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HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875 World Naval Ships Forums Archive

HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875

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[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 1[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Background[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Since the disappearance of the Franklin expedition of 1845 to discover a Northwest Passage, the only British Arctic exploration undertaken to date, had been to discover that expedition’s fate. In the meantime, there had been several American Arctic expeditions, notably those of Elisha Kane and Charles Hall. Consequently, the Admiralty became subjected to political and scientific pressure to resume their explorations in a region in which many believed that Britain should be at the forefront. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It was decided, in cooperation with the Royal Geographical Society, to send an expedition to map the area further north than Charles Hall had attained, and reach the North Pole if possible. In addition, extensive scientific measurements and observations were to be undertaken. The officer selected to command the expedition was Captain George Nares, and the expedition subsequently became known as the "Nares Expedition".[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain George Strong Nares was the commander of the epic [I]Challenger[/I] Expedition for the first two years of its three and a half and 69,000 mile voyage. But he was recalled to command the Arctic Expedition. He had previous experience in Arctic regions, having sailed in 1852 as second mate on [I]HMS Resolute[/I] in the search for Franklin. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2][B]Previous exploration by sea[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]This Arctic expedition was to build on the discoveries of previous Arctic pioneers, namely:[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]1852 Edward Inglefield[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2], while looking for Franklin, penetrated Smith Sound (discovered by William Baffin in 1616) further than anyone before.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]1853-55 Elisha Kane[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2] aboard [I]Advance[/I] sailed through Smith Sound and claimed he had discovered "an open polar sea", which in fact was just a widening of the Strait that happened at the time to be ice free, and which became known as the Kane Basin. He over wintered there, making several foot expeditions, discovering the Humboldt Glacier and the Kennedy Channel. His ship became trapped in the ice throughout the summer of 1854 and was finally abandoned in 1855.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]1871-73 Charles Hall[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2] aboard [I]Polaris[/I] sailed even further northwards, crossing the Kane Basin, passing through the Kennedy Channel and into the Hall Basin, discovering the Robeson Channel, and reaching 82,11N before over wintering in Polaris Bay. Hall is thought to have been murdered by his crew who sailed the ship back southwards, but abandoned her in panic when on the point of being crushed by ice. They drifted 1,300 miles on an ice floe before being rescued in Baffin Bay. The [I]Polaris[/I] survived.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From these expeditions the notion of "an open polar sea" arose, and with it the possibility of sailing most of the way to the North Pole. But there was still much to be discovered about the Arctic, in fact next to nothing was known about what existed above 82 N. and there was another 500 miles to the pole. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]What was unknown:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Was Greenland an island or did it reach to the pole?[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. How far did Ellesmere Island, Canada reach to the north?[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3. Was there land at the North Pole?[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]4. Was there a Polar Sea?[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]　[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Objectives[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From Captain Nares' sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Her Majesty's Government having determined that an expedition of Arctic exploration and discovery should be undertaken . . . the scope and primary object of which should be to attain the highest northern latitude, and, if possible, to reach the North Pole, and from winter quarters to explore the adjacent coasts within the reach of travelling parties, the limits of ship navigation being confined within about the meridians of 20° and 90° west longitude[/I]".[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Her Majesty's ships Alert and Discovery having been specially fitted out for this service, I am commanded by their Lordships to signify their direction to you, so soon as the said vessels shall be in all respects equipped and ready, to take the Discovery under your orders, and put to sea with both vessels, calling at Queenstown to complete with coal, or sending in the Valorous (which will accompany the expedition to Disco), for that purpose if more convenient, proceeding thence to Disco, in Davis Strait, and northwards by way of Baffin's Bay and Smith's Sound, to carry out the special service of discovery and exploration with which you have been entruste[/I]d."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The route to be taken would be via the narrow Straits between NW Greenland and NE Canada (Ellesmere Island).[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]The Ships[/B][/U][/SIZE] [U][I][SIZE=2][I]HMS Alert[/I][/SIZE][/I][/U][SIZE=2] (Captain George Nares)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][I]Alert[/I] was a 17 gun Cruizer class wooden screw sloop launched in 1856, and was the eleventh ship to bear the name.[/SIZE] [U][I][SIZE=2][I]HMS Discovery[/I][/SIZE][/I][/U][SIZE=2] (Captain Henry Stephenson)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][I]Discovery[/I] was built in 1873 as a steam whaler called [I]Bloodhound[/I], thus was already suitable for the Arctic waters. It was bought by the Admiralty in 1874 and re-named [I]Discovery[/I].[/SIZE] [U][I][SIZE=2][I]HMS Valorous[/I][/SIZE][/I][/U][SIZE=2] (Captain Loftus Francis Jones)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Magicienne class paddle steamer sloop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Preparations[/B][/U][/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]The Ships[/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]The [I]Alert[/I] was thoroughly overhauled, strengthened and adapted for Arctic service under the supervision of Sir Leopold McClintock, the Admiral Superintendent of the Dockyard, who had extensive Arctic experience himself, having mainly discovered the fate of the Franklin expedition. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]An external sheathing of seven inches of teak, tapering from amidships to four inches forward and three inches aft, extending from the keel to the waterways, was put on; whilst a longitudinal beam, placed between the shelf-piece and the lower-deck waterway internally, bound and strapped the whole ship together. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Extra iron knees were fitted in order to resist the enormous pressure of the ice; and the stem was fortified outside with half-inch iron plates extending to about ten or twelve feet aft, inside the bow was strengthened by numerous diagonal beams. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Two davits were fitted over each quarter in order to ship and unship the three ton rudder to prevent ice damage. Around the galley-funnel was a large reservoir to melt either snow or ice to provide fresh water. All the modifications added about 200 tons to her weight.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Each vessel was supplied with nine specially designed and constructed boats. Two of these were fitted for whaling, with harpoon-guns fixed on swivels in the bows. There were three ice-boats which were built as light as it was possible. They were all carvel-built boats, and the bows of each were protected with a sheet of copper.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The Admiralty had provided the [I]Valorous[/I], an old paddle-wheel sloop to convey all surplus stores as far as the island of Disco, on the west coast of Greenland. This was a necessary precaution, as it would have been unsafe to cross the Atlantic in such heavily laden ships.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]The Men[/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]The prospect of sailing on such a prestigious expedition was very popular and there was no shortage of volunteers. In fact, one captain commanding a ship at Portsmouth, complained that his whole ship's company, nearly eight hundred men, have given in their names.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Great care was taken in the selection of both officers and men, and none were appointed until they had undergone a searching medical examination. The slightest defect, such as bad teeth or old wounds, was sufficient to reject them. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Apart from their physical condition, their sociability was inquired into, "[I]Can you sing or dance?[/I]" or "[I]What can you do for the amusement of others?[/I]" were questions invariably asked. Men of a happy and genial disposition were selected in preference to others who appeared morose and taciturn.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Departure from England[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]At 16.00 on 29 May 1875, the two ships sailed from Portsmouth, having received a telegram from Queen Victoria. "[I]I earnestly wish you and your gallant companions every success, and trust that you may safely accomplish the important duty you have so bravely undertaken[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They were joined at Spithead by the [I]Valorous[/I] which parted company the next evening for Queenstown, Ireland to complete her coaling. In fine weather on 1 June, the [I]Alert[/I] and [I]Discovery[/I] anchored in Bantry Bay, SW Ireland to obtain their last supply of fresh meat, and letters from home. They departed on 2 June, meeting up again with [I]Valorous[/I] shortly afterwards.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The first four days were fine, but the Atlantic swell caused the [I]Alert[/I] to roll heavily by 20 to 30 degrees. [I]Valorous[/I], which could not keep up under sail alone, was allowed to proceed independently to Disco. On 9 June, the NW wind freshened, and by the next day was blowing a full gale which lasted until 12 June, when the wind changed and blew a gale from the SW, during which time the two ships became separated.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 15 June, they were becalmed until 18 June when the barometer signalled the approach of another gale. Their third gale, this time a westerly, blew for two days until 20 June. For the next three days they experienced light winds and calms.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 25 June they passed Cape Farewell (the southern tip of Greenland) at a distance of 100 miles. On 27 June they saw their first icebergs. On 29 June they passed Cape Desolation (SW Greenland) at 40 miles distance. They now sailed NNW through the Davis Strait and into Baffin Bay, up the west coast of Greenland. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 1 July, the [I]Discovery[/I] and [I]Alert[/I] were reunited near the Godthab Fjord. On 4 July, they crossed Arctic Circle (66N), and experienced perpetual day until 3 September. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Arrival in Greenland[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]On 6 July, they arrived at Disco Island (68N) and found [I]Valorous[/I] already there, having arrived two days earlier. [I]Valorous[/I] had accompanied the expedition this far to help with its heavy stock of three years' provisions and fuel. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They stayed for nine days, transhipping supplies from [I]Valorous[/I], taking on coal, 24 dogs and an Innuit dog handler called Frederick. The two ships departed Disco on 15 July, bound for Ritenbank to pick up 30 more dogs, leaving there under steam on 17 June.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In the meantime, [I]Valorous[/I] had left to seek supplies of coal for her return voyage to England. She was last sighted at the coaling station, but due to fog, icebergs and a contrary wind, Captain Nares considered it too hazardous to rendezvous to give her the crew’s last letters home, so the attempt was abandoned and [I]Alert[/I] and [I]Discovery[/I] proceeded northwards.[/SIZE] [ATTACH]113888[/ATTACH] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]
Attachments :

Great stuff, Bill - looking forward to the next. Any idea who were the surgeons to the expedition? (if not, I'll go look them up when I can).

[FONT=Century Gothic]Hello Jane, The surgeons were:-[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic][U][I]HMS Alert[/I][/U][/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Fleet-Surgeon Thomas Colan, M.D.[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Surgeon Edward L. Moss, M.D.[/FONT] [I][FONT=Century Gothic][I][U]HMS Discovery[/U][/I][/FONT][/I] [FONT=Century Gothic]Staff-Surgeon Belgrave Ninnis, M.D.[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Surgeon Richard W. Coppinger, M.D.[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]You will hear more of Edward Moss in later posts.[/FONT]

Aha! Richard W. Coppinger has an entry in the Oxford DNB - though it says he was with the [I]Alert.[/I] Some of his books are in the library I curate, with his ownership inscription in the front. Thank you very much for that - I'm "collecting" naval surgeons who were involved in polar explanation.

[CENTER][U][B][B][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/B][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=2]([I]Part 2[/I])[/SIZE][/B] [B][SIZE=2][U][B]The Voyage Northwards[/B][/U][/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=2]From the sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][I]"[I]The Alert and Discovery after leaving Disco should proceed to the settlements of Proven and Upernivik for dogs, Eskimo drivers, &c, and then pass up to Smith Sound in the prosecution of the enterprise[/I]."[/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After parting with [I]Valorous[/I] on 17 July, they sailed northwards, but the mixture of icebergs and fog was too hazardous to continue, so they hove to until the next day. In attempting to make fast to an iceberg, a crewman was sent to attach an ice anchor, but at the first blow from his chisel a large mass broke off, unbalancing it, causing it to rock backwards and forwards. The crewman struggled to keep his footing like a squirrel in a circular cage, much to the amusement of his shipmates.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They arrived at Proven (72N) on 19 July; their main purpose was to pick up Hans Hendrik, an experienced Inuit guide who had guided the three previous Arctic expeditions, of Kane in 1853, Hayes in 1860 and Hall in 1871.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They left Proven on 21 July and arrived at Upernivik harbour (73N) the next day to pay a courtesy visit on the Danish Governor, and to deposit their last letters, departing the same evening with favourable weather in prospect.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Up to now, they had been following the Greenland coast, as the conventional wisdom was that ships should follow the coast around Melville Bay so that if pack ice were encountered, the ship could take refuge in the ice adhering to the shore. But Captain Nares set a course NW to cut across Melville Bay directly towards Cape York (just before the entrance to Smith Sound). [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They encountered pack ice for the first time, but it was loose enough to sail through slowly with caution. On 25 July, they sighted Cape York (76N), and the [I]Discovery[/I] made directly for it to make contact with the Inuit (known at the time as Arctic Highlanders). The [I]Alert[/I] proceeded towards the Carey Islands, arriving there on the morning of the 27th to establish a depot of provisions sufficient to sustain 60 men for two months. They also left messages in a cairn, and deposited a boat in case of having to abandon their ships, as two out of three preceding expeditions had been forced to do. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In the meantime, the [I]Discovery[/I] had rejoined them and they left Carey Island together and sailed northwards towards Cape Alexander, encountering many huge icebergs up to 300 feet high. From now on, land was never out of their sight.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Hans Hendrick, and family aboard [I]Discovery[/I] at Proven (20.7.1875)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. [I]Discovery[/I], crew and Inuit at Cape York (25.7.1875)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]113970[/ATTACH]　[ATTACH]113971[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Smith Sound[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The southern entrance to Smith Sound is marked by Cape Isabella on the Canadian side and Cape Alexander, the most westerly point of Greenland, on the eastern side.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From the sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Both shores in the vicinity of Capes Isabella and Alexander should be examined in order to select a suitable position for the depot or relief ship which will, in the event of the expedition remaining in the Arctic regions, be despatched in 1877; but as such a position cannot be absolutely determined on beforehand, and it is necessary to decide where information will be found by any ship which may be subsequently sent out from England. Lyttelton Island, in the opinion of competent authorities, meets all the requirements of a fixed point of rendezvous. Here a conspicuous cairn should be erected; one record placed in the cairn, another laid beside it on the north side, and a third buried twenty feet due north of it. These records should contain proceedings of the voyage and such information as may be necessary for the commander of the ship to be despatched in 1877."[/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It is obvious from these detailed orders that the Admiralty was most anxious to prevent a repetition of the Franklin tragedy, and are leaving nothing to chance, especially in the misinterpretation of orders.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In the morning of 28 July, Smith Sound was entered when they passed by Cape Alexander and anchored in Port Foulke, Hartstene Bay.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From the sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][I]"[I]The ships should then proceed up Smith Sound with all speed, so long as its navigation is not seriously obstructed by ice, a careful scrutiny being made of its shores for places of security for the ships, stopping only to erect cairns on such conspicuous points as may be conveniently landed on. Similar information should be placed at these cairns, and after the same method as described for the cairn on Lyttelton Island. It is, moreover, necessary to be borne in mind that these records of the progress of the expedition and of any change of plans you may have found necessary to make, form an important feature in these instructions."[/I][/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From Hartstene Bay, a whaler was taken to Lyttelton Island where a cairn was erected and messages left, in compliance with Admiralty instructions. Looking north from there, Smith Sound appeared to be ice-free.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 29 July, they left Hartstene Bay and crossed Smith Sound to Ellesmere Island, with [I]Alert[/I] sailing directly to Cape Isabella to erect a cairn and leave instructions, while [I]Discovery[/I] sailed to Cape Sabine, about 30 miles further north, to deposit a food depot. It was there that they discovered their charts were wrong, placing Cape Sabine ten miles too far north.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]But now the weather turned against them with fog and pack ice hindering their progress north, obliging them to retreat south to seek refuge in Payer Harbour, three miles south of Cape Sabine. There they waited for four day for the ice to open up. Finally, on 4 August, when an ebb tide and a southerly wind pushed the ice away from the harbour, they got up steam and rounded the cape into Hayes Sound, only to become again trapped in Buchanan Strait until 6 August. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]These enforced stops were put to good use, with many scientific observations and measurements being taken, specimens collected, and the coastline accurately surveyed and mapped. Also hunting parties were sent to obtain fresh food. [/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Course sailed through Smith Sound and Kane Basin[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]113972[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]The Kane Basin[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 6 August, they broke free of the ice and sailed/steamed back into Smith Sound, then northwards up the eastern coast of the Kane Basin, until becoming trapped once more in drifting ice. Their position became very precarious when a large iceberg was seen to be boring its way through the ice floes directly towards them, threatening to crush both immobilised ships. They raised their propellers and rudders and waited for the impact. When the iceberg struck the thicker and stronger ice to which the ships were anchored, the ships began to heel over under the pressure. Waiting for the inevitable, they were saved when the iceberg broke off a large piece of the floe to which they were attached, and wheeled around allowing the ships to slide past it.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][[B]Note:[/B] They were ready at all times to abandon ship quickly should the need arise. Boats were permanently stocked with supplies, and the men had haversacks packed with personal possessions, ready to leave at a moment's notice.][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Using steam, the next thirty hours were spent struggling against the southward drifting ice, with Captain Nares almost permanently ensconced in the crow's nest trying to spot leads in the ice and the route through it. The [I]Discovery[/I], having a narrower beam and an overhanging stem, was more adept at forcing its way through pack ice of this sort. When thick ice halted their progress, and all other methods had failed, gunpowder was used to blast a way through.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]By 9 August, they had crossed Franklin Pierce Bay and were anchored under Cape Prescott, to a large floe that was preventing further progress. From there they could look across the Kane Basin and see icebergs by the Humboldt Glacier. They were detained here for three days, during which time a walrus was killed for fresh food for both the men and the dogs. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Three days later on 12 August, they broke free of the ice and arrived off Cape Hawkes and established another large depot of provisions and left a boat. They continued northwards to Dobbin Bay, arriving there on 14 August where they had to cut an ice dock in the shore ice to protect themselves from the heavy drifting icebergs and floes. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][[B]Note:[/B] Shore ice is frozen sea adhering to the land and thus is unlikely to be moved by drifting floes or icebergs; except perhaps by the rapidly moving largest of these. A ship can use this type of ice as a temporary refuge against drifting pack ice if it can get into or behind it. For this reason, Arctic travellers usually sail close to the shoreline. When a ship cannot force its way in, an ice dock can be cut, if the ice is less than eight feet thick, using ice saws mounted on tripods. On one occasion, it took less than four hours to cut a dock large enough to accommodate both ships.][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]By 20 August they had crossed Scoresby Bay (80N), discovering a map error of some sixteen miles.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. [I]Alert’[/I]s Ice Quartermaster Berry with harpooned walrus (10.8.1875)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. [I]Alert[/I] under Cape Prescott (12.8.1875)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3. [I]Discovery[/I] and [I]Alert[/I] under Cape Prescott (12.8.1875)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]4. [I]Alert[/I] cutting an ice dock, Dobbin Bay (14.8.1875)[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]113973[/ATTACH]　[ATTACH]113974[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]113975[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]113976[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]The Kennedy Channel and Hall Basin[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 22 August they left the Kane Basin and entered the 80 mile long Kennedy Channel in clear water. They sailed and steamed its entire length in 24 hours, entering the Hall Basin (81N) the next day. This was remarkable and very welcome progress as it had taken them sixteen days to sail the previous 80 miles of the Kane Basin.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From the sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Timely endeavours should be made to secure anchorage suitable for winter quarters, and every precaution during that rigorous season, which your former experience, as well as that of other Arctic voyagers, may suggest, is to be taken, for the health and comfort of the officers and crew. [/I][/SIZE] [I][SIZE=2][I]The general design of the expedition should be, that while both ships would share as far as possible in the objects of discovery and exploration, one must be so placed that she would not only serve for the crew of the other to fall back upon, but also, that the united crews could, without doubt, escape from her to the relief ship at the entrance of Smith Sound, by means of their sledges and boats over the ice. Consequently, the second ship must not be carried northward of the 82nd parallel; such a position would secure this most important object, and also afford every prospect of exploration into very high latitudes[/I][/SIZE][/I][SIZE=2]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Nares had thought of Offley Island, north of the Petermann Glacier, as the winter quarters for [I]Discovery[/I], but there was too much ice there. Seeing Lady Franklin Sound on the western side of Hall Basin to be clear of ice, they sailed across the basin and found a protected bay there screened by Bellot Island. On 25 August the two ships were secured in what is now called Discovery Harbour (81,40N).[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Discovery Bay in summer[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. Discovery Bay in winter[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3. Course map of Hall Basin and channels[/SIZE] [ATTACH]113977[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]113978[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]113979[/ATTACH] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The Robeson Channel[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]From the sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Having assured yourself of the safety of your consort[/I] (Discovery)[I], and increased your own crew by such portion of her crew as you may deem necessary to enable you to accomplish a sledging attempt to reach the Pole (this being the main feature of the expedition), and also the exploration of your share of the coast-line extending northwards, you should, as leader of the expedition, then push on northward, and explore by ship as much of the unknown area as the season and the state of the ice would permit. But it is not contemplated that the two ships should winter at a greater distance apart than about 200 miles; and if you advance with your ship beyond that point in 1875, you should use every endeavour to return within the 200 miles' distance;—or the case may arise, in which it may be even wise to rejoin your consort and unite the forces of both ships for exploration in the spring and summer of 1876[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 26 August, with[I] Discovery[/I] now safe in her winter quarters, [I]Alert[/I] sailed northwards but grounded on a spit of land at the entrance to the harbour. As the 50 mile long Robeson Channel was blocked with ice [I]Alert[/I] returned. With so much ice in the channel, they could only proceed when a westerly wind blew the ice off the west side of the channel to open a lead. But light NE winds persisted until the 28th.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 28 August, they resumed their northward journey when the wind dropped, reducing the pressure on the ice and opening a narrow lead. But fog and a low tide prevented their immediate departure. Later that day, conditions were right and they departed. They had barely gone ten miles when an encounter with an ice floe badly damaged their rudder, necessitating a stop for repairs. The opportunity was taken to shoot some musk oxen for fresh meat.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The next day, they were on the move once more, picking their way through ice floes fully eighty feet thick. One wrong decision could lead to [I]Alert[/I] being quickly crushed between these monsters. But Captain Nares had a good eye for a route and a nose for danger, and they made steady progress with the usual delays. On one occasion, a very large and heavy floe was seen to be moving rapidly towards them, threatening to crush them against the cliffs of Cape Frederick VII. It became a race to pass it before the floe could crush them, but with the use of the steam engine they just managed it, and two minutes later the floe struck the cliffs.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]By 30 August, they were within three miles of Cape Union, the NW entrance to the Robeson Channel, when they were beset in heavy pack ice, 80-100 feet thick. So high was the ice that the davits had to be turned inwards to prevent damage to their boats.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 1 September, a SW gale loosened the ice and drove both ice and [I]Alert[/I] northwards at nine knots up the Robeson Channel. At noon they had reached 82,24N, the furthest north any ship had reached before. Rounding Cape Union and Cape Sheridan; the high cliffs of the Robeson Channel gave way to a low undulating shore line extending westwards. They had reached the shores of the Polar Sea.[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]
Attachments :

