1All compass bearings referred to aretrue, unless stated to bemagnetic.
1All compass bearings referred to aretrue, unless stated to bemagnetic.
CHAPTER XII.
AUTUMN TRAVELLING.
“When suddenly a grosse fog over spred,With his dull vapour all that desert has,And heaven’s cheerfull face enveloped;That all things one, and one as nothing was,And this great universe seemed one confused mass.“Thereat they greatly were dismay’d, ne wistHow to direct theyr way in darknes wide;But feared to wander in that wastefull miste,For tombling into mischiefe unespyde:Worse is the danger hidden than descride.”Spenser.
“When suddenly a grosse fog over spred,
With his dull vapour all that desert has,
And heaven’s cheerfull face enveloped;
That all things one, and one as nothing was,
And this great universe seemed one confused mass.
“Thereat they greatly were dismay’d, ne wist
How to direct theyr way in darknes wide;
But feared to wander in that wastefull miste,
For tombling into mischiefe unespyde:
Worse is the danger hidden than descride.”
Spenser.
Thereare, I am sure, many among those “who stay at home at ease” who have little or no idea of what sledge travelling in the Arctic Regions is like, and who even fail to realize that it entails hard work of any description.
Their imaginations picture the travellers seated on sledges, comfortably wrapped up in shawls and furs, and drawn by a team of dogs or reindeer gaily caparisoned, with their bells jingling as they dash along at a rapid pace over a smooth plain of snow and ice. They imagine that after the toil of the day is over a large fire is built up, and, having obtained some salmon, venison, or other product of the chase,a sumptuous meal is cooked and discussed, after which the sledge travellers compose themselves to sleep in a nice warm snow-house or wooden hut constructed by their attendants. All this sounds very delightful, and is, to my personal knowledge, believed to be a fairly true picture of Arctic life by a large majority of people. Unfortunately it is the very reverse of sledge life on the shores of the Polar Ocean. Let us see what it is like in reality. There, great climatic hardships have to be endured, combined with physical labour of no ordinary description. No change or variety of any sort can be made in the fare, nor can more than a certain allowance be allotted to each individual. When that is consumed, hunger must be borne with patience until the time has arrived for the next meal, for until that is due nothing is obtainable.
For shelter at night time, a tent made of the very lightest material (for economy of weight is the most important point to be considered in sledge travelling) is all the covering to protect the travellers from the furious onslaughts of a biting wind, always accompanied by a blinding snow-drift. So searching is the latter that in spite of all efforts it will penetrate through every little orifice into the tent, covering everything inside with a layer of minute snow crystals, and rendering an uncomfortable night still more comfortless and disagreeable. Rolled up in their bags, with the hard frozen sea as their couch, affording little rest to their aching and frost-bitten limbs, the wearied sledgers vainly attempt in sleep to become oblivious to the present. As for a fire by which circulation might be restored in their numbed extremities, that is quite out of the question. A limitedamount of spirits of wine, barely sufficient to cook the allowance of provisions, is all the fuel with which they are supplied. Even if the material for making a fire, such as driftwood, was available, it would be impossible to benefit by it, for it could not be lighted in the tent, whilst outside, under such circumstances as I have related, it would be impracticable.
This is a slight sketch of what has to be endured by the Polar sledge traveller; but a cheerful spirit, a contented mind, and an ardent desire to achieve success are quite sufficient to enable him to withstand the attendant hardships, and even to laugh at and treat them with contempt.
I cannot do better than quote the words of Sir George Nares, who, addressing our men before leaving England, whilst explaining to them the nature of the work that they were about to engage in, and speaking from his own personal previous experience of sledge life, said, “That if they could imagine the hardest work they had ever been called upon to perform in their lives intensified to the utmost degree, it would only be as child’s play in comparison with the work they would have to perform whilst sledging!”
These prophetic words were fully realized, and were often recalled and commented on by the men during their initiation into the work of sledging.
The autumn sledge travelling has been alluded to by a very distinguished and successful explorer in the Arctic Regions, as “the very acme of discomfort.” In the accuracy of this statement we, one and all, fully concurred.
The principal reasons that sledging at this period of the year is more disagreeable than in the springare, first, because the rapidly decreasing light caused by the sun’s altitude lessening day by day is decidedly opposed to either work or comfort. Before our return from sledging, the sun had illumined for the last time, until its reappearance the following year, the summits of the snow-covered hills in the vicinity of the “Alert’s” winter quarters, and had sunk, slowly and majestically, beneath the southern horizon, bequeathing to us only for a short time a few bright rays until the long polar night wrapped us in its sombre mantle, and enveloped us in gloom and obscurity for many months.
