A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

OverviewStatisticsSubjectsWorks List

Pages That Mention George Whipple

Elisha Kent Kane Diary

Page 1
Indexed

Page 1

Rensselaer Harbour June 8th

Sunday June 4

Brig Advance now frozen in quarters Rensselaer Harbour June 8th

Officers
E. K. Kane. Convalescent from Scurvy & Fever.
James McGeary Well
Henry Brooks Amputated toe - Scurvy
Christian Ohlsen Well
Amos Bonsall Well Scurvy in knee.
I. I. Hayes M.D. Well Opthalmia
J. W. Wilson Amputated toe - Scurvy
Henry Goodfellow On sick list
Crew
George Riley Well
George Stephenson Scurvy & Inf. of Heart
Thomas Hickey Scurvy & Anemia
William Godfrey On sick list
John Blake On sick list
George Whipple Well Anemic
William Morton Well Anemic
Hans Hendrick Well
E. K. Kane.
Last edit over 2 years ago by Seflorywilson
Page 2
Indexed

Page 2

[header] 1 [margin] Tuesday June 6

We are now a parcel of sick men keeping ship until our comrades return from the last sledge party of the expedition. Except Mr. Ohlsen and George Whipple we have not a sound man among us. Thus wearily in our Castle of Indolences we watch the changing days anxiously noting bird and insect and vegetable life - as it tells us of the coming summer.

One fly, of species unknown, buzzed around William Godfrey’s head; and Mr. Petersen brought in a cocoon from [which?] the grub had eaten its way into liberty - Hans nearly daily gives us a seal and for a passing luxury we have Ptarmigan and hare. The little snow birds crowd to Butler Ild. whence these songs pene= trate the cracks of our rude housing - a snipe too - a tringa was mercilessly shot on the first day of his arrival. The andromeda shows green upon its rusty winter dried stems the willows are sappy and puffing, their catkins of last year dropping off - and the stone crops are really green and juicy in their [tendrils?] - all this under the snow - so we know that summer is coming although the tide hole again freezes along side and the ice floe is seemingly as fast as ever.

[margin] Wednes. [margin] June 7.

George Stephenson, my partner in the journey to the north seems to recover strength even more slowly than myself. The scurvy has affected his heart and chest. The type of the disease is singularly consistent.

Mr. Wilson can again boast of a practicable foot - The ball of the toe is perfectly strong and well preserved the stump round and ample - Brooks bids fair to follow in the same road - Considering the very meager room allowed me this is a pleasant result. Petersen mopes still. He has no creative morale.

Last edit about 3 years ago by glynn
Page 253
Needs Review

Page 253

252

[has completely cowed them] in no case has resistance of any method or system been attempted. John had a contusion of the brain from [by] the belaying pin. I confess I tried to kill him, but Godfrey fell after a short scuffle and was not hurt, both of these have since behaved well. These were my only two when George came to make the third his nerves gave way and he fell at my feet, begging mercy. He got it, after a short cuffing with my mittoned hand and went below thanking me.

The above reads repulsively far worse for me than the subjects of my treatment. Nothing could palliate such a system but the gross worthless- ness and depravity of the subjects. WIlliam Godfrey is a professional thief who smuggled himself into the Expedition by bribing Mr. Grinnel's wharf protegé – The old shopkeeper in the frame house – to recommend him. He has twice threatened and once (on boat journey south) attempted my life. I have criminal charges against him. John is a spotted man, entered the brig by proxy, being concerned in the murder and mutiny on board [this?]. He is a truculent bold able fellow. He was my first example.

The third Whipple is a poor weak unfortunate going to be again a useful man but completely under the influence of John.

These three men have strange to say acquired the dominancy over many of the late absentees. By bravado & superior phisical force they completely cowed them, and but for these

Last edit over 3 years ago by areasf
Page 302
Needs Review

Page 302

302

Friday Feb. 16

I keep today sixteen hours of observation watch. McGeary is off his legs and Goodfellow only allowed such duty as may be conducive to his health.

Thinking quietly over our condition, and God knows there is at least quiet around me, I can argue myself into good genuine trusty hope. At first sight our position seems an awful one. Out of eighteen men but six are now partially able to do the necessary duties of daily life, preparing food cutting it out from its frozen masses melting ice for water and breaking up the woodwork of our brig for fuel. Two of this party must hunt daily so that all this work [of the above] falls upon four men. [Of these I am one.]

