The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-18


companied the displays, and the gen.
| eral shape was that of a ribbon. The
sOuthwesterly horizon was the quarter
liz which the highest displays were seen.
Mares reported in 1876 that no shadow
was cast by the aurora, but Greely saws
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,
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, Greedy would
not venture to state. He used in meas
uring the ebb and flow of the tides a
tixed-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-Five degrees above zero.
Wolves weighing ninety pounds were
killed around Fort Conger. There are
foxes and 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, four-pound
salmon. From the bay or sea only two
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 saxnrage.
The highest velocity of the wind was
registered during terrific snowstorm.
and was seventy miles per hour. Lock
wood 5 trip to the North in 1882 and
1888 were productive Of the most val
liable results. Standing May 19, in
each year, where DIR. Hayes had for
nerly 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
nothing but ice packs. Here it was that
DIR. Hayes claimed to have seen his
open Polar Sea On the trip of 1888.
Lockwood reached the highest latitude
ever attained, eighty-thrce 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 Britannia, but could not touch
bottom with one hundred and thirty
five fathoms of line. Markham, few
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 /
as at Lady Franklin Bay,
out no signs of polar current or open
polar sea. In 1888 he was stopped near |
Cape Bryant, 125 miles from Lady |
FranklinBay, by an open channel extend
ng west to the coast of Grinnell Land. |
The width of this channel varied from
,wo hundred yards to five miles, but on /
he north the ice packs extended as far |
Is could be seen with a glass. With |
lis supply of provisions, the failure of
which had caused his return the year
before, Lockwood was confident he
could have reached eighty-five degrees
forth, if this Open channel had not
barred his way. No fossil remains
we're discovered on the trip, and the
'nly ones found were trunks of trees on
he southwest coast of Grinnell Land.
The only sea animals seen by Lock
wood at eighty-three degrees twenty
i've minutes were walrus and seals
md, strange to say, walrus is not to be
ound at Lady Franklin Bay. At
ig hty-three degrees twenty-five Min
ties the detection of the magnetic
eedle was l04 degrees west, more than
of the circle. The maps of
he new regions he discovered are in
ne possession of Lieutenant Greedy
nd are very carefully made.
All through the two years at Lady
rankin Bay the magnetic needle was
ever quiet except during storms. In
ebruary of 1888 preparations for q re-
reat were made by establishing depot
t Cape Baird, twelve miles to the
outh. Day after day anxious men
ooked off over Lady Franklin Bay, ex-
Getting the ice to open so that they
hight commence their journey toward
ONE.
At last, August 10, 1888, the welcome
ews that the ice was open was brought.
IL had been made ready, and that very
ay the party embarked in the little
cam launch. Behind them they left
leir dogs, as they coGid not be taken.
our barrels of pork and some seal oil
ere left for the animals. Lady Frank
n Bay was crossed to Cape Baird,
iStance of thirteen miles, and then the
eStern coast of Grinnell Land was fol-
WED south as far as Cape Hawkes..
arge quantities of heavy ice were met.
very moment they thought the little
lunch would be crushed. Several
mes all the boats were nearly lost.
he suffering of the men was great.
hey were now within fifty miles of
ape Sabine. Striking from Cape
awkes for Bates Island the party !
as caught in an ice-pack and
oxen in, ten miles south of Cape
awkes. In thirteen days they drifted ,
'uth twenty-five miles on foes, suffer-
@ terribly from the cold. So they
lifted TO within eleven miles of Cape
lbine, and were obliged to abandon v
e steam launch September 10. The !
lcks now remained motionless for r
rec days, and several times the party \
1t within two or three miles of Cape +
Ibine, only to be driven back by the !
uthweSt gales. Five seals were Killed ;
Id eaten while the party were drifting +
'out. Eventually heavy northwest a