[Contents]CHAPTER VIIICHAPTER VIIITHEMORRISSEYREPAIREDOn Tuesday the third of August we arrived in Upernivik again, with Melville Bay safely behind us. And we knew that our trip would have to end right there as we could not fix the leaks in theMorrissey. Coming down she had been leaking about ten gallons a minute. That in itself wasn’t so bad, but the danger was that at any minute it might get worse, especially if any strain came or we hit ice or anything else.It was my turn at the pumps when we came in. When the engine was not running we had to pump almost continually, for the engine itself used up water from the bilge in its cooling system with a rig Robert Peary fixed up, which helped the pumping a lot.[89]At once we got some Eskimos on board to do the pumping. Cap’n Bob went ashore to see how deep the water was on the beach and what the slope was, to see if he could beach theMorrissey. Later in the afternoon the Governor and his assistants told us that there was a place about ten English miles (the Danish mile is about four of ours) up a fjord from Upernivik where the vessel could be beached easily. It was a place they used for their own vessels to get at their bottoms.We left right away and it took about two hours and a half to get there. On the way over we went through a kind of natural gate in the rocks that seemed about as wide as the length of the ship. It was very, very deep because there was a mountain on either side with sheer cliffs going straight down for probably a great many fathoms.They anchored the boat to wait for a big tide while Cap’n Bob got things ready to try and get her out so work could be done on the[90]bottom. The trouble was that the damage was on the very bottom of the keel so that just to keel her over on her side did no good. From Upernivik Dad had arranged to take up with us a dozen Greenlanders to help with the heavy work, like shifting ballast. Also we borrowed from the Governor his blacksmith and some tools.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.The next day some of us took the Governor back to Upernivik in our launch. Doctor Heinbecker and I stayed there, visiting Dr. Rasmussen, the woman doctor who lives there and visits all around at the little settlements. She makes these trips in her own little power boat, with a couple of Eskimos to run it for her. She is a Dane, and most awfully nice. She is very big and strong, and they tell grand stories about how she drives her dog team in the winter and can tire out men who try to keep up to her. All the time we were at Upernivik she let us sleep in comfortable beds in her little hospital, and in every way treated[91]us splendidly. While visiting there we had some interesting things to eat, like seal meat, auks, duck and ducks’ eggs.That afternoon Dr. Rasmussen got a message that someone was sick in a little village calledAugpilagtok, only a few miles from where theMorrisseywas. The others returned to theMorrisseyand Doc and I went with the Lady Doctor to this village, asking that they send over there to get us. We went in her little boat which was built in Denmark. It is very sturdy and good in the ice, ploughing along just as if there was no ice at all.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.In Augpilagtok there was a tiny store in a little room joined to the house of the head man. His name was Imik and later he went with Dad on a three days trip, to the glaciers and the ice cap. In the store they sold lead for the bullets which they made in crude moulds, and also caps and powder. Their rifles shoot both shotgun shells and rifle bullets, and they make all the ammunition themselves.[92]Here the Eskimos have money which they use in the store to buy biscuit, sugar, tobacco and other things. These are weighed out on funny little scales the weights of which were two old brass hinges.After a while our launch came with Dad and some of the others and we all went back to theMorrissey, through lots of ice. Most of the way the Lady Doctor’s boat, theMitik, which is very broad in the beam, ploughed through the ice in front, with our launch trailing along behind.When we arrived at theMorrisseythe Captain wanted to get rid of some of us, to make things easier for Billy, the cook, who had the big bunch of Eskimos on his hands. Also, they were moving ballast and getting ready to put the vessel over on her side which would mean putting out the fires and having everyone camp on shore. The Lady Doctor invited our Doc, Harry Raven and myself to go to town with her, which we did.[93]We went back to Upernivik in the Lady Doctor’s boat, reaching there about four o’clock in the morning—broad daylight, of course, and with the sun shining brightly, for all this time we were very lucky to have fine weather and really quite warm. I suppose the temperature was about sixty at the warmest and never got below forty.During lunch, at two o’clock that afternoon we heard another great yelling from the natives.