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2]([I][B]Part 3[/B][/I])[/SIZE][/B] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]As far as they could go[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]After rounding Cape Sheridan and arriving at the shores of the Polar Sea on 1 September, they saw a low undulating shoreline fringed by a barrier reef of grounded icebergs. After sailing a few miles westward, the lane of water in which they were sailing, extended for about two miles along this shore, but was closing as the wind decreased. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They had passed a gap in the ice barrier about a mile back, and there was just time to run back and push the ship through it, into the shallow water between the grounded ice-blocks and the shore, and to make her fast under the shelter of one of the blocks, when the pack closed in with a grinding crash.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]What happened next is best described in the words of Edward Moss, the ship's surgeon:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]In a few hours it again came on to blow, and this time furiously. The ice-pack was again driven off shore, carrying part of our barrier with it, the hawsers holding the ship to hillocks of grounded ice tightened like bars, and finally, in a fierce gust, snapped, and the ship drifted outside her shelter, but was again brought up by her anchor. Then the wind suddenly veered, and drove the ice in on us with alarming speed. There was no time to turn the ship; struggling sideways and sternwards through the tide of slush and tumbling ice that raced along the outside of the barrier, she reached the friendly gap just in time to be helped in by the closing pack. The roar of crushing ice had already commenced on the point of land north-west of the ship. It approached and increased every moment, till the whole beach was in full chorus, creaking, screaming, and crashing. Under such an enormous pressure the strongest ship that ever floated would have been reduced to matches in one minute[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]For the next few months, these sounds of the ice became a familiar background noise. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Once inside the barrier, Captain Nares described what was happening outside:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]The projecting points of each passing floe which grounded near the shore in about ten fathoms of water would be at once wrenched off from its still moving parent mass; the pressure continuing, the several pieces, frequently 30,000 tons in weight, would be forced up the inclined shore, rising slowly and majestically ten or twelve feet above their old line of flotation. Such pieces quickly accumulated until a rampart-like barrier of solid ice-blocks, measuring about two hundred yards in breadth and rising fifty feet high, lined the shore, locking us in, but effectually protecting us from the overwhelming power of the pack[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]These ice floes which had been forcibly grounded, were given the name of 'floebergs', and the beach at which they now found themselves, they called 'Floeberg Beach'. Without this protective barrier, it doesn't require much imagination to see what 30,000 ton solid icebergs could do to a little wooden ship like the [I]Alert[/I] weighing only 1,200 tons.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Despite several attempts in the next few weeks to push on further to find a more suitable anchorage, this was as far as the [I]Alert[/I] would reach in 1875, and Floeberg Beach at 82,27N, became their Winter quarters.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Newly formed floebergs, with [I]Alert[/I] in the background.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]114235[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Winter preparations[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Having established that Floeberg Beach was to be their Winter quarters, there was much organisation to be done to prepare for the next season’s exploration. Equipment for conducting scientific observations and measurements had to be erected, and the ship made more habitable and comfortable for the next six months.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The scientific observations to be conducted were in astronomy, magnetism, electricity, meteorology, tides, spectrum analysis, polarization of light, chlorine, and specific gravity estimations. For these, a wooden observatory was built, then a whole group of beehive-shaped snow-houses were built, each one held some special instrument, the "Declinometer" the "Unifiler" and so on, and a whole system of catacomb-like passages cut in the deep snow and roofed in, connected the buildings.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The Autumn Expeditions[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]The 3rd September was the last day of permanent daylight and the daytime temperature began to drop rapidly. The sun would disappear completely on 12 October, which left less than six weeks in which to explore their surroundings and prepare for next year’s expeditions. The sea was not yet frozen thick enough and the ice was still moving so exploration was only possible only over land. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The main expeditions of exploration would be undertaken the next Spring when the sea ice was firm and daylight was returning. But before then, it was important to discover if the land they were on continued northwards at some point towards the North Pole - their main objective. If it did, the main expedition would follow it as far as possible. If it didn’t, they would have to take the direct route north over the sea ice. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]There were a series of shorter Autumn expeditions with sledges to explore their surroundings, to establish food depots for the Spring expeditions, and to accustom the crews to this type of work. Sledges were of two types; dog sledges and those manually pulled by their crews. Dog sledges were the lighter, but could be used only on reasonably flat terrain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]One of the first expeditions was started on 8 September by a sledge party of eight from [I]Discovery[/I] led by Lieutenant Rawson, which had travelled with [I]Alert[/I] for this purpose. They set out to try to contact their ship via the Robeson Channel. Although the [I]Discovery[/I] lay only sixty miles away, they returned on the 10th having found the land blocked by steep cliffs and the sea ice was too dangerous to travel over, being still in motion. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Two more expeditions were started on the 9th with Lieutenant Aldrich, and the 11th September with Commander Markham, to explore the land to the west and north, and to establish food and supply depots.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 22 September, Lieutenant Aldrich in a party of four men with two dog sledges departed on an extended expedition westwards to Cape Joseph Henry, scheduled to last for 14 days, to determine what lay beyond the visible cape. Once there, from a 2,000ft cliff, they saw nothing but ice to the north, and only distant snowy headlands to the west with nothing to the north of them. They returned on 5 October. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]This news was just what Captain Nares didn’t want to hear, for it meant that this new land must be tracked westward, and those distant headlands must be rounded one by one before they could be certain that the coast-line did not finally turn towards the pole. It also meant that if there was to be an attempt on the North Pole in the Spring, it had to made directly north over the sea ice, for which no depots could be left with any prospect of finding them again.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Three eight men sledges under Commander Markham and Lieutenants Parr and May, set out on 26 September to establish a large depot of supplies as far north as possible for use by the Spring sledging parties. They reached as far as 40 miles away, and returned on 15 October in very bad condition.[/SIZE] [I][SIZE=2]"[I]There was no shelter from the wind; the temperature fell to 47 degrees below freezing. When they reached the ship, the whole party was in a wretched condition. Their sleeping-bags, robes, and tent were stiffened into boards of ice, more than twice as heavy as when they set out; and the twenty-four men and officers had no less than forty-three frost-bites amongst them, most of them comparatively slight, but three so severe as to require amputation[/I]."[/SIZE][/I] [SIZE=2]On 2 October, Lieutenant Rawson's sledge party left once more on a determined effort to make it to the [I]Discovery[/I], but they returned on the 12th, having got no further than six miles from the ship. They had been defeated by the deep soft snow piled against the cliffs of the Robeson Channel. The men, buried to their waists in the snow, dug a path for the sledge till the excavation became a tunnel, and a day's hard labour could be measured by a few paces. This failure to reach the [I]Discovery[/I] over so short a distance as only 60 miles was disappointing, as it had been assumed that even two hundred miles would not interrupt communication between the two ships. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]The Winter[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 12 October, the sun disappeared for the next 142 days, until 2 March 1876. They were able to work in the twilight until 9 November when it finally disappeared. After this it was only possible by the light of the moon. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]After the return of the last expedition from Cape Joseph Henry, the twilight had darkened so much that further sledging was impossible, and all hands set about making preparations to encounter the fast closing-in winter. Firm ice had formed round the ship, and cemented her to the grounded floebergs on her right; but, in order to guard against being again blown from shore, she was secured to the beach by two strong chain cables, supported at intervals by barrels, so that the heavy metal links should not sink into the ice. The crow's nest and all the rigging that could be spared were taken down from aloft and packed away. A thick felt awning was spread overhead across spars fastened between the masts so as to completely roof in the greater part of the ship. Then snow was heaped up all round her black hull as high as the crimson stripe along her bulwarks. The whole of the upper deck was covered with a deep layer of snow, so as to keep the heat in. But for her masts and yards she might have been taken for a great marquee, with stove-pipes coming through at intervals." [/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]To increase their living space, most of the ships’ stores were taken ashore and stored in a makeshift warehouse. This had the additional advantage that, if anything happened to the ship, everything they needed to survive was safely ashore. The warehouse was made by piling casks and barrels into walls, and roofing in with spars and sails, and held everything including boats, spars, blocks of patent fuel, casks, and innumerable cans and stores. A short distance away, the sledging stores of pemmican, stearine-fuel, bacon, and other stores were built into a tall pyramid. All the gunpowder was offloaded and stored further away.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The ship was kept warm by means of eight stoves, distributed in various parts between decks, and each burning twenty-eight pounds of coal per day. This maintained an average temperature of 49F throughout the winter. This was maintained even when the outside temperature dropped to -70F, 100 degrees F below freezing. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]A daily routine was instituted which was strictly adhered to. (Attachment 4.) Open air exercise for two hours a day was compulsory for everyone not working outside; but this could take any form including walking and toboggan racing.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Entertainment[/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]Great thought had been given to the morale of the crew during the long winter months, and much in the way of games, books, musical instruments, including a piano and harmonium, etc., had been contributed by the public. The Prince of Wales had donated a library for each ship[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]A school was started for the education of the men; subjects included reading, writing, arithmetic, history and navigation; and was always well attended. A series on educational lectures was instituted with subjects as varied as astronomy, geology, meteorology, magnetism, hydrostatics and history. These were given by the officers, surgeon, chaplain, and naturalist.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Entertainment was very important, and everyone was expected to contribute in some way. Thursday evenings of every week was the time for what became known as the 'Thursday Pops' - organised concerts, costume plays and general entertainment. The first one was on 11 November and continued throughout the winter until 24 February. Programs were printed on the ship's printing press (Attachment 5.)[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Winter quarters. [I]Alert[/I] 'winterised'. A watercolour by Edward Moss- [I]Alert[/I]'s surgeon.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. Morning inspection and prayers on the covered deck. A watercolour by Edward Moss.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3. The wardroom. A watercolour by Edward Moss.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]4. [I]HMS Alert[/I], winter routine.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]5. The first concert programme.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]114243[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]114244[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]114245[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]114246[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]114247[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]
Attachments :

[CENTER][U][B][B][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/B][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2]([I][B]Part 4[/B][/I])[/SIZE][/B] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The 1876 Spring sledging season[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]In the sailing orders of Captain Nares, it stated that the primary object was "[I]to attain the highest northern latitude and, if possible, to reach the North Pole[/I]". From what he could see, he became convinced that the only way to achieve this was by advancing along a coast line. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From the Autumn expeditions, they had found that the land to the west of Cape Joseph Henry trended in a north-westerly direction for over seventy miles. The coast of Greenland was in sight trending to the north-east for about eighty miles. Immediately to the northward was very heavy pack ice, impenetrable for a ship, and which former Arctic travellers had considered impassable for sledges.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Therefore, Nares objective for 1876, was to discover land leading towards the north, which meant exploring the coast lines to the north west of Cape Joseph Henry, and those to the north east on Greenland, in order to ascertain if either coast turned in the desired direction. At the same time, a secondary party would investigate the pack ice to the northward, to establish whether or not the ice was in motion. If it was stationary, and land towards the north not found, it might be feasible to journey over it the following year with the combined strength of the crews of the two ships. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Sledge parties from [I]Alert[/I] would explore the land to the northwest and to the north, while Captain Stephenson and the officers and crew of the [I]Discovery[/I] were to explore the northern coast of Greenland, and to examine Lady Franklin Sound, which was reported to be a channel.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]If one or other of the coastlines did turn northwards, Nares intention was to pursue this course the following year in the Spring of 1877. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The short travelling season in the far north is limited to the Spring time by the darkness and intense cold of winter; and by the summer thaw of the surface snow and the renewed motion of the ice. This short season of two to three months meant that no time was to be wasted and it was necessary for the sledge teams to make an early start. As soon as it became light enough, many short sledge journeys were made, and much exercise taken, to prepare the crews for the forthcoming expeditions.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Southern Sledge Expedition to the [I]Discovery[/I] (Sub-Lieutenant Egerton)[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Before the [I]Alert[/I] and [I]Discovery[/I] had parted the previous Autumn, Captain Nares had arranged with Captain Stephenson to contact him by sledge party as soon as [I]Alert[/I] had established its winter quarters. In the event that this was not possible in this Autumn of 1875, he would communicate with him by 1st April 1876 at the latest, in order to coordinate the Spring expeditions. The failure to reach [I]Discovery[/I] in the Autumn, necessitated an early Spring expedition to establish communications, as it had been seven months since the [I]Discovery[/I] was last seen. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]As soon as travelling was at all possible, a dog sledge was readied, and on the morning of 12th March, in a temperature of -30°F, Sub-Lieutenant Egerton, accompanied by Lieutenant Rawson and Petersen, their Danish interpreter and dog driver, provisioned for ten days, set off with their dog sledge towards the Robeson Channel. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Three days later they returned, carrying a very sick and severely frostbitten Petersen on the sledge. His frost bites required unavoidable, major amputations. He rallied for a time, but never fully recovered and eventually died on 14 May. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Five days later, on the 20 March, when the weather became calm enough, a second attempt southward was made. The dog sledge again started for the [I]Discovery[/I] with the same two officers accompanied by two crew members. [/SIZE][SIZE=2]Their route was again via the Robeson Channel, but this time the going was slightly easier. They travelled across ice floes where they could until cracks forced them onto land beneath the cliffs, where large hummocks slowed their progress until they could take to the ice floes again.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Five days later, on 25 March, after a severe and extremely cold journey, they finally reached the [I]Discovery[/I]. They stayed there for five days then returned to the [I]Alert[/I], arriving back on 4 April.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Provisioning[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Throughout the winter, they had been preparing for the Spring expeditions. Sledge parties had been decided upon and sledge loads carefully selected and weighed. They would have to be self sufficient for the entire expedition and therefore had to take everything they needed on their sledges. No men can drag more than between forty and fifty days' provisions and fuel, together with tent, bedding, cooking-gear, and sledge. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Over smooth and level ice with hard snow on its surface, these sledges could he loaded to 240 lbs. for each man. This weight would decreases at the rate of about 3 lbs. per man per day, the amount of provisions consumed by each individual. Non consumables were carefully weighed and lightened where possible. Because everything they took with them would become frozen solid, their food was wrapped in individual portions.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Although only about 45 day’s provisions could be taken, the expedition could be extended by using a system of supporting sledges. These would travel with the main party until they consumed one third of their provisions, retaining a third to return on, and filling up the advancing sledges with the remainder. The previously established depots could also be used when necessary.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. A typical sledge load.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. Daily ration for one man.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B][ATTACH]114449[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]114448[/ATTACH][/B][/SIZE] [B][SIZE=2][B][U]Alert’s sledge expeditions[/U][/B][/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=2]When the weather was sufficiently settled, the two main travelling parties were prepared. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Aldrich would explore the shore beyond Cape Joseph Henry to the north west. He would be supported by Lieutenant Giffard's sledge which would travel with Aldrich to a distant point, re-provision her there, return to the [I]Alert[/I], and from there replenish, then establish further depots of food and fuel for Aldrich's homeward journey.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The northern expedition under Commander Markham, would be supported by George White the engineer, and the surgeon Edward Moss with another sledge. In addition to these, a four-man sledge led by Petty Officer George Bryant from [I]Discovery[/I], would assist for the first three or four days. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]For the first few days, both expeditions would travel together as far as Cape Joseph Henry. At that point the northern parties would replenish their stores from the supporting sledges and from the large depot placed there in the Autumn, then, leaving the land, endeavour to force a passage northward over the floes. In the meantime, a depot for their return would be established by White's sledge team, and left at some suitable spot at Cape Joseph Henry.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the morning of 3rd April, seven heavily-laden sledges lay ranged in a line. When every point of their dress and outfit had been carefully inspected, the order was given and the sledge crews, totalling fifty three men and officers set off, leaving behind only twelve men on the [I]Alert[/I].[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the second day out, the temperature dropped to -45°F, or 77F° of frost. The intense cold made sleep impossible as their tent ropes and sleeping-bags were frozen so hard that they resembled sheet-iron. The curry paste, which they used to flavour the pemmican, looked exactly like a piece of brass, and was equally hard. Thirst became a problem as their drinking water froze, despite being carried in insulated tin bottles inside the waistbands each man’s trousers. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 10 April, the seventh day, they arrived at the depot that had been established at Cape Joseph Henry the previous Autumn, where the expedition sledges restocked from the supporting sledges. The next day, the supporting sledges departed on their return journey, and the two expedition parties parted company, wishing each other "good luck". Markham’s party continued northwards, and Aldrich’s party turned westward.[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]
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This is a photograph of George Bryant, PO of the Fo'csle, HMS Discovery. The log he kept contains details of the weather conditions and orders relating to changes to the sails throughout the voyage. He also talks of scurvy, particularly on the Alert, sledging expeditions and the deaths of a number of crew. It appears that the crew received double pay. [ATTACH]114467[/ATTACH]
Attachments :

