The Resolute and Pioneer went to Pond’s Bay for news, while the Assistance and Intrepid proceeded direct to Lancaster Sound, discovering a fine harbour near Cape Warrender, with some interesting Eskimo remains.
On the 19th of August, before sunset, it was blowing a stiff gale with thick weather. The Assistance, under close-reefed topsails, drifted rapidly to leeward, rolling her lee boats into the water. The chief anxiety was whether there was ice to leeward, and whether the gale would last long enough to drive the ship down upon it, in which case the heavy sea which was running would effect her destruction in a very few minutes. Next day the wind moderated, and we passed between Leopold Island and the mainland of North Somerset. Crossing Lancaster Sound on the 20th, Captain Ommanney proceeded on board the Intrepid to land at Cape Riley, which, with Beechey Island, forms a good harbour. This cape is a cliff rising from the sea, with a talus of fallen rocks and stones at its base. Strange things were reported on shore. There were numerous remains of a camping party, and among the relics a long staff with a cross-piece at the end, secured with spun yarn, and four bent pieces of cask hoop fastened to it. This had probably been used with a net for catching specimens. The officers of the Assistance thought that the winter quarters of Sir John Franklin must be off Beechey Island, but Captain Ommanney seeing open water before him resolved to push onwards.
The other ships soon afterwards arrived at Beechey Island, and discovered Franklin’s winter quarters: first Penny’s brigs, followed by the Resolute and Intrepid, then the Felix and the two American vessels. The Prince Albert had gone home, nobody knew why. After the most exhaustive search, no record could be found. The cause of its disappearance will never be known.
The Assistance was beset for some days in Wellington Channel, and then rounded Cape Hotham, the south-east point of Cornwallis Island. Again the ship was stopped by the ice, within 150 yards of a low gravelly promontory where the ice was piled up to a height of 20 feet. On the morning of September 6th, the tide setting rapidly to the eastward, a heavy floe struck the ship, which sustained severe pressure and was listed over to port, forced astern, and raised 3½ feet out of the water. The kedge anchor was set in the ice to hold the ship, but the fluke gave and snapped off and the rest of the anchor was hurled into the air. The shank was then imbedded in the ice and the chain secured to it, and this, with four large hawsers, at last held the ship. Next day a northerly wind drove the ice off shore. The Intrepid discovered a bay suited for winter quarters on the south coast of Cornwallis Island, which was named Assistance Harbour.
But the cry was still Westward Ho! Pushing onwards, the Assistance and Intrepid were finally stopped by an immense field of ice extending from Griffith Island to Cape Walker, entirely precluding further progress. On September 10th the Resolute and Pioneer joined company, then Mr Grinnell’s schooners, and Penny’s brigs were seen in the offing. It was then that I made the acquaintance of Dr Kane on board the Rescue. But progress for that year was finally stopped. The American vessels were unprepared for a winter and parted company to return home. Like Ross’s ships, however, they were beset in Lancaster Sound and were forced to winter while being drifted down Baffin’s Bay, their crews suffering great hardships and privations. Penny’s brigs, and the little Phoenix with Sir John Ross on board, wintered in Assistance Harbour.
The squadron of Commodore Austin—a brevet rank universally given to him by his followers—had to winter in the pack between Cornwallis and Griffith Islands, but within a short walk of the latter. Never, before or since, had so large a body of men assembled together in the Arctic regions, never for a nobler purpose, and never better organised. The arrangements for keeping the living decks dry and sweet, for bathing and washing clothes, for ventilation, and for exercise, were admirable, and perfect health was maintained. All hands were kept fully employed and amused. The chief work was the preparation for the search by sledge travelling. There were various classes of instruction for the men, and a class for navigation. A fine theatre on the upper deck, with a beautiful proscenium and appropriate scenery, was erected on board the Assistance. There were plays every fortnight, one acted by the officers and another by the men, winding up with a pantomime and songs composed for the occasion. For the play-bills, printed on silk, wood blocks were cut of the Royal arms and other adornments. A monthly newspaper called the Aurora appeared on board the Assistance, the Illustrated Arctic News in the Resolute, and another more short-lived paper called the Minavilins. The Commodore revived the bal masqué on board the Resolute, in memory of those in which he had taken part in the winter of Parry’s third voyage; and there was also the “Intrepid Saloon.” Ashore the ravines of Griffith Island were explored in the winter walks, and collections of fossils made.
Captain Austin had a permanent Sledge Committee of heads of departments. But he was a good judge of character; he had the great merit of appreciating M’Clintock, and every detail was practically left to that officer. He had inaugurated autumn sledge travelling and depôts had been established for the spring journeys.
The sledges were made of Canada elm, the cross-bars of ash. The upper and lower pieces were called the bearer and the runner, the uprights being tenoned through them. A shoeing of ⅛-inch iron, 3 inches wide and slightly convex on its under surface, was riveted and clinched to the runner. The length of a ten-man sledge was 13 feet, of a six-man sledge 9 feet. The cross-bars were lashed on with strips of hide whilst warm and wet, so that drying would shrink them and make all tight. The width of the bearer was 2½ inches, and there were six uprights, and six cross-bars 3 feet long. At each corner there were light iron stanchions dropped into sockets, forming supports to the sides of a canvas tray or boat capable of ferrying the sledge crew across water. The weight of the sledge was 125 lb. The tents were 15 feet long by 8 feet high, of closely woven duck, the head-rope of horsehair. The four tent-poles were of ash, pointed at one end with metal, 9 ft. 8 in. in length; the weight of tent and poles 55 lb. Seven flannel or felt sleeping bags weighed 42 lb., and a wolf or buffalo robe over all 40 lb., waterproof floor-cloth 12 lb., and shovel 5½ lb.
The cooking apparatus consisted of a spirit-lamp holding 1½ gills, a kettle with a short spout and two handles fitted on it, and the stand, all weighing 17 lb. Then there were knapsacks for spare clothes, and a sundry bag. The irreducible constant weights amounted to 440 lb.
The scale of diet per man per day was as follows: