Acknowledgment is made of the kindness of Admiral Sir Arch. L. Douglas for his willing assistance in fitting out the Neptune at Halifax, where suitable Welsh coal and a fine steam launch, on his recommendation, were supplied by the Admiralty.
To Captain George Comer, of the American whaler Era, special thanks are due for his uniform kindness and courtesy during our long winter together, and for the valuable assistance rendered, by advice, information and services, to the expedition and to myself, personally.
The writer gratefully acknowledges a large amount of interesting details relating to the natives, whaling industry, geography and natural history obtained from the Rev. Mr. Peck, and from the Scottish whaling Captains Milne, Adams, Guy and Murray.
PRELIMINARIES TO AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE VOYAGE.
The Dominion government, in the spring of 1903, decided to send a cruiser to patrol the waters of Hudson bay and those adjacent to the eastern Arctic islands; also to aid in the establishment, on the adjoining shores, of permanent stations for the collection of customs, the administration of justice and the enforcement of the law as in other parts of the Dominion.
To perform these last duties, Major J. D. Moodie, of the Northwest Mounted Police, was appointed Acting Commissioner of the unorganized Northeastern Territories. Under his command were placed a non-commissioned officer and four constables of the Northwest Mounted Police, as a nucleus of the force that in the future would reside at these stations.
The Neptune, the largest and most powerful ship of the Newfoundland sealing fleet, was chartered as the most suitable vessel for the cruiser work. The Neptune is a stout wooden ship, built entirely of British oak, sheathed with ‘iron-bark’ and greenheart. Although built in 1873, she is quite sound throughout, and of amazing strength. Her sides are formed of an outer sheathing of four inches of greenheart, on top of four inches of oak, covering heavy oak timbers, with an inside lining of three inches; the space between the inner and outer skins and the timbers is solidly filled with rock-salt, so that the sides of the ship are practically eighteen inches thick in all parts where a contact with the ice is expected. The bow is further reinforced by a heavy sheathing of iron plates, and inside it is backed with deadwood, giving it a thickness of eight feet. The Neptune is of 465 tons net register, and has engines of 110 nominal horse-power. This means that the ship will carry about 800 tons of coal and cargo, and that her engines will develop about 550 indicated horse-power; sufficient to drive the loaded ship at the rate of eight knots an hour. The engines, unlike most of the whaling and sealing ships, are placed amidships, while the vessel is rigged as a three-masted schooner, with low masts and little sail power.
Early in June, 1903, I had the honour to be appointed, by the Honourable Mr. Préfontaine, the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, to the command of the expedition to Hudson bay and northwards, on board the Neptune. I received instructions to proceed immediately to Halifax, to make necessary alterations to the ship, and to purchase all the provisions and outfit required for a two-years’ voyage in the Arctics.
The ship—which only had accommodation for a small crew—was in the same state in which she had returned from the spring sealing voyage. After a thorough cleaning, carpenters and machinists were put aboard, and the work of alteration rushed day and night. A bridge-deck, covering the boiler and engine, was erected, with a small chart-house upon it. Alterations were made to the after cabin, and a new saloon and staterooms, for the use of the scientific staff, were made between-decks, forward of the main hatch. The remainder of the between-decks forward was converted into storerooms and sleeping quarters for the petty officers and the Mounted Police detachment. The upper forecastle was fitted up for the crew and firemen. All the sleeping quarters were arranged so that a small air space separated the sides of the ship from the berths, and all ironwork was covered with wood. The value of these preparations was appreciated during the ensuing winter, when no frozen moisture was found in any part of the ship so treated, while elsewhere the bare sides had a thick coating of frost.
