Farthest North: The Life and Explorations of Lieutenant James Booth Lockwood, of the Greely Arctic ExpeditionLanman, Charles
History
Farthest North: The Life and Explorations of Lieutenant James Booth Lockwood, of the Greely Arctic Expedition
Lanman, Charles
Arctic regions; Lady Franklin Bay Expedition (1881-1884); Lockwood, James Booth, 1852-1884
Waking up, they found that the receding tide had left them high and
dry by one quarter of a mile. This rendered Lockwood very uneasy,
and induced him to give up his intended journey of half a dozen
miles into the interior. He went, however, a mile or so inland, and
from a height saw a lake, and several miles above it a glacier,
apparently very large. Vast cliffs, three thousand feet high,
bordered the valley or ravine he followed, and beyond these were
snow and ice clad summits of vast elevation. Yet here, in this
desolate region, were seen proofs of the abode of man—circles of
stones covered with lichens, a proof of their antiquity. Here, also,
he found the hip-bone of some immense mammal, and afterward added it
to his museum. He returned to the launch near the time of high tide,
and after lightening, they got the launch into deep water, with much
labor, but greatly to their relief. On their return they visited
Record Point, left a short account of their visit, and copied that
of Lieutenant Archer. He had explored this fiord in 1876, occupying
one month, but they did it in sixty-nine hours. He traveled with
sledges and a supporting party—they with a steam-launch, all being
on board. Their coal getting low, they made few other stops _en
route_ except to pick up their meat and game, returning direct to
the station. The result of the expedition, as to game, was, twelve
musk-oxen, three hares, twenty-four geese, thirty-six turn-stones,
six knots, three terns, and twenty ptarmigans. Distance made, going
and returning, one hundred and forty miles. Long and others killed
numbers of musk-oxen during their absence, so that they now had on
hand about eight thousand pounds of fresh beef. Another musk-ox was
killed, soon after their return, in full view of the house, and thus
four hundred and thirty pounds were added to their stock. This was
the eightieth musk-ox shot since their arrival, the year before.
They had a good view of the bay and straits, both of which seemed
open, offering no obstacle whatever to the passage of the ship. They
were all very much disappointed at her non-appearance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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