Elisha Kent Kane Diary

[header] 40 [margin] Saturday July 8 [margin - drawing of gloved hand pointing with index finger]

Hans found a small [whaling?] - a [unclear] in the ice [pools?] near the [brig?] - The birds seems to be deserting us -

For the past three days all my efforts have been devoted to the efficiansea and fit of our [bed?] Whale boats the "Forlorn Hope". Nautical men - are like [Dodos?] or rather like all other men they rarely think alike as to practical points - I never knew professional experts agree in their opinions. Being a sailor myself I have had to cull the materials of Brooks, Ohlsen, and [Mc-unclear] and have had to exercise all my judgment in equipping a boat which combined their best features. This boat may be detained for an important service - my plans have long been laid in a few days - I may [write?] them in my journal.

The water courses have for a time nearly ceased to run - they have evidently [expanded?] their first great [supplies?] and now send down feeble and intermitting streams which depends and rain or excessive thaw. We cannot look to them as a means of breaking up our harbor ice. a matter of importance!

Spent a part of the day on shore in noticing - the actions of ice upon the land I hope - if I have ever health to fill up my notes that I may advance myself in Fathers eyes by a book on Glaciers - and "placid geology."

Upon summing up the various exits from Winter Quarters and mapping the state of the ice - no small labour - I was

41

Started to find how badly the most favorable as well as the most unfavorable compared as to ice changed with our own position. Wishing to [unreadable] examine into the state of the ice to the South. I determined to attempt to cross the floes and reach the true waters edge. I took with me the faithful Hand and our poor foot worn dogs - [?] [?] protected by canvas shoes. I am to start immediately after dinner.

Have made a laborious journey of sixty miles - sleeping just three [unreadable] and that in the open air. How would one [?] [?] [?] that sort of thing.

The object of the trip was accomplished but the result such as to prepare me for a grave step. Which had engaged [?] my [?] for the [unreadable] [unreadable] but which [?] [?] journey for its confirmation.

The ice of [?] Sound is without as [?] a break for twenty eight miles to the [unreadable]. I found off Refuge (?) Inlet and the [?] Point - open leads and beyond them the true open sea but [unreadable] the great field between [unreadable] and the [unreadable] not a crack. By running great risks and nearly drowning my dogs. I crossed the drifting ice - and sighted clear the North Water. Since the observation of Mt. McFeary [?] in May it had [?] advanced more than four miles. On returning to the vessel I found by reviewing my Arctic correspondence and admiralty reports that Penny had [?] in the Southward in [?] Straits as early as June - and that by the 1st July - large leads approached {?] [?] and at intervals

[header] 42 between the shore and mouth of Wellington - made a regular curve by which a navigable Channel opened a way within a mile of [mid?] Anchorage - Sutherland's Journal states, in quoting the report of Captain Penny (on his return from the Boat travel up the channel) says that they could have cut out of harbour by July 13th.

Austin was not liberated until the tenth of August - but on the [19th?] of that month the water had worked up to him - (within 3 1/2 miles) and thus travelled twenty miles in one month.

Now assuming for us even such favourable [unclear] advanced as [unclear] in these two cases - an assumption which the difference in the localities rendered very doubtful. The water would reach the mouth of our harbour or Bay in fifty days - that is by 30th of August - We then have the breaking up of the inside ice - a process which of it - is going to take place will take several days or perhaps weeks more -

I am aware of the extraordinary rapidity with which ice breaks up when the process fairly commenced - and I know that the present slow advance ^ [unclear] water cannot hold much longer - this makes me hope that the brig will be liberated late in August or early in September - as was the case with Sir John Ross at Leopold - In fact my opinion - after carefully revolving all my ice experience - is in faour of the eventual liberation of our brig -

On the other hand I have to remem= =ber that I forced her - at the very period when I now hope for her release - through nearly impenetrable ice and that by the 28th of August - lst year - I had got her

[header] 43 through the pack nearly forty miles. Last year was as we know very favourable for ice - yet this penetration took twenty days of hard labour - and the [3d] of September - already began to close the pack - we were finally frozen by the 7th - now allowing all this to occur again - and at the earliest possible rupture I commence the same tedious and imposing work of [warfing?] - ; winter would catch me before I had got half way out of the Pack

Resolving all these matters as is my founder duty - several awkward things stare me in the face. First we are not prepared for a second winter - were it otherwise we would be relieved of half our troubles - our fuel is absolutely exhausted - we have no oil for light - nor fresh provisions for scurvy - [10? 20? days?] and indeed all when I have indirectly consulted things that few of us would survive a second winter - When I Doctor and Captain see the numbers of diseased men among us and thing of the last winter I am of the same opinion

Now for the practical question which I want to meet like a man - What to do?

It was suggested that we proceed to Uppernovik or Beechy Id. by boats - and at one time I thought well of the idea, but it involved a desertion of the Brig in July or early August - for after that the young ice would cut into our boars and no animal life could be secured upon the journey besides it would be at the best of seasons a fearful trial to our sick and amputated men. Now to desert the Brig to abandon my trust and the dearly earned discoveries and material of the cruise - is clearly impossible as long as a chance remains of saving them. This matter I settle at once in my

[header] 44

mind and by my own diction - "I wont leave the advance until September" - and after September we cannot leave!

For the past furloughs - I have been pondering over these things - and unknown to others been preparing for an alternative This late journey has enabled me conscientious= =ly to determine upon a course - and I act upon it with God's dear blessing - day after tomorrow.

I am going with five volunteers to Beechy Id and obtain the little yacht - "the [mary?]" or some craft taken from our [---ist?] friends - and come back again to relieve our comrades should the brig fail in being liberated. I am going to try and do this for it is better that five should run this risk than that our whole party should run chance of extinc-tion. There is but one man on board who can navigate - besides myself - and he is ill with [scarbolic?] pericarditits - Wm. Sonntag our Carpenter - cannot - if were he qualified - be spared - for he is essential to the liberation of the brig should the ice break up - Brooks with his amputated toe and Wilson with his ^ own half healed - my two remained sea officers are not available - Even did not my local knowledge of Lancaster Sound and the ice movements point me our as the proper leader - necessity does. The general custom which assigns the post of peril to the captain had not influenced me - for my duty is to select the best means for accomplishing an end which it to save our expedition - to attain this I would have ordered to this party some stronger man - but there is none - I must go and I go with the blessing of my Comrades and the consciousness of doing the true thing.