The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-08-18
ARCTIC WkNDRRiNGs.


able Under Present Conditions.
For tho purpose Of obtaining some idea Of
tho general nature and probable value OF the
scientific observations made by Lieutenant
Greedy at Lady Franklin Bay, a reporter
visited the Lieutenant at his cottage on Sea-
vey's Island Saturday afternoon, aud was very
cordially received, Lieutenant Greely stated
the object Of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedl-
tion was to establish at Lady Franklin Bay q
polar station, one OF the thirteen suggested by
Lieutenant weyprecht, Of Austria, who dis
covered Franz Josef Land. Simultaneous OBJ
servatlons OF all physical phenomena were to
be taken. The complete programme which
was TO be followed was arranged by an inter-
national polar congress, In which representa-
tlves OF thirteen nations took part. The OBJ.
servatiops, In which the greatest possible ac-
cutacy was TO DO had, wore those OF declina.
ton and deviation OF tho magnetic needle,
temperature OF the air and sea, height Of
barometer, and moan and maximum rise and
Iall OF tides. All explorations were Incidental
10 the main objects Of the expedition.
Who Composed the Party.
The party was composed OF three ofIlcers OF
the Army, one acting assistant surgeon and
nineteen enlisted men, selected by recommen.
mendaiion from the ranks Of the Army. stores
for % months wer6put on tile Proteus for tho
party. The Proteus left 81. John,. N. f., July z,
1851, with the party on board. She touched
Disco leland and Upernavlk TO procure sledges,
dogs, skins. and dog food. Two Esquimaux
were added TO the party ut Proven. Landing
and provisions cached by Naros In 1875 In the
Alert were found In good condition.
AT Littleton Island Lieutenant Greely por-
sonally recovered the English Arctic mail left
by Sir Allan Young, In the Pandora, In 1876.
AT Carl Ritter Bay, in Kennedy Channel, a
cache OF provisions for use on the retreat was
made. 1t was the original Intention to estab.
lish the polar station at Water Course Bay,
but the heavy masses OF leo which were on.
countered rendered Water Course Bay an OK.
cecdingly dangerous anchorage. Moving to
Discovery Harbor tho station was there ostab.
lished on the eito occupied by the English OK
petition in 1875. Tho erection Of n house was
at once commenced and the stores and equip.
ments wero landed.
The Parting with the PrOteus
Party.
ON tho 2Sth OF August came tho parting be-
tween the Greedy party and men OF the Pro-
teus. The little band gathered on the frozen
shore and watched the Proteus as she steamed
slowly down Lady Franklin Bay, leaving them
TO tho merclos OF the cruel North. on the
evening OF the Same day the temperature sank
below the freezing point and the icy Arctic
winter was on them In earnest Their house
was finished about week after the protcus
left. II was named Fort Conger IN honor OF
Senator COnger.
The Quarters at Fort COngcr.
During the FIRST month tho cold affected tue
men more than at any subsequent time at
Fort Conger. Later on In December the tom.
perature sank TO from 80 to 60 degrees below
AtIOf anu 30 IclndluNu lOE uuyB NJ n Time, Dlt
oven In that weather tho cooks favDrlto
amusement was dancing bareheadcd bare
armed and with slippered feet on the top of n
snowdrift During tho day tho mon dressed
In ordinary outside clothing, but their fan
nels were very heavy. Five of the mon were
generally for part Of the day engaged In
scientific work under Lieutenant Greely's al.
rectlon and In the duties OF tho camp. Tho
Iest of tho mon were employed generally
about one hour a.day and devoted the re.
mainder OF tho time TO amusement. All slept
ntfnrtpra hv
large coal stove, the average heat maintained
being so degrees above zero. Playing checkers,
cards and chess and reading woro tho nmuse.
ment5 OF the evening. Tho life was said by
Lieutenant Greely 10 be far from n lonely one,
ana many OF the men said they had never
passed Two happier years than those spent at
The Sun GONE for 1875 Days.
on the 10Th OF October the sun left them for
135 days, and q twilight varying from half nu
hour to twenty-four hours succeeded. For
two months II was so dim that the dial of n
watch conld not have been read by It. On
ApIil IL the sun came above the horlz IN aud
remained there l3D days, giving the party
great sufilciency OF midnight sun. During three
months the stars were visible constantly, the
constellatons of Orion and the Great Bear bs-
Ing the brightest. The North Star lookei
down from almost overhead. Standing alone
outside the fort on one OF these nights the
scene was weirdly grand. To the north famed
the aurora borealis, and the bright constella.
ilons were set like Jewels around the glowing
moon; over everything was dead silence, 80
horribly oppressive that man alone Is al
most tempted to Kill himself, so lonely does
he feel.
