A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

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2. From Ten mile Ravine to Basalt Camp 6. m

3. From B. Camp to Helen River 10. (bottom of Bedevilled Reach)

4. Helen River to Devil's Jaws 9 (off Godsend Id inshore side)

5. Godsend Id to Anaotok. 4

Total travel 39

Anaotok to First Hummock Pass]3

Hummack Pass to Old ice South 7. Old ice & young to Second Pass 22 Across Second H. Pass to S. end of Littleton Id 8 S. End of Littleton to Point Salvation 2 Point Salvation to Esquimaux Huts 12 54

Total in miles 83 Temp = about -45° Range of same -40 to -60°

Resources. Five nearly starved dogs. Hans and Dr Kane. a light sledge and outfit.

Outfit

To encounter broken ice in the midst of darkness and at a temperature destructive to life, every thing depends upon your sledge. Should it break down, you might as well break your own leg, there is no hope for you. Our sledge is made of well tried oak, dove tailed into a runner shod with iron. No iron except [save] the screws and [riots?] which confine the sledge to its runners is used besides [throughout the structure]. In [such] this intense cold, iron snaps like glass and no immoveable or rigidly fastened woodwork would stand for a moment the fierce concussions of an arctic drive. Every thing is put together with lashings of seal skin, [tied securely in its place] and the whole fabric - seemingly a

[verso] Sunday, Apr. 29. 8. P.M. No Mitek . Eider duck has not flown this way.

Our sick get along bravely Mr. Wilson Mr. Goodfellow and Sonntag - being the only cases which hang back. God willing we can piggy-back them in case of need

The state of preparation considering our recent helplessness is satisfactory and unlooked for but still with the wide area of ice between us and the water, we are behind hands.

My plan is to construct two long sledges of 17.6 feet length - arra[n]ged so as to cradle stiffly our two remaining whale boats. The boats to be washboarded and strengthened with bottom timbers. These as soon as ready I move step by step towards Anoratok - the wind loved spot - which is to be filled up for a depot: - in the interim the provision bags and heavy articles of equipment will be taken down by our dog team. Hans and myself taking alternate trips Thus I hope that the heavy strain upon the boats will be postponed to the latest moment and the sick retained at the brig until a very short time before our final departure

Anoratok - or rather its empty hut will be fitted with a door, stove, and sleeping gear - and a half way tent erected at Basalt Camp - By those two [halts?] I hope to convey the three four sick who have not lost the use of their legs - to a comfortable spot where they can await the slow arrival of the main party.

In the mean time I will remain at the brig waiting until the changes of the season render certain the future imprison- ment of our little craft. For this I will retain four faithful henchmen and

[recto]

the red boat. now mounted upon her sledge the old "Faith." When the thing is clear and written signatures from my offi- cers declare the palpable fact of "no release" I put my documents - hard earned - into the Red Eric - and join my boats at Cape Alexander.

Every thing that my powers admit of I have done. I clung to the vessel and would cling to her yet but for the higher duty which I owe to my people. We can stay here no longer for our provisions are nearly gone. I'm starved out. Now if Mitek will only give me the means of completing a second travel I will feel my conscience clean and commit myself trustingly to the long journey.

Should Providence and dry powder carry us through this fearful medly of ice and water, we will have made a boat journey unexampled in the annals of trial that of Barentz' crew along the Lapland coast will be childs play beside it. Eighteen men with two frail boats no resources for animal food but their guns must travel [more than 1000] 900? miles over ice [and] water with the certainty that the changes of the season will freeze them in unless they travel this distance within a period which is fearfully short, for the means and resources of the party. This journey will be clogged by sick and rendered tardy by the want of animal force to drag our boats across the ice.

The day up to 4 P.M. was a busy one Sunday can no longer be a day of rest. Now however all around is quietude prayers are read. The sleepy sleep and the watchful talk in hopeful ignorance of the long tramp ahead of them.