A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

[Header:] 9

This is a welcome [engrafting?] upon our seal meat.

Hans thinks that the open water seen last between Godsend Id. and Esquimaux Point has worked up nearer Bedevil= led Reach. The ice is quite unsafe off Sylvia Head, and seal lie by their Attuk between our brig and the shore.

Made arrangements for the disposition of our coal - reserving twenty kegs for our use should we make open water - and the remainder barely enough to last us for the present month. Separated for use. We have a store of wood but so much for Brooks and his coal. In oil we are again stocked. Our seal yield is an average of five gallons each. I sup= pose we have a barrel (32 gall) already tried out. Ten seal make a barrel as is the case at Uppernavik at this season. In the winter they use from ten to fourteen. The blubber occupies the same volume as is the oil subsequently boiled from it. A fact somewhat puzzling to those who remember the abundant cellular tissue which sustains the fat cells. It is explained by the increased expansion of the oil with change of climate & season.

[Margin:] Wednes June 14

By great exertion Hans was practised during the entire day with the sledge. In spite of the sneering prognostics of that poor devil Godfrey he learnt rapidly the main essential. The whip was already acquired by Hans in the childish games of [Fiskirnas?]. At 1. P.M. he started. Petersen and Hayes pilotted him to the land ice and thus I accomplished a substitute for my rennegade.

[verso] As I have slept but a few hours I cannot give details of this wonderful journey - it did not however advance one single iota my wishes of another search

[?] [and] [?] were sent away fully laden with wood and other presents and an engagement from me taken for Mitek to come up with his four dogs. They themselves to loan me one dog from each team making two which added to Mitek's would be six fast animals. Upon the continued loan of which I provided future payment to all the parties. It pleased me to find that I had earned a character with these people at first so suspicious and distrustful. They left on board each man his dog without a shade of doubt as to my good faith - after which - begging me to watch the poor animals feet as the famine had nearly exterminated their stock - they gave me good wishes and departed for Etah to aid me with Mitek. To understand this act in all its courtesy and trust you must suppose the dog a valued horse one of about twenty [absolutely] needed for wants of a large area of territory. lint to a transient visitor upon the contingency of a reward which he himself was to determine upon a risky service in which if unsuccessful in attaining his end there had to be no payment [?] to return the beast to his owner seventy miles distant from your dwelling !

All doing well on board - sick

[recto] improving but out of meat again. I have just eaten like a glutton the last mouthful. Mr. Brooks sent Godfrey down to the huts at Petervik for a fresh load which may be expected by Monday. So we live earning our bread by a wild life - totally unlike the quiet routine of our English predecessors.

This is their season for the "winter sledge parties" with us winter has past and spring is full upon us. The winter in its deepest darkness saw us [groping?] down to the walrus grounds - or seeking reindeer on the hills. Not for five months (nearly six) have we eaten [that] ship's poison - salted pork and beef - we have lived as the natives live, and shunned no exposure. I must have journied, by mingled walk run and ride, by sledge during this horrible winter over [eleven hundred] eight hundred miles. Why, the reflection comes to me, why may not Franklin's men, at least some of them, have done and be now doing the same thing. We are the nearest counterparts to poor Franklin's supposed case [than] of any who have preceded us. What man with his [eyes] opened by hard experience dared say that his (Franklin's) party are extinct.

[I am] Engaged sewing [fur clothing] for the next attempt should [to reach the [?] in case] Mitek [should] say yes. This last ride had torn my clothing to rags even my seal skin trousers. there is an art in sitting a sledge equal to that of backing a horse. I thought until this last wild goose chase that I had acquired it but my conceit has been taken out of me.