For three hundred years England had held the honor of penetrating farthest north. From the time of Henry Hudson, who, in 1607, reached latitude 81° 30ʹ, the English sailors had succeeded in going nearer to the pole than the explorers of any other nation. In 1875, an English Arctic expedition under Captain Nares, reached latitude 83° 20ʹ north. Now, Lockwood and Brainard had gained for America the glory of penetrating the farthest north. From a height of twenty-six hundred feet these two men saw fields of ice extending to the north as far as the horizon. To the northeast they saw Cape Washington, which is twenty-eight miles above Cape Columbia, the most northern point of Grinnell land. Cape Washington is the northernmost known limit of Greenland, lying in latitude 83° 38ʹ. After battling so long with the fierce gales and severe weather, the two men were so exhausted that they could with difficulty return to the camp. Shortly after their return it was decided to go back to Fort Conger. Two of the party were snow-blind and had to be led. The three brave travelers were greeted with delight by the rest of the party. Their success in reaching the highest latitude yet attained was discussed at every meal. The time passed rapidly at Fort Conger, for the men were very busy, but presently they became anxious. The visiting ship which was expected in the summer of 1882, with supplies and recruits, did not arrive, and Greely prepared to pass a second winter at Fort Conger. When August, 1883, came and no visiting ship had yet made its appearance, it is no wonder that the men were disheartened. At length, weary of waiting, and certain that it meant death to remain a third winter at Fort Conger, Greely decided to retreat to the south, hoping to meet the ship. He expected, at least, to find that provisions had been placed in depots, for his relief. The little steam launch, the _Lady Greely_, towed two other small boats through the narrow channels. Small amounts of food were found in different caches or depots along the route, though not enough to bring much relief. The party was now on the verge of starvation. Only after a desperate struggle did they succeed in reaching Cape Sabine, where they erected stone huts and prepared to pass the winter as best they might. Some of the party tried to hunt, but game had disappeared and darkness was close upon them. Their condition was indeed pitiable; their clothing was in rags, they had no fuel and but forty days’ rations. But the United States had not forgotten the brave men who were risking their lives to make her name glorious. The _Neptune_, the _Proteus_, and the _Yantic_ had been sent to relieve Greely during 1882 and 1883. Every one of these vessels, however, failed to reach him; moreover, they neglected to deposit supplies where he might have found them.