“Umiaksoah!” they yelled. That is the word for ship. (I have spelled it the way it sounds to me.)To our great surprise we saw a battleship coming into the harbor. It proved to be theIslands Falk, meaning theIceland Falcon, the Danish patrol ship. It had heard by radio of our trouble while it was away down in south Greenland and at once had started north to rescue us. The first report, relayed to them by radio from an American vessel in[94]the north, said we had entirely lost theMorrisseyand were all on shore. Just why such a report was sent we could not imagine, as of course we had sent out no word of that kind.Anyway, later on Captain West of theFalcongot another word from the Canadian shipBoethicwhich was over on the Canadian side. TheBoethichad had wireless word with us, and told Captain West the real facts, which were that we were working south to Upernivik to make repairs. So theFalconcame to Upernivik to help us.I got a small boat and rowed out to the battleship and went aboard. To my great surprise I was greeted by Dr. Knud Rasmussen who had come up on theFalconfrom Disko where we had been supposed to meet him. But his ship from Denmark had been very late and he failed to connect with us there. I told him about what had happened to us.Then Captain West, Commander Riis-Carstensen, Dr. Rasmussen and others went[95]up to theMorrisseyto offer help. In the end they sent a fine lot of men up there with a diver and boats and everything. The diver worked for about six days, while the Danish officers and sailors lived aboard and camped ashore. It proved that with the diver it was possible to get the leaks just about stopped. But I think that without him we would have had pretty serious trouble. The hard part was to get at the damaged place, which was on the very bottom of the vessel. And at the beaching place where they sent us it turned out there was not enough tide to get the bottom clear out of water.We certainly were very grateful to the Danish officials for all they did for us. No one could possibly have been nicer or more generous. And I never saw a finer lot of men. It was great fun for me to be with them on the ship and around town. Most of the sixty men aboard were from all over Denmark, fine younger men who were doing their one year[96]of compulsory naval service. In Denmark every man has to serve in the army or navyforabout a year of training. And I think they all love to get on this Greenland trip, it is so different.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.While they were working on the boat we moved into Upernivik, Doc, Harry and I. Dad took three men up to the glacier, where they got pictures and collected some bird specimens.It was a very gay time for Upernivik, probably about the most exciting they ever had. For not only was theMorrisseythere but also theFalconwith a crew of sixty, most of whom were ashore much of the time. There was a dance in a big warehouse near the wharf every night, which always lasted until morning. In fact, there just wasn’t any night. In the summer when a boat comes to those far away towns, they forget all about sleeping. Everyone stays up all the time. For the people in the boats it really is pretty hard, for[97]the people ashore at least can go to sleep when the boat leaves, while it is just then that the work starts for the travellers.At Upernivik is the farthest north church in the world, they told me. A new building had just been completed, and on the Sunday we were there it was opened. There was a great crowd, and the Governor wore his high hat and everything. Of course we all went, and to the native wedding that afternoon. The hymns were sung in Eskimo, and there was a long Eskimo sermon. The first church in Upernivik was built away back in 1780.On the evening of August tenth theMorrisseycame back to the harbor. The diver had fixed her up finely. Captain West gave Captain Bartlett a letter saying she was quite seaworthy. So we were very happy, as it meant we could keep on with our trip, which had come so near to ending in disaster. And we decided to go north again, taking Knud Rasmussen to Thule.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.[98]The night before we left they gave us a grand party at Governor Otto’s. All the shutters were closed so the house would be dark. Then, to make it pretty, they lit many candles. Eighteen people crowded into the little dining-room, and there were speeches and quite a fine celebration. I went to bed pretty early but the older people, I think, did not turn in until seven in the morning.On theIceland Falcon, the last night, there was another farewell party, Cap’n Bob and Dad dining with Captain West. They loaded on theMorrisseythe stores of Dr. Rasmussen and his baggage. He was going back with us all the way to New York, so he had a good deal of clothes and the like.As we up-anchored and got under way we dipped our flag and fired our biggest rifle three times in salute. Then theFalconanswered with three shots from one of her big guns, and the people on shore fired another salute with their small cannon. Altogether[99]it was a very gay send-off. The Governor was out in his big rowboat, waving good-bye to us. Certainly Upernivik could have treated us no better, and we all appreciated it.And then we headed north again, with Dr. Rasmussen. And we felt mighty lucky to be on our way again, instead of retreating south. Before us lay our third crossing of Melville Bay, which is quite a record for one season.Dr. Rasmussen, for instance, has crossed it about forty times. Probably he has travelled up here more than any other living man. He told me that once it took six weeks to get just across Melville Bay, his boat being frozen in solid in the pack ice, and just drifting. How lucky we have been to get across three times with practically no ice at all.[100]
