A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

Rensselaer Harbour June 8th

Sunday June 4

Brig Advance now frozen in quarters Rensselaer Harbour June 8th

[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.

8

[Margin:] Tuesday June 13.

and exempt from hygienic rules - physic or restraint - our one repartory and hitherto worthless Goodfellow. It would rejoice me for God's sake if he would turn over a new leaf and buckle to like a man.

Bill is better spirited he can take the dog journey!

William Godfrey said that he was unable to start this morning to continue the search to the north west.

Although I am convinced that this man is malingering I cannot force him to a stop which desirable as it may be to me might inspire him against his reported wishes. I never send a man upon a journey unless by his full consent and the secret of my success lies in this. Every man is a volunteer.

This William is a bad non reliable man - already in arrears - for unnatural offences. He and John have done more to disturb the efficiency and comfort of the crew than scurvy, darkness, and cold combined. But we are all weak in health William among the rest. I therefore said not one word of reproof but opened to him how much I lose by his not driving to the absent party and left him to his reflections.

Hans came in this evening with another Reindeer - a good sized male. The antlers were quite recent in growth - about 10 in in height but not yet palmated. A hairy pubescence completely covered them.

[Header:] 10

If Hans succeeds in his efforts he may catch Morton before he leaves the glacier and thus make the Exploration which will perfect our voyage. Should this be done many a larger expedition equipped with every resource of art and science has done less and none could do more.

The reindeer was brought home by Dr. Hayes and Mr. Ohlsen. Petersen was well enough to make a seal screen in the hope of being able to use it during Hans' absence.

William Godfrey continues on the sick list. Malingering!! Hayes [?] [swasion?] with his physic and failed. Bill is a bad fellow. Sonntag again able to attend to magnetics.

[Margin:] Friday June 16

Two long tailed duck ([?]) visited us evidently seeking their breeding grounds. They are beautiful either at rest or on the wing. We now have the snow bird, the snipe, the Burgomaster gull and the long-tailed duck enlivening our solitude. But the snow birds only are in numbers crowding our rocky island and making our sunny night time musical with home remembered songs. Of all the rest we have but a solitary pair who seem to have left their fellows and sought this far northern mating ground in order to love unmolested. I long for specimens but they shall not be fired at.

The Ptarmagan show a singular backwardness in assuming the summer fea= thering. The male is still entirely white

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were undecided as to their course, one tired man left them he is now my third officer [*+ Riley*] but the rest either urged on by the sanguine conviction of the others or by a false shame pushed on. They found the water free between [Hackluyt?] and our own Capes, and after entering the same ice which baffled my own attempt a month earlier, urged their way until return was impossible by the 21st of Sept only twenty five days after their withdrawal from the Expedition they were arrested by the ice.

The horrors of the coming winter then stared them in the face. They could not now retrace their steps and all attempts at a land journey to our brig were fruitless. Godfrey and John, my two desperados broke out into absolute defiance of restraint eating and acting as they pleased. They could not even allowance the provisions, and starvation was before them. Under these circumstances this wretched little party formed two divisions or messes, the good and the bad or rather the better and the worse. A hut was built and one of the boats burnt for fuel. They were nearly two hundred miles to the South of our own position and had of course a longer sun and milder weather. Here they lived, living from hand to mouth, and waiting for the iron [winter?] to bridge their return to the commander they had abandoned.

Several efforts were made but want of unity among themselves and trouble in dealing with the natives brought failure and it was not until Dec. 1 that Mr. Petersen & Bonsall effected