“’Tis gone, that bright and orbèd blaze,Fast fading from our wistful gaze;Yon mantling cloud has hid from sightThe last faint pulse of quivering light.”
“’Tis gone, that bright and orbèd blaze,
Fast fading from our wistful gaze;
Yon mantling cloud has hid from sight
The last faint pulse of quivering light.”
A few hours of twilight, therefore, were all we had in which to work. Candles we had none. Our breakfast before we started in the morning and our supper after we halted in the evening had to be discussed in gloomy darkness. Our notes had to be written in our journals before entering the tent, even at the risk of frost-bitten fingers.
In the second place, at this time of the year the ice, over which the sledges have to be dragged, is of very recent formation, and is consequently weak and dangerous. The travellers are therefore more liable to immersion by breaking through the thin ice at this period of the season than they are during the spring, or indeed at any other time. Young, and therefore smooth and level ice, covered with a treacherous layer of snow, often entices the unwary to turn from the rougher but stronger floes to travel onits flat plain surface. An immersion is invariably the result. Sometimes the leading men on the drag-ropes break through this weak ice first, and, by so doing, time is given to stop and save the sledge; but very often the ice directly under the sledge gives way without previous warning, when every effort must be at once directed to save the sledge. Although this is always successful it is generally at the expense of the greater part of the biscuit, which is so saturated with salt water as to be uneatable, and the wetting, and the consequent freezing, of the tent with all its appurtenances. Nothing more wretched and miserable can be conceived than having to pass the night in a stiffly frozen sleeping bag, inside a tent, which at the best of times is barely large enough to accommodate the party of men for whom it is allotted, but which has been considerably shrunk by being frozen. Not the least unpleasant part is the process of pitching it, for having become as hard as a piece of board, it is with great difficulty unfolded; more especially as this operation has to be performed after the fatigues of a hard day’s sledging, by wearied men, in such a temperature that it is impossible to expose the hands bare to the cold, and it must therefore be carried out with mittens on.
The constant wetting of the feet also renders the men more liable to frost-bites; whilst the heavy fall of snow, usually experienced in these regions during the autumn, renders the work ten times more arduous. For the air thus becomes so thick that it is impossible to see many yards ahead, and we have to trust solely to a compass as a guide. We might, in truth, fairly quote the lines from Spenser’s “Faërie Queene,” at the heading of the presentchapter, as illustrating our difficulties in this respect—
“That all things one, and one as nothing was,And this great universe seemed one confused mass.”
“That all things one, and one as nothing was,
And this great universe seemed one confused mass.”
And lastly this continual breaking through the ice of both men and sledge, combined with the heavy and incessant fall of snow, renders the task of walking and dragging a sledge one of extreme labour and anxiety. These were the little difficulties we had to experience during our novitiate in this autumn sledge travelling, and they must be generally expected by explorers who go away so late in the year.
In a future chapter I propose to give a full account of the routine of sledge life, of the equipment and scale of provisions, and of all other details connected with sledging operations in the Arctic Regions. I will now, therefore, proceed at once to give a brief account of our journey, for the purpose of laying outa depôt in the autumn, which occupied three weeks of very severe and harassing work.
At eight o’clock, on the 25th of September, the three officers commanding sledges, myself and Lieutenants Parr and May, assembled at breakfast in sledging costume, and a rattling good breakfast our caterer gave us. At 8.15 our standards were displayed on the sledges, the ship hoisting the ensign. At 8.30 the crews took up their stations alongside their respective sledges, and the order was given to march. Our men stepped out bravely, and as they did so three hearty cheers resounded from the ship. I called a halt and returned the salute with as much emphasis as twenty-four powerful pairs of lungs could give, and then continued the march. The young ice seemed strong enough to bear, so leaving the ice foot, on which the travelling was heavy, we ventured on the new ice. But we had not gone more than a mile when, to my horror, Parr’s sledge, the “Victoria,” went through! It was a case of all hands to the rescue, and after fifteen minutes of hard tugging and hauling we succeeded in dragging it upon a firm piece of ice. But everything was thoroughly saturated. There was nothing for it but to send back at once for another sledge and dry things. This being done, we again proceeded for about three miles, when suddenly I heard a crack, and looking round, there was my sledge through! We dragged it on shore, and unpacking at once, I was glad to find that we had suffered less than the “Victoria;” but it was bad enough. Our tent and gear at the top were of course saturated, and nearly all our biscuit spoilt. However, I did not think it advisable to return, so re-packing we made another start, and shortly afterwardswere rejoined by Parr. After marching for twelve miles I halted for the night with the temperature 3° below zero, the tent frozen hard and shrunk considerably. Next day we marched thirteen miles over ice whose blue uneven surface was as smooth as glass, making it very hard work for the men, who were sorely put to it to maintain their footing. They worked splendidly, trudging merrily along, making light of the heavy loads and the treacherous ice, thinking only of performing a good day’s work, and of advancing the depôt as far north as possible.