[Contents]CHAPTER VIIICHAPTER VIIITHEMORRISSEYREPAIREDOn Tuesday the third of August we arrived in Upernivik again, with Melville Bay safely behind us. And we knew that our trip would have to end right there as we could not fix the leaks in theMorrissey. Coming down she had been leaking about ten gallons a minute. That in itself wasn’t so bad, but the danger was that at any minute it might get worse, especially if any strain came or we hit ice or anything else.It was my turn at the pumps when we came in. When the engine was not running we had to pump almost continually, for the engine itself used up water from the bilge in its cooling system with a rig Robert Peary fixed up, which helped the pumping a lot.[89]At once we got some Eskimos on board to do the pumping. Cap’n Bob went ashore to see how deep the water was on the beach and what the slope was, to see if he could beach theMorrissey. Later in the afternoon the Governor and his assistants told us that there was a place about ten English miles (the Danish mile is about four of ours) up a fjord from Upernivik where the vessel could be beached easily. It was a place they used for their own vessels to get at their bottoms.We left right away and it took about two hours and a half to get there. On the way over we went through a kind of natural gate in the rocks that seemed about as wide as the length of the ship. It was very, very deep because there was a mountain on either side with sheer cliffs going straight down for probably a great many fathoms.They anchored the boat to wait for a big tide while Cap’n Bob got things ready to try and get her out so work could be done on the[90]bottom. The trouble was that the damage was on the very bottom of the keel so that just to keel her over on her side did no good. From Upernivik Dad had arranged to take up with us a dozen Greenlanders to help with the heavy work, like shifting ballast. Also we borrowed from the Governor his blacksmith and some tools.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.The next day some of us took the Governor back to Upernivik in our launch. Doctor Heinbecker and I stayed there, visiting Dr. Rasmussen, the woman doctor who lives there and visits all around at the little settlements. She makes these trips in her own little power boat, with a couple of Eskimos to run it for her. She is a Dane, and most awfully nice. She is very big and strong, and they tell grand stories about how she drives her dog team in the winter and can tire out men who try to keep up to her. All the time we were at Upernivik she let us sleep in comfortable beds in her little hospital, and in every way treated[91]us splendidly. While visiting there we had some interesting things to eat, like seal meat, auks, duck and ducks’ eggs.That afternoon Dr. Rasmussen got a message that someone was sick in a little village calledAugpilagtok, only a few miles from where theMorrisseywas. The others returned to theMorrisseyand Doc and I went with the Lady Doctor to this village, asking that they send over there to get us. We went in her little boat which was built in Denmark. It is very sturdy and good in the ice, ploughing along just as if there was no ice at all.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.In Augpilagtok there was a tiny store in a little room joined to the house of the head man. His name was Imik and later he went with Dad on a three days trip, to the glaciers and the ice cap. In the store they sold lead for the bullets which they made in crude moulds, and also caps and powder. Their rifles shoot both shotgun shells and rifle bullets, and they make all the ammunition themselves.[92]Here the Eskimos have money which they use in the store to buy biscuit, sugar, tobacco and other things. These are weighed out on funny little scales the weights of which were two old brass hinges.After a while our launch came with Dad and some of the others and we all went back to theMorrissey, through lots of ice. Most of the way the Lady Doctor’s boat, theMitik, which is very broad in the beam, ploughed through the ice in front, with our launch trailing along behind.When we arrived at theMorrisseythe Captain wanted to get rid of some of us, to make things easier for Billy, the cook, who had the big bunch of Eskimos on his hands. Also, they were moving ballast and getting ready to put the vessel over on her side which would mean putting out the fires and having everyone camp on shore. The Lady Doctor invited our Doc, Harry Raven and myself to go to town with her, which we did.[93]We went back to Upernivik in the Lady Doctor’s boat, reaching there about four o’clock in the morning—broad daylight, of course, and with the sun shining brightly, for all this time we were very lucky to have fine weather and really quite warm. I suppose the temperature was about sixty at the warmest and never got below forty.During lunch, at two o’clock that afternoon we heard another great yelling from the natives.