On the 3d of May, as they pushed their way onward, they took a series of angles and paced distances to get at the height of the tremendous cliffs near at hand. The result gave an altitude of forty-one hundred feet, which was almost vertical, the débris extending a third of the way up, and not being quite so steep. They then followed the north shore to Record Point, and thence took a straight course for the head of Beatrix Bay. The cliffs were so grand that Lockwood never tired of gazing at them, wondering how they were first formed, and thinking what tremendous force of nature had scooped out the awful chasm that comprised the fiord. These walls, high as they were, were only one half or one third of the height of the great snow-covered elevations back of and beyond them.
The appreciation of the grand in this region was frequently marred by fatigue and hunger, and so it was on the present occasion, Lockwood being glad enough when, at half-past one, they reached the head of Beatrix Bay. In the valley which they now entered, they concluded to spend another day. This one, like nearly all the valleys in this region, was simply a cañon, a narrow, ditch-like formation, walled in by steep, high cliffs. It was occupied as usual by a very insignificant stream, the successor of some mighty mass of water or ice which had originally hollowed out the great gorge. This, and the head of Ella Bay, were the farthest reached by Lieutenant Archer, R. N., who explored the fiord named for him to find out whether it was simply a fiord, or a strait or channel, as the Polaris people had asserted it to be. His Mount Neville, thirty-eight hundred feet high, Lockwood looked for in vain as a regular head to the valley, and finally fixed it as one of the cliffs which, a little way back, rose slightly higher, to a dome. Archer was a day making the ascent. Lockwood and Brainard walked about four miles up the valley, and saw its termination nearly six miles beyond, when they retraced their course to camp, greatly disappointed in seeing no game, except two or three ptarmigans. The valley seemed practicable for the sledge, and so, after considering one or two narrow and rocky gorges which came in from the west, they determined to follow it to its head (north-northwest), and then seek farther a route in the direction desired, which was west or southwest. As they proceeded, the weather became bright and clear, and the mercury was only 2° below zero. They passed up the valley, leaving in cache for return two days’ rations. The dogs were in excellent condition, and, in spite of stones, went along very well. There was some ice in the stream-bed, and of snow quite an abundance. Above the farthest reached the day before, a small lake was discovered—a level expanse of snow with ice beneath. The lower part of the valley had two distinct elevations, the stream-bed, a very easy grade, forming one, while along the stream extended broken terraces, termed shoulders, which from the cliffs projected out on either side, sometimes beyond the middle of the valley, which was from one to three miles wide. The breadth decreased as they ascended, and after several miles it was but a few hundred yards wide. At this point, they suddenly came to a place where the valley seemed to run out, the whole breadth being a mass of rocks. Good traveling was seen beyond, however, and, after working an hour doubling up (taking half-load at a time), they got over, and shortly afterward the real end of the valley was reached. They then turned short off to the north, and, going up a steep, rocky ravine, about midnight pitched the tent for further survey of the scene on the morrow.
From this camp a low-looking “hog-back” was seen to close in the head of the valley. They determined to ascend this and get a look at the country, it seeming certain that the big sledge could go no farther. After making some coffee as strong as it could be made, and drinking about a quart each, to bolster up their spirits, the twain again started out, leaving Frederick to crawl into his sleeping-bag or keep warm as best he might. They proceeded north up a rocky ravine about a mile, and then came to a level plain stretching northward, some half a dozen miles farther, to a line of cliffs running across which seemed to indicate another valley or lake. To the right were two or three high, dome-shaped elevations, and to the left was Mount Easy, so called, afterward, on account of the ease with which they ascended it, and in contradistinction to Mount Difficult, the last they had ascended. They soon came to a pretty little lake—Lake Carolyn—only a few miles long. This they crossed, and, in places where the snow had been blown off, they could see down through the beautiful transparent ice, seven feet in thickness, even to the stones on the bottom of the lake near the shore. This lake had an elevation of eleven hundred feet above the sea. In three hours from camp, they reached the top of the mountain, an elevation of 2,720 feet, and had a good view. To the south the country was very high, and several glacier-walls came into view, probably connections of the glacier above Ella Bay. The Henrietta Nesmith glacier, the Garfield range, and the United States Mountains, were plainly seen, and also the depression in which lay Lake Hazen. Snow and ice in every direction. The cliffs to the north of the camp were very conspicuous, but whether along a valley or lake they could not make out. They stayed on top two hours, and then descended the south side of the mountain through a deep ravine filled in places with snow-drifts, and lower down with stones and bowlders. However, they went down very rapidly, and got to camp in two hours. The cliffs to the north seeming to extend to the west, Lockwood decided to visit them and take that route. The only other feasible route was by way of the ravine they had descended from the mountain-top.