On the third day, being unable to round a point of land owing to several lanes of water, we were obliged to unload the sledges and carry the things piecemeal across a neck of land about two miles in width and a hundred feet above the level of the sea. On the same evening snow began to fall, and from that time it fell incessantly until our return to the ship, increasing in depth day by day. This, combined with the softness of the snow as it fell, seriously impeded our advance, and we were frequently obliged to halt our sledges whilst the men were employed clearing a road with the shovels. So impervious was the air, owing to the heavy fall of snow, that it was only occasionally that we were able to obtain glimpses of the land as we journeyed onwards, rendering it most difficult to make out its conformation, or even the direction in which the coast line trended.
From the unaccustomed work of dragging, the shoulders of the men began to evince symptoms of rawness, although they constantly shifted their drag belts from one shoulder to the other. In spite of these little drawbacks, and the dull overcast weather that generally prevailed, the spirits of the men neverflagged, and every night the labour of the day would be forgotten, and singing and laughter would be the only sounds heard issuing from our little camp, long after we had comfortably settled ourselves in our sleeping bags.
It was amusing to listen to the quaint remarks and witty conversation of the men, as, reclining in their bags and smoking their pipes, they would, regardless of the generally dreaded presence of the commander, broach lower deck topics, and freely discuss and criticize them. I was much surprised at the extensive Arctic knowledge which they possessed, showing that they had read largely on this subject, and were anxious to learn yet more.
I must own that the subject of eating and drinking monopolized a very large share of the conversation; nor did they only occupy our minds whilst awake, for they frequently formed the subject of our dreams. On one occasion when I aroused the men in the morning one of them said, “Oh! I am sorry you called me so soon, sir, for I was dreaming that I was eating plum pudding, and if you had let me finish it would have been as good as a breakfast to me!” Gales of wind were, of course, serious impediments to our advance, and were of not unfrequent occurrence. They invariably necessitated a halt, as, irrespective of the cold wind being productive of frost-bites, it was almost impossible to make way through the blinding snow-drift, which did not admit of anything being seen even at the distance of a yard or two!
On the 4th of October, half our provisions being consumed, and there being the prospect of very heavy travelling before us on our homeward journey, it was decided to return. The depôt was therefore established,on the brow of a ridge just above our encampment. It consisted of 870 lbs. of pemmican and 240 lbs. of bacon. May and myself pushed on, with the object of reaching Cape Joseph Henry; but the weather was too thick to obtain any view, and, for the same reason, it was impossible to ascertain the trend of the coast or the nature of the travelling to the northward. The floes seemed to be composed of very heavy ice, and the hummocks were piled up to a great height along the coast, especially off any projecting points of land. Lieutenant Aldrich had, however, ascended a hill some two thousand feet in height, and was fortunate in having a fine clear day. From Cape Joseph Henry the land, he saw, trended away to the westward, but there was no indication of anything but the impenetrable polar pack to the north. We reached a latitude of about 82° 50′ N. before turning our steps homewards.
On the return journey the dragging became infinitely more irksome and laborious. The snow had accumulated to such a depth as to render some of the ravines and promontories almost impassable, being above the men’s knees nearly all the time. On one occasion we were compelled to take our sledges up a range of hills two hundred and fifty feet above the level of the sea, in order to pass a precipitous cliff, off which was a stream of water, and then to lower them down a steep incline on the opposite side. To add to our difficulties, a sudden fall of temperature produced many severe frost-bites, principally on the feet and toes. Circulation was always restored as speedily as possible by the application of the warm hand, and the injured part was then dressed with glycerine ointment and lint.
The hills, over which we were obliged to take our sledges, subsequently went by the name of the “Frost-bite Range,” in consequence of the many casualties sustained during the time we were on them.
On the 9th the temperature was 15° below zero, and the boots, stockings, and foot wrappers were frozen to the men’s feet. On coming down the hills the sledges had literally to be lowered to the ice-foot from a height of two hundred and fifty feet, at a very steep angle. Thence it was necessary to follow the shore, where enormous hummocks of ice were piled up, having huge cracks and fissures, into which we sunk to our necks in snow. In crossing some sludgy ice between the hummocks, on the 11th, Lieutenant May unfortunately went through, and was so severely frost-bitten that he eventually had to suffer amputation of one of his great toes.
The sun set at about one in the afternoon. A glorious sight: the colours of the sunrise and sunset seeming to be blended together. This was on Tuesday, and at breakfast on the following Friday all the provisions would be expended. The 13th was the last day of the sun’s appearance.