“Umiaksoah!” they yelled. That is the word for ship. (I have spelled it the way it sounds to me.)To our great surprise we saw a battleship coming into the harbor. It proved to be theIslands Falk, meaning theIceland Falcon, the Danish patrol ship. It had heard by radio of our trouble while it was away down in south Greenland and at once had started north to rescue us. The first report, relayed to them by radio from an American vessel in[94]the north, said we had entirely lost theMorrisseyand were all on shore. Just why such a report was sent we could not imagine, as of course we had sent out no word of that kind.Anyway, later on Captain West of theFalcongot another word from the Canadian shipBoethicwhich was over on the Canadian side. TheBoethichad had wireless word with us, and told Captain West the real facts, which were that we were working south to Upernivik to make repairs. So theFalconcame to Upernivik to help us.I got a small boat and rowed out to the battleship and went aboard. To my great surprise I was greeted by Dr. Knud Rasmussen who had come up on theFalconfrom Disko where we had been supposed to meet him. But his ship from Denmark had been very late and he failed to connect with us there. I told him about what had happened to us.Then Captain West, Commander Riis-Carstensen, Dr. Rasmussen and others went[95]up to theMorrisseyto offer help. In the end they sent a fine lot of men up there with a diver and boats and everything. The diver worked for about six days, while the Danish officers and sailors lived aboard and camped ashore. It proved that with the diver it was possible to get the leaks just about stopped. But I think that without him we would have had pretty serious trouble. The hard part was to get at the damaged place, which was on the very bottom of the vessel. And at the beaching place where they sent us it turned out there was not enough tide to get the bottom clear out of water.We certainly were very grateful to the Danish officials for all they did for us. No one could possibly have been nicer or more generous. And I never saw a finer lot of men. It was great fun for me to be with them on the ship and around town. Most of the sixty men aboard were from all over Denmark, fine younger men who were doing their one year[96]of compulsory naval service. In Denmark every man has to serve in the army or navyforabout a year of training. And I think they all love to get on this Greenland trip, it is so different.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.While they were working on the boat we moved into Upernivik, Doc, Harry and I. Dad took three men up to the glacier, where they got pictures and collected some bird specimens.It was a very gay time for Upernivik, probably about the most exciting they ever had. For not only was theMorrisseythere but also theFalconwith a crew of sixty, most of whom were ashore much of the time. There was a dance in a big warehouse near the wharf every night, which always lasted until morning. In fact, there just wasn’t any night. In the summer when a boat comes to those far away towns, they forget all about sleeping. Everyone stays up all the time. For the people in the boats it really is pretty hard, for[97]the people ashore at least can go to sleep when the boat leaves, while it is just then that the work starts for the travellers.At Upernivik is the farthest north church in the world, they told me. A new building had just been completed, and on the Sunday we were there it was opened. There was a great crowd, and the Governor wore his high hat and everything. Of course we all went, and to the native wedding that afternoon. The hymns were sung in Eskimo, and there was a long Eskimo sermon. The first church in Upernivik was built away back in 1780.On the evening of August tenth theMorrisseycame back to the harbor. The diver had fixed her up finely. Captain West gave Captain Bartlett a letter saying she was quite seaworthy. So we were very happy, as it meant we could keep on with our trip, which had come so near to ending in disaster. And we decided to go north again, taking Knud Rasmussen to Thule.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.[98]The night before we left they gave us a grand party at Governor Otto’s. All the shutters were closed so the house would be dark. Then, to make it pretty, they lit many candles. Eighteen people crowded into the little dining-room, and there were speeches and quite a fine celebration. I went to bed pretty early but the older people, I think, did not turn in until seven in the morning.On theIceland Falcon, the last night, there was another farewell party, Cap’n Bob and Dad dining with Captain West. They loaded on theMorrisseythe stores of Dr. Rasmussen and his baggage. He was going back with us all the way to New York, so he had a good deal of clothes and the like.As we up-anchored and got under way we dipped our flag and fired our biggest rifle three times in salute. Then theFalconanswered with three shots from one of her big guns, and the people on shore fired another salute with their small cannon. Altogether[99]it was a very gay send-off. The Governor was out in his big rowboat, waving good-bye to us. Certainly Upernivik could have treated us no better, and we all appreciated it.And then we headed north again, with Dr. Rasmussen. And we felt mighty lucky to be on our way again, instead of retreating south. Before us lay our third crossing of Melville Bay, which is quite a record for one season.Dr. Rasmussen, for instance, has crossed it about forty times. Probably he has travelled up here more than any other living man. He told me that once it took six weeks to get just across Melville Bay, his boat being frozen in solid in the pack ice, and just drifting. How lucky we have been to get across three times with practically no ice at all.[100]
CHAPTER VIIICHAPTER VIIITHEMORRISSEYREPAIRED
CHAPTER VIII
