The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-08-27

As far as Lieutenant Greely could
observe, no cracking sound accom-
panied the displays, and the gener-
al shape was that of ribbon. The
Southwesterly horizon was the quar-
ter in which the brightest displays
were seen. Sir George Mares re-
ported in 1876 that no shadow was
cast by the aurora, but Lieutenant
Greelv says that he distinctly OBJ
served his shadow cast by it. There
were no electrical disturbances save
those manifested by rumbling OF
distant thunder heard twice far away
to the north.
In the course of the tidal obser-
vations made a very interesting
fact was discovered, viz: That the
tides at Lady Franklin Bay came
from the north; while those at Mel
vile Bay and Cape Sabine came
from the south. The temperature OF
the north tide is two degrees warmer
than that of the south tide at Cape
Sabine. Why this was Lieutenant
Greely would not venture to state.
He used in measuring the ebb and
flow of the tides q fixed gauge-an
iron rod planted in the mud. The
average rise OF Spring tides at Lady
Franklin Bay was found TO be eight
feet. Surf was only observed twice
during the two years.
At Lady Franklin Bay the average
temperature of the water was %
degrees above zero, or three degrees
below the freezing point. Wolves
weighing ninety pounds were killed
around Fort Conger, and there are
foxes and other animals there. OF
fish there is a wonderful scarcity.
Perhaps the greatest surprise of the
expedition was the the taking from
Lake Alexander, fresh-water lake
fifteen feet above the sea level. a
four-pound salmon. From the bay
or sea only two very small fish were
taken during the entire two years,
and very few are TO be found North
of Cape Sabine. The vegetation at
Lady Franklin Bay is about the
same as at Cape Sabine, and COM
prises moses, hchens, willows and
saxifrage. Snowstorms are, ofcourse,
most frequent, and rainfalls very
rare. The highest velocity of the
wind was registered during a ter
rife snowstorm-seventy miles per
hour.
LocKwooD's GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.
Lockwood's trips to the North, In
1882 and 1888, were productive OF
the most valuable results. Stand
ing, on the 18th of Nav in each year
where DR.. Hayes had formerly stood
at about the same day, Lockwood,
from an elevation Of 1000 feet, using
his strongest glass on Halls Basin
and Robeson's Channel, could dis
Germ nothing but ice packs. There
it was DR.. Hayes claimed to have
seen his open polar sea. On the
trip of 1882 Lockwood reached the
highest latitude ever attaiped-S3
% North. This was about 800
miles directly North of Lady Frank
lin Bay, but to get there he travelled
over 900 miles, the open water and
broken packs frequently causing
him to retrace his steps fifty miles.
Lockwood sounded the sea both
years between Cape Bryant and
Cape Britannia, but could not touch
bottom with 135 fathoms of line.
Markham, few years before, about
1,o00 miles to the west, got bottom
at Y fathoms.
Lockwood found at his farthest
North about the same vegetation as
at Lady Franklin Bay, but no signs
of a polar current or open polar sea.
In 1888 he was stopped near Cape
Bryant, 125 miles from Lady Frank
lin Bay, by an open channel extend
ing West to the east of Grinnel
Land. The width Of the channel
varied from 200 yards to five miles
but on the North the ice packs ex-
tended as far as could be seen with a
glass. With his supply of provis-
ions, the failure of which had .caus.
ed his return the year before, Lock
wood was confident that he could
have reached So degrees North il
this open channel had not barred
his way. No fossil remains were
discovered on this trip, and the only
ones found were the trunks of trees
on the Southwest coast of Grinnell
Land. The only sea animals seen
by Lockwood at S30 % were the
walrus and seal, and, strange to say,
the walrus is not to be found al
Lady Franklin Bay. At $50 % the
detection of the magnetic needle
was 104 West, more than one-fourth
of circle As far as Lockwood
went the Northeastern trend of The
Greenland coast still continued
/ The maps of the new regions he dis
covered are in the possession o
Lieutenant Greedy and are very
carefully made. All through, tn,
magnetic needle was never quiet
except during storms. In Februa
nv, 1888, preparations for the retrea
were made by establishing depo
at Cape Baird, twelve miles to th,
South.
MAKING THE RETREAT.
Day after day the anxious meI
looked off over Lady Franklin Bay
expecting the ice to open, so the
might commence their journey to
! wards home. At last, on August Is
1888, the welcome news that ice wa
, open, was brought. All had beer
: made ready, and that very day tn
| party embarked in the little steam
launch. Behind them they lei
: their dogs, as they could not b
J taken. Four barrels of pork ant
. some seal oil were left for the ami
! mails. Lady Franklin Bay wa
; crossed TO cape Baird, distance O
thirteen miles, and then the Grin
: nell Land was followed South as ia
as Cape Hawkes.. Large quantitie
of heavy ice were met. ana extrem
! was the danger that every momen
J the little launch would be crushed
The suffering OF the men was great