CHAPTER XXXIV.
INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.—METHOD OF REPAIRING.—THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE INJURY.—THE SCHOONER UNFIT FOR ANY FURTHER ICE-ENCOUNTERS.—EXAMINATION OF MY RESOURCES.—PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.—METHOD OF REPAIRING.—THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE INJURY.—THE SCHOONER UNFIT FOR ANY FURTHER ICE-ENCOUNTERS.—EXAMINATION OF MY RESOURCES.—PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
The extracts from my journal quoted in the preceding chapter will have sufficed to give the reader an understanding of the results of my spring and summer sledging, and he will have perceived that they were regarded by me as having laid down a correct basis for future exploration. With the character of the Smith Sound ice I had become more familiar, and the accurate determination of the coast-lines enabled me more readily to calculate upon the influence of the summer drift; while the rotten state of the ice in Kennedy Channel, even at so early a period of the season as May, and the existence of open water beyond it, left no doubt upon my mind as to the practicability of getting a vessel through under ordinarily favorable conditions of the season.
It will be perceived, therefore, that my future course was dependent upon the condition of the schooner.
Although I have not made more than a passing allusion to the report of Mr. McCormick as to the damage sustained by the vessel, yet the reader will have gathered from my journal that it caused me much anxiety. I was too much prostrated after my returnfrom the journey to make, during the first few days, that thorough inspection which was needed to form a correct judgment. I was consoled, however, in some measure for the delay, by realizing the necessity of writing up the occurrences of my return journey, while they were fresh in my mind, and of defining on my chart the observations and geographical discoveries which I had made.
INSPECTION OF THE SCHOONER.
These duties performed, and my strength sufficiently restored to justify me in leaving my cabin, I made a careful examination of the schooner and the means which had been adopted for repairing her. These means were altogether unexceptionable, and reflected much credit upon Mr. McCormick and also upon the mate, Mr. Dodge, who had given him zealous assistance.
McCormick had begun by digging the ice away from the bows down to the very keel, thus exposing all the forward part of the vessel as completely as if she lay in a dry-dock. The damage proved to have been even greater than we had anticipated, and it seemed remarkable that the forward planks and timbers had not opened to such a degree as to let the water through in torrents and sink us at once. The heads of the planks which were let into the stem were all started; the outer planking was loose and gaping open; the iron sheathing of the cut-water and bows was torn and curled up as if it had been pine-shavings; the stem-post was started, and the cut-water itself was completely torn away.
REPAIRING THE SCHOONER.
By dint of much earnest exertion and the use of bolts and spikes,—by replacing the torn cut-water, careful calking, and renewal of the iron plates,—it seemed probable that the schooner would besea-worthy; but I was forced to agree with my sailing-master, that to strike the ice again was sure to sink her.
The stern of the schooner had been dry-docked in the same manner as the bows; and it was found that the severe wrench which she had got off Littleton Island had started the stern-post, upon which hangs the rudder; and the rudder itself had been twisted off,—the pintles having been snapped asunder as if they had been made of pipe-clay. This accident to the rudder had been quite unavoidable, for we were so situated at the time of its occurrence that we could not avail ourselves of the facilities with which we were provided for unshipping it.
McCormick had succeeded in getting in some stout screw-bolts, and had managed, by an ingenious device, in hanging the rudder in such a manner that we could rely upon it to steer the schooner; but it would not bear contact with the ice, or another wrench, and it could not be unshipped. The schooner's sides were much torn and abraided, but no material damage seemed to have been done which was not repaired with some additional spikes to secure the started planks, and a general calking to close the seams.
I felt much disappointment at the turn of affairs. It seemed very probable that, in view of the crippled condition of the schooner, the project of getting into Kennedy Channel and of navigating the Polar Sea with her would have to be abandoned for the present, and that I had now no chance for another year but with boat and sledge. In this direction there was nothing to give encouragement. To transport a boat across such ice as that of Smith Sound was wholly impracticable, and I was now more poorly offfor dogs than before. Only six animals survived the late journey. Of these one died after a few days, apparently from sheer loss of vitality; and one was returned to Kalutunah.
MY RESOURCES.
Under these circumstances, it became a matter for serious reflection, whether it were not wiser to return home, refit, add—what was of much consequence—steam-power to my resources, and come back again immediately. Once at Cape Isabella with a proper vessel, I was fully persuaded that I could get into the northern water, and find a free route to the Pole, although it might be a hard struggle and somewhat hazardous. The chances of success would be greatly enhanced bysteam.
On the other hand, by remaining, I could not clearly see my way to accomplish any thing more of northern discovery than had been accomplished already; and I was now called upon to consider whether my time and means could be employed to better advantage by promptly returning to refit than to postpone that inevitable result to another year. The responsibilities of the expedition had been wholly assumed by myself; and, from the time of leaving Boston until I should have completed the exploration which I had undertaken, I proposed to make the costs which, hitherto, various associations and individuals had shared with me, now exclusively my own. I was, therefore, compelled to husband my resources and to act with caution and deliberation.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
I will not now detain the reader with the full details of my plans for the future, arranged to meet this new exigency; suffice it here to observe that, after taking Jensen and Kalutunah into my counsels, I was fully convinced that, by bringing out two ships,—mooringone of them in Port Foulke, and pushing north with the other,—a practicable scheme of exploration could be inaugurated, and that its success as well as safety would be secured. To this end, I proposed to myself to establish a permanent hunting station or colony at Port Foulke; to collect about that place all of the Esquimaux;[12]organize a vigorous hunt; and make that hunt yield whatever was essential for sustaining indefinitely an extended system of exploration toward the North Pole. In the practicability of establishing such a station, Jensen, whose experience in the Greenland colonies was extensive, fully agreed with me, and he was much delighted with the plan, accepting without hesitation my proposal to make him superintendent of it; Kalutunah was overjoyed with the prospect of bringing all of his people together; and, in this aspect alone, the scheme possessed much that was to me personally gratifying. My intercourse with this fast-dwindling race had caused me to feel a deep interest in them and to sympathize with their unhappy condition. The hardships of their life were telling upon them sadly, and, if not rescued by the hand of Christian philanthropy and benevolence, in less than half a century these poor wanderers of the icy sea will have all passed away.
[12]The Esquimaux may, to a limited extent, be even made available in exploration, as has been shown by the experience of Mr. C. F. Hall, who is now, with no other reliance than the natives, energetically pushing his discoveries westward from Repulse Bay.
[12]The Esquimaux may, to a limited extent, be even made available in exploration, as has been shown by the experience of Mr. C. F. Hall, who is now, with no other reliance than the natives, energetically pushing his discoveries westward from Repulse Bay.
My plans for the future did not, however, assume definite shape at the period of which I write, nor could they until the schooner should be set free.
Snowflake (same as No. 5)