On Tuesday the third of August we arrived in Upernivik again, with Melville Bay safely behind us. And we knew that our trip would have to end right there as we could not fix the leaks in theMorrissey. Coming down she had been leaking about ten gallons a minute. That in itself wasn’t so bad, but the danger was that at any minute it might get worse, especially if any strain came or we hit ice or anything else.It was my turn at the pumps when we came in. When the engine was not running we had to pump almost continually, for the engine itself used up water from the bilge in its cooling system with a rig Robert Peary fixed up, which helped the pumping a lot.[89]At once we got some Eskimos on board to do the pumping. Cap’n Bob went ashore to see how deep the water was on the beach and what the slope was, to see if he could beach theMorrissey. Later in the afternoon the Governor and his assistants told us that there was a place about ten English miles (the Danish mile is about four of ours) up a fjord from Upernivik where the vessel could be beached easily. It was a place they used for their own vessels to get at their bottoms.We left right away and it took about two hours and a half to get there. On the way over we went through a kind of natural gate in the rocks that seemed about as wide as the length of the ship. It was very, very deep because there was a mountain on either side with sheer cliffs going straight down for probably a great many fathoms.They anchored the boat to wait for a big tide while Cap’n Bob got things ready to try and get her out so work could be done on the[90]bottom. The trouble was that the damage was on the very bottom of the keel so that just to keel her over on her side did no good. From Upernivik Dad had arranged to take up with us a dozen Greenlanders to help with the heavy work, like shifting ballast. Also we borrowed from the Governor his blacksmith and some tools.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.The next day some of us took the Governor back to Upernivik in our launch. Doctor Heinbecker and I stayed there, visiting Dr. Rasmussen, the woman doctor who lives there and visits all around at the little settlements. She makes these trips in her own little power boat, with a couple of Eskimos to run it for her. She is a Dane, and most awfully nice. She is very big and strong, and they tell grand stories about how she drives her dog team in the winter and can tire out men who try to keep up to her. All the time we were at Upernivik she let us sleep in comfortable beds in her little hospital, and in every way treated[91]us splendidly. While visiting there we had some interesting things to eat, like seal meat, auks, duck and ducks’ eggs.That afternoon Dr. Rasmussen got a message that someone was sick in a little village calledAugpilagtok, only a few miles from where theMorrisseywas. The others returned to theMorrisseyand Doc and I went with the Lady Doctor to this village, asking that they send over there to get us. We went in her little boat which was built in Denmark. It is very sturdy and good in the ice, ploughing along just as if there was no ice at all.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.In Augpilagtok there was a tiny store in a little room joined to the house of the head man. His name was Imik and later he went with Dad on a three days trip, to the glaciers and the ice cap. In the store they sold lead for the bullets which they made in crude moulds, and also caps and powder. Their rifles shoot both shotgun shells and rifle bullets, and they make all the ammunition themselves.[92]Here the Eskimos have money which they use in the store to buy biscuit, sugar, tobacco and other things. These are weighed out on funny little scales the weights of which were two old brass hinges.After a while our launch came with Dad and some of the others and we all went back to theMorrissey, through lots of ice. Most of the way the Lady Doctor’s boat, theMitik, which is very broad in the beam, ploughed through the ice in front, with our launch trailing along behind.When we arrived at theMorrisseythe Captain wanted to get rid of some of us, to make things easier for Billy, the cook, who had the big bunch of Eskimos on his hands. Also, they were moving ballast and getting ready to put the vessel over on her side which would mean putting out the fires and having everyone camp on shore. The Lady Doctor invited our Doc, Harry Raven and myself to go to town with her, which we did.[93]We went back to Upernivik in the Lady Doctor’s boat, reaching there about four o’clock in the morning—broad daylight, of course, and with the sun shining brightly, for all this time we were very lucky to have fine weather and really quite warm. I suppose the temperature was about sixty at the warmest and never got below forty.During lunch, at two o’clock that afternoon we heard another great yelling from the natives.