[quote=Bluefont1;10023412]This is a photograph of George Bryant, PO of the Fo'csle, HMS Discovery. The log he kept contains details of the weather conditions and orders relating to changes to the sails throughout the voyage. He also talks of scurvy, particularly on the Alert, sledging expeditions and the deaths of a number of crew. It appears that the crew received double pay.[/quote] [SIZE=2]Hello Bluefont1 and welcome to the Forum, thank you for the information.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Bryant, described variously as 'Captain of the Maintop' or 'Petty Officer 1st class', was one of the party of eight men from [I]Discovery[/I] who accompanied [I]Alert[/I] to her winter quarters. He stayed with [I]Alert[/I] throughout the winter and was the leader of one of the support sledges for Commander Markham's northern expedition party.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]He was one of many men severely affected by scurvy. He must have been well thought of by Captain Nares, because he named the north eastern extent of the Robeson Channel, Cape Bryant, Greenland, after him. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The men may well have received double pay, but the only reference to pay I can find in the personal accounts I have read is: "[I]The advance of pay liberally granted by the Admiralty before sailing was not yet defrayed, and if we reached England this year, almost all the men would still be in debt to the Crown[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Do you happen to know when the photograph was taken? Has George Bryant's log been published, and is it accessible please?[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE]

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 5[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [U][SIZE=2][B]Admiralty sailing orders to Captain Nares[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]From the sailing orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]It must not, however, be lost sight of that, in the absence of continuous land, sledge travelling has never yet been found practicable over any considerable extent of unenclosed frozen sea, although conditions may be found to exist which would enable parties to travel for limited distances by sledge and boat operations combined, and for this purpose the best boats and sledges that can be devised have been supplied[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B][U][B]Captain Nares' orders to Commander Markham[/B][/U][/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Extracts from Markham's orders, dated 3rd of April, 1876 :—[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]You will proceed to the neighbourhood of Cape Parry, and from thence force your way to the northward over the ice, with the two boats which have been equipped for that purpose, and provisioned for an absence of about seventy days. The object of your journey is to attain the highest northern latitude possible; and to ascertain the possibility of a more fully equipped expedition reaching the North Pole.[/I][/SIZE] [I][SIZE=2][I]At present we know little or nothing concerning the movement of the ice in the offing. The journey on which you are about to engage is therefore a far more arduous one than Arctic journeys usually are. The heavy nature of the ice across which you have to travel has hitherto baffled all attempts made to cross it, and the formidable obstacles it presents at present, while stationary, must be considerably increased when once it is in motion. Even during the summer, with occasional lanes of navigable water between the floes, Parry and Ross could scarcely average a daily journey of three miles. [/I][/SIZE][/I] [I][SIZE=2][I]Therefore, while, with full confidence in your ability and discretion, I leave you entirely free as to the carrying out of your journey in all its details, I must direct your most serious consideration—first, to the extreme hazard of attempting an advance beyond the time when half your provisions will be expended; and, secondly, to the danger of separating your party or of leaving depots of provisions on a road which it is impossible to mark, and which will probably break-up in your rear. It is true that your men on the return journey will be dragging diminished loads; but towards the end of the season the ice will probably be in motion, and one of your chief enemies, the misty weather, will be more continuous. Over stationary ice, however rough, there is a choice of roads; once it is in motion, no choice is left.[/I][/SIZE][/I] [I][SIZE=2][I]During your absence, should you, contrary to my present expectations, experience a general break-up of the ice, or, arriving at the edge of the firm ice, find the outer pack broken up, you are to consider the position you will then have attained as the limit of your advance; and, after making what observations are practicable, you are to retreat to the ship[/I].[/SIZE][/I][SIZE=2]" [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2][U][B]The Northern Sledge Expedition (Commander Markham)[/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]The frozen sea, composed of extraordinarily heavy ice, would probably start to break up and move in about June or July. It was therefore necessary to take two boats with them in case patches of open water needed to be crossed. This seriously added to the sledge weight to be dragged. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They well understood the difficulties and the serious obstacles to be overcome, and no one expected to reach the North Pole; it was simply too far away. The highest latitude that could be realistically attained was regarded as 84°N, or perhaps 85°N, if conditions favoured them.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Northwards[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]After leaving Cape Joseph Henry and the western expedition on 11 April, Markham’s team, consisting of the two sledges of Commander Markham and Lieutenant Parr, and another sledge carrying boats, set out northwards across the frozen sea.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The Polar ice consisting of newly frozen sea and old thick ice floes built up from many previous years, was in motion in the Summer and Autumn of each year. This motion and the tremendous forces involved, caused the floes to collide and grind together, throwing up at their edges a jumble of broken ice floes which subsequently froze into bands of hummocks. These seriously slowed their progress, as Markham explained: [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]The belts of hummocks that separated the floes varied from fifteen to fifty feet in height, and were from twenty yards to half a mile in breadth.[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]A journey through, and over, hummocks is the most unsatisfactory kind of travelling that can possibly be imagined; 'Standing pulls' must be the order of the day, and the incessant 'one, two, three, haul' is constantly heard. The trudging backwards and forwards to drag the different sledges to the front along the same road is decidedly monotonous[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]To make any advance at all, pickaxes and shovels were in constant requisition, and with these implements we succeeded in hewing and cutting a road for our sledges, by which we were able to make a snail-like progress. The roughness of the road was not our only difficulty. Around and about the hummocks the snow had drifted to such a depth that the men were frequently floundering in it up to their waists, and passages through this had to be cleared with shovels before the sledges could be dragged on. Occasionally the sledges would have to be unpacked and lightened considerably before they could be dragged through this deep soft snow[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They soon established a daily routine, whereby the 'roadmakers' would prepare the start of the route in the morning, and the sledges got going at noon, while the roadmakers continued working in advance of them. They travelled in the afternoon and evening to take advantage of the little warmth the sun provided. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 14 April, one of men, John Shirley, complained of painful and swollen ankles and knees, which was attributed to unfamiliar hard work. But he continually worsened and had to be carried on a sledge for the rest of the expedition. On the 15th, a gale and very low temperature of 67F° below freezing prevented any progress for the next two days.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 17 April, another man, George Porter displayed similar symptoms to Shirley, and likewise became a passenger. On 19 April, in order to reduce weight, they abandoned the larger boat in a conspicuous position and fixed her position by taking sighting angles, with the hope of retrieving it on the way back, hoping that the ice would not have drifted too far, taking the boat with it. One of their greatest dangers was deep fissures in the floes covered completely by snow into which they often fell. Deep soft snow made travelling very slow. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]21 April, Distance marched nine and-a-half miles; made good two miles.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 24 April nothing but hummocks could be seen ahead; nothing but an uneven range of massive and shapeless blocks of ice. The road-making was very hard and very cold work, and the men had to be often relieved, but they had the satisfaction of crossing the eighty-third parallel (83°N), and became the first party of men that had reached such a high position. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][[B]Note:[/B] By an Act of Parliament passed in 1818, a reward of £1,000 had been offered to anyone who should cross the latitude of 83 degrees North. But, unfortunately for them, this Act for the encouragement of Polar discovery was repealed in 1828.][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]27 April was a hard day, and progress was very slow, with the ‘roadmakers’ working continually and the sledges double banked the whole day. They were exhausted and halted early for the night, having marched seven and a half miles, but only one and-a-quarter miles made good. The invalids showed no signs of change, and two others exhibited similar symptoms of the same disease, as that is what it now appeared to be.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]30 April, a gale prevented any progress, so they rested for the day, hoping it would benefit the invalids.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2 May. They camped in the evening amidst a pile of hummocks, after one of the hardest day's work they have yet performed. So rough was the road and so deep was the snow that the sledges could only be advanced by ‘standing pulls’. This was disheartening, as they had hoped that they would find larger and more level floes and less snow; the reverse, however, was the case. Several times one or other men disappeared through deep rents in the floe, but managed to recover without injury. Distance marched nine miles; made good two and-three-quarters.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Commander Markham now suspected that the invalids were suffering from scurvy, but mentioned it to no one. Swollen joints and discolouration of the skin, with faintness and great weakness, were the principal symptoms. If it were scurvy, then this would be their most formidable of all obstacles. He hoped that these were just isolated cases and that the remainder of the party might escape unscathed. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3 May, Distance marched seven and-a-half miles; made good one and-a-quarter.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]4 May. Markham: "[I]Everything appeared to combine against us: weather, snow, ice, and sickness! In spite of these evils our tents were struck and a start made; but after advancing for half a mile, which took us exactly three and a half hours to accomplish, we arrived at such a confused heap of hummocks that, with the dense fog prevailing and the falling snow, it was impossible to make any headway. To persevere would have been imprudent. The tents were accordingly pitched, and we consoled ourselves by saying that the rest would be productive of much good to our sick companions, for even those that had to be carried on the sledges could get no rest whilst being dragged and jolted and sometimes capsized over the roughest road imaginable.[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]5 May, Distance marched four miles; made good three-quarters of a mile.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]6 May, The invalids were gradually getting worse; even the men who were apparently in good health complained of aching limbs, and exhibited some of the first symptoms. Four of the men had also been suffering for the last few days from snow blindness. Distance marched six miles; made good one mile.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]7 May. Markham: "[I]We started this morning carrying three of our invalids; but before we had gone many yards it became painfully evident that the two others were quite unable to walk, although the gallant fellows struggled along manfully. Our only resource was to advance the sledges and then return with them empty to bring on the other disabled sufferers. We had now a third of our little band hors de combat, our strength was diminishing daily, and our weights on the sledges in consequence were increasing. The travelling appeared to be getting, if possible, worse; the hummocks were higher and the snow-drifts deeper[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In spite of their hardships, they made time to construct a pedestal out of solid snow for the magnetic instruments, obtaining a series of observations for the magnetic inclination and for the total magnetic force.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]8 May. Markham and Parr reluctantly came to the conclusion that the disease from which the men were suffering really was scurvy, and in an advanced form. Their loss of appetite and depression of spirits, with other symptoms were decidedly scorbutic, and they feared that, without fresh meat and vegetables, there was little chance any improvement in their condition.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]9 May, only three-quarters of a mile advanced.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 10 May, they advanced only the same distance again. Markham, considering the sufferings of his men, very reluctantly came to the conclusion that this evening’s camp must be the most northern one. With five men disabled, and as many more showing scorbutic symptoms, it would be too risky to continue northwards. They had only thirty one day’s provisions left to return a distance that had taken forty days to advance, making it essential to turn back, but they would rest for a few days before starting.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]11 May, scientific observations and measurement were made, and samples and specimens were collected. Through a bore hole in the 64 inches thick ice, they sounded the bottom at 71 fathoms and collected live crustaceans from the sea bed. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]12 May, those that were able, walked north to be within 400 miles of North Pole, at 83° 20' 26" N.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Homeward[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]After a few day’s rest, their homeward journey was started on 13 May. They were able to use the road they made on the outward journey, so progress was a little quicker, but it was the same difficult road, and often the same length of road had to be traversed several times as the sledges were advanced one at a time. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The weather was dreadful for most of the journey, with snow, fog and gales. The murky weather was very tiring on their eyes, and made finding their way difficult. But they knew that if they lost their ‘road’, their chances of seeing their ship again were but slight.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]As the disease gradually consumed the party, their appetites decreased alarmingly, until it was only with the greatest difficulty that anybody could be induced to eat at all. Instead of each man consuming one pound of pemmican a day, the same quantity sufficed for the entire party in one tent; and even this, occasionally, was not consumed. Hunger was never felt, but they were all assailed by an intolerable thirst.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Markham: "[I]Day by day did our strength diminish. Gradually, but surely, the men, one after the other, began to feel the cruel grasp of the disease, as they struggled manfully on, dragging their poor, helpless companions, in spite of racking pains and aching limbs. Although themselves attacked by the dreadful malady, the men who were still able to work suppressed their own sufferings in their endeavours to ameliorate those of their more helpless and ailing comrades[/I]." [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]18 May. After only five day’s travelling, there was an alarming development when new cracks in the ice were observed, heralding the annual breaking up of the polar pack ice. This, combined with their condition, added urgency to the situation, as they all knew that their only hope of safety was to get back to the ship as quickly as possible.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]20 May, Despite the sledge loads diminishing in weight as the provisions were consumed, they seemed to drag heavier. It was hard work, and it was as much as they could do to make any progress at all. The men experienced great difficulty in moving their legs, and the slightest exertion caused intense pain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]25 May, re-crossed 83°N. Distance made good one and a half miles.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 27th the condition of the party was so critical that it became evident that, to ensure their reaching the land alive, the sledges must be considerably lightened in order to enable a more rapid advance. The state of the party was as follows: five men were utterly unable to move and had to be carried on the sledges; five others were nearly as bad and could only hobble after the sledges; and three others exhibited all the scorbutic symptoms. Thus only the two officers and two other men could be considered as effective. Distance made good one mile.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Markham: "[I]I therefore decided to abandon the remaining boat, which would materially lessen the load to be dragged. This decision was only arrived at after long and anxious consideration. I had to decide which was the lesser of two evils. For I well knew that should a disruption of the pack occur, and we had already observed ominous signs of such an event, without a boat the party would indeed be placed in a hopeless position; but again I knew that in retaining the boat, the weights to be dragged by our weakened crew would be so excessive as to preclude the possibility of reaching the shore before all the provisions would be expended, and starvation would be the result. Again it was of the utmost importance that haste should be made in order to reach the ship, and place the sick under proper medical treatment. The disease was extending so rapidly as to produce a marked change for the worse every day. The boat, therefore, and all superfluous weights were abandoned, and the march was again wearily resumed[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 31 May, while crossing some young ice between two heavy floes, one of the sledges broke through. Both it and the invalids who were on it, were saved from complete immersion only with great difficulty. These warnings were ominous. Distance made good half-a-mile.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 June, distance made good two miles.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2 June, in thick weather they lost the ‘road’, and were unable to pick up the trail again. The arduous and monotonous labour of road-making had again to be resorted to. Distance made good one and three quarter miles.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3 June, distance made good one and a half miles.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 5 June, they reached land and found the supply store which had been left for them. They had missed Captain Nares by only two days, but he had left three hares for them. [I]Alert[/I] was only 40 miles away, but at their current rate of progress, it would take another three weeks to reach it, and not many would last that long. So on 7 June, Lieutenant Parr volunteered to set out alone for [I]Alert[/I], to bring relief. He marched for twenty two hours, stopping only to make a drink for himself, before reaching the ship in the evening of 8 June.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 8 June, they experienced their first death when Marine George Porter died. They buried him in a mound of ice on the side of a floe-hill, and a rough cross made from a sledge batten and a paddle, marked their shipmate's grave.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]9 June, they saw, emerging from the hummocks, a dog-sledge with three men approaching. To their overwhelming and emotional relief, they saw it was Lieutenant May and Doctor Moss, the vanguard of a larger party that was coming to their relief the following day. After halting for the night Moss made a thorough medical inspection of the whole party. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Moss: "[I]Hardly one of them was recognisable. The thin feeble voices, the frozen and frost peeled faces and crippled limbs, made an awful contrast to the picked body of determined men we had seen march north only two months before.[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the following day they met the larger party, headed by Captain Nares, and with their help arrived alongside the [I]Alert[/I] on the 14 June, seventy-two days after their departure from the ship. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Seeing their condition Captain Nares, recalled the statement made by an old Inuit woman to Sir Leopold McClintock concerning Sir John Franklin's men, "[I]They fell down and died as they walked along[/I]".[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Nares: "[I]Out of a party of two officers and fifteen once powerful men, five were lying helpless on the sledges dragged by the two officers and six men, all of whom were themselves considerably crippled; whilst four others, unable to lend a hand at the drag-ropes, just managed to crawl along, keeping pace with the slow advance. The boats, and every article of provisions or clothing which could possibly be spared, had been cast aside in order to lighten to the utmost the sledges weighted with the invalids."[/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After his return, Commander Markham reported:—[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]I feel it impossible for my pen to depict with accuracy, and yet be not accused of exaggeration, the numerous drawbacks that impeded our progress. One point, however, in my opinion is most definitely settled, and that is, the utter impracticability of reaching the North Pole over the floe in this locality; and in this opinion my able colleague, Lieutenant Parr, entirely concurs. I am convinced that with the very lightest equipped sledges, carrying no boats, and with all the resources of the ship concentrated in the one direction, and also supposing that perfect health might be maintained, the latitude attained by the party I had the honour and pleasure of commanding, would not be exceeded by many miles, certainly not by a degree[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Markham’s northern expedition, lasting 72 days, had made a round journey of some 600 miles, but had reached only about 60 miles further north from where [I]Alert[/I] lay and was still 400 miles from the North Pole. Instead of finding an 'open polar sea' which they had been led to believe existed, by all who had gone before, they had found an impenetrable frozen Arctic Ocean.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachment[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. The most northern grave of George Porter, by Edward Moss.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]114531[/ATTACH]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]
Attachments :

