1882-04-06:1882-04-10
Getting to Black Cape and Cape Rauson in a windstorm.
Thursday April 6th, 1882
When we reached Lincoln Bay it was 6 a.m. We had made the distance, including stop at Wrangle Bay in 15 hours. The Dr. set to work to prepare us a meal and Jens and I turned in. Meanwhile, the former had his own experience to relate, Left without a watch he used the bold point of Cape Frederick VII for a sundial and was able to inform us of the day and almost the hour. The dogs kept him company and we found “Redeye” installed in the corner of the igloo with one little puppy. It appears that both “Redeye” and Milatook added to the canine population of Grinnell Land, but of both families all but one little chubby spotted fellow disappeared down the capricious jaws of their fathers. The survivor then became a bone of contention to the bereaved mothers and our son of Galen did not know to which it should be awarded. Under the impression that “Redeye” had lost the greatest number he decided in her favor. It is unnecessary to state that the Dr. understood the allusion when he is addressed as Solomon — Poor Red did not enjoy the maternal office long for Kingatook (to use Jens term) “scoffed” the tender scion of caninity.
At 7 p.m. we again abandoned our snowhouse and started north. For several succeeding days (see sledge diary) we were engaged in hauling our stores from Cape Union to Black Cape. The traveling was very difficult; the icefoot inclining at a sharp angle from the cliffs to the sea and presenting an inclined plane along which the dogs crawled—the sledge following on only one runner most of the time and always in imminent danger of toppling over. The surface of the road was glazed by the sun and so slippery that at times the whole caravan—dogs, sledge and men—would slide swiftly from the foot of the cliffs to the line of paleocrystic bergs below, among which we floundered. At other times the faithful dogs would succeed in maintaining their hold by inserting their sharp claws in the crust but the sledge and we with it would describe the section of a circle with the dogs for a center and their traces as a radii. When the pressed up ice in the foot disrupted our passage we would take to the Straits but the traveling there was as if and immense inverted harrow. Our watch stopped on the 7th and set by guess. On the 8th and 9th it blew a gale part of the time, on the latter day when at Black Cape compelling us to take down tent and build snowhouse. Temperature warmer (see sledge diary).
Monday April 10th 1882
At Black Cape. Wind blew so hard that a little after midnight the tent was blown from its ropes and we had to fold it up at 4 am. It abated a little and encouraged us to start although still strong enough to almost take us off our feet. At 5 a.m. we were over the icefront on the Straits -Temp 0. Wind began to increase. In smooth places propelling the sledge in an alarming manner (wind was in our backs) and crowding on the poor dogs who were leaving the marks of their nails on the ice in their desperate effort to keep from being blown away. One of us and the driver would support himself by the upstands of the sledge and the other was frequently seen to throw himself prone upon the ice to prevent being dashed along and hurled against the blocks of ice.
At 10 a.m. we reached Cape Rauson near Alert’s winter q’rt’s and found we could proceed no further as the gale was increasing and the dogs could not be managed. The icefoot here placed us 50 ft above the sea level, and we could not trust ourselves in the high icy pinnacles without fear of being blown off. Wrapping our sleeping bags under the lee of a hummock we crawled in, munching some hard bread to satisfy our hunger. The dogs curled themselves up for a nap, and here we remained all through the day and the night, the snow drifting in the sleeping bags about our faces despite all our precautions with the flaps, so great was the force of the searching wind even in a sheltered place. At times during the night we would get up for observations and to relieve our bodies from the cramped positions in the sleeping bags but at no time was it possible to make a start. It was almost impossible to stand upright and locomotion was out of the question without holding onto ice and rocks. At this place, Cape Rauson, we found a can of pemmican left by the English. It was indicated by a small cairn of rocks which first attracted our attention. Cairn contained 32 lbs and we found it excellent eating even without cooking. In my sledge journal of this date I find I have complimented the fortitude and patience of our faithful team of dogs. Even now I can think of nothing connected with our trip that so stirs my breast with kindly emotion as the remembrance of fine animals struggling day after day through ice and snow, piercing winds and blinding drifts, dragging heavy loads over rough rugged roads with their feet sometimes cut and bleeding from the icy chrystals.