Lockwood occupied himself on his maps of the Greenland coast, adding pictures of scenery from sketches taken en route.
Jans, desiring to capture seals, tried to approach them by interposing a cotton screen. But the seal had too much sense to wait for him, and slipped off the ice into the water.
On the 31st, Lockwood measured some ice-floes aground in the harbor, finding them to be fourteen feet thick. He had seen many on his northern trip which, by Nares’s rule of one seventh above water, would have been thirty-five to forty-five feet thick. Of course, these were paleocrystic floes, the accumulation of years.
On the 7th of August, Lockwood went with Lieutenant Greely and a party in the launch to Cape Lieber, finding the bay very free from ice. Left near the cape some provisions for use in case of having to retreat next year in boats, a subject which, from the non-arrival of the ship, was then agitated. They got many Esquimaux relics. The straits away down as far as Franklin Island and Cape Constitution, as seen from an elevation, were free from ice. They could see nothing to prevent the ship from coming. Returned in the evening, landing at Proteus Point, because a large floe-berg had floated in during their absence and occupied their harbor.
Lieutenant Greely did not expect the ship before the 15th. Many eyes were daily fixed on the bold profile of Cape Lieber, from behind whose rocky face she must emerge, if she came at all.
On the 13th, Lockwood, with Brainard, Lynn, Cross, Ralston, and Fredericks, started in the launch on an excursion up Lady Franklin Bay to the head of Archer Fiord, having in tow the boat Valorous with Rice and crew as far as Musk-ox Bay. There they left Rice and his boat and proceeded up the Archer Fiord, somewhat annoyed by scattered ice and by some large bergs which they had to go around. They had not gone far up the fiord before they saw, on a gentle slope of the southern shore, a herd of musk-oxen grazing a few hundred yards from the water. Though strategy was employed to approach without being seen, the herd took the alarm and scampered over the hills which terminated the slope. Lynn, anticipating this, had gone some way up these heights, but the animals by a détour avoided him and soon passed over the crest of the heights. The slope along there was sufficiently gentle to afford foothold to grass and willows, and thus presented a landscape charming to those who had gazed on little other than rocks and ice for so many months. Seeing two other oxen some time after, near a steep hill overlooking a rocky gorge, Lockwood, Brainard, and Frederick went for them, Fredericks approaching in front, and Lockwood and Brainard, by a flank movement, cutting off retreat. This resulted in the slaying of both animals. But how to get them to the launch was the question, as they were then a mile inland. Finally, cutting off the heads, they gave the bodies an impetus down-hill. They went from steep to steep like comets, leaving clouds of dust behind. Once or twice they lodged on steps or terraces, from which they were dislodged, thence to renew their journey downward. Afterward several other musk-oxen and some ptarmigans were shot, thus providing abundant food for all hands, with a large surplus to carry back to the station.
As they progressed up the fiord, the scenery became more and more grand and interesting. A glacier was seen some distance inland, at the head of a stream bordered by vertical cliffs curiously colored and of fantastic shapes. One pinnacle was apparently surmounted by an old dilapidated castle. Though the fiord was not wide at Bulley’s Lump, nor the cliffs very high, yet they encountered a furious wind, as though blowing vertically. Toward the head of the fiord, they saw numerous ducks and flocks of geese on shore, apparently overcome by the force of the wind. Many of these they added to their abundant stores. Here, too, they found Esquimaux relics, indicating the abodes of men long years ago—circles of stones, very old; also pieces of drift-wood, whence coming they marveled. Reaching the head of the fiord, where the water became shallow, they landed, spread their sleeping-bags on the rocks, and made amends for their twenty-five hours’ want of sleep.
