The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-10-16


the naked eye star of one degree
smaller magnitude than can be seen
here in the same way might be dis
cerned. The moon would remain in
sight from eleven to twelve days at
time The thermometer registered on
June 30 the highest temperature at
Lady Franklin Bay which we knew
during our stay. 1t was tifty-two de-
grees above zero The lowest was in
February, 1SS3-sixty-six degrees below
zero. In this February our 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 twenty-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, but
not compared with those seen at Disco
Island or Upernavik. So far as Greely
could observe, no cracking sound ac-
companied the displays, and the gem
eral shape was that of a ribbon. The
southwesterly horizon was the quarter
in which the highest displays were seen.
Mares reported in 1876 that no shadow
was cast by the aurora, but Greely says
he 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, Greely would
not venture to state. He used in meas
uring the ebb and flow of the tides a
fxed-gauge iron rod, planted in the
mud. The average rise of the spring
tides at Lady Franklin Bay was found
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 ard other animals there. Fish is
wonderfully scarce. Perhaps the great
est surprise in all was the taking from
Lake Alexander, a fresh-water lake
fifteen feet above sea level, a four-pound
&C lr1nn From fha how oys Coo r,vxi ivrf fxxrg,
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
woods trips to the North in 1882 and
1888 were productive of the most val
liable results. Standing May 19, in
each year. where DR.. Hayes had for
merly stood, about the same time of
day, Lockwood, from an elevation of
two thousand feet, and using his
strongest glass on Halls Basin and
Robeson's channels, could discern
IOeAlug bub lCC 1ekChSs AACEG Az was tHsAt
DIR. Hayes claimed to have seen his
open Polar Sea on the, trip of 1853.
Lockwood reached the highest latitude
ever attained, eighty-three degrees
twenty-five minutes north. This was
about five hundred miles directly north
of Lady Franklin Bay, but to get there
he had to travel over one thousand
miles of open water and broken packs,
which frequently caused him to retrace
his steps fifty miles. Lockwood sounded
sea both years between Cape Bryant
and Cape Brittania, but could not touch
bottom with one hundred and thirty
years before, about one hundred miles
to the west, found bottom at seventy
two fathoms. Lockwood found at his
farthest northern point about the same
vegetation as at Lady Franklin Bay,
but no signs of a polar current or open
polar sea. In 1883 he was stopped near
Cape Bryant. 125 miles from Lady
FranklinBay, by an open channel extend
ing west to the coast of Grinnell Land.
The width of this channel varied from
two hundred yards to five miles, but on
the north the ice packs extended as far
as could be seen with a glass. With
his supply of provisions, the failure of
which had caused his return the year
before, Lockwood was confident he
could have reached eighty-five degrees
north, if this open channel had not
barred his way. No fossil remains
were discovered on the trip, and the
only ones found were trunks of trees on
the southwest coast of Grinnell Land
The only sea animals seen by Lock
wood at eighty-three degrees twenty
five minutes were walrus and seals,
and, strange to say, walrus is not to be
found at Lady Franklin Bay. At
ei9hty-three degrees twenty-five min
utes the detection of the magnetic
needle was 104 degrees west. more than
one-fourth of the circle. The maps of
the new regions he discovered are in
the possession of Lieutenant Greely
and are very carefully made.
All through the two years at Lady
Franklin Bay the magnetic needle was
never quiet except during storms. In
February of 1888 preparations for re-
treat were made by establishing adepot
at Cape Baird, twelve miles to the
south. Day after day anxious men
looked off over Lady Franklin Bav, ex-