The Siege and Conquest of the North PoleBryce, George
History
The Siege and Conquest of the North Pole
Bryce, George
Arctic regions; North Pole; Scientific expeditions
At Bjorneborg the provisions for the different parties were weighed and
arranged, and then a start was made westward. The first fiord west of
Bjorneborg was named Gaasefiord, from the number of geese found in it.
When crossing the second fiord, three walruses were shot, and after
feeding the dogs well, the remainder was left as a dépôt of dog-food.
This fiord was named “Hvalrosfiord,” or “Walrus Fiord.” Next day they
reached a sound where huge masses of ice were grinding round in a
tearing current. Sverdrup had never seen waters so absolutely impossible
to navigate as he saw here. The difficulties which had to be overcome
before it could be passed were so great that it received the name of
“Helvedesporten,” or “Hell Gate.” On one occasion three men, eighteen
dogs, and three sledges with their loads fell into a hole in the snow 12
feet deep, but by great good fortune no serious damage was done. On
another occasion one of the sledges slipped over a wall of ice into the
sea. The dogs would have been carried with it, but the traces broke. One
of the men, with a rope round his waist, had to be lowered down, and the
load and sledge were ultimately hauled up.
The land at last began to trend to the north-east, and the point was
named “Land’s End.” The whole of the west coast of Ellesmere Land was
subsequently called “King Oscar Land.” Next day a high mountain crag
appeared above the horizon away to the north. It was named “Store
Bjornekap,” or “Great Bear Cape.” Still farther to the north another
cape appeared, and was named “Little Bjornekap,” or “Little Bear Cape.”
Near here a bear was shot, and served as a good feed for the dogs.
On the 31st March the returning party retraced their steps. Sverdrup
with three others proceeded westward. At the parting a bottle of brandy
was produced, but somewhat to their astonishment they found it solid,
and it had to be poked from the bottle with a stick. The temperature was
44° below zero.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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