Shortly after midnight of the 7th, Frederick had the dogs and little sledge ready, and, with nothing upon it but the shot-gun, hatchet, and telescope, they all started. The dogs were irrepressible, and took the little sledge over the rocks in a way calculated to cripple all hands, for they had to run alongside and hold on to the upstanders to keep up. Occasionally a runner of the sledge would catch under a bowlder and bring the sledge to a sudden stand-still, the immense strain of the strong dogs threatening to break it. On reaching the lake, all three of the men managed to crowd upon the sledge, and the dogs went at a rapid trot over its smooth, level surface. Beyond Lake Carolyn was a ravine leading toward the river, and there the dogs took to a gallop, and in an hour they reached a rocky height overlooking a long, wide valley walled in on the north side by high, precipitous cliffs, and on the south by heights of even greater elevation, but not so steep. There seemed no way, however, to get down. The water-course from the lake here became a narrow gorge blocked with large bowlders, the spaces between which were full of soft snow. It was not inviting, but they tried it, and in an hour reached the river-bed, the descent being most laborious. Here they found themselves only four hundred feet above the sea-level, and, turning to the right, went down-stream in a northeastern direction, the barometer constantly showing that they were going down-stream. En route they passed over several small lakes formed by expansions of the stream. In many places the ice was very thick and beautifully transparent. Seven miles from Rocky Gorge, where they entered the river, they suddenly saw four musk-oxen. Frederick being very anxious for slaughter was allowed to go after them, while Brainard remained to watch the sledge and dogs, and Lockwood went off to the right to take some compass-bearings. After a while he heard a shot from Frederick, and saw one of the animals fall. The others did not seem at all frightened, but stood by their dead comrade until Frederick drove them away by throwing stones at them. The dogs became greatly excited, and, going to where the dead game lay—a second ox having been killed—they gorged themselves with the entrails until there was danger of ruining their own.
Having returned to the camp, Lockwood now projected a special trip westward of twelve days, and prepared his outfit as follows: Shelter-tent, sleeping-bags, axe, sextant, etc., telescope, shot-gun and ammunition, medicine, cook’s bag, rubber blankets, small lamp, knapsacks, snow-shoes, rations for three at forty-five ounces each per day, and one sack of pemmican for dogs; total, 328¼ pounds. The large tent was left standing with the big sledge alongside and the American flag flying from the upstander. They got off at an early hour on the 8th with the dogs in excellent condition. Much work was required to get over the rocks, but after that they proceeded satisfactorily until near the valley. This was found to be quite wide for a region where everything of the kind was more like a cañon than a valley in the ordinary sense. Its width was two or three miles, or perhaps in some places four, and the general gradients of the stream-bed (Dodge River) were very slight, perhaps thirty feet to the mile. Narrow, deep cuts in the cliffs and high ground around indicated tributary streams.
Frederick having shot a hare, and gathered up the other food, they proceeded on their way, traveling now over thick, clear ice and hard snow, with now and then patches of stones. The valley seemed to come to an end some fifteen miles up-stream, a range of high hills running directly across it.
After various tribulations in exploring a side gorge, at midnight on the 10th of May the party resumed travel up the valley. The condition of the sledge-runners rendered it necessary to reduce the weight to the least amount possible. This doubtless pleased the dogs, for the driver had to restrain their ardor. Leaving the sledge to pursue its way along the base of the hills, Lockwood ascended a considerable elevation and obtained a good outlook over the country. He was very agreeably surprised to find at the farther end of a gap up stream an apparent prolongation of the valley in the same general direction. On either side of this prolongation was a range of low heights, while the intermediate surface looked very level—so level that he took it for a long lake. To the left, just outside the heights on that side of the valley, he could see at intervals a glacier-wall, the north boundary of a great mer de glace. About twenty miles distant, the valley seemed again to be shut in by a range of hills, but over the tops of them, and at a great elevation on the distant horizon, he saw what seemed to be a snow-bank. This he made his objective point. Passing onward through the gap, they came to a long and picturesque lake which was named Lake Nan after an interesting niece; and coming to a place near the end of the valley, a break in the low heights to the left revealed the glacier they had before seen. Its surface was very distinct. Extending to the south a few miles, it soon reached an elevation that formed the horizon in that direction. It seemed a vast undulating surface, and, as was afterward discovered, is the backbone of Grinnell Land. The wall of the glacier near which they camped presented a vertical face of solid ice 140 feet high. At intervals they heard the sound of falling ice—small fragments which became detached and dropped to the base. The altitude of this camp above the sea-level was found to be 1,240 feet, and of Lake Nan 920 feet; that of their last camp was 685 feet, and of the first camp in the valley, 420 feet.
