On the 5th March, Lockwood proceeded to Cape Sumner over the route followed by Captain Hall in 1870. During the whole of this day the temperature remained below −50°, and the party were compelled to continually keep the warm hand to the face in order to prevent it from freezing. At night a deep snow-drift was found in a small ravine, and a hole was dug in this and a house formed by using the tent and poles for a roof. Next day Newman Bay was reached in a snowstorm, and shelter had to be taken in a house made in a snow-bank, where they had to remain until the morning of the 9th. Here they had an experience they were not likely to forget. Lockwood and Jewell had used up or had lost their stock of matches. Brainard had some, but they seemed damp and would not light. They were 60 miles from the station, and there was a temperature of freezing mercury outside. Without fire they could not obtain water, and without water they could not live long. The matches were tried again and again, but only gave a flicker and went out. At last Jewell produced a love-letter which had been carefully kept in an inside garment, and holding a piece to the next match it caught the flame, and with this the alcohol-lamp was at once lighted. The cause of the matches not lighting eventually proved to be the vitiated, damp atmosphere of the hut.
Eight hours’ travelling on the 9th brought the party to Boat Camp, where the canvas and whale-boats were found in very much the same condition described by the English. From this camp, Cape Sumner was readied in an hour and a half, and the tent pitched. Here Lockwood decided to leave the tent, sleeping-bag, and some other articles of use for further exploration, and to return to Conger. The party started on the 10th in a temperature of −41°, and crossed Robeson Channel to Dépôt “B” in 12½ hours.
On 5th March, Dr. Pavy, with two men and a dog-sledge, was sent to convey a sledge-load of provisions to as northerly a point on the Greenland coast as could be reached in one day’s march from Cape Beechy. They reached the Greenland coast, and cached the supplies at a point called the “Gap.” They returned to Conger on the 9th.
On the 13th March, Sergeant Brainard, with seven men, was ordered to take a small boat with such additional supplies as could be hauled, to the dépôt near Cape Sumner. The party left the snow-house near Cape Beechy on 15th March, in a temperature of −50.5°. The Greenland coast was reached on the 17th, after very severe labour. On the way one man had to be sent back to Dépôt “B.” Brainard reported that he placed the boat beside a huge rock, and fastened her down securely with boxes, rocks, etc., first placing hard bread, medical knapsack, etc., under her, to prevent them from being blown away. The channel was then recrossed, and Dépôt “B” reached on the 19th, and Conger on the 20th March.
On 19th March, Dr. Pavy, Sergeant Rice, and Eskimo Jens, with a dog-team, were sent north in an attempt to reach land to the northward of Cape Joseph Henry. Greely states that Pavy was confident that land would eventually be discovered in that direction. Sergeant Jewell and Eskimo Christiansen were detached as a supporting party as far as Lincoln Bay. Dr. Pavy on reaching the dépôt previously formed by him near Mount Parry found that a bear had eaten 70 lb. of the pemmican.
At Cape Union the party were storm-stayed for twenty-two hours. Two trips had to be made back to Lincoln Bay to bring north supplies. On the 31st March they left Lincoln Bay with the last load, but when near Cape Union the right runner of the sledge broke longitudinally through the lashing-holes. Rice offered to return to Conger for a new runner, and started at once with Eskimo Jens. They made the journey to Dépôt “B” in one march, but the Eskimo was completely exhausted.
The sledge having been repaired, the party finally left Lincoln Bay on the 6th April, and reached the Alert’s winter quarters on the 11th. Beneath the large stone that covers the grave of Petersen they found that a hare had taken up its residence. The signal flag-staff, with attached halliards, at Cape Sheridan, was still standing in as firm a condition as when erected in 1875.
Instead of crossing the Feilden Peninsula, Dr. Pavy decided, on account of the bare ground in some places, to follow the coast to Cape Joseph Henry. This decision, though it seemed wise at the time, probably proved fatal to the success of the journey. During the 18th and 19th April a severe storm confined them to their tent. During the 20th and 21st they succeeded in transporting their stores to a point on the polar pack about 4 miles north of Cape Joseph Henry. On the 21st another storm was experienced, which continued as a severe gale during the night. On advancing north on the 23rd, Jens suddenly announced the presence of water. This was found to be an open channel a mile wide, which had probably been caused by the gale. The ice on which the party was seemed to be in motion, and Dr. Pavy therefore decided to return to Cape Joseph Henry. On arriving opposite the cape, open water of three-quarters of a mile in extent was found between the ice and the land. Ultimately the ice closed in against the shore and allowed the party to retreat in haste, abandoning their tent, some provisions, and part of the scientific instruments. Dr. Pavy, under the impression that Robeson Channel was open, decided to return in haste to Conger, in case his retreat might be cut off. The station was reached on the 2nd of May.
On the 26th April, Greely with three men started for the interior of Grinnell Land. They entered Conybeare Bay, and discovered that it was a large fiord, which was named “Chandler Fiord.” On reaching the head of this they passed along the bed of a river, and at certain places could hear the water running under the ice. Ultimately they came to a point where the river was open, and they were forced to take to the hillside. A short distance farther a surprise awaited them in the form of an immense ice-bound lake, which was named “Lake Hazen.” The station at Conger was again reached on 7th May.
The most important sledge-journey undertaken by the expedition began on the 3rd of April, under the command of Lieutenant Lockwood. Its object was the exploration of the North Greenland coast. The advance sledge was to be hauled by dogs, with Eskimo Christiansen as driver, and Lockwood was to select one man from the supporting party before their return. This latter party consisted of twelve men, with four sledges of the Hudson Bay pattern.