“Umiaksoah!” they yelled. That is the word for ship. (I have spelled it the way it sounds to me.)To our great surprise we saw a battleship coming into the harbor. It proved to be theIslands Falk, meaning theIceland Falcon, the Danish patrol ship. It had heard by radio of our trouble while it was away down in south Greenland and at once had started north to rescue us. The first report, relayed to them by radio from an American vessel in[94]the north, said we had entirely lost theMorrisseyand were all on shore. Just why such a report was sent we could not imagine, as of course we had sent out no word of that kind.Anyway, later on Captain West of theFalcongot another word from the Canadian shipBoethicwhich was over on the Canadian side. TheBoethichad had wireless word with us, and told Captain West the real facts, which were that we were working south to Upernivik to make repairs. So theFalconcame to Upernivik to help us.I got a small boat and rowed out to the battleship and went aboard. To my great surprise I was greeted by Dr. Knud Rasmussen who had come up on theFalconfrom Disko where we had been supposed to meet him. But his ship from Denmark had been very late and he failed to connect with us there. I told him about what had happened to us.Then Captain West, Commander Riis-Carstensen, Dr. Rasmussen and others went[95]up to theMorrisseyto offer help. In the end they sent a fine lot of men up there with a diver and boats and everything. The diver worked for about six days, while the Danish officers and sailors lived aboard and camped ashore. It proved that with the diver it was possible to get the leaks just about stopped. But I think that without him we would have had pretty serious trouble. The hard part was to get at the damaged place, which was on the very bottom of the vessel. And at the beaching place where they sent us it turned out there was not enough tide to get the bottom clear out of water.We certainly were very grateful to the Danish officials for all they did for us. No one could possibly have been nicer or more generous. And I never saw a finer lot of men. It was great fun for me to be with them on the ship and around town. Most of the sixty men aboard were from all over Denmark, fine younger men who were doing their one year[96]of compulsory naval service. In Denmark every man has to serve in the army or navyforabout a year of training. And I think they all love to get on this Greenland trip, it is so different.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.While they were working on the boat we moved into Upernivik, Doc, Harry and I. Dad took three men up to the glacier, where they got pictures and collected some bird specimens.It was a very gay time for Upernivik, probably about the most exciting they ever had. For not only was theMorrisseythere but also theFalconwith a crew of sixty, most of whom were ashore much of the time. There was a dance in a big warehouse near the wharf every night, which always lasted until morning. In fact, there just wasn’t any night. In the summer when a boat comes to those far away towns, they forget all about sleeping. Everyone stays up all the time. For the people in the boats it really is pretty hard, for[97]the people ashore at least can go to sleep when the boat leaves, while it is just then that the work starts for the travellers.At Upernivik is the farthest north church in the world, they told me. A new building had just been completed, and on the Sunday we were there it was opened. There was a great crowd, and the Governor wore his high hat and everything. Of course we all went, and to the native wedding that afternoon. The hymns were sung in Eskimo, and there was a long Eskimo sermon. The first church in Upernivik was built away back in 1780.On the evening of August tenth theMorrisseycame back to the harbor. The diver had fixed her up finely. Captain West gave Captain Bartlett a letter saying she was quite seaworthy. So we were very happy, as it meant we could keep on with our trip, which had come so near to ending in disaster. And we decided to go north again, taking Knud Rasmussen to Thule.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.[98]The night before we left they gave us a grand party at Governor Otto’s. All the shutters were closed so the house would be dark. Then, to make it pretty, they lit many candles. Eighteen people crowded into the little dining-room, and there were speeches and quite a fine celebration. I went to bed pretty early but the older people, I think, did not turn in until seven in the morning.On theIceland Falcon, the last night, there was another farewell party, Cap’n Bob and Dad dining with Captain West. They loaded on theMorrisseythe stores of Dr. Rasmussen and his baggage. He was going back with us all the way to New York, so he had a good deal of clothes and the like.As we up-anchored and got under way we dipped our flag and fired our biggest rifle three times in salute. Then theFalconanswered with three shots from one of her big guns, and the people on shore fired another salute with their small cannon. Altogether[99]it was a very gay send-off. The Governor was out in his big rowboat, waving good-bye to us. Certainly Upernivik could have treated us no better, and we all appreciated it.And then we headed north again, with Dr. Rasmussen. And we felt mighty lucky to be on our way again, instead of retreating south. Before us lay our third crossing of Melville Bay, which is quite a record for one season.Dr. Rasmussen, for instance, has crossed it about forty times. Probably he has travelled up here more than any other living man. He told me that once it took six weeks to get just across Melville Bay, his boat being frozen in solid in the pack ice, and just drifting. How lucky we have been to get across three times with practically no ice at all.[100]
On Tuesday the third of August we arrived in Upernivik again, with Melville Bay safely behind us. And we knew that our trip would have to end right there as we could not fix the leaks in theMorrissey. Coming down she had been leaking about ten gallons a minute. That in itself wasn’t so bad, but the danger was that at any minute it might get worse, especially if any strain came or we hit ice or anything else.