On the 14th the temperature was down to 25° below zero, and the travelling very heavy; but our sufferings were nearly over. At seven we sighted the ship, and hoisted our sledge standards. All the officers and ship’s company came out to meet and help us, and by 8.50P.M.we were on board.
Some of the frost-bites were so severe as to render amputation necessary. This arose from the difficulty of finding out the injury in time. A frost-bite steals upon one like a thief in the night, and before the victim is aware it often happens that mortificationhas set in. No less than half the party were placed on the sick list from being more or less severely frost-bitten.
It was a very great relief and comfort to us to be again on board, and extremely gratifying to receive such a welcome as that extended to us by our messmates. They were already feeling a little anxious at our prolonged absence, knowing that we were only provisioned for twenty days, and fearing that our return journey would be greatly delayed by the late excessive fall of snow.
How comfortable the ward-room looked, with the lamps burning brightly, a cheerful fire blazing in the stove, and, what delighted us almost still more, a clean white cloth spread upon the table, and on it a sumptuous repast, made doubly inviting by a couple of decanters of madeira and port! These little comforts and luxuries, though they may appear to casual readers unimportant and insignificant, are thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by wearied and foot-sore travellers who have been strangers to light, comfort, and a good meal, though only for three short weeks. The pleasure of a warm bath and the enjoyment of brushing one’s hair are beyond all description! We were all a little thinner when we returned; but, with the exception of the frost-bites, none the worse for our expedition.
So far as the results were concerned we were quite satisfied, considering them perfectly successful.
We had established a depôt of provisions some forty miles to the northward of the ship, which would very materially assist the sledging campaign of the ensuing spring. A large amount of thorough practical experience had been gained, which we hoped wouldbear good fruit in the coming year. And we had succeeded in reaching and passing the highest latitude attained, to the northward of Spitzbergen, by that distinguished Arctic navigator, Sir Edward Parry, forty-eight years before, during his memorable journey over the frozen sea towards the North Pole.
These were the most important results gained by the autumn sledging.
The disappearance of the sun before our return necessarily prevented a more protracted exploration being made. As it was we only had sufficient light during midday for a very few hours’ work.
Perhaps, as it was our first experience in sledging, it was as well we were not able to remain absent for a greater length of time. As an instance of the manner in which the different articles increased in weight during the autumn travelling, we found on our return to the ship that the tent which had previously weighed 32 lbs. had increased to 55 lbs., the coverlet from 21 lbs. to 48 lbs., the lower robe from 18 lbs. to 40 lbs., the floor-cloth from 11 lbs. to 29 lbs., and everything else in proportion! This increase is due to the absorption of all moisture, which instantly freezes. In the spring, although the temperature is far lower, this moisture, even when frozen, is extracted by exposure to the sun. In the autumn this is impossible, as the sun has disappeared.
CHAPTER XIII.
WINTER QUARTERS.
“Let winter come! let polar spirits sweepThe dark’ning world and tempest-troubled deep.Though boundless snows the withered heath deform,And the dim sunne’erwanders through the storm,Yet shall the smile of social love repayWith mental light the melancholy day.”Campbell.
“Let winter come! let polar spirits sweep
The dark’ning world and tempest-troubled deep.
Though boundless snows the withered heath deform,
And the dim sunne’erwanders through the storm,
Yet shall the smile of social love repay
With mental light the melancholy day.”
Campbell.
Thesledge travellers having all returned, the necessary preparations for passing the winter were immediately taken in hand.
Notwithstanding the loss of the sun, which took its final departure on the 11th of October, we had for many days sufficient light, during five or six hours of the day, to enable us to carry out the manifold duties connected with the preparations for a winter in the Arctic Regions.
Although the ship was completely frozen in, and the ice in which she was imprisoned was increasing in thickness day by day, additional precautions for her safety were taken by burying a couple of the largest anchors on shore, and freezing them into their holes by pouring water over them; to these were attached the chain cables. These we felt would be a perfect security for us against any off-shore gale.
Provisions in large quantities were landed as a precaution,in case any unforeseen event should, during the winter, cause the destruction of our ship, and so at one fell swoop deprive us both of home and supplies. Out of the casks and cases so landed a spacious house was constructed, capable, if necessary, of affording accommodation to our entire party. This house, which went by the name of “Markham Hall,” was used as a receptacle for sails, rope, sledge gear, and all articles that could not be conveniently stowed under hatches on board. Its dimensions were forty-nine feet long, by twelve feet wide, and ten feet high. The mainsail was used to roof it over. It was altogether a very grand edifice, and we were, and I think with some reason, very proud at the result of our architectural skill.