Astronomical Observations.
The astronomer OF tho party said that with
the naked eye u star OF one degree smaller
magnitude than can be seen here In the sumo
way might be disoerned. The moon would ro.
main In sight for from eleven TO twelve days
at u time. The thermometer registered on
Juno 80, 1882, the highest temperature at
Lady Franklin Bay known during the stay.
nnHpgpq 40
lowest was In February, 1888, and was sixty.
six degrees below zero. In this February the
mercury froze and remained solid for ntteen
days, so Intense was tho cold. The mercury
In tho Thermometer invariably rose during
storms or high winds. The highest barometer
was slightly above thirty one Inches, and tho
lowest, slightly below twenty-nine inches,
showing great range. Tho greatest varia-
lions were in the winter. Tho electrometre,
an instrument used 10 ascertain the presence
or electricity, was set up, but TO the astonlsh-
mem or Lieutenant Greedy not tho slightest
results were obtained. Tho dlsplays OF aurora
were very good, but not to be compared with
those seen NJ Disco Island or Upernavlk. As
FAR as Lieutenant Greedy could observe no
cracking sound accompanied the displays ana
the general shape WAS that of a ribbon. The
suuthweste1ly horizon was the quarter In
which the brightest displays we're seen. Sir
George Mares reported In 1876 that M shadow
was cast by the aurora, but Lieutenant Greedy
cast by II. There were no electrical disturb.
ances save those manifested by u rumbllng OF
distant thunder heard twice far away To tho
north.
Tidal Observations.
In the course of the tidal observations ma 10
very interesting fact was discovered, VIZ,
that tho tides OF Lady FRANKLIN Bay come
from the North, while those at Melville Bay
and Cape Sabine como from the south. Ths
temperature OF this north tide is two degrees
warmer than that OF the south tide az Caps Sa-
bine. Why this was Lieut.. Greedy would not
venture to state. He used In measuring the
ebb and flow Of the tides lxed gauge--an
iron rod planted In the mud. The average
riso OF the spring tides at Lady Fraukllu Bay
was found 70 no feet. AT Cape Sabine tho
highest tdcs rise IL feet. Surf was only OBJ.
served twice during the two years. At Lady
Franklin Bay the average temperature Of the
water was % degrees above Zsro, or Q degrees
below the freezing point.
Animals Around Fort COnger.
Wolves Weighing ninety pounds were killed
around Fort Uonger, and there arc foxes and
other animals there. OF fish there is a won.
dettul scarcity, Perhaps tho greatest sur
prise OF tho expedition was the taxing from
Lake Alexander, fresh water lake, nttssn
feet above the sea level, n four pound salmon
From the Eea or bay only two very small ilsh
were taken during the entire two years, and
very low aro 10 be found north OF O1po Sabine.
The vegetation at Lady Franklin Bay IL about
the same as ~ Clpo Sabine, and comprises
moses, lichens, willows aud saxitrage. Suow
storms are OF course most rrequon', auI rain
falls very rarely The highest velocity OF the
wind was registered during u terrific snow
storm seventy miles per none.
LOckwoUd's Trips 10 the N0rth.
LocRwood's trlps'to tho north In 1882 and
1858 were productive OF tho m)st valuable re.
sults. Standing on tho 10Th Ot May in each
year whero DR., Hayes had Formerly stood at
ABOUT inc same day, Lockwood from hn eleya'
tlon OF 1000 feet, using his strongest glass On
Halls basin aud Rpbeson's channel, could dts
ctrn nothing but Ice packs, Hero II was De.
hayes claimed to have seen hlsopon polar soa.