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 6[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [CENTER][B][SIZE=2][U][B]The Western Expedition (Lieutenant Aldrich)[/B][/U][/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]The objective of the western expedition, under Lieutenant Aldrich, was to follow the coastline westwards of Cape Joseph Henry for as far as possible to ascertain in which direction it trended. It was hoped that that it would eventually lead northwards so that it could be followed by a future expedition with the North Pole as its objective.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Aldrich's sledge party departed [I]Alert[/I] on 3 April and, in company with Markham's northern party and the support sledges, marched towards Cape Joseph Henry, where they parted on 11 April to go their separate ways; with Markham continuing northwards and Aldrich turning north westwards and crossing the Fielden Peninsular.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 7 April Lieutenant Giffard with a crew of support sledge departed [I]Alert[/I] to establish and replenish food depots for the return of both Aldrich's and Markham's parties, arriving back after 18 days on 24 April, with two men broken down with scorbutic symptoms.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Westwards[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]After the northern and western sledge expeditions parted company on 11 April, the western party crossed the Fielden Peninsular (64W) and arrived at James Ross Bay (64,30W) on 15 April. They then turned north and, travelling over the frozen bay, reached Crozier Island (64,30W) on 17 April.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Leaving Crozier Island and turning westwards again, they crossed the Parry Peninsular (65W) and left a food depot at Cape Colan (67W) on 22 April. They continued following the coastline slightly north of westwards until they reached Cape Aldrich (69W) early on 1 May, and Cape Columbia (70W) the following day. Although they didn't know it at the time, they had reached the most northerly point of land on the North American continent at 83N.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Beyond Cape Columbia the character of the land changed from high cliffs and capes to more low lying and level land, and it was sometimes hard to tell where the land ended and the frozen sea began. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They passed Cape Albert Edward (73W) and Ward Hunt Island (75W) on 7 May, and camp was pitched a mile east of Cape Alexandra (77W). Aldrich writes: "[I]The health of the crew is very good, except stiff legs, which are pretty general, and only to be expected. The two worst are Woods and Doidge[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]By 10 May, the condition of all the men was causing Aldrich anxiety: "[I]The men are nearly all suffering a great deal with their unfortunate legs, which appear to get worse every day. This we all feel to be very disappointing, as it affects the journey, and although stiff limbs were expected, everyone thought the stiffness would wear off in time.[/I]" [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They camped about two miles from Cape Richards (80,30W). "[I]Day by day we look forward to the land either going north or south; but hitherto we have been travelling nothing but west, or very little southerly of it[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They reached Cape Fanshawe Martin (81W) on 12 May; Cape Bicknaw (82W) on 13 May; and they crossed Milne Bay (83W) on 14 May.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]When they made camp at Yelverton Bay (84W) on 15 May, they found that a pickaxe had been left at their last camp. So the next day, Aldrich and Ayles, the two fittest men, went back the ten miles for the pickaxe, taking fourteen hours for the return journey, while the sledge continued onwards.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Among the other equipment they carried was a sail which could be used to propel the sledge when the wind was favourable and the ice and snow smooth enough, thus saving much manual effort and time. On 17 May they were able to erect the sail and proceed over Yelverton Bay with wind assistance.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 18 May, the 45th day of the expedition, they were now further south than the winter quarters of the [I]Alert,[/I] and with the land to the west tending southwards, Aldrich decided to go no further. The crew was weakening; they were at the limit of their provisions, with only enough left to last them back to their farthest depot; and the snow, which so far had been firm, would soon start to soften in the "heat" of the summer sun. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]A small party then advanced to erect a cairn near Cape Alfred Ernest at 85,30W, and make observations. They had reached about 220 miles west of the [I]Alert[/I]. [/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Map showing the expedition route. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]All the peninsulars, capes, inlets, bays etc., of this unexplored coastline, were unnamed; they were named afterwards by Aldridge and Captain Nares. The names chosen were those of previous arctic explorers and ships, and officers and men of [I]Alert[/I] and [I]Discovery[/I], plus the odd politician and naval dignitary.[/SIZE] [I][SIZE=2][ATTACH]114803[/ATTACH][/SIZE][/I] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2][B]Homewards[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]They started their homeward journey on 19 May, retracing their footsteps along this shore that (so far as anyone knew) no other human had ever seen before. As they travelled eastwards, they recovered in succession each of the small stores they had deposited on their outward journey. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Although they didn’t know it, the weakness from which most were now suffering, was due to the effects of scurvy. As they became weaker, it slowed them down and thus it took longer to travel between depots, resulting in food having to be rationed so that it lasted until the next depot. As each depot was recovered, the cairn marking its position was demolished as a sign that they had passed that point.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 30 May, they passed Ward Hunt Island in Disraeli Bay, and Cape Columbia on 5 June.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 7 June, while camping at Point Stubbs (69W), Aldrich began to wonder if the weakness and other symptoms might be due to scurvy: "[I]Another symptom which has become apparent yesterday and to-day with four of the crew, is tender gums, which I hope may be due to the increased allowance of biscuit. I hope it is not scurv[/I]y."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 8 June, the temperature rose to 35F, and the snow that bore them on their outward way had softened. Aldrich: " . . . [I]every step sank a different depth in it, sometimes to the knee, sometimes to the waist. The men broke down one by one, strength and appetite failed them, and every motion of their swollen and stiffened limbs was an agony. They would haul the sledge five or six yards forward, and then stop for want of breath. With fifty miles of bottomless snow before them, it was no wonder some of them began to think their prospects hopeless, and wanted to be left behind rather than burden the others with their weight[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]9 June, Aldrich: "[I]Came across numerous deep places, which cost us much trouble to get through. . . After lunch, Woods and Mann both gave in, leaving five of us on the drag-ropes, Ayles and I becoming permanent leading men[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]10 June, Aldrich: "[I]Under way at 9.55, three invalids following. Several times as we went on, Ayles and I sank nearly up to our hips, but occasionally we came to long stretches of good hard travelling, and we camped abreast Point Moss at 21.30[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]11 June, they camped near Cape Colan. Aldrich walked up to the cairn marking the food depot which had been established by Lieutenant Giffard in April, but found that it had been made so strong that he could make no impression on it, and returned to camp. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]12 June, leaving the invalids in the tent, Aldrich returned to the depot with the others, demolished the cairn, and loaded the sledge from the supplies deposited there.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]13 June, Aldrich: "[I]A heavy fall of snow, and a dense fog puts an end to my only chance of getting down the[/I] [Clements Markham][I] inlet. We have not been fortunate in our weather as far as fog is concerned. Got on very fairly until Good nearly fainted. There appears to be utter inability to get breath, no pain, and no difficulty to speak of in breathing when at rest. The least exertion brings it on. I am half afraid we shall not get on board without assistance, for which either Ayles or myself will have to walk in. An entirely lost day, one way and another. Made good a mile and-a-half.[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]15 June, Aldrich "[I]After reaching Sail Harbour we got on with but little trouble, being delayed only by the sick lagging behind. . . . Under way at eight to cross Parry Peninsula, but found the hill too steep for the small amount of strength we could command. The strongest of us carried the gear up, and in one hour had advanced our whole baggage about a quarter of a mile[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]17 June, the going was very arduous. The snow was so deep and soft that it required the sledge to be hauled [U]downhil[/U]l with standing pulls. They at last crossed the Peninsular and reached James Ross Bay, then made good time over the smooth ice, clearing the bay the same day, and reaching the west side of the Fielden Peninsular in the evening.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It took them the next three days to cross the Fielden Peninsular. They had just made it in time; for on the following day, a southerly gale brought warmer weather, and the thaw set in so quickly that the snow valleys on the land were rendered impassable for sledges for the rest of the season.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]20 June, in the evening, on the east cost of the Fielden Peninsular, 30 miles fron the [I]Alert[/I], they met Lieutenant May with a dog sledge party, which had been sent by Captain Nares. For the next five days, until they reached the [I]Alert[/I], Lieutenant May’s men helped Aldrich’s party by transporting the sick, pulling the sledge, setting up the camps and cooking for them.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Aldrich received all the news from May, including the death of Marine George Porter. As their route passed close to his grave, and not wanting to distress his men further, Aldrich sent one of May’s men on ahead to remove the cross, replacing it later when the parties has passed.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 23 June, they reached Cape Richardson, and were welcomed by Lieutenant Parr and Mr. Feilden (the naturalist) who cooked for them, and gave them hare and geese. All ate heartily, and with the port wine, made the invalids feel like different men.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 25 June, when it seemed that they would have to camp out another night, they sighted a sledge in the distance. This was a party of officers and men, with Captain Nares and Commander Markham, who soon hurried them on, and they reached the ship just after midnight, amid the cheers and congratulations of their shipmates.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Concern on the Alert[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]On seeing the condition of Markham’s men after they returned from their northern expedition on 14 June, anxiety was felt for the safety of the Aldrich’s western expedition, especially as scurvy with very few exceptions, had attacked the whole ship's company. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Aldrich's route was along the coast line, and it was expected that they would have been able to supply themselves occasionally with fresh provisions, such as hares, geese, and perhaps musk-oxen, which would help ward off scurvy. But unless they returned in the next few days they would be soon be without provisions. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Also, it was known from Giffard’s report, that Aldrich had penetrated far to the westward across an absolute desert of deep snow which, once softened, would effectually bar his return, and cut him off from assistance. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On clear days the depot at Cape Joseph Henry (on the tip of the Fielden Peninsular), 30 miles to the NW, was visible with a good glass. As long as it could be seen, they knew that the party had not reached it. When the cairn remained untouched on the day scheduled for his arrival there; Captain Nares, on 18 June, sent Lieutenant May with the dog sledge and three strong men to locate him, and if necessary to take him relief and assistance.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 25 June, their suspense came to an end when both Aldrich's sledge and the dog-sledge were seen struggling through the hummocks some six or seven miles off. Everyone that could, left the ship to meet them. They found them, with Aldrich and the last man left of his crew hauling the sledge; one man, unable to walk, lay muffled on the sledge, and the others kept up as best they could, taking turns riding on the dog-sledge.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]All were suffering from scurvy, and only Aldrich and two men were able to walk, one of the latter being so bad that he was under medical treatment for many weeks after his return on board. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Achievements[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The western expedition, over a period of eighty four days, had travelled 630 miles, and explored and mapped two hundred and twenty miles of this new coast line. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They had discovered that the continuous edge of the heavy Polar pack ice extended for over two hundred miles westward from Floeberg Beach, and that at the farthest point reached it turned towards the south west, showing that no land existed for a considerable distance to the northward or westward, or within the reach of a sledge expedition, however lightly equipped. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They also discovered that the entrances to all the bays and harbours to the westward of Cape Joseph Henry were so barred by the Polar ice wall that the ice on the inshore side of it is unable to escape to seaward during the summer. Consequently, should the pack move away from the shore-ice with a southerly wind, and a vessel succeed in passing to the westward of the Cape, she wouldn't find any open harbour. Thus the vessel would become trapped and inexorably crushed by the ice when it closed the temporary gap created by the wind.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The results of the two sledge journeys of Markham and Aldrich, one towards the north over the heavy pack, and the other following the coast-line towards the westward, considered with the fact that the birds do not migrate farther towards the north than the neighbourhood of Cape Joseph Henry, lead Captain Nares to conclude that no land exists for a distance of at least two hundred miles to the northward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]For another month hunting parties scoured the land for fresh food, and two sledges tried to find an overland route to the [I]Discover[/I]y in case the [I]Alert[/I] should suffer in the disruption of the pack; but so far as the [I]Alert[/I] was concerned, the exploring work of the year was over. [/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE]
Attachments :

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][SIZE=3][/CENTER] [/SIZE] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 7[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [U][I][B][SIZE=2][B]Alert[/B][/SIZE][/B][/I][B][SIZE=2][B] activities in the Summer of 1976[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]After the departure of the northern and western expeditions on 3 April, the[I] Alert[/I] became the centre of much activity, with frequent arrivals and departures of sledging parties. Numerous sledges, travelling in the now light hours of night, arrived, filled up with stores, and left again, each fully occupied with its own work, and only catching an occasional glimpse of what the others were doing.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 4 April, Egerton and Rawson returned from their journey to the [I]Discovery[/I], much to everyone’s relief at contact having finally been made with Captain Stephenson and his men.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 8 April, the first supporting sledge returned from Commander Markham's northern party and Lieutenant Aldrich's western party.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 10 April, Egerton and Rawson, equipped with light sledges, left to establish and prepare a route to Greenland across the narrowest part of the Robeson Channel. This was for the heavier exploring sledges of the Greenland expedition under Lieutenant Beaumont, shortly coming north from the [I]Discovery[/I]. They returned on 18 April, having succeeded in making a road across the channel, landing on the Greenland coast, north of Repulse Harbour.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 14 April the second division of the supporting sledges from both main expeditions, returned reporting the main parties to have settled steadily down to their work.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 16 April, Lieutenant Beaumont's Greenland expedition, with Dr. Coppinger, two sledges and 14 men, arrived from the [I]Discovery[/I], having taken ten days to travel the 76 miles, so broken up and difficult was the nature of the ice in Robeson Channel. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 20 April Lieutenant Beaumont, accompanied by Lieutenant Rawson and Dr. Coppinger, started out on the exploration of the north western coast of Greenland. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 23 April, a party with Captain Stephenson arrived from the [I]Discovery[/I], with a sledge and twelve dogs, to consult with the Captain Nares on the arrangements to be made for the exploration of Petermann's Fjord, and examination of the ice-cap south of Bessels Bay. They returned to the [I]Discovery[/I] on 30 April.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 24 April, as the road near the base of the cliffs in Robeson Channel would become impracticable for sledges after the thaw had set in, Lieutenant May was sent with a party and dog-sledge to Lincoln Bay to look for a road overland. They returned unsuccessful on 30 April.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 2 May, Egerton, taking charge of the Discovery's auxiliary sledge and crew, started for Greenland. He carried orders to Dr. Coppinger to proceed to Polaris Bay, visiting on his way all the cairns erected by Captain Hall and the other members of the Polaris expedition. Egerton also carried over a canvas boat and sledge for Beaumont's use later in the season. He was brought back by Lieutenant May on 9 May.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 3 May Lieutenant Giffard returned with news from Aldrich up to the 25 April, his 22nd day out from the ship. He reported that all his crew were well, but that the soft snow was causing very heavy and slow travelling.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 3 May, Five of the crew were diagnosed with scorbutic symptoms. However, as each case had some predisposing cause, Dr. Colan was not greatly worried about the general health of the Expedition.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 4 May, Lieutenant May started with the dog-sledge for Greenland to bring back Egerton's party from across the Robeson Channel, where they had taken [I]Discovery[/I]'s auxiliary sledge and boat.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]9 May, Lieutenant May and Egerton return from Greenland, with news of Lieutenant Beaumont's party up to 4 May when he was within two miles of Cape Stanton. They also reported that this would be the last day that crossing the Robeson Channel to Greenland was possible, due to the ice shifting and the floes opening out. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]11 May, Engineer Officer Wootton, commanding a sledge crew, left for Cape Joseph Henry with the last of the provisions to be left for the return of Markham's northern expedition. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]24 May, Lieutenant Giffard and his sledge crew returned on board from [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]placing Lieutenant Aldrich's return depot. But unfortunately, two of his men have broken down, with scorbutic symptoms. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]31 May, Sub-Lieutenant Conybeare arrived from the [I]Discovery[/I] after a journey of nine days, with despatches from Captain Stephenson, and the news that Lieutenant Archer had explored Lady Franklin Sound to a distance of sixty seven miles in a southwest direction, finding it to be a deep fjord terminating in mountainous land with glacier covered valleys in the interior.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In the first few days of June, three more of [I]Alert'[/I]s crew were placed under medical treatment with scorbutic symptoms, but two had been receiving the regulated ship's diet with lime-juice for three weeks prior to the appearance of the disease. By 7 June, there were sixteen men who had been under treatment for scurvy. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B][I]Discovery[/I]’s expeditions[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It hadn't been possible in the previous Autumn to conduct any sledging from the [I]Discovery,[/I] due to the continual movement of the ice until very late in that season. There was much that needed to be done. Robeson Channel had to be crossed, and the northern shore of Greenland explored in search of land towards the North Pole. Peterman's Fjord had not yet been traversed, and Lady Franklin Sound needed to be explored - in case either were channels leading elsewhere. The arrival, on 25 March 1876, of Sub-Lieutenant Egerton’s dog-sledge party from [I]Alert,[/I] carrying despatches from Captain Nares, provided the impetus for the departure of [I]Discovery[/I]'s own sledging parties. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 28 March, Lieutenant Archer and Dr. Coppinger from [I]Discovery[/I], with two seamen and Hans Heindrick with a sledge drawn by twelve dogs, started from Discovery Bay to cross the Hall Basin direct to Polaris Bay. Their objective was to discover if the stock of provisions left at Hall's Rest on the shore of Polaris Bay, by the 1871-73 expedition of Charles Hall aboard the [I]USS Polaris[/I], was still intact and in a usable condition. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]A few hours after starting, the sledge was badly damaged amongst some ice hummocks, but after repairing it, they were able to cross the strait without more trouble. They arrived at Hall's Rest early on 31 April, and found the provisions to be in a serviceable condition, despite being exposed to the weather by damage to the roof of the wooden hut in which they were stored. They returned to the[I] Discovery,[/I] arriving on 3 April.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 6 April, two eight man sledges, under Lieutenant Beaumont and Dr. Coppinger, started for Floeberg Beach and the [I]Alert[/I], on the first stage of their expedition for the exploration of the north coast of Greenland. This was to be [I]Discovery[/I]’s main expedition.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 8 April, Lieutenant Archer and Sub-Lieutenant Conybeare set out to explore Lady Franklin Sound, hoping it might open out northwards to the shores of the Polar Sea to establish an overland route to the [I]Alert[/I]; thus providing a direct route for next year's sledge parties[I]. [/I]They returned on 2 May, having explored as far as 67 miles south westwards, but found that it terminated in two glacier blocked fjords.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 7 May, Lieutenant Fulford and Conybeare started from the [I]Discovery[/I] with eighteen men, dragging a twenty-foot ice-boat on a twelve-man sledge across the Robeson Channel. On the following day they reached the spot where the other boat and sledge had been left by Egerton’s party from the [I]Alert,[/I] a few days previously[I].[/I] They then dragged both boats towards Polaris Bay, arriving at the depot at Hall’s Rest, five days later on 12 May. These boats were for the return of Beaumont’s party in case the ice in the Hall Basin was breaking up. The same evening, Captain Stephenson accompanied by Mr. Hart ([I]Discovery[/I]’s naturalist), likewise arrived there for a special ceremony.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 17 May, Captain Stephenson and his party recrossed the channel in seventeen hours, leaving behind Lieutenant Fulford, Doctor Coppinger, with two men and eight dogs, to explore the Petermann Fjord; with orders to return to Polaris Bay before 15 June, when it was expected they would meet Lieutenants Beaumont and Rawson and their men, returning from their exploration of North Greenland.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Memorial to Captain Charles Hall[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 13 May at Polaris Bay, in the presence of twenty four officers and men, Captain Stephenson hoisted the American flag over the grave of Captain Hall, and at the foot erected a brass tablet brought from England. It bore the following inscription:[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2][B]Sacred to the Memory of[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]CAPTAIN C. F. HALL,[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]of the U.S. Ship ‘Polaris’,[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]who Sacrificed his Life in the Advancement of Science,[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]on November 8th, 1871.[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]This Tablet has been erected by the British Polar Expedition of 1875, [/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]who, following in his footsteps, have profited by his experience.[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]

I forgot to attach the following photo to my last posting. It shows two sledges with their crews, ready to depart on an expedition from the [I]Discovery[/I]. I am assuming, from the date of 8 April 1876, that the expedition is that by Lieutenant Archer and Sub-Lieutenant Conybeare to explore Lady Franklin Sound, as that was the only expedition to depart on that day. [ATTACH]114988[/ATTACH]
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Hello Bill Regarding PO Bryant's log; it hasn't been published. I have typed it out in MSWord as far as I could understand the writing. However, it runs to 19 A4 pages and I am not sure you would want it here in that format. Let me what you think. Meanwhile, am attaching a copy of the first page of his hand written log. Regards Bluefont1
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Hello Bluefont1 and welcome to the Forum. You are welcome to post the Word format transcription as I believe it will create some interest. At 19 pages it should be well within the 4.77Mb limits set for Doc files. Jim