The building mania seemed to be very prevalent amongst the officers, the majority of whom employed themselves in constructing snow-houses for various purposes near the ship. One officer went so far as to commence acolonnade, reaching from the shore to the ship, the pillars to be made of frozen blocks of snow, but the undertaking was of too gigantic a nature to be carried out with any hope of success, and was abandoned after a few days’ work.
A wooden observatory, brought out from England for the express purpose, was set up for the transit instrument, and this with a house adjoining, in which was placed the alt-azimuth instrument, being the head-quarters of our astronomical observers, Parr and May, went by the name of “Greenwich.”
DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING THE MAGNETIC OBSERVATORY AT “KEW.”
Snow-houses were constructed on shore for the several magnetic instruments, and these latter were securely fixed by being firmly frozen on snow pedestals. The three houses in which the instruments were placed were connected, one with the other, by sub-glacial passages, one being no less than a hundred and twenty feet in length. The whole establishment, which was most complete and reflected great crediton its architect, was called “Kew.” Giffard and myself were the two officers entrusted with the charge of the magnetic observations, and many a cold and comfortless hour had we to spend, in our endeavours to add to the slight knowledge we possess in this interesting branch of science.
Several other snow-houses were built for various purposes. One was for the reception of our powder, as it is most important that such a dangerous and combustible article should be removed from the ship, where of necessity so many fires have to be kept up. The place in which the powder was stored was called “Woolwich.” Others were constructed in which were deposited all our salt beef for present use, and these buildings, of course, went by the name of “Deptford,” after our great naval victualling depôt in England.
Altogether the neighbourhood of our winter quarters had the appearance of a young thriving settlement rapidly springing into maturity, rendering what would otherwise have been a barren and desolate scene, one of cheerful life and activity.
The salt beef, which was exceptionally tough and salt, more so indeed than the ordinary salt “junk” used in the navy, was kept in a snow-house; because we found, by experiment, that it was rendered more palatable by so doing. In all probability the process of congelation tended to extract, or precipitate, a very large portion of the saline matter with which it was impregnated, and thus deprived it, to some extent, of its hardness and saltness.
By the 26th of October the ship was completely “housed” in by a set of awnings, extending from the after part of the top-gallant forecastle to the mizzen-mast. This “housing” was made of a materialcalled tilt cloth, similar to that used to cover waggons in England. It was spread on spars lashed between the masts, having curtains on each side so fitted that they could readily and easily be triced up when required for purposes of ventilation. Hanging lamps were suspended from the spars over the centre of the deck, which were kept alight night and day. The funnel, which was provided with a hinge, was lowered down, and formed a famous and convenient stow-hole for rope. The number of coils that were deposited in it was truly marvellous.
Two gangways were cut in the ship’s side: the one on the port side being used as the general one for entrance and exit; the one on the starboard for carrying out all slops and dirt to a large dirt-heap established between the hummocks, some hundred yards from the ship. A smaller dirt-heap was temporarily used nearer the ship, the accumulations being removed to the larger one once or twice a week.
Although, as a rule, the snow was not well adapted for building purposes on account of its consistency, we were able to supply ourselves with blocks from certain places where the snow had drifted in large quantities and hardened by pressure.
A snow wall, constructed from solid blocks obtained from these quarries, was formed round the ship at about six feet distance, and at the height of about four feet. When this was completed the space between the ship’s side and this wall was filled in with snow, reaching as high as the fore and main channels, forming a perfectly solid and impervious embankment that would effectually aid in preserving the warmth of the ship. The upper deck was cleared of all superfluous articles, and was covered with snow about twelve inches deep. A layer of gravel and ashes was strewn over the surface; but I am not sure that we benefited much by this measure, for it was rendered so slippery by being frozen that it was by no means an easy matter to walk on it.
All skylights and hatchways were carefully covered up, two only of the latter being kept open as a means of ingress and egress. These were so constructed with porches and double doors as to prevent the admission of the outside air. The doors, being fitted with weights, were made self-shutting, so that theclosing of one door was insured before the opening of the other. Snow walls were also built up round the porches, and in fact round the hatchways and skylights not in use, so as to render them all the more impervious to the cold air.
Round the funnel of the galley fire there was a large space, inclosed by a wall of snow, in which was deposited every morning a supply of ice or frozen snow, to be converted into water sufficient to last twenty-four hours. The ice for this purpose was procured from a large floe about one hundred and fifty yards from the ship, which in all probability was formed by the thawing and subsequent re-freezing of the snow on its surface. When it was difficult to find work for the men to do outside the ship during the winter, they were employed in conveying this ice to a large depôt that was formed close to the vessel, protected from the Eskimo dogs by a snow wall, from which during gales of wind or other bad weather we were able to supply ourselves.
