The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-08-07
TIE LoCH CARRY.
Minutes from the Log of Ensign Cham
bors, U, S. N.
Bissting n Canal Through Arctic Ice
n9laA.

blasting n Canal Through Arctic lee
heids.
The following details from the log Of the
steamship Loeb Garry Of the Greeley relief
fleet, have been furnished by Ensign W, Il.
Climbers U, $, N, who was IN command OF
the vessel during its cruise to the polar regions'
Goa our first day out from st, Johns heavy
log enveloped us, and we encountered large
iceberg. In steering out OF the way OF tho
lat or, we lost sight Of the Thetis, and could
only resume our position by the sound OF her
whistles, On Mny Is, when of Cape Fare
well, We met the first great quantity OF ice,
and were obliged tn go ahead SLOWLY, On May
% we sighted Disco but had much difficulty in
finding harbor. The island was covered
with ice and snow, and the landmarks were in
visible. We left Godhaven on May "A, at 0
u. m, tnd steamed through the ice along the
coast to n point ab ut 10 miles below Hare
island. Here we found the ice so thick that
we were compelled to lay to- Lieut.. Schley
sisnulled for me to 80 back TO Godhaven and
wait for a favorable opportunity with an east
wind to proceed to Upernayik. We left God
haven u second time ON May q and encoun-
tered more ice, through which we pushed our
way, and found the Ihetis lying to ut Hare
Island, having been unable TO blast her passage
through the ice. The next morning tue
and we started ahead The ice was heavy
and very hummocky, and we expert
enced great difficulty in making progress
and several times narrowly escaped
collision with the Wolf We were afraid to
back very much, for our propeller was only II
iour-bladed cast iron one, and, had we broken
n blade, it would have been all up with us.
We finally succeeded in jamming ahead, and
the Wolf followed in the opening we made.
The 1hctis was now out of sight, and we set
our course for Oomeruck ford. Here we sight
cd the Thcts 10 miles ahead. We overhauled
her ON May %. Capt. Schley hailed us and said:
"Go to Upernavik calling ut Proven. If you
meet the Bear, coal her with di'patch." During
n fog which came on, we got into false lead,
and while returning TO open water to try
another, met the Thetis, and proceeded to.
gethcr to Upernavik in the midst of IA binding
snowstoim, which lasted all night. On our ar
rival the @, Oh May 80, we found the Bear and
coalcd her. The vessels remained in the
vicinity Tor nearly week, when the
Thctis and Bear proceeded north
ward, while we waited for the Alert,
which arrived on June IA. The
governor Of Uprnayik told us that there was
no hope OF getting through Melville bay, as the
season was unusually close. We lett with the
| Alert ON June q and reached the Berry islands
on June %. We went ahead, pushing through
ice all the way, and on June % reached Horses
Head. Here the Alert got nippsd in he ice
and in trying to get her out we lost so mucl,
time that the pack had become impenetrable,
| We lay iammel in HE ice off Dock island till
June 20. We worked all night on the 2Sth
| blasting and saving the ice, and finally got
away into open waite. On June SO we were
| off Wilcox Head, where we had more hard
| pushing to get to open water beyond Devils
| Thumb. While busy here, we sighted the
| 1hetis and BE II coming toward us, and knew
at once from the signalling that the
Greedy explorers had been tracked and tina,
the survivors, if any, were on board
for Capt Schley would never have come back
| without having accomplished his task. We
returned to open water, and II thick fog set in
| SO that it was some time before | could go Oh
| board the 1hetis and learn the news of the
rescue. We then pushed south with all haste
possible, and arrived at Upernavik on July 2
Capt. Schlcy there dispatched the Alert and
Loeb Garry to Godhaven, while the Ihetis anC
Bear put into Upenavik, the former to shift
her broken rudder and the latter to get coal
AT Godhavcn the Alert's machinery was re-
paired, and we buried there one oil the Esqu
maux of Lieut.. Greely's party. We left God
haven with the Alert in tow Of the coast O
| Newfoundland we encountered a gale and the
steel hawser parted three times. The Aler
was finally cast ndrilt on July ID. We dropped
anchor at st. Johns at 8 A. NJ on July II.