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 8[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [CENTER][U][SIZE=2][B]The Eastern Expedition to Greenland (Lieutenant Beaumont)[/B][/SIZE][/U][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]Sixteen men of the Greenland expedition led by Lieutenant Beaumont, with Dr. Coppinger leading the second sledge, departed the [I]Discovery [/I]on 6 April 1876, travelled northwards along the Robeson Channel, and arrived at Floeberg Beach and [I]Alert[/I] on 16 April, having taken ten days to travel the 76 miles with light sledges. Beaumont intended to make the [I]Alert[/I] his base for the exploration of the North Greenland coast.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They brought with them the welcome news that the ice was continuous across the Hall Basin and that the depot of provisions at Hall's Rest in Polaris Bay, was in good condition and fit for use. The significance of this was that it allowed Beaumont’s expedition to take lightly laden sledges; and after completing his journey, to use this depot before crossing the Hall Basin back to the [I]Discovery[/I], for which two boats would be taken across the straits from the[I] Discovery[/I], to Hall's Rest, by 15 June, for him to use, should the ice have broken up by then. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After re-provisioning from the [I]Alert,[/I] they were joined by Lieutenant Rawson's sledge party, and departed on 20 April. Two days after departure, Rawson unexpectedly returned to the[I] Alert[/I] for a new five-man sledge, one having broken down while crossing the barrier hummocks. They crossed over the Robeson Channel to the south east, on the road prepared just a few days previously by Egerton and Rawson, and reached the Greenland coast at Repulse Harbour.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Beaumont’s plan was for his party to travel by night in order to escape the glare of the mid-day sun which is liable to cause snow-blindness; this enabled them to sleep during the warmest part of the twenty-four hours.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Greenland north eastwards[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]From Repulse Harbour on 27 April, having left in a small depot a few things to lighten the sledges as much as possible, they started out along the Greenland coastline which led north eastwards in an unbroken line. After a few days they came to a point covered so deeply with drift snow that their only way past was to climb it, partly unloading the heavier sledge, and then hauling each sledge over separately by all hands. They called this "Drift Point". [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The next three days were spent in crawling along the sides of the never ending snow slopes, sometimes halting for hours, while as many men as could be used were cutting a road into the hard, slippery snow which was piled high into banks, so steep that it was necessary to dig a groove for the landward runner of the sledges, to prevent them slipping down into trenches cut by the wind that were sometimes forty feet deep. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 4 May they arrived at a suitable place to leave a depot of three water tight metal cases, containing ten days rations for twelve men. It was at this point that Dr. Coppinger with his support sledge party left the expedition as previously arranged, and set out to return to the[I] Discovery[/I]. The next day, Beaumont and Rawson's party continued on to Cape Stanton.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 6 May, at Frankfield Bay, James Hand, one of Beaumont's sledge crew, was walking lame with very stiff legs, but attributed it to several falls that he had had. But there was pain as well as stiffness, and both were increasing. Beaumont and Rawson decided the men needed a rest, so they camped to wait for a day, in the hope that rest would benefit both the lame and tired. But when Beaumont examined James Hand, he suspected scurvy. His suspicions were confirmed by Alexander Gray, the sledge captain who had seen much of it from his whaling experience, but thought that it would probably wear off. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]So they waited until 10 May in the hope that they would recover. But the aggravated symptoms - sore and inflamed gums, loss of appetite, etc. - all pointed clearly to scurvy. So it was reluctantly decided that Lieutenant Rawson, with his party, should take Hand back, either to the [I]Alert[/I] or on to Polaris Bay.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Beaumont didn’t make up his numbers from Rawson's men as he thought that, with only three fit men, he might need an extra man to carry Hand; he also suspected that George Bryant, the captain of Rawson's sledge, was already affected with the same disease. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Rawson’s return[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Early on 11 May, Rawson departed with James Hand and three men, and headed for Polaris Bay. On the way, two more of his crew, George Bryant and Michael Regan, were both severely attacked by the same crippling disease. This left only Rawson himself and one other man, Elijah Rayner, strong enough to drag the sledge.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After a most arduous journey on reduced rations, during which Rawson was so badly affected with snow-blindness that he had to pull the sledge while blindfold. They reached the Polaris Bay depot at Hall’s Rest on 3 June where, sadly James Hand expired only a few hours after their arrival. Four days later, they met Lieutenant Fulford and Dr. Coppinger, with Hans Heindrick and the dog sledge, who arrived from exploring the Petermann Fjord. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The invalids responded to Dr. Coppinger's care, and all benefited from the stores of ham, molasses, lime-juice, biscuit, and pemmican, left in the depot by the Americans, and the fresh seal meat which Hans Heindrick obtained from hunting.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Beaumont continues onwards[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After Rawson had left the expedition to return, Beaumont's party continued on 12 May with a single sledge, but now with only six men. With a reduced crew it was necessary to lighten the sledge load as much as possible, so at Cape Bryant they left a depot before starting for Cape Fulford, which is the north western entrance to St. George's Fjord. The road across the mouth of this Fjord was the only good travelling they ever had, being hard and nearly level, and they did the nine miles across to Dragon Point with ease and comparative pleasure. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]At Dragon Point they halted while debating which of the bays and fiords, to follow. It would be too much to explore all of them, so Beaumont decided to head straight across the wide reach of St. Andrew’s Bay to Cape Cleveland (the northern tip of Reef Island, midway across the bay), beyond which Mount Hooker could be seen on the mainland. He wanted to reach Mount Hooker as, from its summit, he hoped to see what lay to the north, so that the trend of the mainland could be determined. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 16 May, when they started again it was through fog and soft snow about eighteen inches deep, but they pushed on, hoping for conditions to improve. Due to their slow progress and dense fog, they camped about mile and a half west of Reef Island, on another smaller island.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Beaumont: "[I]The travelling had become worse and worse, the snow varied from two and-a-half to four and a half feet in thickness, and was no longer crisp and dry, but of the consistency of moist sugar; walking was most exhausting, one literally had to climb out of the holes made by each foot in succession, the hard crust on the top, which would only just not bear you, as well as the depth of the snow preventing you from pushing forward through it, each leg sank to about three inches above the knee, and the effort of lifting them so high to extricate them from their tight-fitting holes, soon began to tell upon the men. William Jenkins, Peter Craig, and Charles Paul complained of stiffness in the hamstrings, and all of us were very tired[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They started out again on 19 May, and went on for two more days, managing less than two miles a day. The men were falling sick and their dwindling provisions would force them to start homeward on 23 May at the latest. So Beaumont, on 21 May, after forty five days out, seeing that they could not reach Mount Hooker with only two days' provisions, reluctantly decided that they must return, especially when two men, Paul and Jenkins, became unmistakably scurvy stricken. It snowed hard all that day. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B][U]　[/U][/B][/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The return journey westwards[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]They turned around on the evening of 22 May, retracing their steps, and halting at Reef Island to leave a record in a cairn. By 28 May, Paul had become so weak and crippled that he had to be carried on the sledge. Finding that they could not go on dragging the full load through the heavy snow with fewer men, they deposited about 200lbs of supplies in a depot, and got on much better afterwards. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Until the morning of the 3 June, the weather had been one continuous snow-fall with thick fogs. The sick were getting steadily worse and Jenkins could keep up with the sledge, but crawled along after it. Craig was very bad, but still managed to hobble along with them, while Dobing and Jones were getting progressively stiffer, but still pulled their best. This left only Beaumont and Gray strong enough to haul the sledge. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 7 June, Jenkins could go no further and was put on the sledge alongside Paul. They now had to make two journeys a day, taking the provisions and baggage on for half the time and then going back for the tent and the sick. When they got back to Drift Point they found it was impassable, and had to go out on the sea ice to get round it. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 10 June they reached the Repulse Harbour depot and, on reading the records left there, Beaumont decided that, in view of the condition of both Paul and Jenkins, with both needing urgent medical attention, they should cross over the Robeson Channel and return to the [I]Alert.[/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Everything was to be sacrificed to getting over quickly; so they again made up a depot and left everything they could possibly spare, including the tent, gun and sextant. They started on the evening of 11 June, but before they had gone a mile from the shore, the ice ended and they came to water, which without a boat, they were unable to cross.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]A change of plan[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]With the Robeson Channel impassable for them, they now had to make their way to Polaris Bay, at least forty miles off to the south; so they returned to the depot to retrieve what they had left there. This was their darkest day, with only Beaumont and Gray able to drag the sledge, the supplies, and the sick. It didn’t seem possible, but they had no choice other than to push on as long and as far as they could.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It took them ten days to reach Newman Bay, arriving there on 21 June. They started again the next day, but the wet and cold had stiffened their limbs, and for the first time Beaumont now felt scurvy pains in his legs. Craig and Dobing dragged themselves along, their breath failing entirely at every ten yards – a feature of the advanced stage of the disease. All four invalids now gasped for breath with the slightest exertion and, with about another twenty miles to go, Beaumont couldn’t see how they could make it all the way. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 23 June it became necessary to carry both Dobing and Craig on the sledge. This meant making three trips over the same ground each day, and limited their progress to one mile per day. On the evening of 24 June, Beaumont was determined to walk by himself to Polaris Bay to see if there was anyone there to help them. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]But it did not come to that, for early on the morning of 25 June as they were plodding along, they saw a dog-sledge and three men approaching. They were Lieutenant Rawson, Dr. Coppinger and Hans Heindrick who, anticipating their need after missing their scheduled arrival of 15 June, had advanced to meet them to offer assistance. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]With the help of the three men, Beaumont’s party reached Polaris Bay five days later on 30 June. But help had come too late for Charles Paul; he had gradually grown weaker and weaker until he, like his messmate James Hand, died a few hours after reaching camp, and was laid beside him, not far from the grave of Captain Hall. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]At Hall’s Rest, Polaris Bay[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]They made themselves as comfortable as they could while they waited for the sick to recover sufficiently to travel across the Hall Basin to their ship. Seven out of the eleven men composing the party were still ailing; but through the treatment of Dr. Coppinger, and the hunting skills of Hans Heindrich in obtaining fresh seal meat, the sick men were gradually regaining their strength and health. Although still very weak, it was hoped that all would be sufficiently recovered to cross the Hall Basin by the beginning of August.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The dog-sledge was despatched to carry their news across the Basin to [I]Discovery[/I]. When Captain Stephenson heard of their plight, he started out on 16 July with a sledge party for Polaris Bay, conveying medical comforts, etc. As the ice was then breaking up in the Basin, a small boat was taken; but even with this, the crossing took three days, Hall's Rest being reached on 19 July. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 29 July, after a stay of ten days, during which time the invalids rapidly improved, Captain Stephenson took half the men back across the channel to the [I]Discovery[/I], leaving Beaumont and Dr. Coppinger to follow with the remainder after another week's rest. So broken up was the ice in the Hall Basin that the [I]Discovery[/I] was not reached until six days later, which caused anxiety for the safety of those remaining behind at Hall’s Rest. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Those that remained consisted of Lieutenant Beaumont, Dr. Coppinger and seven men. The invalids amongst them were rapidly gaining strength, and with another week's rest, it was expected that they would be strong enough to attempt the march. So it was arranged that they would start across the ice on the 4 August at the latest.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Crossing the Hall Basin[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]The [I]Discovery[/I] lay in Lady Franklin Sound, thirty miles due west from Hall’s Rest across the ice in the Hall Basin at the southern entrance to the Robeson Channel. They had made every preparation to leave on 4 August, but when that day came, the weather suddenly changed, and storms of snow and wind made travelling impossible. It blew hard all that night, and morning brought no change; everything beyond a few yards from the tents was hidden in drifting mists of fog and snow. Thus for four days they lay weather bound. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the morning of 8 August, the sun shone through the clouds, and the wind lessened, till towards evening it fell quite calm. But as the fog and mist cleared away, letting them see farther across the Basin, they saw that all was changed. The winter ice in the Basin had been replaced by large and heavy floes that were moving down from the north in the wind. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Of the two boats that had been left for them, the larger was too heavy to use in their weakened condition, so they had to take the smaller boat which had only three inches freeboard when loaded. Consequently they could only use it in calm weather. The boat was launched at 22.00, and by tying empty spirit tins to the sledge they converted it into a raft and towed it behind. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]During the march, they had to embark when they came to water and disembark at the opposite side, place the boat on the sledge, and start across the floe. Each time they embarked or disembarked they had to unload the boat, either to launch her or haul her up. After sixteen hours of this, they had covered ten miles, and camped on the ice at 14.20 on 9 August. But Beaumont didn’t sleep much, as he was up several times watching the movement of the ice, and now that a breeze has sprung up they were drifting faster; so he called the men, and they were on the move again by 21.50. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]While they had been sleeping they had drifted a long way south and east, and were now further away from the[I] Discovery[/I] than when they had first started. They marched for fourteen hours, until they could go no farther, and camped at 11.30 the next day, 10 August. But they found to their dismay that the drift had been faster than their march, and they were four miles further off than when they had started.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After resting for eleven hours, the seriousness of their situation was obvious to all. The convalescents needed rest, but each time they halted, they drifted farther south, and now they could no longer see into Lady Franklin Sound. They were abreast of Cape Lieber and drifting helplessly southwards into the Kennedy Channel. They couldn’t outmarch the drift of the pack, so had to get off it, and their only chance of safety lay in making a determined push across the southward drift for Cape Lieber, the nearest point of land, and not stopping till they reached it.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]So, at 23.00 on 10 August, they were under way again, and all night struggled on over one floe after another, through pools and lanes of water (one of which was three miles wide). For the next nine hours they made fair progress, but when they stopped briefly next day, 11 August, for some lunch, a west wind sprang up and blew the ice pack further away from the shore, so they immediately set off again across the floes and water. The floes, forced by both wind and tide, began to move violently, wheeling and turning in a most alarming way, so that they crossed their own track over and over again. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The change from sledging to boating, and vice versa, became so frequent and hurried, that they had no time to unload, but did everything at full speed, despite the risk to both sledge and boat, and themselves. At about 22.00, the wind changed to the southeast, and began to blow the ice back again, and from then on they made real progress; eventually reaching the land at Cape Lieber at 07.00 on 12 August. Having been under weigh for thirty five hours, everyone, and especially the convalescents, was completely exhausted, so they rested for the next two days.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]The last leg[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Cape Lieber marks the southern entrance to Lady Franklin Sound, which they had to cross to reach their ship in Discovery Harbour, about twelve miles to the north. Early on 14 August, they examined the ice in Lady Franklin's Strait, which seemed to be stable as far as Bellot Island. They also saw two ships lying in Discovery Bay, the [I]Alert[/I] having joined the [I]Discovery[/I] in their absence. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They set off at 07.00 and marched steadily for twenty two hours with two halts for food until 05.00 on 15 August. Beaumont had wanted to reach his ship in one march, but it was becoming quite foggy, and Dr. Coppinger said the men needed rest. So they camped on the ice about two miles from Bellot Island. Fortunately the ice remained stationary. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]While they were having breakfast, they heard a shout, and running out, met Commander Markham and his party, who had left the [I]Alert[/I] to come to their assistance, and with their help they soon reached their own ship [I]Discovery[/I], after an absence of 130 days.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Nares later described their journey from Polaris Bay on drifting ice as "[I]the most extraordinary journey of this, or indeed of any other expedition[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Beaumont's original sledge party[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Lewis Beaumont[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alexander Gray, ice quartermaster[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frank Jones, stoker[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Hand, able seaman[/SIZE][B][SIZE=3]+[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=2]Peter Craig, able seaman[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Jenkins,[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Charles Paul, able seaman [/SIZE][B][SIZE=3]+[/SIZE][/B] [SIZE=2]Wilson Dobing, marine gunner[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Greenland expedition route map.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115164[/ATTACH]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE]
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I am attaching my efforts to type PO Bryant's log in MSWord format. For some reason he entered some notes on the first page which are out of chronological order. You will see that I have not always been able to interpret some words and guessed at others. Later the log relates to his time in Zanzibar waters chasing slave traders in dhows! I was interested to see that on the way out there he spent some time on HMS Diamond as I did 1960/62. Regards Bluefont1
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Hello Bluefont1 and many thanks for posting the transcript. I had a quick read through it and noticed there are several references to Volorues, Valoreus and also to Valorous. I believe that these references should read Valorous. Thanks again Jim

Bluefont, t[SIZE=2]hank you for posting George Bryant's log which I have now read, and very interesting it is, with only minor discrepancies from other accounts. I don't know how familiar you are with the actual events so hesitate to expand on any of them, as most appear in above (as yet incomplete) narrative. But a few items stand out. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Harpoon a Unicorn on the 26th July[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]A Unicorn was the familiar name for a male Narwhal with a single long tusk.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]Left Alert on 3rd of April in charge of the bloodhound sledge[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]All of Alert's sledge parties were given names such as "Bloodhound", "Marco Polo", "Challenger", "Poppie", "Bulldog", "Sultan", "Victoria" and Alexandra".[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It wasn't clear at first which of the two groups of invalids he was in that crossed the Hall Basin. He states that he departed on 26th July, which is three days before the first group left. But it is clear from his description of the journey that he was in the second group with Lieutenent Beaumont which left on 8 August and arrived on 15 August.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]If there is anything about the expedition (apart from naval terms) I can help you with, just ask, and I will try to answer, as it could be of interest to other members.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]How did you come by George Bryant's log? Is he a relative of yours?[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Bluefont1;10025524]I am attaching my efforts to type PO Bryant's log in MSWord format. For some reason he entered some notes on the first page which are out of chronological order. You will see that I have not always been able to interpret some words and guessed at others. Later the log relates to his time in Zanzibar waters chasing slave traders in dhows! I was interested to see that on the way out there he spent some time on HMS Diamond as I did 1960/62. Regards Bluefont1[/QUOTE] I know that it is asking a great deal, but do you intend to post a transcription of the log relating to his time in the LONDON at Zanzibar?

Yes, Bill, George Bryant is in my family tree through marriage. The log was passed down to me and I am wondering where to donate it. Being a later ship, I am not sure that the Glasgow Discovery museum would want it. I believe Cambridge University have a lot of information on this voyage but don't want it locked away from public view. I'll have a look as to where to enter the Zanzibar log details but perhaps you could suggest a site. Is there an area I can ask questions to help use this site effectively, rather than clogging up a specific site such as this? Regards Grahame

A few more lines from George Bryant's Log I left out of the previous attachment
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[quote=Bluefont1;10025685]The log was passed down to me and I am wondering where to donate it. Being a later ship, I am not sure that the Glasgow Discovery museum would want it. I believe Cambridge University have a lot of information on this voyage but don't want it locked away from public view. Grahame[/quote] Grahame, you could try the Scott Polar Research Institute: [URL]http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/contacts/[/URL] They also have a museum: [URL]http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum/[/URL]