Our boats were all hauled up in a safe position on shore. Sails were left bent, but securely furled and covered. Ropes that were not unrove were carefully hauled taut, so as to prevent our being kept awake during a gale of wind by an uninterrupted “devil’s tattoo”—that is, the continual flapping of a rope against a spar, which produces a very aggravating and monotonous sound.
Former expeditions were supplied with Sylvester’s warming apparatus, which, by means of pipes leading along the whole length of the ship, warmed the “between decks” with hot air. The only means for heating the vessel at our disposal were by stoves. These were placed in various parts of the ship, andput under the charge of men who were periodically selected for this service. Stringent regulations were issued regarding the economical consumption of fuel, and also to guard against all accidents from fire.
As it is necessary in all ships wintering in the Arctic Regions to devote a certain place to the washing and drying of clothes in which a high temperature can be constantly kept, we appointed for this purpose a compartment on the fore part of the lower deck, commonly called the fore-peak. The men had certain days during the week allotted to them for the use of this place, and it was found that clothes washed and hung up one afternoon would be invariably dry on the following morning.
The vapour arising in this room did not reach the deck on which the men lived, but was conveyed through a trap hatch leading into the fore-peak to a large space under the top-gallant forecastle, inclosed by a snow wall and made its exit through an up-take formed of a piece of funnelling. The compartment was heated by a stove, the fire in which was kept burning night and day.
The very difficult question of ventilation below was carefully considered. It is one of the most important and serious matters that can come under the consideration of the commander of an Arctic expedition. Nothing is so essential to the preservation of health as the pure and free circulation of air on the living deck.
In this respect we were not so well off as our predecessors, for they, being supplied with the Sylvester heating apparatus, were able to admit a more constant current of air, and thus keep their habitable deck in a better state and more free from condensationthan ours. We found it a very difficult matter to prevent in the slightest degree the accumulation of moisture on the beams overhead, caused by the condensation formed by the number of people living on the deck, and by the vapour arising from the galley fire. Several up-takes and down-takes were fitted in holes cut through the upper deck in our attempts to remedy this serious defect, but as a rule they had little effect in counteracting it. Men were incessantly employed during the winter in wiping the moisture off the beams with cloths. If the hatchway doors were kept open, even for a short time, this moisture was at once converted into ice, which, of course, thawed and dripped immediately as the temperature was raised. This drip was a constant source of annoyance to us during the whole winter, and it was one to which we had, in part, to submit.
Whilst all these necessary preparations for the safety and warmth of the ship were being carried out, the comforts of those who were about to brave the rigours of an Arctic winter were not forgotten. Warm garments were issued, consisting principally of a complete suit of seal-skins and warm woollen guernseys. It must not be supposed that our seal-skins were of the same material as those soft fur jackets so much in vogue with the fair ones at home. Ours were obtained from the ordinary Greenland seals, whose skins are covered with coarse bristly hairs. They were, nevertheless, quite as warm, and were indeed our favourite articles of clothing after the unpleasant aroma, which seems inseparable from clothing of this description, had worn off, or until we had become so accustomed to it as to fail to notice it!
Carpet boots, or moccasins made of moose-skin, were worn on the feet. The former were furnished with tops, made of duffel, reaching as high as the knees, and with cork soles over an inch thick. With any temperature below zero leather boots and shoes must be discontinued, as they freeze so hard that the material loses its flexibility, and renders the foot in consequence more liable to frost-bite. Moccasins, worn over a couple of pairs of blanket wrappers, and a pair of thick woollen stockings reaching above the knee, are undoubtedly the most comfortable foot-gear, and the best adapted for low temperatures. Blanket wrappers are, as their name indicates, strips of blanket, generally about sixteen inches square, worn folded round the feet in lieu of socks and stockings, than which they are infinitely warmer.
As a rule, officers and men were dressed alike. Occasionally some of the former would make their appearance in long fur coats with hoods that they had obtained from the Hudson’s Bay Company’s store and other places in London, but the majority adhered to the clothing supplied to them by Government.
A special winter routine was made out, and commenced shortly after the return of the sledge parties. It was strictly adhered to through the long winter night that ensued.
I must not omit to mention the duty of keeping open the “fire hole”—a very necessary and important precaution, that must be taken, in order to be able to obtain a supply of water in case of fire breaking out on board. As a rule, in all ships that have wintered in the Arctic Regions, the water has frozen below the suction valves of the pumps, thus renderingthem totally useless. In order, therefore, to obtain water, a hole was invariably cut through the ice near the ship, which was generally placed in charge of the quarter-master of the watch, whose duty it was from time to time to clear off the young ice from its surface, so that at any moment water might be obtained in buckets. In the “Alert,” in consequence of our valves being much lower, our pumps were never incapacitated from this cause; still they were liable to be rendered useless by the water in the pipes becoming frozen. We therefore always kept our fire-hole in working order. It was close to the bow of the vessel, and was inclosed by a snow hut, so as to guard against the danger of anybody falling in whilst walking about in the dark. By fixing a tide-pole in the hole, and by devising a self-registering apparatus with a line leading from the tide-pole to the forecastle of the “Alert,” we were able to obtain a very complete and valuable series of tidal observations. From having the registering-gauge on board the ship, these observations were continued uninterruptedly, and were unaffected by gales of wind or bad weather, that would otherwise have prevented any one from going outside the vessel in order to note them.
