The lieutenants then extended their excursions over the mountains on the north side of the harbor, availing themselves of a ravine, called the “Black Cañon,” which leads to a pretty waterfall. Climbing out of this cañon with difficulty over loose slate and other débris, they found themselves on the high backgrounds of the North Mountains. Thence moving west over loose rock and snow, and through pools of water, they finally came in sight of Musk-ox Bay, the western extremity of Discovery Harbor. They then retraced their steps, reaching home without having seen a living object bigger than an humble-bee.
On the 23d, the house was occupied, though not finished. Looking after their supplies, they found that the foxes had made free with the carcasses of the musk-oxen left near Watercourse Bay. Lockwood now proceeded to superintend the laying out of the observatory, digging for foundation pier of transit, etc. He found the ground frozen after reaching thirty inches, which may be taken as the depth where perpetual frost begins. The ship being still detained, but with a prospect of soon getting off, Lockwood wrote more letters home in which he expressed an opinion about the Proteus. Her chances of departing south were doubtful. Detention there for the winter would be embarrassing all around, as neither the ship nor her crew were prepared to stay, nor the explorers able to help them through the winter.
Just before her final departure, some difficulty arose between Lieutenants Greely and Kislingbury, which ended in the latter making a request to be relieved from duty with the expedition, which request was granted. One of the annoyances complained of was the rule that officers should rise in the morning with the men, and although Lockwood advised Kislingbury not to make any further trouble, he decided to pack up, board the Proteus, and return home. In this, however, he was not successful, as the steamer got away before he could reach her, and the order for his relief was somewhat modified. After explaining his action in this matter, Lieutenant Greely remarked that, if anything should happen to him, he desired that Lieutenant Lockwood should have command of the expedition. Lockwood expressed himself as very sorry for what his fellow-officer had done, and could not understand his course of action.
As soon as the building was entirely finished, on the 27th of August, the explorers found themselves very comfortable. The dull, cheerless weather and monotonous life were beginning to depress the spirits of Lockwood, but he felt that, when settled down to regular habits, he would not find the life in the north more irksome than that he had experienced on the Western plains of the United States. It may be mentioned that the final opening of the house, or government station, was commemorated by the issuing of an order from Lieutenant Greely, that the exploring expedition along the northern coast of Greenland, which had been marked out for Lieutenant Kislingbury as senior officer, was to be placed in command of Lieutenant Lockwood. He now felt that the opportunity for doing something creditable, for his own as well as his country’s reputation, was at hand, and his feelings of depression gave way to those of enthusiasm.
On Sunday, the 28th of August, all work was suspended, and some appropriate notice was taken of the day. Lieutenant Greely read a chapter in the Bible, having previously stated that any one would be excused from attending the service who had conscientious scruples. The supply of drinking-water having come up as an important question, demanded attention. The water was obtained from the ice-hummocks in the harbor. Pieces of suitable size were brought to the house on sledges and then melted in a large metallic box near the stove, through which and the stove ran a steam-pipe. Thus a liberal supply was kept up.
Wishing to establish a depot on the channel for future explorations, Lockwood left with Sergeants Brainard and Cross to explore St. Patrick’s Bay, lying northeast of the station and on the straits. The ground being covered with snow, the Government boots were soon soaked though, and the feet of the party became wet and cold. Following a ravine, they soon reached a lake near the summit of the hills in the rear, where they saw a musk-ox grazing on the bank. The animal fled on seeing them, but stopped farther on. Approaching him under cover, Lockwood got a standing shot and brought him down. Skinning him and dividing the carcass into quarters, they left the meat for others to carry in and went on their tramp, which took them midway between the “hog-back,” an elevated plateau on the north, and the rugged broken chain of mountains which lie between Discovery Harbor and Robeson Channel. About noon they reached St. Patrick’s Bay, but at a point so different from that laid down in their maps, that Lockwood felt some doubt as to its identity, to settle which, they proceeded to explore a wide river-bed, followed by a deep cañon, which led into the bay near its head. With this view, and to see the country to better advantage, they kept north along the steep rocky sides of the “hog-back,” over rocks, great and small, compact and loose, and generally covered with snow. After two hours of laborious travel, they found themselves high above the riverbed and in a position giving them a good view north and east. The main stream seemed to come from the north, with a branch from the west, the whole through lands of the most rugged description. Beyond the river to the east, the hills were more sloping, yet rising to an immense altitude between the river and the channel beyond. It seemed not difficult to descend into the bed of the river, walk up its frozen course, and, taking advantage of some break in the cliffs a few miles up, gain by a gradual ascent the high hills beyond, thus obtaining a view of Robeson Channel. The descent, over rocks, stones, and snow, involving great fatigue, took two hours. This brought them to a level terrace extending from cliffs to cliffs, through the center of which ran a deep cut or channel containing the insignificant stream, the sole occupant of this immense cañon. They gained the frozen stream with difficulty, cut through the ice and got a drink, and then regained the level terrace above, and began their steep climb up the mountain beyond, through a friendly ravine. One hour’s work brought them to an elevation which, at a distance, had seemed to be the main summit, only to find that farther on there were still higher points. Finally, at 6 P. M., they reached an elevation where the slope seemed to be eastward, and from which a magnificent view was obtained of the channel from Cape Lieber to Repulse Harbor, while directly east of them lay Newman’s Bay and Polaris Promontory. After erecting a cairn, they started back, cold and hungry, satisfied that they had seen the true St. Patrick’s Bay.
Regaining the river-valley, they had a most fatiguing climb to attain the pass through which they had come, and where they had killed the musk-ox. Just east of the lake, they encountered Dr. Pavy and Rice, and soon after Ralston and Lynn, going to Lincoln Bay via St. Patrick’s Bay. Our party reached home at midnight, with frost-bitten feet and empty stomachs, Lockwood finding his stockings full of ice and one toe badly frost-bitten.
He was laid up for a week with frosted feet, and had apprehension of losing some of his toes. Although suffering greatly, he was made especially unhappy by the thought of being disabled so early in the campaign. Discussing the subject of scurvy with Lieutenant Greely, they agreed in regarding the explorers much better provided against it, than was the British expedition, in that their dietary list was more complete. The English issued fresh beef but once a week; the Greely Expedition three times or oftener. This expedition had also the great advantage of a dry, warm, well-ventilated house.
Lockwood’s report as to St. Patrick’s Bay settling that as the place for their first depot, Sergeant Brainard with others proceeded to establish the same there by means of the whale-boat, moving around Cape Distant. Lockwood was much annoyed that his disability prevented his being one of those to carry out this important feature toward their future explorations. He took advantage of his non-active condition to figure out a design for an “ice-sledge,” which he thought would be an improvement on the Hudson Bay sledge they had in use. Lieutenant Greely approving the plan, he proceeded at once to build one by way of experiment. The duty assigned to Brainard was duly accomplished, and Depot A was established at St. Patrick’s Bay.
Having received a gentle reminder from Lieutenant Greely for oversleeping himself, Lockwood said he could not complain, the offense not being his first of the kind. The singular clearness of the atmosphere had enabled him to make satisfactory sketches of Cape Lieber and other prominent objects in the distance, and also of the house.