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 9[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [CENTER][B][SIZE=2][U][B]From Floeberg Beach to Discovery Bay[/B][/U][/SIZE][/B][/CENTER] [U][SIZE=2][B]A Decision to be Made[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]From the Sailing Orders:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]It will be impossible therefore to give any positive or detailed instructions for your guidance after quitting your consort, further than that you should use your best endeavours to rejoin her in the navigable season of 1876, and in company with her return to England, provided the spring exploration has been reasonably successful. But in the event of another season being absolutely required to complete a reasonable amount of exploration, still it will be a matter for careful consideration, whether it would not be advisable that the advanced ship should fall back towards her consort from any advanced position she may have wintered at; and, should it still remain doubtful whether a final retreat could be effected, the second ship might not be moved southward to such a position as would secure it.[/I]"[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From early July 1876 onwards, the annual summer disruption of the polar ice pack could be expected. When it came they had to be fully prepared for decisive action to be taken quickly if and when the [I]Alert[/I] finally broke free of the ice. It was therefore necessary to come to an immediate decision as to what was to be done. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]There were three possible actions:-[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. [U]To advance[/U]. In some very favourable season they might perhaps get the ship about twelve miles further westward and five miles further north, but this was the very utmost that could be hoped for; and for all purposes their present position was just as good. Any advance along the shores of Greenland was utterly out of the question, for the eastward motion of the pack ice exerted its main pressure on that shore. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. [U]To stay put[/U]. What would another year at Floeberg Beach achieve? Assuming that the crew would completely recover and be as strong as ever; assuming too, that the whole force of the Expedition, could be launched northwards over the floes, there could be no hope whatever of adding one degree to the northern latitude achieved by Markham’s expedition.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3. [U]To retreat[/U]. This became the decision by default. However there were men who had passed many winters in whalers, and they were unanimously of the opinion that [I]Alert [/I]had little if any chance of ever leaving her winter quarters. But those with knowledge of naval Arctic work thought otherwise. There was one objection to it that was often joked about, but never seriously entertained: "[I]The public will not be satisfied unless you stay one or two more winters, or at least lose a ship[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Owing to the condition of the crew, Captain Nares decided that he would attempt to rejoin the [I]Discovery[/I], and would then send it to England with all the invalids and those unfit to remain for a second winter. The [I]Alert[/I] would pass her second winter at Port Foulke in Smith Sound, from where in the following Spring, they would explore Hayes Sound and the adjacent land. Port Foulke was selected as the amount of animal life, principally reindeer, reported to abound in that neighbourhood, would provide fresh meat. Also he anticipated little difficulty in breaking out of the ice from there in the following summer to return to England. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Floeberg Beach[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]So far as the [I]Alert[/I] was concerned, the exploring work of the year was over. For another month hunting parties scoured the land for fresh food, and two sledge parties tried unsuccessfully to find an overland route to the [I]Discovery[/I] in case the[I] Alert[/I] was damaged or could not escape the ice this Summer. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After the return of the northern and western sledge expeditions with their sick men adding to those already suffering from scurvy, the [I]Alert[/I] was converted into a regular hospital, and could be said to be in charge of the medical officers; as those who were not actually under treatment had to be placed at the disposal of the doctors, to act as nurses, cooks, or attendants of some kind.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Much had to be done to get the ship ready for sea; but, for some time, only a few officers and three men could be employed in any work connected with these preparations, the remainder being engaged entirely with their duties to the sick. On the 1st of July, when the usual monthly medical examination was held, out of fifty three men on board, twenty seven were still under treatment for scurvy, four others were slightly affected, and eight had only recently recovered; five men were in a doubtful state of health from the same or other causes, leaving only nine who, in addition to the officers, could be depended on for hard work.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The principal work that had to be done, before the ice broke up round the ship, was to get on board and stow away all the provisions, stores and gunpowder that had been landed before the winter. All were re-embarked, instruments were brought on board and carefully packed up and put away, boats were hoisted up, the screw lowered, and the engines reported in good working order. A ten feet high cairn was erected on the summit of the nearby Cairn Hill, in which was deposited a record stating briefly what had been accomplished by the expedition, and giving a list of the officers and men of both ships.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]All through the early weeks of July the ice gave warnings of approaching disruption. The first movement occurred on 16th; and on the 21st, with a loud crack the ship suddenly righted herself from the heel towards shore, which had slowly increased during the winter under the pressure of the pack ice. Nevertheless, as long as it remained calm little movement was likely to occur, as a southerly wind was required to relieve the sea ice pressure and open up some navigable water.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Breaking free[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]At one o'clock in the morning of 23 July, the ice broke from the shore under the influence of a strong wind, and left pools of water outside the grounded barrier bergs; but when the wind lessened, it all closed in again. The barrier of grounded floebergs which had protected them all winter against the crushing forces of the sea ice, now imprisoned them. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In order to be ready when an opportunity to escape arose, they set about breaking a channel through the floes between the ship and the nearest gap in the wall of grounded bergs. The ice was far too thick for even the longest and heaviest ice-saws, but with three hundred pounds of gunpowder, carefully placed in torpedoes made of tin cans and lime-juice jars, it was shattered, piece by piece, and as each mass broke off and floated free, it was pushed out to seaward by the united efforts of the whole crew wielding levers and ice-poles.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The ice could be seen to be moving, and any day might see their release; so strict orders were issued that no one was to be absent from the ship, on any pretence, for a longer period than four hours without express permission. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Early on the morning of 31 July, a long black canal of water could be seen skirting the coast eastwards as far as Cape Rawson, and their attempt to escape had to be made now or never. A few strong charges of gunpowder shook the ship from her icy bed, and during a momentary slacking of the ice pressure as occurred at high water, with a greater pressure of steam than had been exerted even during the official steam trial, the ship commenced to move. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]By advancing and retreating, a water space was gradually formed in which the ship could gain momentum. The order "full speed ahead" was given, and the ship moved slowly forward into the channel blasted for her. Then, as she swung round under steam and sailed through the narrow portal in the wall of bergs, after eleven months, they took their last glimpse of Floeberg Beach.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Once round Cape Rawson, there would be no turning back. Thirty miles of shelterless cliff must be passed before they would reach the relative safety of Lincoln Bay, and for the whole of that distance the ship would have to run the gauntlet through a mere fissure between the vertical wall of shore ice and the moving, irresistible mass of ice floes eighty feet and more in thickness. At full speed, under steam and sail, in a channel only a quarter mile wide, they flew past the well-known headlands so often painfully rounded with tired crew and heavy sledge, past Cape Rawson and the dark precipices of Black Cape, until they entered the Robeson Channel.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In case the [I]Alert[/I] should not make it and was destroyed, every preparation was made to abandon ship quickly at any time. Provisions and sledges were piled on deck ready to launch on the floes. Tents, clothing, cooking utensils, and all necessaries for a life on shore were spread out on the upper deck in readiness to be thrown on the ice in the event of such a catastrophe. Notes, sketches and carefully selected specimens were packed into bundles, small enough to be pushed hastily into a pocket if it should be necessary to desert the ship. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Robeson Channel[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Once the Robeson Channel was entered, their water-way gradually narrowed, and all that night and next morning, they were hunted southwards by the sea ice slowly closing behind them, along the coast from the shelter of one little hollow of the ice-foot to another. Over and over again the ship had to be pushed and wriggled through desperately narrow gaps to avoid the closing floes behind her. Several times there was so little space to pass that their boats, hoisted high up at the davits, scraped along the perpendicular wall of ice.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]About four miles north of Cape Union, the ice pack pressed tightly against the shore, and blocked further progress. They had to wait until the next tide moved it and opened up a narrow space to let them pass. A few minutes after they passed through, it closed behind them. They crept along the narrow passage between the moving ice floes and the stationary shore ice, often having to find a small gap in the shore ice in which to shelter when the sea ice closed in under the action of both wind and tide.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Between Cape Union and the shelter of Lincoln Bay six miles to the south, there was an unbroken line of cliffs, which Captain Nares was not confident of being able to pass in one go, without being crushed against them. So he moved the [I]Alert[/I] out into the ice floes, reasoning that there would be less pressure exerted on the Alert within the pack itself. Shortly after the ship was secured to a floe, the whole pack commenced drifting towards the south, the ice near the land nipping against the ice-wall and showing how fortunate it was that he had moved the ship out of the way.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]By the time they had been carried three miles to the southward, the ice inshore ceased drifting to the southward, but the floe to which we were secured continued its course. South of Cape Union, the channel opened out and loosened the ice, and a large water pool near the shore about six miles away was seen. Taking advantage of a momentary opening in the ice, they steamed towards the land in the hope of finding an opening in the ice wall in which to secure the ship. When they reached the shore, they found that by keeping very close to the wall of shore ice, they were able to force a passage through the lighter pieces of ice bordering the main pack, which by this time was being carried to the northward by the tidal current.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Nares: "[I]Such favourable circumstances could not be expected to last for long, so we proceeded at full speed; but this again was a source of danger, and the very frequent changes of the helm as we made a tortuous course through the narrow water-channel, frequently grazing the ice-wall, caused much excitement[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They eventually rounded Cape Beechey on 4 August and saw a small bay a few miles to the south. A line of grounded bergs lay along the beach, with a gap in it just large enough to admit the ship. By the time they reached it, the ice had closed in, and they had only just enough time to thrust the ship through the gap, but the ice followed them into the bay, gradually forcing the ship up on the ice-foot, heeling her over and damaging her rudder. At four in the morning the pressure suddenly relaxed, and the ship fell two feet, but remained imprisoned. They called this "Shift Rudder Bay".[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. "Running the Gauntlet", an etching made from a sketch by Dr. Edward Moss (2 August 1876).[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2. Alert trapped in Shift Rudder Bay.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115318[/ATTACH]　 [ATTACH]115319[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Shift Rudder Bay[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]For days not a patch of water was to be seen in the ice, though the whole pack moved south with one tide and north with the next. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Stephenson, on the [I]Discovery[/I], was unaware that the [I]Alert[/I] had departed her winter quarters. Because [I]Discovery[/I] had to be ready to leave as soon as [I]Alert[/I] joined up with her, Egerton and a seaman started out on 5 August with Captain Nare’s news and orders. They covered the 20 miles in nineteen hours and arrived at Discovery Bay the following morning. On the evening of 6 August, Lieutenant Rawson and two seamen arrived from the [I]Discovery[/I], with news of Lieutenant Beaumont’s Greenland expedition, the survivors of which were at Polaris Bay, but had intended to leave on the 4th for Discovery Bay.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 6 August, it blew a gale from the north which increased the southward drift of ice in the Robeson Channel. A succession of heavy floes passed their bay, colliding with their barrier of outlying protecting floebergs. As it received the pressure, one large floeberg reared up to sixty feet turned completely over, breaking into a number of pieces which were carried away. With their protection gone, the pack closed in, forcing the lighter floebergs in the bay, farther inshore. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]One particularly large floe crushed through the gap, and although it grounded long before getting near the ship, the pressure behind was so enormous that it continued to advance, shovelling aside lumps of ice as big as a house, and rising out of the water as it did so, till it came against the side of the ship. First there was a rattle on deck as the pitch cracked and flew out of the seams; then a crunch as the ship yielded, and then another vibrating crunch, worse than the tear of a shot through a ship's timbers—but the decks did not buckle, and the sides did not collapse. They were now trapped in earnest, and if this floe remained grounded it would trap the [I]Alert[/I] for another winter.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]There was only one way of moving this "jailor" berg, and that was to lighten it sufficiently to allow it to float by hacking off the whole top of it. Time was everything, for the tide fell lower every day. So all hands set to work, and all that gunpowder, pick, and shovel could do was done.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]At last, after three day’s hard labour, at high tide it floated, turned partly over, and sailed out through the gate, considerably smaller than when it came in. They were just in time to take advantage of the ice opening up across the bay and down the coast. They were only twenty-five miles from the [I]Discovery[/I], but it took two further days of non stop sleepless activity, fighting for every mile. Late in the evening of the 11th, they rounded Distant Cape and caught sight of their sister ship.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachments[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Lightening the floeberg, from a photograph.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115320[/ATTACH]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Discovery Bay[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]It was 21.00 on 11 August, when the [I]Alert[/I] steamed into Discovery Harbour, and up to that date nothing had been heard or seen of Beaumont's missing group of men travelling from Polaris Bay. Look-out parties had already been sent to the mountain-tops overlooking the strait, who would signal with a flag if they saw them.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Nares: "[I]With a vivid recollection of the Robeson Channel drift before us, we could not calmly contemplate the possibility that they had already started and been swept off south in the breaking up pack. In such a case sudden destruction would be a merciful fate. There was still hope that they had not yet left the shore, and that if one of the ships could be forced across they might be rescued[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Accordingly, the [I]Alert[/I] was made ready, and the men who were not yet strong enough for hard work were transferred to the [I]Discovery[/I], and only working hands were kept on board. All their valuables, journals, specimens, etc., were handed over for safe keeping.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the night of the 12th and morning of the 13th the attempt was made, but the full steam power of the ship made no impression on the tightly packed ice. It was simply impossible to bore even one half-mile into a pack of such proportions, and they had to turn back to wait for a chance opening in the pack ice.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In the morning of 15 August, a tent was seen three miles away, close to Bellot Island. It was Beaumont's party making their way back, having travelled across Hall Basin on drifting ice. Lieutenant Markham immediately took a few men to go out to meet and assist them, and all returned safely.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U]Attachments[/U]: 1. [I]Discovery[/I] in summer. [ATTACH]115325[/ATTACH] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/CENTER]
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Orders to PO George Bryant to take command of sledge Bloodhound. Memo HMS Bloodhound Taking command of the M. Sledge Bloodhound you will assist in advancing the sledges and boats to the north under the command of Commander A H Markham. Proceeding on a journey to the Northward over the Ice. After you are detached from him you are to return to this ship with such dispatches as the state of the weather will allow going but you are not to expose your men to severe weather unnecessarily. With your experience in Arctic sledge travelling I look forward with confidence to your performing this duty satisfactorily George Bryant G J Nares Captain HMS Discovery Commanding Arctic Expedition

Fascinating reading! Thank you for making this available. I have a couple of photographs which I haven't seen on this thread, I'll try and find a way to post them. My interest in this expedition ([I]apart from the fascinating story[/I]) is that my great grandfather was in the RN at this time: James Blakely 69489, a signalman. I noticed that there is a signalman of the same name with the expedition on HMS Alert ([I]I have a photocopy of part of the Hampshire Telegraph October 28th 1876[/I]) however I have his service record and he appears to be with other ships during 1875/6 I cannot find a record of any other sailor with the same name at this time. Is there any way I can establish if my relative was the one on the expedition?

[quote=AndyBlakely;10025971]Fascinating reading! Thank you for making this available. I have a couple of photographs which I haven't seen on this thread, I'll try and find a way to post them. My interest in this expedition ([I]apart from the fascinating story[/I]) is that my great grandfather was in the RN at this time: James Blakely 69489, a signalman. I noticed that there is a signalman of the same name with the expedition on HMS Alert ([I]I have a photocopy of part of the Hampshire Telegraph October 28th 1876[/I]) however I have his service record and he appears to be with other ships during 1875/6 I cannot find a record of any other sailor with the same name at this time. Is there any way I can establish if my relative was the one on the expedition?[/quote] Hello Andy and welcome to the Forum. Pleased you have found something to interest you already. If you would like to post a copy of his service record in this section [URL]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=88[/URL] we will endeavour to make look at it and, perhaps, work out his whereabouts at that time. The NA has two sets of records for James Blakely, from Bangor, [URL="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3djames|last_name%3dblakely&first_date=18550101&last_date=18551231&catid=15&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray"]http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3djames|last_name%3dblakely&first_date=18550101&last_date=18551231&catid=15&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray[/URL]=* Jim

Thank you for the welcome and for pointing me to the "Service Records" area - I have now posted my great-grandfathers Service Record. I will endeavour to obtain sight of the second record you pointed out to me, many thanks. :) Two photographs which may be of interest ([I]I'm afraid I haven't noted where I obtained them from originally[/I]) [B]Rawlings Bay: Alert onshore. View from under the bows at low water, August 1876[/B] This depicts an event when 'Alert' was returning south: ‘[at] the very top of high-water a rather insignificant looking piece of ice pressed against the ship…and we suddenly found the ship aground forward with deep water under the stern... Before any means could be taken to release her from this position, the tide had fallen fourteen feet at low water, leaving the fore foot and keel bare as far as the fore-channels; the ship lying over on her bilge at an angle of twenty-two degrees’. At the next high water ship was lightened and hauled off unharmed.
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[quote=AndyBlakely;10025971]My interest in this expedition ([I]apart from the fascinating story[/I]) is that my great grandfather was in the RN at this time: James Blakely 69489, a signalman. I noticed that there is a signalman of the same name with the expedition on HMS Alert ([I]I have a photocopy of part of the Hampshire Telegraph October 28th 1876[/I]) however I have his service record and he appears to be with other ships during 1875/6 I cannot find a record of any other sailor with the same name at this time. Is there any way I can establish if my relative was the one on the expedition?[/quote] Hello Andy, I have checked the expedition crew lists of both Alert and Discovery and cannot find any mention of a James Blakely, or any similar name. This doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't present, as I have already identified omissions. Could you scan and post the photocopy of the paper in which he is mentioned, as there may be further clues to the mystery there.

I am having difficulty uploading any more files ([I]than I have already done[/I]) today - is there an 'upload limit'? Maybe my internet connection is too slow (it's a public library) I will try again at the weekend. :confused: Meanwhile, if you haven't seen this site it may well be of interest: [URL="http://www.cavillconnections.co.uk/crewlist%20table.html"]http://www.cavillconnections.co.uk/crewlist%20table.html[/URL]

[QUOTE=emason;10026042]Hello Andy, I have checked the expedition crew lists of both Alert and Discovery and cannot find any mention of a James Blakely, or any similar name. This doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't present, as I have already identified omissions. Could you scan and post the photocopy of the paper in which he is mentioned, as there may be further clues to the mystery there.[/QUOTE] Hello Bill, the Service Record(s) of James Blakely have been uploaded to the other forum (link above) and Jim has kindly deciphered & transcribed them. I think we can conclude he wasn't on the expedition since his record shows him as being attached on other ships and anyway he would probably have been considered too young &/or inexperienced for this expedition. I've attached an image from the Hampshire Telegraph of October 28th 1876 and I'm now doubting the accuracy of the list shown there. Perhaps you can compare it with your lists and form a conclusion. Thanks to everyone for your help and advice, I'm looking forward to the next instalment of the expedition narrative :)
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Andy, I have compared the HT crew list with those that I have, and there are several differences. For example, the HT shows the Chaplain as Hodson, whereas it was in fact Pullen, he even had Mount Pullen named for him. I notice that the two signalmen the HT shows are Mills and Blakely, neither of which appear on other lists I have. It seem that they decided not to take signalmen with them. I can only assume that the HT perhaps had retained a preliminay list from which changes were later made, possibly due to sickness or other reasons. I will post the crew lists I have, when I have had time to make them presentable.

