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.

[Header] 5

He did not return last night but Dr. Hayes and Mr. Ohlsen who were sent after him with the dog sledge - found the hardy savage fast asleep - not five miles from the brig - Alongside of him was a large Seal shot as usual in the head. He had dragged it for seven hours over the Ice foot.

The ice breaks up slowly. Hans reports the open water as extending beyond the Esquimaux huts - between them and Godsend ridge with a slight bend to the nd[northward].

[Margin] Sunday June 11

Another walk on shore showed me the Andromeda in flower - the saxafrages and carices green beneath the dried tufts of last year. This rapidly maturing vegetation is of curious interest in the case of the Andromeda Tetragona the plant had advanced rapidly towards putrification without a corresponding development of other parts. The stalks and leaflets ( ) were dry and instead of the graceful growths which characterised the heaths. It presented a low scrubby sod - or turf studded with flowers. The localities from which these were taken were well infiltrated with melted snows retained by the dead mosses. The rocks too so enclosed them as to aid by reverberation the solar heat.

Few of us at home can realise the protection of this warm coverlid of snow. No Eider down in the cradle of an infant is tucked in more kindly than these creeping anemones or the late seasoned ranunculi by their snowy covering. The first warm snows of Aug & Sept: falling upon a thickly pleached carpet of carices (grasses) Ericas (heaths) and willows- (salices-) invests the hoary growths which nestle around them with a non conducting air chamber and as each successive snow increases the thickness of

[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

[Header] 11

except in some specimens a few brown feathers at the crown of the head. The female - much further progressed - is now well coated with her new plumage - the coverts and quill feathers still remaining white.

At Upernavik the male had already advanced further than the and the female had completed her changes.

[Margin] Saturday June 17

The wind which has been much of late from the No. set in yesterday strong and steady from the S.W. We hope it will influence our pack. The ice when last seen was near Bedevilled Reach: it advances (the water) slowly.

Dr. Hayes and Henry Goodfellow at work preparing library & lockers below for a re inhabitation of our cabin. We have been since Pierces death living on deck un= der temporary housing. Our fuel now on its last legs forces us to reoccupy our old habitation.

A crack 18 in wide runs across our bay. The ice as measured at its margin was 4. / 4 in in thickness.

[Margin] Sunday June 18

A pair of long tailed ducks passed over our bay bound for further breeding grounds. An ivory gull was seen and two great northern divers ([left blank by EKK]) the most imposing birds of their tribe. These last flew very high emitting a regular intervals their reed like "kawk."

Mr. Ohlsen and Dr. Hayes are off on a long overland tramp. I sent them to inspect the open water to the southward. The immoveable state of the ice foot gives me anxiety. Last year a large bay but twenty miles above us was [cloud?] all