“Successful to such a degree as were these geographical explorations,” writes Greely, “they were strictly subordinated to the obligatory observations in the interests of the physical sciences. Systematic and unremitting magnetic observations served to round out knowledge by enabling scientists to calculate the secular variation of the magnetic declination of the Smith Sound region. Apart from the general value of the meteorological series, it has most fully determined the climatic conditions of Grinnell Land.
“The tidal observations were so complete at the station and so amply supplemented by outlying stations, that scientists have determined not only the co-tidal lines of the Polar Ocean with satisfactory results, but also learned from them that the diurnal inequality of the tidal wave conforms at Fort Conger to the sidereal day. The pendulum observations have been classed as ‘far the best that have ever been made within the Arctic Circle’ and the ‘determination of gravity (therefrom) has been singularly successful.’ Botanical, zoölogical, and anthropological researches were pursued with similar unremitting attention, so that the scientific work of the expedition may be considered as satisfactory and complete,—especially in view of the high latitude of the station.”
Summer had passed, and though the men had scanned the horizon long and earnestly for promised relief, no ship reached them. A second winter passed in the slow monotony characteristic of the Arctic night.
In order to facilitate his retreat in case the relief vessel of 1883 failed to reach him, Greely laid down stores at Cape Baird before the sun returned in February, 1883. Under his orders, Lieutenant Greely was to abandon Fort Conger not later than September 1 and retreat southward by boat, until he met the relief vessel, or Littleton Island was reached, where he would find a fresh party with fresh stores awaiting him.
FAILURE OF RELIEF SHIP “NEPTUNE”
As early as December 2, 1881, active steps were taken at the War Department in Washington for the relief vessel of 1882, estimates for an appropriation of $33,000 asked for, and negotiations for supplies opened with firms at St. John’s and with the Danish government for stores to be delivered in Greenland. In May, 1882, a board of officers attached to the Signal Service met at Washington to consider plans for the relief expedition. And the ultimate result was the sailing from St. John’s, Newfoundland, on July 8, 1882, of the sealing vessel Neptune, with Mr. William M. Beebe, Jr., a private in general service, and formerly Secretary to the Chief Signal Officer, in charge of the relief work.
The Neptune touched at Godhaven on the 17th and took on supplies; then directing her course slowly and with difficulty across Melville Bay, she came in sight of Cape York on the 25th; Littleton Island was reached on the 29th, where she was blocked by ice and obliged to return and anchor in Pandora Harbor. The next forty days the Neptune made fruitless efforts to enter Kane Sea. In the course of her many failures to penetrate to the north, she found anchorage between Cape Sabine, Brevoort Island, where Beebe examined the English cache made by the Discovery in 1875. This cache, of so much importance to Greely’s men later, was found to contain one barrel of canned beef, two tins (forty pounds each) of bacon, one barrel (one hundred and ten pounds) dog-biscuit, two barrels (one hundred and twenty rations each) biscuit, all in good condition; two hundred and forty rations, consisting of chocolate and sugar, tea and sugar, potatoes, wicks, tobacco, salt, stearin, onion powder, and matches, in fairly good condition. Beebe failed to leave any provisions of his own.
On August 25, after a fourth trial to penetrate the pack, the Neptune returned to Littleton Island with the intention of making depots. Natives being in the vicinity, who in all probability would steal any deposits left, Beebe concluded to postpone making the cache and proceeded to Cape Sabine. Here he deposited, according to his orders, two hundred and fifty rations, one-eighth of a cord of birch wood, and a whale-boat. The Neptune then made a fifth attempt to penetrate the pack, and again on September 2, her sixth and final effort. Finding it impossible to advance, she returned to Littleton Island, and a second depot of two hundred and fifty rations was cached. She now started on her homeward voyage, September 5, 1882. Beebe, having carried out to the letter his instructions from the signal office, for the relief of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition, and left two depots of two hundred and fifty rations, or ten days’ supply, returned to St. John’s, carrying safely from the barren shores of the Arctic two thousand rations, or a full supply for three months.
OFFICIAL PLANS FOR GREELY’S RELIEF IN 1883