The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-18
GREENLAND EXPLORERS.
The Kite and Her Party Blockaded by an Ice
Pack-How the Scientists Passed the Time.

Green Island On F) Correspondence Philadelphia
inquirer. June Is.
The arctic steamer Kite, bearing the
Peary expedition and the representatives
of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural
Sciences bent on the exploration of Green.
land. has had her first tussei with the Ice.
She reached this point at noon today to
find the straits blocked by a mass of pack
Ice. in some places from twelve to twenty
feet thick. Repeated assaults upon the
pack with the PROV failed to make any inn
preston on it. and the brave little Kite was
compelled to retreat for the time being and
take up vantage point In the open sea to
await the breaking up of the pack.
We left Sydney. Nova Scotia. on Friday
evening last, at 8 o'clock. The captain
had sworn not to start on q Friday
starting moment at q few minutes
after midnight. When we all got aboard,
however. just before 8. every thing and ev-
cry body was found to be In readiness. and
7 the skipper gave an unexpected sailing Or
der. Perhaps IL wac starting on Friday
that hoodooed US. on Saturday it blew
great, aud the Kite staggered against q
head wind that would not let her make
more than two knots per hour for a long
time. All hands devoted themselves re-
ligiously to sea sickness.
At Sydney the best of Peary's NewfouDd-
land dogs elOped. Professor Sharp, Dr.
Hughes and DIR. Burk had made good use of
their time at Sydney, the first two shooting
birds and the latter botanizing. They col
lected enough material to keep them busy
for two days. On Saturday the weather
was beautiful. This morning opened with
fog. and at 8 o'clock we ran into pack
ice. For over an hour we were practically
helpless. ana learned little of our position
by leaylnQ the lead.
By ana by the fog lifted and we found
that the pack extended over the coast of
Labrador. but that Newfoundland was
clear. We steered along the edge until we
came to Green island. where We remained
at a stand-still. In the thick of the ice
and fog We found q large, open fishing
boat floating, right side mp. add three
quarters full of water. We circled around
il. but found we could not pick it up. as it
had no ring bolts, and we have no sppii-
ances ready TO hoist il. 1t told. perhaps. a
mournful story of disaster To some fisher
man. aud desolated hearth in some New
foundIand cot
We have sighted large mum hers of wi ales
coming MP TO the straits Half a dozen
sportsinen gunned for them with rifles. SIR.
Gibson, / believe. hit one. for the monster
beloved as If IN distress. We shot many
ducks and pif1ins. but did not succeed in
getting a single one. When We retreated
from the ice we lay to and the entire party
are engaged in fishing for cod with jig
gers An enormous fish is hooked every
minute by some one. The jigger consists
of a lead fish attached near pair OF hooks
on the end of line. This is jigged or pulled
very rapidly so that the lead fish seems to
the cod TO be streaking il through the wa
ter. At this stage OF the gsIne you get a
bite. IL the firearms are discharged at the
rate at which they are going Oft now for a
few more hours we shall reach Greenland
helpless and the bears Will be saved.
Our detention here is rather o feather in
the cap Of Captain Pike, who argued