It was my turn at the pumps when we came in. When the engine was not running we had to pump almost continually, for the engine itself used up water from the bilge in its cooling system with a rig Robert Peary fixed up, which helped the pumping a lot.[89]
At once we got some Eskimos on board to do the pumping. Cap’n Bob went ashore to see how deep the water was on the beach and what the slope was, to see if he could beach theMorrissey. Later in the afternoon the Governor and his assistants told us that there was a place about ten English miles (the Danish mile is about four of ours) up a fjord from Upernivik where the vessel could be beached easily. It was a place they used for their own vessels to get at their bottoms.
We left right away and it took about two hours and a half to get there. On the way over we went through a kind of natural gate in the rocks that seemed about as wide as the length of the ship. It was very, very deep because there was a mountain on either side with sheer cliffs going straight down for probably a great many fathoms.
They anchored the boat to wait for a big tide while Cap’n Bob got things ready to try and get her out so work could be done on the[90]bottom. The trouble was that the damage was on the very bottom of the keel so that just to keel her over on her side did no good. From Upernivik Dad had arranged to take up with us a dozen Greenlanders to help with the heavy work, like shifting ballast. Also we borrowed from the Governor his blacksmith and some tools.
Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.
Art Shoots Ducks Among the Icebergs from the Dory with the Johnson Engine.
The next day some of us took the Governor back to Upernivik in our launch. Doctor Heinbecker and I stayed there, visiting Dr. Rasmussen, the woman doctor who lives there and visits all around at the little settlements. She makes these trips in her own little power boat, with a couple of Eskimos to run it for her. She is a Dane, and most awfully nice. She is very big and strong, and they tell grand stories about how she drives her dog team in the winter and can tire out men who try to keep up to her. All the time we were at Upernivik she let us sleep in comfortable beds in her little hospital, and in every way treated[91]us splendidly. While visiting there we had some interesting things to eat, like seal meat, auks, duck and ducks’ eggs.
That afternoon Dr. Rasmussen got a message that someone was sick in a little village calledAugpilagtok, only a few miles from where theMorrisseywas. The others returned to theMorrisseyand Doc and I went with the Lady Doctor to this village, asking that they send over there to get us. We went in her little boat which was built in Denmark. It is very sturdy and good in the ice, ploughing along just as if there was no ice at all.
Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.
Dad Tries His Hand at Netting Dovekies.
In Augpilagtok there was a tiny store in a little room joined to the house of the head man. His name was Imik and later he went with Dad on a three days trip, to the glaciers and the ice cap. In the store they sold lead for the bullets which they made in crude moulds, and also caps and powder. Their rifles shoot both shotgun shells and rifle bullets, and they make all the ammunition themselves.[92]Here the Eskimos have money which they use in the store to buy biscuit, sugar, tobacco and other things. These are weighed out on funny little scales the weights of which were two old brass hinges.
After a while our launch came with Dad and some of the others and we all went back to theMorrissey, through lots of ice. Most of the way the Lady Doctor’s boat, theMitik, which is very broad in the beam, ploughed through the ice in front, with our launch trailing along behind.
When we arrived at theMorrisseythe Captain wanted to get rid of some of us, to make things easier for Billy, the cook, who had the big bunch of Eskimos on his hands. Also, they were moving ballast and getting ready to put the vessel over on her side which would mean putting out the fires and having everyone camp on shore. The Lady Doctor invited our Doc, Harry Raven and myself to go to town with her, which we did.[93]
We went back to Upernivik in the Lady Doctor’s boat, reaching there about four o’clock in the morning—broad daylight, of course, and with the sun shining brightly, for all this time we were very lucky to have fine weather and really quite warm. I suppose the temperature was about sixty at the warmest and never got below forty.
During lunch, at two o’clock that afternoon we heard another great yelling from the natives.
“Umiaksoah!” they yelled. That is the word for ship. (I have spelled it the way it sounds to me.)
To our great surprise we saw a battleship coming into the harbor. It proved to be theIslands Falk, meaning theIceland Falcon, the Danish patrol ship. It had heard by radio of our trouble while it was away down in south Greenland and at once had started north to rescue us. The first report, relayed to them by radio from an American vessel in[94]the north, said we had entirely lost theMorrisseyand were all on shore. Just why such a report was sent we could not imagine, as of course we had sent out no word of that kind.
