A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

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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

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These men can never be my associates again. Hayes has more stuff in him he is in love too, with me a vast extenuator of every abomination. Petersen is a double faced mischief maker, able to walk 250 miles over an arctic waste but unable to travel 50 during two years of service. He was paid in full when he left the brig.

All my attention and time taken in organizing the second mess. John & Godfrey being outlawed by their late associates have to each by themselves, but all shall be made equally comfortable. The party generally are full of thanks.

Received a letter from Messrs Hayes Bonsall and Sonntag expressive of their confidence in my direction their trust in me & my generosity for final escape from the trials which surround us and desiring to be received under my command.

De facto as inmates of my ship they were such already, but deeming it essential that a decided subordination should exist, I granted their request, but with the understanding that it in no wise implied a renewal of their old employments and occupations. This reply was given orally but entered in the log of this date.

They shall be employed upon no duties connected with the Expedition, but contribute to their daily routine of mess so as not to tax my own people. In fact such is the feeling of these latter [?] that I am

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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

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shows premonitories of scurvy. For three nights I have kept watch from 8. P.M. to 6 A.M. and have not for five days had my [pants] [clothes] off. This sort of thing with out door work at -40° and scanty catnaps below [is not pleasant for the cascade of E.K.K.] will soon make [my?] turn [will] come next. John helped cook some towards evening. [Petersen brings in one fox and thre e Ptarmagan these birds are in fullest winter feathering.] Hans saw a bear track yesterday: today a fox & three ptarmigan.

We are now cutting up for fuel the large manila hawser. I do not know if I have any [single] remarkable or valuable quality, but I [so?] know that I'm a [devellest bad] singularly awkward hand at chopping up frozen cables.

Tuesday Feb. 27.

[*omit*] Placed Sonntag alongside of me last night in hopes that he might be able to relieve me, the clumsy Caliban. It was the first time any of the return officers had been permitted even the show of a "Watch". He went off duty next morning "sick" and will not in a hurry return to it. I lose nothing by not restoring this man to his old place. Constant inertness, practical, inefficiency, and nearly constant aches and ails which he has no fortitude to resist make him utterly useless. Next to Goodfellow he is the most helpless man on board. He behaved badly at the hour of trial. I, never thinking of my astronomer &c. [?] who had been on terms of tolerably confidential intimacy and thus aware of my views & intentions joining the absentees, spoke to him very freely believing him at least a reliable and steadfast man. So far from it he requested payment in full, and was among the most prominent [end omit]

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[*omit*] of the seceders. He got his pay, signed his receipt in full, "for services rendered as astronomer" and went his way. Now he is back again with his draughts in his pocket dependant upon me for every thing. He gets every thing that I can give, except his deserted post — that he will never get. The man is very jesuistical and smooth I trusted him once, and have been well cured of it.

Obliged to work with Bonsall as also to aid in the cooking. — The sick are about the same, Brooks better but Ohlsen worse. The Ptarmagan was served out raw among Messrs. Goodfellow, McGeary, Brooks & Ohlsen – this delicious bird thawed or frozen is a great delicacy. [end omit]

Wed. Feb. [29?]

[Petersen caught another, his sixth fox. I serve out a part of him in frozen slices.]

To day a hard day. Hans was off with his gun. Petersen moping. John down worse [with tooth ache]. Sonntag with scurvy asthma. [*omit*] Bill in his usual condition of demi worthlessness, so that Bonsall and self have been literally at work all day, the outside air gives -45° 49° and the cold is very penetrating. Cloth is a poor protection.

The Cabin is now much improved. We receive a partial light from the skylights and have an extra stove forward for drying the berths. My large stove draws well and we keep very comfortable without burning a pound of wood - hemp cable and manila hawser at about 80 lbs a day form our exclusive fuel. Morton is better. Ohlsen worse. Goodfellow on the verge of his grave refuses to speak to any one. Poor boy. I do my best for him. How sad a pity to bring him to cope with these coarse men in