The Great White North / The story of polar exploration from the earliest times to the discovery of the pole

by Helen S. Wright

Disco Island

The serious sledging work of the expedition was undertaken as early in the season as April 3, in a temperature of 33° below zero. Seven sledges under the command of Markham and Aldrich and manned by a force of fifty-three officers and men started on that day for the long-cherished object of reaching the Pole and of exploring the northern shores of Grinnell Land. “On the second day out,” writes Markham, “the temperature fell to 45° below zero, or 77° below freezing point. The cold then was so intense as to deprive us of sleep, the temperature inside the tent being as low as -25°, the whole period of resting being occupied in attempting to keep the blood in circulation. Several frost-bites were sustained, but they were all attended to in time, and resulted in nothing worse than severe and very uncomfortable blisters.”

By the 10th of April the depot of provisions established near Cape Joseph Henry during the autumn was found undisturbed. At this point the supporting sledges returned to the ship and the two divisions separated and advanced on their solitary missions. The northern division under Markham, with two heavily laden sledges and seventeen men, leaving land pushed straight out into the rugged polar pack. Handicapped by the two boats which they carried, and in dread of an open polar sea, they advanced, after abandoning one of the boats, seventy-three miles, but the advance being made with divided loads, more than two hundred seventy-six miles was actually covered. Reaching the farthest north up to that time, 83° 20´ N., 64° W., May 12, 1876, the depleted condition of the party and the rugged conditions of the ice-floes, forced the gallant Markham to retreat.

“It is unnecessary to describe,” writes Markham, “the incidents that occurred on each successive day during the return journey. Snow fell heavily, during the greater part of the return journey, and fogs were very prevalent. Gales of wind had to be endured, for to halt was out of the question—rest there was none—onward was the order of the day. As the disease gradually assumed the mastery over the party, so did the appetites decrease, and in a very alarming manner, until it was with the greatest difficulty that anybody could be induced to eat at all. Instead of each man disposing of one pound of pemmican a day, the same quantity sufficed for the entire party in one tent; and even this, occasionally, was not consumed. Nor was the subject of eating and drinking so often discussed. During the outward journey, beefsteaks and onions, mutton chops and new potatoes, and Bass’s beer, formed the chief topics of conversation. On the return journey they were scarcely alluded to. Hunger was never felt; but we were all assailed by an intolerable thirst, which could only be appeased at meal times, or after the temperature was sufficiently high to admit of quenching our thirst by putting icicles into our mouths.”

On the 27th of May the condition of the party was so critical that it became evident that to insure their reaching the ship alive the sledges must be considerably lightened. Five men were utterly unable to move, and were consequently carried on the sledges, five more were almost as helpless, but insisted on hobbling after the sledges. Three others were showing decided scorbutic symptoms, leaving only two officers and two men, who could be considered effective.

Terra firma was reached on May 5, but the party were in such a deplorable condition that though only forty miles remained between them and the ship their progress was so slow that it would take them fully three weeks to cover the distance, and by that time who would be left alive? Assistance had, therefore, to be obtained.

“To procure it,” writes Commander Markham, “one amongst us was ready and willing to set out on this lonely and solitary mission with the firm reliance of being able to accomplish what he had undertaken, and with the knowledge that he possessed the full confidence of those for whose relief he was about to start on a long and hazardous walk. On the 7th of June, Lieutenant Parr started on his arduous march to the ship. Deep and heartfelt were the God-speeds uttered as he took his departure, and anxiously was his retreating form watched until it was gradually lost to sight amidst the interminable hummocks.”

The following day one of their number died, and was buried near by. The saddened and suffering party now left this desolate spot and made an attempt to push on toward the ship.