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 10[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [U][SIZE=2][B]Discovery Bay[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]After [I]Alert[/I] had joined [I]Discovery,[/I] and the return of Lieutenant Beaumont, Dr. Coppinger and the men from Polaris Bay on 14 August, the two ships were prepared for the passage southward; but the ice outside of Discovery Bay was still impenetrable. While they waited for conditions to improve, they conducted exploration, scientific measurements and observations.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 18 August Captain Stephenson deposited an account of the expedition proceedings in a cairn which had been constructed from empty tins, refilled with gravel. A post-office box was placed in the centre of the pile. The [I]Discovery[/I] then crossed the bay and anchored near Bellot Island. A heavy floe drifting past forced her on shore, and with a falling tide, she heeled fifteen degrees, but she soon floated free with the next rising tide, without damage, after a few hours.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 19th, the lookout from high on Bellot Island saw that Cape Baird on the south shore of Lady Franklin Sound was ice free, but the two ships were still unable to shake free of the ice on the north shore in Discovery Bay. During the ebb-tide the ice loosened a little, and they tried to force a path through, but after an hour's steaming gave up the attempt.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On 20 August, deciding that they could wait no longer for the ice to clear naturally, they blasted a passage through with gunpowder, into a broad stream of water extending along the coast to the southward, which they hoped would eventually lead into open water. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Cape Baird and Cape Leiber were passed in comparatively open water, with the ice becoming less and less. By midnight they found themselves nearly sixty miles on their southward journey, and still steaming full speed. The Kennedy Channel lay open, a sheet of mirror like water as far as the eye could see.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Rawling's Bay[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]But it couldn't last; as they steamed southward, the ice gradually became thicker and thicker, until at 04.00 on the 21st, they were in danger of being cut off from the land. Turning back, they succeeded in gaining the refuge of Rawling's Bay[B]*[/B], situated at the south western end of the Kennedy Channel. As the weather looked threatening, they ran up the bay, hoping to find shelter for the ships. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They entered a land-locked basin, named Radmore Harbour[B]*[/B], and secured the [I]Alert[/I] to a grounded iceberg; the [I]Discovery[/I] going farther in and making fast to some ice. At the head of the bay there was a discharging glacier, which they named Jolliffe[B]*[/B].[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][[B]Note: *[/B] All these were named after men from Lieutenant Markham’s sledge crew.][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The strong current produced by a spring tide had brought into the harbour with them, a large quantity of ice, which gradually filled it up, but it was not expected to cause any trouble in such a sheltered position.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They had just moored, when a drifting floe caught against the bow of the [I]Alert[/I] and pushed her on shore at the peak of the spring high tide. As the tide receded, the sea level dropped by fourteen feet, leaving her bows high and dry on the beach, and for many hours the ship remained in a critical position listing at an angle of 22°, so that it was possible to walk under the front of her keel, and it was feared that she would capsize down the sloping beach. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]To prevent this happening, a heavy piece of ice floe was brought alongside the ship, and the bower anchor lowered onto it. The anchor on its ice raft was then towed by boats to a position where it would check the heel; then the raft was then blown up with a charge of gunpowder underneath it, releasing the anchor which sank to the bottom. The slack in the chain cable was then taken up with the capstan, halting any inclination to heel further. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They unloaded a large quantity of stores to lighten the ship, so that when the tide rose again, the whole crew, straining on the capstan, were able to drag her off the ice after having been stuck there for fifteen hours. Early the next morning (22nd), when the ice was seen to be leaving the coast, they took the opportunity offered, and left the bay.[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2]Attachment[/SIZE][/U][SIZE=2]s:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Ashore in Radmore Harbour.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115442[/ATTACH]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The Kane Basin and Smith Sound[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]After leaving Rawling’s Bay on 22 August, they proceeded southward, down the western coast of the Kane Basin, keeping inshore of the pack, and made moderate progress until, on the 24th, they rounded Cape Fraser, halfway down the Kane Basin. From this point onwards, southward to the entrance of Smith's Sound, their journey was one monotonous struggle with the ice. Captain Nares took up his customary position in the crow’s nest to guide the ships through the narrow leads as they appeared, and to avoid anything which could present a danger to the ships. He spent most of the daylight hours there, having occasional meals set up to him, descending only to sleep and confer with his officers.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They were frequently detained for many hours, and rarely advanced more than a few hundred yards during the day. The fast-forming ice and the now snow covered land reminded them uncomfortably of the approach of winter. Day after day the ships pushed onward between the ice floes and the shore in whatever openings the changing tide made for them, sheltering behind every projection of the coast. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Progress was painfully slow, and on the 27 August they were detained in Dobbin Bay by the ice and weather until 3 September. The temperature had fallen to 19°F, and they remembered uncomfortably that it was on this same day, the previous year, the [I]Alert[/I] became ice bound at Floeberg Beach. They still had many miles to go before they could actually be clear of the ice; until then they were still in danger of being trapped for another winter.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Day by day the new ice grew so thick that the whole power of the steam engines could not push through. It cracked here and there before the ships, but soon brought both to a standstill, and the order was given to put out the fires, as their coal stocks had dwindled. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Some movement in the floes occurred on 6 September, and the opportunity was not lost. They used the steam engines to push the ships through the floes, past Cape Sabine and into Smith Sound. The [I]Discovery[/I] led the way, the shape of her bow enabling her to glide up on the ice till her weight broke down through it, advancing with a sort of pitching movement. She was completely stopped several times; and with all hands running from side to side on the upper deck, they rolled the ship, until she cleared herself and made headway again.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]A swell coming from the south promised a long stretch of open water, and shortly before midnight, on 9 September, Cape Isabella was reached and the ships were soon clear of Smith Sound. Captain Nares was able at last to descend from [I]Alert[/I]’s crow’s nest where his long, almost sleepless vigil was over, for his two ships were once more safe in the North Water of Baffin Bay. Feeling their ships rise and fall on an undoubted ocean swell, and looking around and seeing nothing but blue water and, with the exception of a few straggling bergs, not a single speck of ice in sight, their spirits soared.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Cape Isabella[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Cape Isabella, on the western side of the entrance of Smith's Sound, was one of the points chosen where letters for the expedition might be deposited. On their northern passage the year before, Lieutenant Markham had erected a couple of cairns on Cape Isabella establishing a post office. So when they hove-to under the Cape, he was assigned the duty of checking to see if letters had been deposited there during their absence. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On checking the lower cairn, he found an additional cask had been placed there, which when opened was found to contain a small package of mail for each ship. They imagined that the bulk of their mail had been left either at Disco or Upernivik.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The mail had been left by a relief ship [I]HMS Pandora[/I], sent out from England to deliver and collect mail, and to communicate with the expedition via messages left at cairns. Had Markham examined the cairn on the summit of Cape Isabella, he would have learnt that the bulk of the mail had been taken to Littleton Island, and deposited there.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Leaving Cape Isabella during the night of the 9th, they steamed south eastwards towards the Cary Islands and Greenland, seldom meeting with floes of any size.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Baffin Bay[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]On 11 September, with a temporary lull in the wind, they proceeded under steam, with one ship towing the other to conserve coal. But on closing the Greenland shore, the southerly wind freshened and they were obliged to put the ships under sail.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 12th, it was blowing so hard and the mist so thick, that they had to seek quickly an anchorage in Whale Sound, Greenland, and wait until the weather moderated. The ships were worked up under fore and aft sails and steam, eventually anchoring in Barden Bay, close to the Tyndall Glacier.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]During the night, the wind shifted round suddenly to the northward, blowing directly into the bay. A falling barometer and thick snow storm, led them to expect a strong gale from the north. This, together with the dark night, and rocky shore, convinced Captain Nares to put to sea. With the temperature falling to 27° they wanted to make their way south as quickly as possible. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]But the wind changed again, and now came strongly from the south, forcing them to take a SW course across Baffin Bay towards Lancaster Sound, Canada, instead of the SE course they wanted towards Disco Bay, Greenland. With a contrary wind and low coal stock, they had to cross Baffin Bay under sail, and arrived off Possession Bay on the south side of Lancaster Sound at noon on the 16th.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The strong southerly winds continued, and now could only sail eastwards towards Greenland. At noon on the 19th, a light northerly wind enabled them to make a direct course towards Upernivik. On closing the Greenland shore on the 20th, the wind changed, blowing again from the south, forcing them to make a long SW tack out to sea. After sailing on this course for several days, they tacked back to the SE, and reached Disco Bay on 25 September. It was here that they learned that they had missed their mail ship [I]Pandora[/I] by only four days.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They stayed in Disco for two days, taking on 30 tons of coal, then sailed for Egedesminde, arriving on the 29th, to take on 20 tons more.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U]Attachments[/U]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. Map of course homeward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115443[/ATTACH]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Homeward[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]On 2 October they left the Greenland shore for the final time, and headed southwards, keeping close to the Greenland coast, and recrossed the Arctic circle on the 4th.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 12th, during a very severe gale in which the ships were hove-to, the rudder-head of the [I]Alert[/I], which had been sprung when the ship was in the ice, was severely damaged.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 16th they fell in with the [I]Pandora[/I], the only vessel met with during the voyage. The three ships kept company for two days, but on the night of the 19th she was lost to sight during a strong gale.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On the 20th, in the middle of a very heavy storm, with the sea a mass of driving foam, the rudder pendants carried away; fortunately they were hove-to, and during a lull before evening they had secured another pair.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Not wishing to proceed up the English Channel under sail with a defective rudder, and the wind having driven them far to the northward, Captain Nares decided to take the [I]Alert [/I]to Valentia Harbour (SW Ireland) for repairs, arriving there on the 27th. While there he telegraphed the Admiralty to announce his arrival. The [I]Discovery[/I] went straight on to Queenstown, arriving there on the 29th. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]After shifting the rudder, the [I]Alert[/I] proceeded to Queenstown, joined [I]Discovery[/I], and sailed for England. They entered Portsmouth Harbour on 2 November; the [I]Pandora[/I] having arrived at Falmouth the previous day.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In his narrative, Nares wrote: "[I]I will not here dwell on the warm and hearty reception which the officers and men received from all classes of their countrymen, notwithstanding the somewhat natural disappointment that the North Pole had not been reached[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The following letter, dated 4 November, was addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty by Queen Victoria's secretary:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]'"[I]I am commanded by the Queen to request that you will communicate to Captain Nares, and to the officers and men under his command, Her Majesty's hearty congratulations on their safe return. The Queen highly appreciates the valuable services which have been rendered by them in the late Arctic Expedition, and she fully sympathises in the hardships and sufferings they have endured, and laments the loss of life which has occurred. The Queen would be glad if her thanks could be duly conveyed to these gallant men for what they have accomplished[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]What had been accomplished?[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Despite not reaching the North Pole, the expedition had achieved much in its eighteen months:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The [I]Alert[/I] was the first ship to traverse the Robeson Channel, and had sailed further north than any previous vessel. Until 1948, only four other vessels had ever reached this far north.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The men of Markham's sledge expedition were the first to cross latitude 83 degrees north, and reached farther north than any previous known man.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They had explored and mapped 300 miles of the northern Ellesmere Island and northern Greenland coastlines. They had also corrected previous charts of the Ellesmere Island eastern coastline. From this, charts were produced which would not be bettered for fifty years.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They brought back a huge amount of significant scientific findings which would later give rise to some forty published articles and reports. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]More than 100 photographs had been taken which still represent the largest and earliest collection of Arctic photography. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]They also discovered that the "open Polar sea" did not exist and that the North Pole was covered by a frozen Arctic Ocean.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Despite all this, the Admiralty lost any further interest in Arctic exploration, and this expedition was the last they would mount.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The final accolades[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]The most northern, permanently inhabited place on Earth is situated six miles east of Floeberg Beach. It was established in 1950, and is now home to a Canadian weather station and signals intelligence station, and is called Alert.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In 1964, the Danish and Canadian governments met to agree a name for the waterway between Ellesmere Island and Greenland, reaching from the northern part of Baffin Bay to where it meets the Lincoln Sea; comprising Smith Sound, Kane Basin, Kennedy Channel, Hall Basin and Robeson Channel. The name they chose was the "Nares Strait".[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2][I]([I]Continued[/I])[/I][/SIZE]
Attachments :

[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 11[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The Rewards[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]With the exception of both ships' captains, most other officers and some of the crew of both [I]Alert[/I] and [I]Discovery[/I] were promoted immediately on their return. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Nares was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1876, and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He received the founder's medal of the Royal Geographical Society and presented with a gold watch, and was awarded the Gold medal from Société de Géographie in 1879. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Stephenson was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in December 1876.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Markham was presented with a gold watch by the Royal Geographical Society for his reaching the furthest north.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In presenting Lieutenant Parr with a gold watch, Sir Rutherford Alcock, the President of the Royal Geographical Society, said of his life-saving trek to get help for Markham’s sledge-team, ‘[I]I know of nothing more heroic in the annals of war or travel than that solitary walk of thirty miles.[/I]’ [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B][U]　[/U][/B][/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The Reaction[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]The [I]Quarterly Review [/I](a literary and political periodical) wrote: "[I]It was irrelevant that Britain had failed to reach the Pole. There are some defeats which are more glorious than victories; some failures which are grander than the most magnificent success[/I]. [I]We read with such unmixed satisfaction of the truly heroic endurance exhibited by the sledge parties under Markham and Beaumont that we hardly care to inquire whether any minor objects of scientific interest have been left unattained[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]But the congratulations had hardly died away when the public, so used to success or heroic failure, led by the press, had a different opinion. The opinions of the Royal Geographical Society and the Quarterly Review counted for nothing. Despite all the expedition's achievements, it was the failure to reach the North Pole which grabbed the headlines. To their eyes, the expedition had been sent to plant the Union Jack at the North Pole, and had failed. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]When he sent his telegraph from Ireland announcing his return, Nares had used the phrase "[I]North Pole impracticable[/I]". Seizing on this, the Press started on their vilification of Captain Nares. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]"[I]The Polar Failure[/I]" is how one headline announced their return. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The Saturday Review (a weekly London newspaper) declared that "[I]The principal officers in command had no heart in the work; they went because they were appointed and returned as speedily as they could."[/I] [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The Navy magazine, previously Nares’s supporter, added: "[I]Verily the expedition of 1875-6 has but little of which to boast. It went out like a rocket and has come back like the stick.[/I]" and demanded he be court-martialled for his lack of zeal, and making the Admiralty a laughing-stock in the eyes of foreign nations. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]The Investigation[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]There were debates as to the reasons for the expedition’s failure to reach the North Pole, but besides being simply beyond their means, it was the outbreak of scurvy which caused Nares to abort the expedition and return to Britain. All this public clamour could not be ignored by the Admiralty, who set up an investigation committee to inquire into the causes.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Nares was a handy scapegoat. He was not court-martialled but he had to sit through a long and detailed inquiry into why scurvy had been allowed to take hold. From 10 January to 3 March 1877, seven admirals sat every day of the week except Sunday, listening to statements from fifty "expert" witnesses, and asking more than 9,000 questions of them. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]The resulting 500 page "Report on Scurvy" by Dr. Donnet and Dr. Fraser, concluded that the causes were attributed to: "[I]The want of fresh vegetable food, or of some of the constituents which compose fresh vegetables, and probably also fresh animal food, is the cause of scurvy. It is essentially a consequence of defective rather than of deficient nutrition; a species of starvation due to the want of a particular element, [U]the nature of which we are entirely ignorant[/U][/I]; [I]which is, according to most authorities, afforded by fresh vegetable juices; whist some are of the opinion that fresh animal flesh in the raw state especially, and milk, are also possessed of powerful antiscorbutic properties[/I]."[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Despite the fact that none of the antiscorbutic foods mentioned were available, and that the committee were entirely ignorant of what it was that was lacking in the food, the inquiry delivered its verdict: ‘[I]We find that the orders of the Commander of the Expedition for provisioning the three extended and principal spring parties did not include lime juice, thereby deviating from the 11th Article of the Memorandum of Recommendations and Suggestions of the Medical Director-General, furnished by their Lordships for his information, and that the reasons assigned for such deviation being insufficient, the said orders were not proper."[/I][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In other words, 'we don't know what causes scurvy, but it was probably lack of lime juice and so it must be Nares’s fault', ignoring the fact that regular lime juice rations were issued, as shown by the officers's diaries and journals. But a scapegoat had to be found.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Nares’s allies spoke up with their support for him; Sir Clements Markham (secretary, and the future president of the Royal Geographical Society, and Commander Markham’s cousin) published an immediate rebuttal of the Scurvy Report, citing sympathetic sources such as the legendary Arctic explorer, Sir Leopold McClintock.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In a letter to The Times on 21 May 1877. Sir Rutherford Alcock (President of the Royal Geographical Society), regretted [I]"the ungenerous, not to say vindictive, criticism with which the leader of the late Expedition has been persecuted by a certain portion of the Press, more especially that portion representing the medical profession[/I]." [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Commander Albert Markham's support for Nares was lifelong, even after Nares’s death. When in 1916, the British Government introduced daylight saving time, he refused to alter his Royal Geographical Society's gold watch, because he said "[I]it still kept Nares’s hours[/I]". [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In fact, it was the Royal Navy’s provisioning which was at fault. Previous expeditions had found that ordinary lime juice froze in its bottles and burst them, so the expedition had been supplied with a concentrated version, which also had the benefit of being lighter to carry and took up less volume. But the concentrating process, involving boiling the juice, destroyed the Vitamin C content and most of its anti-scorbutic properties. Had fresh limes or lemons been taken instead, then scurvy may have been avoided, but no one could have known this at the time.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] Although Captain Nares received no further promotion before he retired in 1886, he is immortalised in many Canadian place names - Cape Nares, Nares Strait, Naresland, Nares Lake, Nares River, Nares Mountain and Nares Inlet. [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"------[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]([I]Continued[/I])[/SIZE]

[CENTER][SIZE=3][B][U][/U][/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B][U][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/U][/B][/SIZE][SIZE=3][/CENTER] [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 12[/I])[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][SIZE=2]Note: [/SIZE][SIZE=3][B]+[/B][SIZE=2] =[/SIZE] [/SIZE][SIZE=2]Died while with the expedition.[/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2] [CENTER][U][B][B]HMS Alert – Ship’s Company (62)[/B][/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Officers[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Captain George S. Nares.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Commander Albert H. Markham.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Henry W. Feilden, R.A., naturalist.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Senior Lieutenant Pelham Aldrich.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Alfred A.0. Parr.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant George A. Giffard.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant William H. May.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Fleet-Surgeon Thomas Colan M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Surgeon Edward L. Moss, M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Reverend W.H. Pullen, chaplain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Sub-Lieutenant George Le Clerc Egerton.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Wootton, engineer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George White, engineer.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Men[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]George I. Burroughs, ship's steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Joseph Good, chief boatswain's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John N. Radmore, chief carpenter's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Vincent Dominic, ship's cook.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Thores, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Berrie, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]David Deuchars, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Edwin Lawrence, gunner's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Doidge, captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Daniel W. Harley, captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Stuckberry, captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Rawlings, captain forecastle.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Jolliffe, captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Spero Capato, captain's steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Kemish, wardroom steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Hawkins, cooper.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Simmons, 2nd captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Adam Ayles, 2nd captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry Mann, shipwright.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Self, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Maskell, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William P. Woolley, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Cranston, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Reuben Francombe, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Pearson, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Ferbrache, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alfred R. Pearce, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]David Mitchell, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert D. Symonds, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas H. Simpson, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Malley, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Winstone, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Lorimer, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Frederick Cane, armourer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert Joiner, leading stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Norris, carpenter’s crew.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Shirley, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Stubbs, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William I. Gore, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Hunt, wardroom cook.[/SIZE] [B][SIZE=3]+[/SIZE][/B][SIZE=2]Niels Christian Petersen, Danish interpreter and dog driver.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frederick, Greenlander dog driver and hunter.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Marines[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]William Wood, colour sergeant.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Ellard, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Hollins, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Smith, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B]+[/B][/SIZE][SIZE=2]George Porter, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Elias Hill, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Oakley, gunner.[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2][U][B]HMS Discovery – Ship’s Company (60)[/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER] [U][SIZE=2][B]Officers[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]Captain Henry F. Stephenson.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Senior Lieut. Lewis A. Beaumont.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Robert H. Archer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Reginald B. Fulford.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Staff-Surgeon Belgrave Ninnis, M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Surgeon Richard W. Coppinger, M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Charles E. Hodgson, chaplain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Chichester Hart, B A., naturalist.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Sub-Lieutenant C. I. M. Conybeare.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Daniel Cartmel, engineer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Matthew R. Miller, engineer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Mitchell, assistant-paymaster.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Men[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]George R. Sarah, ship's steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George W. Emmerson, chief boatswain's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]E. C. Eddy, chief captain's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alexander Gray, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Dougall, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Edward Taws, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Bryant, captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frank Chatel, captain forecastle.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]David Stewart, captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Simmons, captain forecastle.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Bunyan, ropemaker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Ward, armourer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Shepherd, cooper.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John E. Smith, sailmaker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Jonah Gear, wardroom steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Stone, 2nd captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Cooper, 2nd captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry W. Edwards, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Benjamin Wyatt, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Daniel Girard, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Michael Regan, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Chalkley, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Hodges, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Thornback, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alfred Hindle, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Peter Craig, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Leggatt, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert W. Hitchcock, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John S. Saggers, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B]+[/B][/SIZE][SIZE=2]James J. Hand, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B]+[/B][/SIZE][SIZE=2]Charles Paul, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry Windser, carpenter's crew.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Phillips, wardroom cook.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Jeremiah Rourke, leading stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frank Jones, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Samuel Bulley, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William R. Sweet, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Jenkins, carpenter’s mate[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Hans Heindrich, Greenlander.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Marines[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William C. Wellington, sergeant.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Wilson Dobing, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Cropp, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Elijah Rayner, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Waller, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Darke, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Murray, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry Petty, private.[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2][[B]Note:[/B] This list of 122 members of the 1875 Expedition has been cross checked with that published by the Scott Polar Research Institute, and the list of Arctic Medal recipients held by the National Archives, and it believed to be accurate.][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2][B]The Arctic Medal 1875-1876[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]All 122 expedition members of [I]HMS Alert[/I] and [I]HMS Discovery[/I] were awarded a commemorative medal, called the Arctic Medal 1875-1876. The crew of [I]HMS Pandora[/I] also received the same medal.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U]Attachments[/U]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. The Arctic Medal 1875-1876[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115673[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER]
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[CENTER][U][B][SIZE=3][B]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U][/CENTER] [B][SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 13[/I])[/B][/SIZE][/B] [LEFT][B][/B] [B][SIZE=2][U][B]What happened to them in Later Life[/B][/U][/SIZE][/B][/LEFT] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Captain George Strong Nares[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In 1878 he was given the command once more of [I]HMS Alert[/I], in which he surveyed the Strait of Magellan. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]11 March 1879, he was recalled to take up the appointment as Marine Advisor to the Board of Trade, in which he served until 1896.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]24 April 1886, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1887 promoted on the retired list to Rear-Admiral. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1892 promoted on the retired list to Vice-Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Captain Henry Frederick Stephenson[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]4 August 1890, promoted Rear-Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]10 October 1896, promoted Vice- Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]22 June 1897, appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]7 December 1901, promoted Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]16 September 1904, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]4 May 1893 to 19 June 1896, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Station.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]7 June 1897 to 20 December 1898, Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Squadron.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]26 June 1897, he flew his flag from [I]HMS Majestic[/I] during the Spithead Naval Review. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]28 March 1902 to 1904, First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]9 November 1902, appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]March 1903, Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]24 July 1904, appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Lieutenant Albert Hastings Markham[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted to Captain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 August 1891, he was promoted to rear-admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]23 August 1897, promoted Vice-Admiral[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]21 January 1903, promoted Admiral[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]11 November 1906, he retired from the Royal Navy [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From 1879 to 1882 he was the captain of Triumph, the flagship of the Pacific Station. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In 1883 he was appointed as captain of HMS Vernon, a naval torpedo school in Portsmouth. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]14 May 1888 he was appointed naval aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]From 1886 to 1889 he acted as commodore of the training squadron, [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]He served for many years on the Council of the Royal Geographical Society[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Lieutenant Pelham Aldrich[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted Commander.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]29 June 1883, promoted Captain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]21 December 1898, promoted Rear-Admiral [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]12 August 1903, promoted Vice-Admiral [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 March 1907. promoted Admiral[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]22 March 1908, he retired from the Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]On being promoted to Captain on 29 June 1883, he commanded the [I]Sylvia[/I] and [I]Egeria[/I] on further surveying expeditions of the Cape of Good Hope and Australia. He was Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard from 1 September 1899 to 31 August 1902. [/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Lieutenant Lewis Anthony Beaumont[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted Commander.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]30 June 1882, promoted Captain[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]23 August 1897, promoted Rear-Admiral[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]23 July 1901, knighted[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 September 1902, promoted Vice-Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]17 October 1906, promoted Admiral[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]19 May 1912, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Sub-Lieutenant George Le Clerc Egerton[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]15 October 1875, promoted Lieutenant.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 January 1887, promoted Commander.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]21 July 1890, appointed Commander of Vernon. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 January 1893, promoted Captain. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]25 May 1897, appointed an Ordinary Member of the Order of the Bath (C.B.) [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]10 February 1902, appointed Captain of Vernon.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]8 December 1903, appointed Naval Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2 March, 1905, promoted Rear-Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]2 January 1909, promoted Vice-Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]24 June 1910, appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.).[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]25 March 1911 appointed Second Sea Lord. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]5 December 1916, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Lieutenant Alfred Arthur Chase Parr[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted Commander.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]21 June 1887, promoted Captain[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]24 May 1901, promoted Rear-Admiral.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]5 July 1903, promoted Vice-Admiral[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]8 March 1906, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1908, promoted Admiral[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]13 September 1882, promoted Commander after being wounded in the action at Tel-el-Kebir while securing the Suez Canal, but later died from his wounds aboard [I]HMS Carthage[/I] in Malta. He was Naval ADC to General Wolseley at the time. [/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Sub-Lieutenant Crawford James Markland Conybeare[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted Lieutenant.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]20 May 1884, promoted Commander, following service in the Naval brigade with the Soudan Expeditionary Force.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]30 June 1892, promoted Captain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]17 June 1896, retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1 October 1904, promoted Rear-Admiral on the retired list.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Fleet Surgeon Thomas Colan MD[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]11 March 1877, promoted Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]14 April 1883, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Surgeon Edward Lawton Moss MD[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted Staff Surgeon.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]In 1880, at the age of 37 years, he was one of 280 men of the training ship [I]HMS Atalanta[/I] (originally [I]HMS Juno[/I]) which disappeared without trace after setting out from Bermuda to Falmouth. All their names are inscribed on a memorial in St. Ann’s church Portsmouth.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/B][/U] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Surgeon Richard William Coppinger MD[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]3 November 1876, promoted Staff Surgeon.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]22 February 1885, promoted Fleet Surgeon[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]20 May 1896, promoted Deputy Inspector-General Hospitals and Fleets.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]13 March 1901, promoted Inspector-General Hospitals and Fleets.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]25 January 1906, he retired from the Royal Navy.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE]