Thermometric observations were, as may be imagined, very carefully attended to, and the temperatures both inside and outside the ship duly registered. Maximum and minimum thermometers, by which the greatest heat and the greatest cold for each consecutive twenty-four hours were recorded, were established in different places, and were noted every day at noon by an officer especially appointed for that duty.
Each compartment in the ship was supplied with one of these thermometers, and on the living deck the temperatures at three different heights—namely, at the deck, about half-way up, and at the beams—were daily registered. For the outside air one of the ice-saw triangles was erected on the floe, sufficiently distant from the ship to neutralize any influence that might be derived from her presence, and on this, at the height of about twelve feet, were placed several thermometers. In addition to these, there were other thermometers on the hill about a quarter of a mile from the ship, and about one hundred yards above the level of the sea, so that we were able to obtain a correct mean of the true temperature of the air. We were also able to ascertain the temperature of the snow, and the ground at different depths; and also, by means of solar radiation thermometers, we succeeded, on the return of the sun, in getting the temperature due to its rays at various altitudes.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ROYAL ARCTIC THEATRE.
“Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with theeJest and youthful jollity,Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles,Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles,Sport that wrinkled Care derides,And Laughter holding both his sides.”Milton.
“Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee
Jest and youthful jollity,
Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles,
Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles,
Sport that wrinkled Care derides,
And Laughter holding both his sides.”
Milton.
Sir Edward Parry,during his first and subsequent winters in the Arctic Regions, fully recognized the importance of not only exercising and improving the minds of those under his command, during the long period of enforced inaction, but also of amusing them, and letting them feel that they also were assisting in the amusement of their shipmates. To do this he instituted an evening school on the lower deck, the officers acting as teachers; and he established periodicals, dramatic and other entertainments, in which he himself joined and took a conspicuous part.
His wise example has been generally followed by the different expeditions that subsequently wintered in the Arctic Regions.
It is, in fact, very necessary to exercise both the physical and mental powers of the men during the dark months, for when once the ship has been safely established in winter quarters little work remains tobe done. The officers are constantly employed in taking and working up observations in various branches of science; but the seaman has little to do but reflect on, and possibly brood over, his situation. It is, therefore, absolutely essential that some means should be devised to drive from him all unpleasant thoughts, and to make him feel that it is in his power to relieve the tedium of what would otherwise be a long and monotonous winter.
Each ship had been provided, before leaving England, with a printing-press, and an officer and seaman1had been instructed in its use.
As soon as it was set up and in working order, the following prospectus was issued by the “firm.”
“THE ARCTIC PRINTING OFFICE.“Messrs. Giffard and Symons beg to inform the public that they have obtained—at an immense cost and with infinite trouble—possession of the extensive premises, lately occupied by Mr. Clements Markham, situated in Trap Lane, within half a minute’s walk of the foremost Quarter Deck Ladder, and easily accessible to all parts of the city.“They have fitted up their new establishment—regardless of expense—with all thelatest inventionsandnewest machinery, to enable them to carry on the noble art of printing in a style and with a rapidity hitherto quite unattainable.“They therefore expect from the public that support and assistance which it always gives to thetruly deserving.“Charges moderate. No credit given. All work required to be executed to be paid for in advance.“N.B. Everything undertaken promptly and correctly executed.“H.M.S. ‘Alert,’“July 28, 1875.”
“THE ARCTIC PRINTING OFFICE.
“Messrs. Giffard and Symons beg to inform the public that they have obtained—at an immense cost and with infinite trouble—possession of the extensive premises, lately occupied by Mr. Clements Markham, situated in Trap Lane, within half a minute’s walk of the foremost Quarter Deck Ladder, and easily accessible to all parts of the city.
“They have fitted up their new establishment—regardless of expense—with all thelatest inventionsandnewest machinery, to enable them to carry on the noble art of printing in a style and with a rapidity hitherto quite unattainable.
“They therefore expect from the public that support and assistance which it always gives to thetruly deserving.
“Charges moderate. No credit given. All work required to be executed to be paid for in advance.
“N.B. Everything undertaken promptly and correctly executed.