The remaining twelve are disabled by Scurvy, and to the following extent [Messrs?] Brooks, Wilson, Riley Ohlsen and McGeary entirely unable to leave their berths. [except for the adjacent close stool.] [Mesr?] Goodfellow Sonntag George Whipple and Thomas Hickey crippled with stiff or useless limbs. Morton and George Stephensen are able to work around the mess table washing dishes &c, but ought with more propriety 15 be on their backs. Dr. Hayes free from Scurvy but with an unhealed amputation. When it is remembered that of the so called well and working, nearly all [all except ?] are tainted by the Scurvy, and [then?] liable at any moment to be rendered useless, and that a very little [erosion?] of disease would thus prevent

Last edit about 3 years ago by areasf

Elisha Kent Kane Private Journal

Page 6
Needs Review

Page 6

[verso]

search. This journal will give in due time my list of equipment and general organization.

My feelings may be understood when I say that my Carpenter and all the working men save Bonsall are still on their backs and that a [months?] preliminary labour is needed before I can commence the heavy labour of transporting my boats (three in number) over the ice to the anticipated water. At the moment of my writing this the water is over eighty miles in a short line progress from our brig!

[No matter, spirits good! Hope is better! Trust best of all!!]

Thursday Apr. 12

Again blowing as yesterday from [?] We have had of late much of these winds. I regard them as very favourable to the advance of open water. The long swell from the open spaces in North Baffin’s Bay [succeeded] has a powerful effect upon the ice. I should not wonder if the ice about Life Boat Cove, off McGeary Is would be broken up by the first of May. Poor Hans is out in this storm.

Our sick have been without fresh food since the 8th but such is the [?] by our late supply that they, as yet, show no backward symptoms. McGeary and [Christian Ohlsen|Ohlsen] and Brooks and Riley dress themselves daily and are able to do much useful jobbing. Thomas begins to relieve me in cooking, [George Riley|Riley]] to take a spell at the [?] Morton cooked breakfast, am aided by McGeary, [Christian Ohlsen|Ohlsen] has already finished one cotton [?] camp blanket with which I intend to cover our last remaining buffalo skins. Wilson comes on slowly. Dr. Hayes too begins to heal. Sonntag is more cheery [less a nuissance] with the [encaptions?] of Goodfellow John & Whipple I can feel that my little household is [are] fast becoming men again. [Sastrande indefinite?]

[recto]

[the following paragraph is crossed out] and vague as is the acknowledged God to whom I give it. Gratitude unspeakable pervaded one at this sudden change. I knew the cause of our resurrection from putrid stagnation to vitality. The cause was 400 [?] of raw meat, it puzzled the [?] and [?] to say why in the next causative [?], raw walrus did this. I might spend a lifetime among the proximates and never get up to God. What damned [me?] - family - for us [agglomented?[ worms, unable [?] [?] to dissect our own Maggots[?], to travel up to [origination?]. I only know that I am very grateful. [/end deletion]

The Netelik Settlement on Northumberland Island was when [Myouk?] heard from it the refuge of the natives from the farthest south even of those from beyond [Wolstenholne?] and the last beyond about their barrier glacier. As [?] drove them they concentrated at [?] Stronghold and watched Hans says with great merriment song and dance and [?] merriment the gradual approach of starvation. [Now I am [rotted?] with news up to the date of Hans leaving Etah. ]

It seemed that the poor wretched suffered terribly even more than one neighbors of Etah. Their laws exact an equal division, and the success of the best hunsters was dissapated by the crowds of feeble claimants upon their spoils. At last the broken nature of the ice margin and the freezing up of a large zone of ice prevented them from seeking walrus. The water was inacessible, and the last resource [of killing their dogs] pressed itself [fell] upon them. They killed their dogs. Fearful as it sounds when we think how indispensable the services of the animals are to their daily existance, they cannot now number more than twenty in their entire [domain] ownership of the tribe. From glacier south to glacier north, from glacier east to the [?] ice bound coast which completes the circuit of their little world. This nation have but twenty dogs. What food can they hope for without their animals.

Last edit over 3 years ago by awhtou
Displaying pages 1 - 5 of 6 in total