A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

[verso] I did not bring Hans back with me but gave him orders My orders to Hans had been to been to go to Peteravik and invite Kalutanek to the brig. I sent by him a present of a Capstain bar - valued on account of the excellent adaptation of the wood for harpoon shafts. Morton scrubbed me in a tub of hot water for I was lice from head to foot - but mercurial ointment gave me some relief and I succeeded at last in sleeping.

All things else were doing well, and the sick steadily advancing towards health [and] strength.

Wednes. Cont^d.

The open water has not advanced from the south more than four miles within the past three weeks. It is still barely within Cape Alexander. This water is a source of serious anxiety to me for the South Easters seem to have hardly affected it. Our experience has taught us that the swell created by South winds rapidly breaks up the ice, now there can be no swell to the S^o. or these heavy gales would have done the same. I argue from this two unfortunate conditions one the presence of of [?] pack in the North Water of the whalers and the other a melancholy correspon- ding tardiness in the approach of water - upon this water depends the liberation of our brig, as well as the transit of our boats crew [and] [?] should we be obliged to forsake her. Last year (as by 1^st ice inspection, of her [?] [and] [?] Sea note book) we found on the 10. May, the water already surrounding Littleton I^d and rising to within two miles of Refuge Inlet.

[recto] It is now 40 miles further off!!

Thursd. Apr. 19.

Petersen and Ohlsen work by short spells getting ready for the load of carpentering duties necessary for boats sledges [etc.] Every thought is turned by me to the contingency of a forced departure. I will not leave the brig until it is absolutely certain that she cannot thaw out this season but I will have every thing matured for our instant departure as soon as her fate is decided.

We are still without workers, and the pressure of things to be done most alarming but every detail is arranged, and if the sick go on as they have done I do not doubt but that we can carry our boats some thirty or 40 miles over the ice before a decision as to the advance of the waters enables me to remain with or desert the brig.

Friday Apr. 20

Started a relief watch of Reilley Bonsall and Morton to saw out sledge runners from our cross beams. They can only manage 1/2 hour per [?] as they are very weak and the terms. at night descent to -26^o. Nearly all our beams are consumed for fuelt, butI have have saved enough to construct two long sledges runners of 17. [?] each. I could not permit Mr. Ohlsen to use short sledges, made up from the [?] 11 feet sledge of Hardwicke (D. Raes[?] pattern[?[) I want a sledge sufficiently long to bring the weight of the whale boat and her stowage within the line base of the runner, that will prevent warbling and pitching (or rocking fore [and] aft) in crossing hummocked ice, and enable us to cradle the boat so firmly to the sledge as to give neither an undue strain. Ohlsen sees the force of this view [and] we are

[verso] breaking out our cabin bulk head to extract the beam. [?] [?] back is down. Cold vapour fills our cabin [?] every thing is comfortless, blanket makes a poor substitute for the moss padded wall which had protected us from -60^o.

Hans nearly due is daily expected. Jenny one of his dogs has a bad foot. Kane a diarrhoea from cold after walrus meat, McGary nearly well [and] few scurvy symptoms.

Satur. Apr 21

Morton's heel nearly closed, and apparently a sound bone underneath. He has now been since October laid upon his back. Soon I can set this faithful and valuable man to active duty, I feel as if we had an accession of half a dozen Long Bills to our company, a doubtful compliment to Morton.

The beam was too long to be carried through our hatches it caught between our [?] and main mast we therefore saw it as it stands and will carry up the slabs separately. These slabs are but 1-1/2 in. wide and [?] must be strenthened then by iron bolts and cross pieces, still they are all that we have. I made the bolts out ofour cabin curatin rods, long disused. Mr. Petersen aids Ohlsen in grinding his tools, they will complete the job tomorrow for we must work on Sunday now, and by Monday be able to commence work Petersen, who is a first rate tinker undertakes to manufacture our cooking [and] mess gear. I have a sad looking assortment of battered rusty tins to offer him but with stovepipe much may be done.

Sick the same, John is getting his legs, Whipple will be made to get his. I suspect him, Goodfellow is as usual my one impracticable nuissance. I can't get him

[recto] out of bed or dry his mattrass. We have only two days more of meat on hand but we eat or have eaten without stint and expect daily to see Hans with a fresh supply.

Sunday Apr. 22.

Gave rest for all but the sawyers who keep manfully at the beam some notion of our weakness may be formed from the fact of these five poor fellows averaging among them but one foot per hour and a volunteer spell by Petersen and Ohlsen. I read our usual allowances prayers, and Dr. Hayes who feels sadly the loss of his foot came aft and also by consent crawled upon deck to sniff the daylight. He had not seen the sun for 5 months and three weeks. Bonsall sleeps in his hammock truly increasing the ventilation of my own corner since the scurvy had prostrated the party. I as a matter of principle have retained no bunk no peculiar of any sort. On the platform and abreast of it say 8 feet by 18 we stow 8 sleepers an undue division of atmostphere for respiration. For me while a single one of the returned party are without a dry berth I will retain none for myself. My bunk first went to Dr. Hayes, and when his stump healed to Goodfellow via Morton, who gave the boy his bed and took my own himself. It is a part of Henry's dignity to refuse the direct occupation of my bunk, but to accept Mortons by my interposition, the same gallant gentleman will refuse a plate of food culled by my own hand, but will heat freely of my cookery presented by another. The records of his short lived return to duty were neglected he neither dated nor registered his meteorological observations and now the only break in upon the integrity of the series is due to him. I had to reinstate as gentleman passenger.

Copy to here [?]

Hans continued stay leads me to hope that Kalutanak may bite at my proposal of a hunting party and thus afford dogs for my journey.