“H.M.S. ‘Alert,’
“July 28, 1875.”
The “cost” and “trouble” alluded to in this production, that were expended in obtaining a convenient place in which to carry out the “noble art of printing,”were caused by the fact that our photographers were equally anxious, with our printers, to possess themselves of the small cabin lately occupied by my cousin, and which is so grandiloquently alluded to as “extensive premises.” In fact, for some little time it was a very sore and vexed question between those two celebrated and energetic firms. Trap Lane was so called in consequence of the after-hold being immediately outside the door of the cabin; and it occasionally served as a very disagreeable kind of man-trap when, through inadvertence, the hatch had not been replaced. As this part of the ship was, during the early part of her commission, in total darkness, owing to the piles of stores that were stowed in every available corner, it is no wonder that unsuspecting individuals should occasionally have fallen into the trap!
Our printing-press was, it is almost needless to say, of great use to us during the winter; for, although it never printed very much for the public service, it was constantly called into requisition for the purpose of striking off programmes for our dramatic and other entertainments; and on such important events as birthdays and Christmas-day we indulged in the extravagance of printed bills of fare. On the whole the printing establishment on board the “Alert” tended very materially to beguile the tedium of our long nights, and must therefore be regarded as a decided success.
Our school was opened on the 1st of November; from which date, until the reappearance of the sun, the attendance was regular and constant. It was composed of nearly the whole ship’s company, and was divided into classes under the direct superintendence of the officers. Reading, writing, history,arithmetic, and navigation were the principal subjects in which the pupils were instructed.
The school was held on the lower deck between eight and nine o’clock in the evening, the classes occupying the different mess-tables. Only two men out of the entire ship’s company were unable to read and write, and these two men were placed in a class with two others, who were unable to read and write English.2This class was presided over by the doctor, who kindly volunteered to devote himself to the instruction of the “cripples,” as they were facetiously called.
As an illustration of the improvement which has taken place in the education of the men belonging to the Royal Navy during the last half-century, it may be mentioned that, whereas in Parry’s time it was quite the exception to find a man that could read or write, with us the exception was entirely the other way, only two men out of fifty-five being ignorant of those accomplishments.
Never were seen such painstaking and willing scholars as our men showed themselves to be. It is impossible to conceive a more orderly or well-conducted school, and it was a pleasure to the masters to devote their time to classes that evinced such an earnest desire of acquiring knowledge as did those on board the “Alert.”
Here might be observed a staid old seaman, whose great brawny hand appeared more suited to grasp the marline-spike than the pen, vainly endeavouring, with his elbows squared, his weather-beaten face close down over his work, and his tongue thrustout, to arrive at some satisfactory result in a simple addition sum. As a contrast to this, at the opposite table might be seen a smart young sailor, who had distanced all his competitors in arithmetic, asking abstruse questions in mensuration of such a nature as to make even his tutor feel uncomfortable!
After the classes were dismissed, the men enjoyed an uninterrupted evening to themselves. Games of various descriptions, such as chess, bagatelle, draughts, and cribbage, had been purchased for their amusement before leaving England, and were in constant requisition during the winter. A large space on the starboard side of the deck, abaft the living deck, was allotted to the smokers, and here were held our dramatic and weekly entertainments on Thursdays. On Sundays Divine service was performed in the same place.
Books were also a source of great amusement and interest to many of the men who were studiously inclined, as the well-thumbed volumes in our library soon testified. Several men wrote regular journals, which were even kept up by a few whilst they were sledging. Amongst the officers, chess, backgammon, and a rubber in the captain’s cabin, formed the chief amusements. Although gambling is discountenanced (or ought to be) on board every well-regulated man of war, we so far forgot ourselves as to indulge largely in this vice. Seldom was a game played without a stake on the result! The stakes, too, were exorbitant, frequently as much as one lucifer match per game! It must be remembered that matches were very scarce and precious articles with us, and it was therefore a very high and valuable stake. On one occasion, one of my messmates was so rash as to wager a tallow-candle on theresult of a game; but this was an offer of such magnitude that no one was sufficiently brave or sporting to accept it.
Among the many valuable gifts showered upon us by kind and generous friends at home was an excellent piano, and fortunately amongst the officers there was a very talented musician, to whose good nature and willing efforts to please must be attributed many a pleasant hour, when our hearts were warmed by well-known airs bringing back happy home memories.
Thursday evenings were always devoted to dramatic entertainments, magic-lantern exhibitions, instructive lectures, reading, and music both vocal and instrumental. These entertainments were kept up with the same spirit, and without a break, during the whole winter. They went by the name of our “Thursday Pops,” and afforded much pleasure and amusement. They were announced to the general Arctic public by the following printed notice, which was widely circulated.