Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-08-09
THE HIGHEST POINT NORTH.
Planting tho American Flag Nearest tho
NoPfh Pole

| ~
North Pole.
On April 8 Lieut.. Lockwood,
Sergt. Brainerd, of the Greedy party
and the native driver, Fred, with a
team of eight dogs and supporting
party of six men, with Hudson Bay
sIedges, left the station to extend
the exploration of the English eX-
petition on the north coast Of Green
land. Advancing all their supplies
to the Polaris boat camp in New
mans Bay they made their formal
start on April Is, crossing BreevOrt
Peninsula by the already historical
! Gap Valley. On April % the sup
porting party was turned back from
| Cape Bryant and the little band of
three men, with their dog team and
provisions for twenty-five days,
turned their faces resolutely toward
the North with the intention of do
ing all that lay in the power Of man
to do.
The morning of May saw them
at Cape Britannia, and they unfurled
the American flag over an unex-
plOred land. Before them all was
new. They were passing up Coast
which trended to the northeast, and
which before had never met the
vision Of civilized man. Their
progress was greatly retarded by a
severe storm, lasting for several
days, but they struggled along
through the thick atmosphere ana
driving storms day after day, sur
mounting all difficulties that Oppos-
ed them. Finally, however, while
cropping their way across wide
ford, all traces of the coast were OBJ
liberated by the heavy drift, neces-
stating a delay OF over sixty hours
to seek shelter. In order to ecOnO-
miZe their provisions as much as
possible they partOok of only one
meal every twenty-fOur hours. On
May ID the weary party had adj
Vanced as far as the state of their
provisions would admit, and now
stood on land at u higher northern
latitude than was ever before reach
ed by mortal man. For '275 years
brave naVigatOr5 had kept Eng |
lands flag advanced beyond that of |
any other nation, but now the Stars |
and Stripes fluated proudly in the |
chilling breezes at Il higher point !
than the Union Jack had ever reach !
ed, in latitude $50 u north, longi- |
tude 40 46> west.
AT the furtheSt point vegetation |
and animal life appeared abundant !
traces of ptarmigan, hare, fox and |
iemming were observed, and several |
snow bunting were seen flying over |
the camp. At Cape Britannia ptar-
minan was shot, and several others
were seen. Twenty miles north
east, at Rabbit Point, hare was
killed, two ptarmigans were seen,
and braces of musk oxen seen.
From the furtheSt point reached the
coast continued to trend to the
northeast, the most distant land be
ing Cape Robert Lincoln, in latitude
degrees thirty-flve min
utcs north, and longitude thirty
eight degrees west. To the north
and northwest no land could be
seen from an elevation of over 1000
feet. y huge cairn was erected, in
which were placed records and
thermometer. Similar
Structers were erected at various
points along the coast north OF
Cape Britiana. The coast was found
to be very high and abrupt, and cut
into by various iiOrds and inlets.
Islands, glaciers, mountains, etc.
were also among the numerous dis
coveries OF the party.
Alter remaining at this port for
TWO days, in order to obtain salts
factory observations for their posi-
hon, the party began their return
1n the evening of May 10, reaching
Fort Conger on July /, after an alb
'cnce OF tifty-nine days. The far
.hest point reached was named
Lockwood Island, and an adjacent
STAND was called after Sergeant
Brainerd, in honor of the two men
who have advanced the Stars and
stripes TO a point nearer the pole
han any of their predecessors have
,ver reached.