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

Jan. 12

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and the rest give me abundant [moral?] support. If the rascals do not knock me on the head, I will make them happy in spite of themselves, and God willing, lead all hands to America.

At present there is apparently the most unbroken harmony and social comfort, but I have been taught caution and am never unguarded. Hard life dear Mother to a man with love in his heart and home in his hopes!

Thurs. Jany. 11.

How the days drive on! We see day on the mountains, pale as an emblem of God knows what, a flickker of twilight. It will be yet ten days before we reach the comforable [darkness] light of Parrys darkest day and perhaps longer before we can read a thermometer turned towards the illuminated South.

McGeary better Brooks worse and Wilson, poor fellow down with a relapse but Riley is better. Thank God for that.

Friday Jan. 12

[*Copy*] The condition of this book shows the state of our interiors [*Copy from this. We have long been living like the Esquimaux in every other respect and now last of all, the*] The very low temperatures and the restricted allowance of wood have obliged me to resort to lamps - Of those taking in the new wants of the returned party, I burn no less than twelve. Hence the abominable redundance of soot and grease which appears of late or these pages.

So great is the discolouration produced by carbonaceous matter that I

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[margin] [*Esk. Dogs*] a dog trot of nearly one hundred miles when your dogs may drop at any moment and leave you without protection from the weather in a temperature of forty below zero. As to riding I do not look to it. We must as [we have] I often [done before] do on my shorter journeys run along side of the sledge. Our dogs only carry our scanty provisions, and our sleeping bags and guns.

At home one would fear the hoop spined spitting snarling dog of the Peabody [Kennedy] Bay Esquimaux. They are little better or worse than wolves but in effect they are far from dangerous. The slightest appearance of a missile or cudgel, completely subduing their courage. Although the Esquimaux, living by the service of their dogs, treat them with studied care and kindness, they are taught from the earliest days of puppy life enough of fear to render them safe even among the children. "Old Yellow" who goes about with arched back, gliding through the darkness more like a hyena than a dog, pounced upon me while feeding Jenny and almost before I could turn had gobbled down one of her pups. As these pups will never be of sledging use I have since followed the example of the Esquimaux and refreshed "Old Yellow" with a daily morning puppy. The two last of the litter who will then I hope be tolerably milk fed I reserve for my own eating.

Sunday Jan 14.

Our sick about the same, Wilson Brooks Morton McGeary & Riley unservicable. Dr. Hayes rapidly getting better. How grateful I out to be that I the weakling, am a well-helping man!

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[*mark here a*] (C.) At noon day in spite of the mist I can see the horizon gap between the hills to the S.E. (C. Wood Fiord) growing lighter. Its twilight is less heavy, in four or five days we will have our noon-day sun, not more than 8° below the horizon. This depression which was Parry's lowest, enabled him by turning the paper towards the south to read Diamond Type. We will look forward to this [comfortable] more penumbral state of darkness as an era. It has now been 52 days since we could, by ascending the dreary hills, read [the same lettering] such small type. What a picture of Polar Winter, or Polar Night this fact presents. Sixty days of darkness so intense as not to be able to read such I cannot type out noonday! One hundred and twenty four days [lost to] with the sun below the Horizon!! One hundred and forty before he reaches the rocky shadowing of our brig!!!

Monday Jan. 15

[*mark this (C.) with [interrogation?]*] There is a gap in the hills between Bessie Isd. and the rest of the ridge. (?) It is nearly due South and here above an angular elevation of 2°. I to day for the first time saw the illuminated sky of twilight.

Found an overlooked godsend in [the shape of] a bears head put away for a specimen but soundly frozen. It contains no inconsiderable quantity of meat and I serve it out raw to Riley, Brooks, and Wilson. I do not know that my miserable journal anywhere mentions our habituation to raw meats. Our journeys have taught us the wisdom of following the Esquimaux appetite and there are few among us who do not relish, a slice of raw blubber, or a chunk of frozen walrus meat. The liver of this animal ([Ahwuktenut?]) I maintain, when eaten with little slices of his fat, to be a delicious morsel. Fire would ruin the [curt?] , pithy expression of vitality

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Friday Feb. 16

I keep today sixteen hours of observation watch. McGeary is off his legs and Goodfellow only allowed such duty as may be conducive to his health.

Thinking quietly over our condition, and God knows there is at least quiet around me, I can argue myself into good genuine trusty hope. At first sight our position seems an awful one. Out of eighteen men but six are now partially able to do the necessary duties of daily life, preparing food cutting it out from its frozen masses melting ice for water and breaking up the woodwork of our brig for fuel. Two of this party must hunt daily so that all this work [of the above] falls upon four men. [Of these I am one.]

The remaining twelve are disabled by Scurvy, and to the following extent [Messrs?] Brooks, Wilson, Riley Ohlsen and McGeary entirely unable to leave their berths. [except for the adjacent close stool.] [Mesr?] Goodfellow Sonntag George Whipple and Thomas Hickey crippled with stiff or useless limbs. Morton and George Stephensen are able to work around the mess table washing dishes &c, but ought with more propriety 15 be on their backs. Dr. Hayes free from Scurvy but with an unhealed amputation. When it is remembered that of the so called well and working, nearly all [all except ?] are tainted by the Scurvy, and [then?] liable at any moment to be rendered useless, and that a very little [erosion?] of disease would thus prevent