Passing onward, they crossed several small lakes close along the wall, with brooks emptying into them from the north. In a few hours they were on the divide, the surface to the north having more slope than that on the other side. The summit gave an elevation by barometer of 2,610 feet, about 400 feet higher than where they left the wall. They had an extensive view to the east, and could see Dodge River as far as they had explored it, also Mount Easy and the country adjacent. To the southeast, south, and southwest, was seen the glacier, which was named after Agassiz. It formed the horizon for half a dozen miles in these directions. All the ice-capped country and glaciers seen from the former camps were found to be connected with, and to form a part of this one glacier. Toward the north, the country had comparatively little snow. Presently they came in view of a mountain-peak toward the northwest, not many miles distant, which was recognized as Mount Arthur, the farthest point reached by Lieutenant Greely during the previous year. Away beyond it were seen very distinctly the United States and Garfield Mountains. Just to the west of Mount Arthur, they discovered a large lake, which Lockwood named Lake Fletcher. They were now on a surface rapidly sloping to the west. Some miles distant in this direction appeared a broken range of cliffs and mountains, and between their stand-point and these mountains was a wide valley, connected by a stream with Lake Fletcher, and a small lake, close to the Chinese Wall, which they called Lake Harry, the latter having an elevation of 1,320 feet. They crossed Lake Harry, and beyond it came to another called Lake Bessie, having an elevation of 1,630 feet, and covered with deep snow.
Reaching the cliffs to the west, they found the descent exceedingly precipitous and rugged. No other passage offered than that through a gorge which was filled with ice and hard snow, whose surface was almost perpendicular. As this was the only passage, they went into camp to devise ways and means. Next morning, Lockwood attached all the ropes he had, including dog-traces, to the sledge, and while he rode to guide caused the others to ease down the sledge. Unfortunately, the rope was too short, and those at the top let go. Gravity carried the sledge and rider down the foot of the slope, now somewhat reduced, with fearful rapidity, till they brought up against rocks covered with snow, fortunately without serious damage. The other men and dogs got down as best they could, the former digging footholds as they progressed.
Further descending the cañon, they came to another glacier stretching entirely across their way, and, as it seemed impossible to surmount it or the walls on either side, they came to a halt and enjoyed a night of rest. The next day they pushed on, though troubled with snow-blindness, and, overcoming the obstacle of the previous day, crossed a lake and encamped on its farther end. On the following day, after passing through a gorge, the outlet of the lake, between high cliffs, they were surprised to see a number of floebergs similar in every respect to the floebergs of the east Grinnell coast. At the same time they found the water to be salt, and saw the fresh tracks of a bear. These facts convinced Lockwood that they were near the western sea, probably at the head of a fiord. This soon became still more apparent. Here they also saw another glacier coming in some miles west of the last. They crossed a crack of open water, formed by the tide, and found themselves on well-recognized floe-ice, quite level but covered in places with deep snow. Ahead of them, twenty miles distant, on the opposite side of the fiord, was a bold headland, and toward this they now directed their course. This fiord, which Lockwood named after Lieutenant Greely, separated at its head into two bays. These he called, after Greely’s daughters, Adola and Antoinette. The latter bay they were now crossing, while they bore away to the north. It had become very foggy, and was snowing and blowing hard. When some miles out they crossed other bear-tracks, and finally reached the cape for which they had been striving. Here the south shore of the fiord bent off toward the west-southwest being very wide and walled in on all sides by steep cliffs broken in a few places by branch fiords or bays. They encamped at the cape on the 13th, had supper, and soon turned in to sleep and fast as long as possible, or until the storm abated, as the party was now reduced to what they called a starvation allowance. There was nothing to do but to make observations when the sun appeared.