A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

OverviewStatisticsSubjectsWorks List

Pages That Mention McGary

Elisha Kent Kane Private Journal

Page 17
Needs Review

Page 17

[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 -60o.

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.

Last edit almost 3 years ago by areasf
Page 18
Needs Review

Page 18

[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 + 26o 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 -50o 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!

Last edit almost 3 years ago by areasf
Displaying all 2 pages