One of these expeditions, the only one which concerns our subject, combined geographical discovery with the main object—that sent up Smith Sound by the United States. It was composed entirely of officers and men of the army, under the command of Lieutenant Greely of the Signal Corps. Under him the officers were Lieutenants Kislingbury and Lockwood, and Dr Pavy as surgeon and naturalist. There were five sergeants belonging to the signal corps, three of infantry, and two of cavalry, altogether ten sergeants, one corporal, nine privates, and two Eskimo hunters. The steamer Proteus was hired to land the party at Lady Franklin Bay, the Discovery’s winter quarters. This was effected on August 18th, 1881, and as soon as the stores and provisions were landed and the house erected, the Proteus departed.
It was arranged that the Proteus should return to bring the observers home in the summer of 1882, but no other precaution was taken. It was quite possible that a vessel might find it impracticable to reach Lady Franklin Bay owing to ice conditions, or that she might founder, as actually happened. The commander of the expedition ought to have insisted upon a depôt being landed at Cape Sabine, or some other point in Smith Sound, complete in all respects for 24 men for nine months; such a depôt as Captain Kellett left at Melville Island. The neglect of this precaution was disastrous.
The house at Lady Franklin Bay, which was named Conger, was comfortable, and the various observations, meteorological, magnetic, pendulum, and tidal were commenced. But unfortunately the personnel of the expedition did not form a very united family. There was resistance to the Commander’s instructions for winter routine. Lieutenant Kislingbury resigned his appointment in the expedition and wished to return, but was too late. He remained as a volunteer. The surgeon was frequently insubordinate and was at last put under arrest, and later there was trouble with one of the sergeants named Cross. Lieutenant Lockwood was the life and soul of the expedition. He undertook short journeys in the autumn, laying out depôts, and upwards of a hundred musk oxen were seen, and many shot, so that fresh meat could be served out three times a week. During the dark winter months Lieutenant Lockwood edited a paper entitled The Arctic Moon, with illustrations by himself.
An expedition along the north coast of Greenland had been decided upon, and during March Lieutenant Lockwood undertook a preliminary journey across the channel to Thank God Harbour, visiting Hall’s grave. A depôt was also placed at Cape Sumner.
On the 2nd April Lockwood’s expedition started, consisting of the dog-sledge Antoinette with a team of eight dogs, and some supporting sledges. At Cape Britannia on the north coast of Greenland, near Beaumont’s furthest, all the supporting sledges were sent back, a depôt was left, and on April 30th Lockwood proceeded with Sergeant Brainard and the Eskimo Frederick. The sledge was loaded with 25 days’ rations for three persons weighing 230 lb., 300 lb. of dog pemmican, constant weights 176 lb., the sledge itself 80 lb., total 786 lb. As they advanced the snow became soft, and a portion of the load was thrown off, to be picked up on the return journey. The ice foot further on was smooth and the dogs went at a trot, the men sitting on the sledge by turns. On the 14th May they reached their furthest point, which was called Lockwood Island. On the 15th observations were taken, the result being Lat. 83° 24′ N., Long. 40° 46′ 30″ W. The return was without incident, and Conger was reached June 1st. The dogs had done well and enabled a good journey of two months to be made.
Lockwood’s coast-line extends for 110 miles of longitude, or altogether 150 miles. It consists of a succession of high, rocky, and precipitous promontories, with intervening inlets, and a mass of snow-clad mountains inland. Along the shore was what was called a tidal crack, varying in width, supposed to be caused by the motion of the polar pack. Lieutenant Greely rightly concluded from the regularity of the surface in the fjords or inlets, that this was really the north coast of Greenland, and not a separate land as later alleged by Peary.
Greely himself started on an expedition inland on June 26th, and this journey, combined with a shorter one in the spring, resulted in the discovery of an extensive lake, and enabled him to obtain a clear idea of this part of the great island, his furthest point being 175 miles from Conger. A number of Eskimo bone implements and remains of sledges, of considerable antiquity, were found and brought back. But now began the first hint of the misfortunes that were to befall them. The Proteus, the relief vessel which was to bring the expedition home, was anxiously expected but never arrived, and a second winter had therefore to be faced.
On April 25th, 1883, Lieutenant Lockwood started for a month’s exploration westward. He succeeded in crossing the island to a fjord on the west coast to which he gave the name of Greely, and down this he and Sergeant Brainard travelled for 25 miles. To the south of the fjord the country appeared to be covered by an immense ice-cap with an unbroken series of cliffs from 125 to 200 feet in height.
It was decided to commence a retreat on the 18th August, with a steam launch, a whale-boat, and two English ice-boats, carrying 50 days’ provisions, to take them to Cape Dobbin, where they expected to find a ship. All the records of observations as well as the reports of sledge journeys were placed in tin cases carefully soldered. They picked up the English depôt at Cape Collinson (240 rations of meat and 120 of bread) and reached Cape Hawke with 60 days’ provisions. On October 2nd they landed at Wade Point with 35 days’ food for 25 men. All the boats, except one ice-boat, had been abandoned. On the 9th Sergeant Rice arrived at Cape Sabine and obtained news. The Proteus had foundered on the 23rd July, and her commander Lieutenant Garlington and crew had escaped to the east coast. The English depôt was found. The members of the expedition reached Cape Sabine and built a hut with the boat for a roof. Greely was obliged, on November 1st, to reduce the daily rations to the smallest amount that would support life—meat 4 oz. and biscuit 6 oz., altogether a total of only 14¼ oz. There were some instances of theft of rum and provisions, but not many. In January Sergeant Cross died. Though some of the party were indefatigable in searching for game they were not fortunate, the bag consisting only of one small seal, one bear, twenty-four foxes, fourteen ptarmigan and sixty dovekies. The last issue of rations was on May 24th, after which the deaths from starvation began, though during May Sergeant Brainard had managed to get 475 lb. of shrimps and 81 lb. of sea-weed. That gallant and loyal soldier, James Lockwood, died on the 9th April, Dr Pavy on the 16th, and Kislingbury on the 1st June. Greely was left without an officer. All the non-commissioned officers, except Brainard, fell victims of starvation, as well as six of the privates and the two Eskimos. Private Henry had been detected stealing bacon, and afterwards strips of leather. He was stronger than any of the others, and they became frightened of him, so Lieutenant Greely ordered him to be shot. This was done on June 6th, 1884. The six survivors, Greely, Brainard, Connell, Long, Fredericks, and Biederlich, were reduced to the very last extremity when on June 22nd a relief vessel arrived, commanded by Captain Sedley, and saved them.
Greely was in a most difficult position during the expedition owing to the insubordination of two out of three of his officers, which set a bad example to the men. There were possibly faults on both sides, and Greely may have been injudicious, but he conducted an exceptionally arduous and difficult service with ability and consideration for others, and to the very last did not fail in his duty to those dependent upon him.