
Is which had caused his return the we;
L before, Lockwood was confident
le could have reached eighty-fve degree
y north, if this open channel had nj
~ barred his way. No. fossil remain
le were discovered on the trip, and Il
u, only ones found were trunks of trees {
~ the southwest coast of Grinnell Lam
- The only sea animals seen by Locl
it wood at eighty-three degrees twent
y five minutes were walrus and seal
and, strange to say. walrus is not to
"a found at Lady Franklin Bay. 4
3 eighty-three degrees twenty-five mi
y. utes the detection of the magnet
o. needle was 10I degrees west more thu
* one fourth of the circle. The maps
ae tho new regions he discovered are
er the possession of Lieutenant Gree
~ and are very carefully made. ai'
ks All through the two years at La
ov Franklin Bay the magnetic needle W
at never quiet except during storms.
We February of 1888 preparations for |
d. treat were made by establishing . dep
o. at Cape Baird, twelve miles to {
ar south. Day after day anxious m
On looked off over Lady Franklin Bay, G
er pecting the ice to open so that tn
IT. might commence their journey iowa
eft home.
We AT last. August 10, 1883, the welcor
plf hat bo 100 omar. hx<,,,< 81