Anyway, later on Captain West of theFalcongot another word from the Canadian shipBoethicwhich was over on the Canadian side. TheBoethichad had wireless word with us, and told Captain West the real facts, which were that we were working south to Upernivik to make repairs. So theFalconcame to Upernivik to help us.
I got a small boat and rowed out to the battleship and went aboard. To my great surprise I was greeted by Dr. Knud Rasmussen who had come up on theFalconfrom Disko where we had been supposed to meet him. But his ship from Denmark had been very late and he failed to connect with us there. I told him about what had happened to us.
Then Captain West, Commander Riis-Carstensen, Dr. Rasmussen and others went[95]up to theMorrisseyto offer help. In the end they sent a fine lot of men up there with a diver and boats and everything. The diver worked for about six days, while the Danish officers and sailors lived aboard and camped ashore. It proved that with the diver it was possible to get the leaks just about stopped. But I think that without him we would have had pretty serious trouble. The hard part was to get at the damaged place, which was on the very bottom of the vessel. And at the beaching place where they sent us it turned out there was not enough tide to get the bottom clear out of water.
We certainly were very grateful to the Danish officials for all they did for us. No one could possibly have been nicer or more generous. And I never saw a finer lot of men. It was great fun for me to be with them on the ship and around town. Most of the sixty men aboard were from all over Denmark, fine younger men who were doing their one year[96]of compulsory naval service. In Denmark every man has to serve in the army or navyforabout a year of training. And I think they all love to get on this Greenland trip, it is so different.
Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.
Carl and Art Try Swimming at the Foot of the Glacier.
While they were working on the boat we moved into Upernivik, Doc, Harry and I. Dad took three men up to the glacier, where they got pictures and collected some bird specimens.
It was a very gay time for Upernivik, probably about the most exciting they ever had. For not only was theMorrisseythere but also theFalconwith a crew of sixty, most of whom were ashore much of the time. There was a dance in a big warehouse near the wharf every night, which always lasted until morning. In fact, there just wasn’t any night. In the summer when a boat comes to those far away towns, they forget all about sleeping. Everyone stays up all the time. For the people in the boats it really is pretty hard, for[97]the people ashore at least can go to sleep when the boat leaves, while it is just then that the work starts for the travellers.
At Upernivik is the farthest north church in the world, they told me. A new building had just been completed, and on the Sunday we were there it was opened. There was a great crowd, and the Governor wore his high hat and everything. Of course we all went, and to the native wedding that afternoon. The hymns were sung in Eskimo, and there was a long Eskimo sermon. The first church in Upernivik was built away back in 1780.
On the evening of August tenth theMorrisseycame back to the harbor. The diver had fixed her up finely. Captain West gave Captain Bartlett a letter saying she was quite seaworthy. So we were very happy, as it meant we could keep on with our trip, which had come so near to ending in disaster. And we decided to go north again, taking Knud Rasmussen to Thule.
Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.
Up on the Glacier, where the Great Ice Cap Comes Down to the Sea.
[98]
The night before we left they gave us a grand party at Governor Otto’s. All the shutters were closed so the house would be dark. Then, to make it pretty, they lit many candles. Eighteen people crowded into the little dining-room, and there were speeches and quite a fine celebration. I went to bed pretty early but the older people, I think, did not turn in until seven in the morning.
On theIceland Falcon, the last night, there was another farewell party, Cap’n Bob and Dad dining with Captain West. They loaded on theMorrisseythe stores of Dr. Rasmussen and his baggage. He was going back with us all the way to New York, so he had a good deal of clothes and the like.
As we up-anchored and got under way we dipped our flag and fired our biggest rifle three times in salute. Then theFalconanswered with three shots from one of her big guns, and the people on shore fired another salute with their small cannon. Altogether[99]it was a very gay send-off. The Governor was out in his big rowboat, waving good-bye to us. Certainly Upernivik could have treated us no better, and we all appreciated it.
And then we headed north again, with Dr. Rasmussen. And we felt mighty lucky to be on our way again, instead of retreating south. Before us lay our third crossing of Melville Bay, which is quite a record for one season.
Dr. Rasmussen, for instance, has crossed it about forty times. Probably he has travelled up here more than any other living man. He told me that once it took six weeks to get just across Melville Bay, his boat being frozen in solid in the pack ice, and just drifting. How lucky we have been to get across three times with practically no ice at all.
[100]