The lands of silence

by Sir Clements R. Markham

Lieut. Wyatt Rawson, R.N.

A preliminary journey was undertaken to open communication with the Discovery by the two youngest officers, Egerton and Rawson, with the Dane, Petersen, and a team of nine dogs. They had hardly gone two marches when the Dane collapsed, covered with frost bites, and suffering from cramp. The two young officers did all that was possible for him, but his condition was so serious that he had to be put on the sledge and taken back to the ship. It was found necessary to amputate both feet, but it was in vain, and he died on the 14th May. Meanwhile, on March 20th, Egerton and Rawson started again, and reached the Discovery[151].

The 3rd of April was the day fixed upon for the start of the main sledge parties, Markham north over the frozen sea, Aldrich west along the north coast of Ellesmere Island. Captain Nares, in compliance with his instructions, decided to send the sledge crews north dragging two boats as well as their sledge with provisions, which necessitated going over the same ground four or five times, thus allowing the travellers only to attain a very short distance from the ship. Sir Leopold M’Clintock would have put the whole strength of the expedition on the northern journey, and would easily have achieved the distance with healthy men. No boats would have been taken, but the sledges would have been made convertible into boats in the event of lanes of water barring progress. There could be no depôts, but supporting sledges would have been used to advance the main sledge to the pole, and to meet it in returning. The distance to the Pole and back was much shorter than some of the sledge journeys successfully made during the search expeditions. But alas! the indispensable condition of healthy men was wanting.

Commander Markham and Lieutenant Parr reached the autumn depôt at Cape Joseph Henry on the 10th April, 1876, and commenced their journey over the frozen sea with the thermometer at -33° Fahr. They encountered small floes surrounded by broad fringes of hummocks, across which roads had to be made for the sledges. Even then the sledges could only be got over by standing pulls, while the ground had to be gone over four times, dragging up the boat sledges. The work was tremendous, and the officers worked harder than the men, with less rest. Soon scurvy began to appear, the two first cases on the 16th and 17th April. On the 19th Commander Markham abandoned one of the boats. On the 24th the sledge crews were all day cutting a lane through hummocks. On the 11th May Markham reached the limit of human endurance and their furthest north in 83° 20′ 26″ N. Soundings were taken in 73 fathoms, showing that they were still on the continental shelf. On the 13th May the return journey was begun, on the 17th the second boat was abandoned, and on the 5th June the land was reached. Next day Lieutenant Parr started alone for the ship for help, for only three men, including Commander Markham, could drag the sledge. Two men were unable to walk, and were placed on the sledge; one died. The heroic resolution of all concerned enabled them to struggle on to the last in spite of difficulties and hardships, and the courage displayed while in the grip of this dread disease was magnificent. The party had gone over 600 miles.

Lieutenant Pelham Aldrich’s western party had meanwhile made important discoveries along the north coast of Ellesmere Island during an absence of 84 days from the ship. He travelled over 630 miles, nearly all his sledge crew being more or less disabled by scurvy. His most northern point was 83° N., and was named Cape Columbia.

The third principal effort was to be made along the north coast of Greenland. From April 10th to 18th Egerton and Rawson crossed the channel between Greenland and Ellesmere Island to pioneer a route, returning on the latter date. Lieutenant Beaumont of the Discovery was to command the party. On the 16th April he and Dr Coppinger arrived at the Alert with two 8-man sledges. There Rawson joined them with another sledge, and on the 20th they all crossed the channel to Greenland, with a fourth depôt sledge. On May 5th Coppinger parted company, and on the 11th Rawson followed with a man on his sledge who had shown symptoms of scurvy.

Beaumont proceeded along the Greenland north coast, a new discovery. On May 19th he reached his turning point, naming a distant cape to the north-east Cape Britannia. His furthest point was in 82° 18′ N. and 50° 40′ W.

Soon after the return journey was commenced the whole sledge crew was attacked with scurvy. Three only, including Beaumont himself, were able to drag the sledge, the others being carried forward by relays. A dreadful disaster seemed imminent, but thanks to the foresight and energy of Rawson, Coppinger, and the Eskimo, Hans Hendrik, it was averted. They pushed forward to the rescue, and when they reached Polaris Bay only the officers were able to drag. Here there was a long rest, while the stricken men were revived on fresh seal meat. On August 8th Beaumont and Coppinger started to cross the channel to the Discovery with the now convalescent men, in a 15-ft. ice boat. After a most arduous and perilous voyage over the drifting ice, the ship was reached on the 15th. Beaumont had been away 132 days.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Archer had discovered and surveyed a long and narrow fjord running south from Lady Franklin Bay. This was an admirable piece of work, but the most important discovery was that of a deposit of coal of the Miocene period, with many impressions of plants, near the winter quarters of the Discovery.