[verso] Mon. Apr. 23.

Hard at it, all our light sail is triced up to dry in order to await McGearys recovery when the spare canvas will be used for boat sails. He is an old and prodigal whaler I will leave the fitting out of the whale boats entirely to him. Morton and others continue at the saw, two half lengths of the beam are already cut. The broken whale boat was carried to the sunny side of the brig. On the [after] starboard [?] quarter where Petersen and Ohlsen have their joint workshop. A tent with black india rubber cloth presenting to the sun I rigged upon a stage on the forecastle as a thawing spot for Goodfellow Wilson, Sonntag and our stiff legged patients. Every thing is cheerful bustle and alacrity. It is hard to realise the changes wrought by our last two loads of walrus meat: it comforts me - who still am sore and stiff with the long journey, that my people are so loosened out.

Hans has not returned but although our meat gives out tomorrow we give ourselves little concern about it. I am momentarily looking for the boy, not liking the condition of the team who are overtraveled and foot sore, both "Jenny" and "Big Yellow" wear boots.

Tomorrow have determined to clear off our snow [and] turf roof on deck. This will be a hard but necessary job for the increasing heat of the sun. Now + 26^o max. by a puched therm: will soon thaw us out. I am not without hopes that this dislodgement of winter snow will now as much increase our warmth as its presence did during the winter cold.

Our winter lodge room before being dismantled may be understood a rough section. We are completely entombed in moss. While the galley by acting as a ventilating [?] gives us ready

[recto] Section of Brig looking aft I Galley House Ventilator II Our lodge room III Cable line a Snow drift b deck covering 3 feet deep c Turf lining e [Fig 2?] Entry [Sketch depicting brig from two angles and showing the sections listed above]

access to the outer air. It is but the work of a minute to flood our room with fresh air, and renew atmosphere after atmosphere. By a single current I can condense the cold air of -50^o in a white hoars frost over wood work metal and every tolerably conducting surface, close my valves let my fire have its full draught and in a few minutes after we will be clean warm and dry. The non conducting wall which encases having hardly changed its temperature. This contrivance alone has enabled me to lodge eighteen men in an apartment of 18. x 16. x 6.

Tuesday Apr. 24

Completed one slab of the beam, Ohlsen is placing bottom timbers - good and strong in our whale boats. These will stiffen and strengthen them much for sledge carriage. McGary is able to lay up by hand small cordage for his boats.

Have got the port side of deck cleared of snow [and] moss, and the guage taken for flour [and] bread bags. Tarpaulined [and] hung out to dry 14 bags of measured sizes. These were made up during winter by my poor sick folks. Every body is busy - working too with a will I have but one bos[s] - I my self. Tis hard this but can't be helped.

Bim! Bim! Bim! The signal again - Hans has come. We will have meat for supper if we did dine on beans!

[verso] I run on deck and am greeted by another of our wild contrasts. Three teams of dogs are baying at their tethering cords and five Esquimaux yelling "Jima!."

Among the most prominent of the natives was Kalutinak - a glance assured me of the success of my dog project, it was evidently a hungting party - two noble teams of six dogs - harpoons - lances - light equipment every thing convinced me at a glance - Now for to fuse the hunt into an exploration of the N. Channel. I will wait - Indian fashion until eat [food] and sleep brings [the] talk. [Even with] [these savages haste is indecorous].

The natives are around me eating their stew laughing and questioning and breaking in upon poor Petersen whose services are usurped by myself. Kalutak has the place of honour on my own platform - he has the nature of a gentleman this Kalutak. He receives and thanks me for my presents. the first "Kuyanake" "thank ye" that I have yet heard from Smith Strait Esquimaux - "he will be happy to join his friend the big headsman ([naklisak?]) in a hunt. He does not believe that three [there?] are [ominmak?] (musk ox) but he [?] in the north dessert but he knows that we may expect bears."

Thus it is at last [is] a prospect of the leading wish of my heart being gratified. I see clearly that I can purchase an exten- sion of their journey and trusting in Provi- dence, a few hours will see me ready.

A fortnight ago I was on the floes and twice within this week I've been sledging it again - more than 300 miles of hard wearing travel only to bring about this result Now that I see things open ahead of me my sick recovering - the coming duties chalked out and under weigh - I cannot help

[recto] feeling that something is watching me and modifyiing my path for fixed ends. That I frail Elish Kane the bedridden of last year should [now] be the only well and able man of this expedition is puzzling enough. It may be that I am reser- ved to take my dear friend Henry Grinnell by the hand and say your confidence has not been misplaced - I have not failed you or myself. It may be "as in strange lands the traveller walking slow, in doubt and great perplexity, a little before moonrise heard the low wail of an unknown sea."; that I taxed beyond corporeal endurance give way on the brink of consummating my hopes crying "I have discovered a new land but I die!."

Wednes. Apr. 25.

Kalutanak called himself my [asakaotut?]* or "friend" and seems greatly pleased by the distinction which I draw between him and the other Esquimaux. He sits with the accordion - of which none ever accord - braying horrible discord but is always devout in his respect and intelligent and interested in his questions. Oh my expressing a fear as to the effect of raw meat upon me - to the exclusion of other diet - he said that he had noticed that frozen beef agreed with his bowels and helped to warm him when he changed from summer to winter food. This man quotes "his experience "I have found." Constantly. All the others seem to rely implicitly upon his opinions yet poor Kalutak has not become oracular. I like the man, he has man stuff in him.

A couple of snow birds were seen by Mr. Bonsall on 23^d inst. - a week earlier than last year. * "I like you well"