Waking up, they found that the receding tide had left them high and dry by one quarter of a mile. This rendered Lockwood very uneasy, and induced him to give up his intended journey of half a dozen miles into the interior. He went, however, a mile or so inland, and from a height saw a lake, and several miles above it a glacier, apparently very large. Vast cliffs, three thousand feet high, bordered the valley or ravine he followed, and beyond these were snow and ice clad summits of vast elevation. Yet here, in this desolate region, were seen proofs of the abode of man—circles of stones covered with lichens, a proof of their antiquity. Here, also, he found the hip-bone of some immense mammal, and afterward added it to his museum. He returned to the launch near the time of high tide, and after lightening, they got the launch into deep water, with much labor, but greatly to their relief. On their return they visited Record Point, left a short account of their visit, and copied that of Lieutenant Archer. He had explored this fiord in 1876, occupying one month, but they did it in sixty-nine hours. He traveled with sledges and a supporting party—they with a steam-launch, all being on board. Their coal getting low, they made few other stops en route except to pick up their meat and game, returning direct to the station. The result of the expedition, as to game, was, twelve musk-oxen, three hares, twenty-four geese, thirty-six turn-stones, six knots, three terns, and twenty ptarmigans. Distance made, going and returning, one hundred and forty miles. Long and others killed numbers of musk-oxen during their absence, so that they now had on hand about eight thousand pounds of fresh beef. Another musk-ox was killed, soon after their return, in full view of the house, and thus four hundred and thirty pounds were added to their stock. This was the eightieth musk-ox shot since their arrival, the year before. They had a good view of the bay and straits, both of which seemed open, offering no obstacle whatever to the passage of the ship. They were all very much disappointed at her non-appearance.
Lieutenant Greely, wanting Howgate’s Fiord explored and surveyed, and Dr. Pavy wishing to make an excursion from Cape Baird, Lockwood, on the 21st, left in the launch, with Rice, Cross, Lynn, Fredericks, Snyder, and Israel, and with Dr. Pavy and Ellison as passengers, to land the doctor on the south shore, and thence proceed westward to Howgate’s Fiord. Following a lead westward, they finally found open water, which enabled them to reach the south shore of the bay some five miles above Cape Baird, where they landed the doctor and Ellison, with their rations, etc. In crossing the open water, they had strong south winds, and heavy seas which boarded the launch and washed her from stem to stern. Though much strengthened against ice, when heavily laden she sat too near the water to be a comfortable sea-boat. Thence they proceeded to Miller Island, where they had smooth water, and were enabled to cook their food and enjoy an excellent meal. They found much ice in Howgate’s Fiord, yet, after trying to kill a musk-ox seen on shore, made their way to Ida Bay, at its head, and proceeded to the north shore, for Israel to lay out his base-line and take angles, and Rice to take photographs of prominent objects. While they were so doing, the others started in pursuit of a musk-ox some distance from the shore. The animal, seeing them, went up the valley at a rapid rate, leaving behind him so strong a musk odor as to mark his wake as distinctly by the smell as that of a steamboat is marked by the eye. Lockwood abandoned the chase for other duties, but the men kept on, and afterward brought in the animal’s carcass. These having returned, and Israel and Rice having finished their work, all proceeded toward a very high, and conspicuous promontory, marking the entrance to the bay, which Lieutenant Greely wished Lockwood to ascend, and afterward go up the northern arm of the fiord; but they were unable to do either, having been brought to a full stop in the narrow channel by an immense floe of old ice. They therefore returned out of this cul-de-sac to the south shore, where Israel wanted to take other angles. Here they found traces of Esquimaux habitations—meat caches, and various bone implements, all very old. Thence, via Miller’s Cape, they made their way to Stony Cape, not, however, without great difficulty because of moving ice, which sometimes forced them too close to the island, and compelled them to make détours. The weather threatening, they did not stop to take other angles, but crossed to the head of the bay, near the Bellows, and cast anchor; and, while the others slept, Lockwood walked up the Bellows in quest of game, but saw none.
The vegetation was just sufficient to remind him of the glorious trees and grasses of another zone far, far away. Still, with all its desolation, Lockwood thought it a very picturesque region, and that perhaps the moon, to one on its surface, presents a similar aspect. They left for the station on the 25th, encountering much ice all the way. Off Cape Clear it whirled about in such a manner as to threaten to crush the launch. At one time a large piece of ice—larger than the launch itself—was caught between the moving pack and the grounded ice and thrown up into the air fifteen feet. Finally, they reached the station, sadly disappointed not to see the masts of the hoped-for ship. They could not divine the reason for her non-appearance. Dr. Pavy thought that it never started, for want of an appropriation. Lieutenant Greely thought otherwise. It looked then as though they would have to retreat in boats during the next summer, and might fail to meet the ship in the channel; or, on reaching Littleton Island, find she had not been there, and then undoubtedly all of them would perish.