[Any idea if Albert Hastings Markham was any relation to Sir Clements Markham? Clements went to the Arctic as a middy with HMS Assistance, searching for Franklin, and much later encouraged Scott to take up polar exploration.] Edit: Oops, sorry, I should read the whole thread before asking silly questions! I've just read back up to the top and discovered the answer. Silly me. Apropos the lime juice, even fresh lime juice contains considerably less vitamin C (finally isolated in the 1920s) than fresh lemon juice, and therefore might not of itself have been enough to prevent some appearance of scurvy.

[SIZE=2]Hello Jane, regarding Clements Markham:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Clements Markham, or to give his full title, Sir Clements Robert Markham KCB FRS, at the time of the 1875 Expedition was Secretary to the Royal Geographical Society, later to become its President. He was one of the proponents for the Expedition, lobbying many of his M.P. contacts. [/SIZE] [SIZE=2]He was invited to accompany the Expedition sailing on [I]HMS Alert [/I]as far as Disco in Greenland. He did so, returning on [I]HMS Valorous.[/I] There is a Clements Markham Inlet, named after him, to the west of Cape Joseph Henry on the north coast of Ellesmere Island..[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert Falcon Scott was a protoge of his, and secured for him the leadership of Scott's first Antarctic Expedition. Markham remained on close personal terms him, and as a mark of Scott's respect, he invited him to be his son's godfather, naming him Peter Markham Scott in his honour.[/SIZE] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=2][FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/FONT] [/SIZE][/FONT]

Thanks Bill :)

[SIZE=2]These are some miscellaneous images which I didn't use, but may still be of interest.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]1.[/B] An etching of Alert and Discovery in a rather fanciful landscape.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]2.[/B] Discovery overwintering in Discovery Harbour.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]3.[/B] A watercolour of Discovery and Alert by William Frederick Mitchell. Probably from a photograph.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　 [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]116141[/ATTACH]　[ATTACH]116142[/ATTACH] [/SIZE][ATTACH]116143[/ATTACH] [SIZE=2][B]4.[/B] Alert frozen in Floeberg Beach.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]5.[/B] Photograph of Alert with crew reducing a floeberg when trapped in Shift Rudder Bay. An etching of this photo was attached to post #24.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]6.[/B] A satellite image of the Nares Strait. It is interesting in that it shows an ice free passage as far north as the Robeson Channel - the wind having blown the ice almost entirely to the west (Canada) side. Discovery Bay is completetly iced up - similar conditions to 20 August 1876, when they had to blow up the ice to reach clear water from Discovery Bay.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]116144[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]116145[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]116153[/ATTACH][SIZE=2]　[/SIZE][/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER]
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[QUOTE=Bluefont1;10023412]This is a photograph of George Bryant, PO of the Fo'csle, HMS Discovery. The log he kept contains details of the weather conditions and orders relating to changes to the sails throughout the voyage. He also talks of scurvy, particularly on the Alert, sledging expeditions and the deaths of a number of crew. It appears that the crew received double pay. [ATTACH]114467[/ATTACH][/QUOTE] Wow, how absolutely cool is that to see a picture of my Great Grandfather George Bryant looking out at me, far more than I could have ever hoped for. Bluefont1 thank you for posting the info and photo, you must have married a distant relative of mine. In our branch of the family, we are descended from his eldest son Albert, a Master at Arms, George is rather a legend for his exploits. I have seen some transcript of his log elsewhere, but, never any scan of part of the original document. Bluefont1 has posted a separate section for some more of his logs. In the final one he describes the 1882 - 1886 log as incomplete. It looks like George's last entry date is 30th June when he is serving on HMS Myrmidon surveying the Great Barrier Reef. The reason that it is incomplete is that on 7th July he is killed in a tragic accident when he and two others become tangled in a coiled anchor rope whilst moving an anchor aboard a small row boat and they are dragged to 160 fathoms and drowned. I understand that they were buried at sea and somewhere my parent have a photograph of a monument erected on the shore to their memory. I have attached a small cutting of the incident here but will post more cuttings (if I can up load them) relating to the final voyage on the Logs of George Bryant thread. And finally thank you to Bill (emason) for a sterling job with the Arctic Expedition postings I love the pictures and I'm going to have to take my time to read the narrative.
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Sorry to pick up on an old thread, I've just been pointed to it. My great grandfather, John Hollins, was a private in the RMLI detachment aboard HMS Alert, his service records show that he was absent from the Alert for 118 days, 'on sledging duties', although there is a disparity of a few days between the copy I have (his personal one) and the copy in the National Archives. He was invalided out of the Marines in 1889 with arthritis. He went on to represent the Singer Sewing Machine Company and later set up as a boot and shoe repairer in Shrewsbury. He died in Shrewsbury in 1919. Thanks for all the details on the expedition, I will look at the pics in detail. There was quite a bit in magazines like the 'Illustrated London News' and 'The Graphic', preparations, stories from the expedition and later the homecoming and the dinners. A recent book 'The Arctic in the British Imagination, 1818-1914' examines the way that pictures portrayed in the press at the time may have differed from the actualities, with some airbrushing of history going on, even as the expedition was underway. [url]http://www.ric.edu/faculty/rpotter/robdavid.html[/url] I also have an 1877 book, "Arctic Expeditions from British and Foreign Shores ..." which finishes with the Nares Expedition and contains some illustrations from that time. I'll scan and post if anyone is interested Following the expedition there was a series of lectures given which were accompanied by glass lantern slides, and through a fortuitous eBay purchase I own a dozen of these slides. They had come to Australia with a friend of the chap that I purchased them from, some years ago, and one of them was put on eBay to 'test the water'. As I said, I'm sorry to reply to an old post, but I found it very interesting. Graham

Hello Graham, I am glad you found this thread interesting, and anything you can contribute to it, relevant to this expedition is welcome. John Hollins was part of the "Bellerophon" sledge party, which was led by Lieutenant George Egerton, and comprised Thomas Stuckberry, William Gore, David Mitchell, and John Hollins. They made several journeys, including two to establish contact with the [I]Discovery[/I], and one to establish a route across the Robeson Channel to Greenland and leave a food dump there for Lieutenant Beaumont's expedition to Greenland. He didn't take part in any of the long sledging expeditions, and his sledging duties of 118 days is a total from many shorter journeys, most of which are not mentioned in the narrative. Are the lantern slides you have drawings or photographs, and is it possible to scan them? Any photographs you have are particularly welcomed. Do you have one of your GGF you would like to share with us? Do you still have his Arctic Medal?

[quote]John Hollins was part of the "Bellerophon" sledge party, which was led by Lieutenant George Egerton, and comprised Thomas Stuckberry, William Gore, David Mitchell, and John Hollins. They made several journeys, including two to establish contact with the [I]Discovery[/I], and one to establish a route across the Robeson Channel to Greenland and leave a food dump there for Lieutenant Beaumont's expedition to Greenland. He didn't take part in any of the long sledging expeditions, and his sledging duties of 118 days is a total from many shorter journeys, most of which are not mentioned in the narrative. Are the lantern slides you have drawings or photographs, and is it possible to scan them? Any photographs you have are particularly welcomed. Do you have one of your GGF you would like to share with us? Do you still have his Arctic Medal?[/QUOTE] Hello Bill, Thank you for the information about John's sledging, I did wonder what he was involved in doing. The lantern slides are drawings, coloured and not a complete set by any means. I have small scans of them and will dig out the DVD and post some of them. I see that the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge has digitised much of their collection and there are a lot of glass slides [URL="www.freezeframe.ac.uk/category/photos-british-arctic-expedition-1875-76"]on their site[/URL]. I have at least one slide that they do not show, relating to equipment used on the trip. A descendent of John Langston Staggers has some relevant pages up [URL="www.cavillconnections.co.uk/discovery.htm"]here[/URL]. [URL="http://www.pdavis.nl/ShowShip.php?id=139"]Here[/URL] is a summary of the life of HMS Alert. Interestingly she came to Australia after the cold of the Arctic! I still have John's Arctic Medal, and his good conduct medal. The inscriptions on the rims: Arctic medal: JOHN HOLLINS PRIVATE R.M. H.M.S. ALERT Good Conduct medal: JOHN HOLLINS PTE R.M. 426 PLY Cheers Graham
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Thank you Graham, most interesting.

[QUOTE=emason;10026355]Andy, I have compared the HT crew list with those that I have, and there are several differences. For example, the HT shows the Chaplain as Hodson, whereas it was in fact [B]Pullen[/B], he even had Mount Pullen named for him. [/QUOTE] The name "Pullen" appears with amazing frequency in connection with the Canadian Arctic. In addition to the Chaplain Pullen mentioned above, there are at least three other Pullens with significant connections to that beautiful part of Canada: i. Vice-Admiral W.J.S. Pullen was a lieutenant in HMS [B]Plover[/B] on her 1848 search for Sir John Franklin ii. T.C. Pullen was master of the [B]North Star[/B] on her 1852-1854 search for Franklin iii. a later Captain T.C. Pullen RCN (1918-1990) (grand nephew to the above two men) was a Commanding Officer of the RCN icebreaker [B]Labrador[/B] and was a premier Arctic ice-pilot and navigator, long considered a leading expert in Arctic affairs.

That's very interesting Tim, I wonder if our Rev W.H.Pullen was any relative.

[QUOTE=emason;10063997]That's very interesting Tim, [B]I wonder if our Rev W.H.Pullen was any relative[/B].[/QUOTE] Not sure Bill - but then am also not sure how common a name it was in the UK in those days.

[QUOTE=emason;10027199][CENTER][SIZE=3][B][/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B][U][SIZE=3]HMS Alert and HMS Discovery - The Arctic Expedition of 1875[/SIZE][/U][/B][/SIZE][SIZE=3][/CENTER] [/SIZE] [SIZE=2][B]([I]Part 12[/I])[/B][/SIZE] [SIZE=2][SIZE=2]Note: [/SIZE][SIZE=3][B]+[/B][SIZE=2] =[/SIZE] [/SIZE][SIZE=2]Died while with the expedition.[/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2] [CENTER][U][B][B]HMS Alert – Ship’s Company (62)[/B][/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Officers[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]Captain George S. Nares.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Commander Albert H. Markham.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Captain Henry W. Feilden, R.A., naturalist.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Senior Lieutenant Pelham Aldrich.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Alfred A.0. Parr.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant George A. Giffard.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant William H. May.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Fleet-Surgeon Thomas Colan M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Surgeon Edward L. Moss, M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Reverend W.H. Pullen, chaplain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Sub-Lieutenant George Le Clerc Egerton.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Wootton, engineer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George White, engineer.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Men[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]George I. Burroughs, ship's steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Joseph Good, chief boatswain's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John N. Radmore, chief carpenter's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Vincent Dominic, ship's cook.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Thores, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Berrie, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]David Deuchars, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Edwin Lawrence, gunner's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Doidge, captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Daniel W. Harley, captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Stuckberry, captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Rawlings, captain forecastle.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Jolliffe, captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Spero Capato, captain's steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Kemish, wardroom steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Hawkins, cooper.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Simmons, 2nd captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Adam Ayles, 2nd captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry Mann, shipwright.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Self, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Maskell, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William P. Woolley, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Cranston, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Reuben Francombe, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Pearson, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Ferbrache, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alfred R. Pearce, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]David Mitchell, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert D. Symonds, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas H. Simpson, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Malley, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Winstone, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Lorimer, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Frederick Cane, armourer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert Joiner, leading stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Norris, carpenter’s crew.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Shirley, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Stubbs, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William I. Gore, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Hunt, wardroom cook.[/SIZE] [B][SIZE=3]+[/SIZE][/B][SIZE=2]Niels Christian Petersen, Danish interpreter and dog driver.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frederick, Greenlander dog driver and hunter.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Marines[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]William Wood, colour sergeant.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Ellard, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Hollins, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Smith, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B]+[/B][/SIZE][SIZE=2]George Porter, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Elias Hill, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Oakley, gunner.[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2][U][B]HMS Discovery – Ship’s Company (60)[/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER] [U][SIZE=2][B]Officers[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]Captain Henry F. Stephenson.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Senior Lieut. Lewis A. Beaumont.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Robert H. Archer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Lieutenant Reginald B. Fulford.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Staff-Surgeon Belgrave Ninnis, M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Surgeon Richard W. Coppinger, M.D.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Charles E. Hodgson, chaplain.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Chichester Hart, B A., naturalist.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Sub-Lieutenant C. I. M. Conybeare.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Daniel Cartmel, engineer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Matthew R. Miller, engineer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Mitchell, assistant-paymaster.[/SIZE] [U][B][SIZE=2][B]Men[/B][/SIZE][/B][/U] [SIZE=2]George R. Sarah, ship's steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George W. Emmerson, chief boatswain's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]E. C. Eddy, chief captain's mate.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alexander Gray, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Dougall, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Edward Taws, ice quartermaster.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Bryant, captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frank Chatel, captain forecastle.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]David Stewart, captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Simmons, captain forecastle.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Bunyan, ropemaker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Ward, armourer.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Shepherd, cooper.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John E. Smith, sailmaker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Jonah Gear, wardroom steward.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Stone, 2nd captain foretop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Cooper, 2nd captain maintop.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry W. Edwards, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Benjamin Wyatt, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Daniel Girard, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Michael Regan, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Chalkley, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Hodges, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Thornback, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Alfred Hindle, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Peter Craig, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]George Leggatt, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Robert W. Hitchcock, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John S. Saggers, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B]+[/B][/SIZE][SIZE=2]James J. Hand, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=3][B]+[/B][/SIZE][SIZE=2]Charles Paul, able seaman.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry Windser, carpenter's crew.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]James Phillips, wardroom cook.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Jeremiah Rourke, leading stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Frank Jones, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Samuel Bulley, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William R. Sweet, stoker.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Jenkins, carpenter’s mate[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Hans Heindrich, Greenlander.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U][B]Marines[/B][/U][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William C. Wellington, sergeant.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Wilson Dobing, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Cropp, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Elijah Rayner, gunner.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]William Waller, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Thomas Darke, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]John Murray, private.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]Henry Petty, private.[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER] [SIZE=2][[B]Note:[/B] This list of 122 members of the 1875 Expedition has been cross checked with that published by the Scott Polar Research Institute, and the list of Arctic Medal recipients held by the National Archives, and it believed to be accurate.][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [U][SIZE=2][B]The Arctic Medal 1875-1876[/B][/SIZE][/U] [SIZE=2]All 122 expedition members of [I]HMS Alert[/I] and [I]HMS Discovery[/I] were awarded a commemorative medal, called the Arctic Medal 1875-1876. The crew of [I]HMS Pandora[/I] also received the same medal.[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][U]Attachments[/U]:[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]1. The Arctic Medal 1875-1876[/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [SIZE=2][ATTACH]115673[/ATTACH][/SIZE] [SIZE=2]　[/SIZE] [CENTER][SIZE=2]-----"-----[/SIZE][/CENTER][/QUOTE] I am new to this Forum so I apologise if I am doing this the wrong way! However, I have recently inherited some items from my great great grandfather who was on HMS Alert. He was called Lieutenant William May and later become Admiral of the Fleet and Second Sea Lord. I would appreciate your help with two questions. Firstly, do you have any photographs of him? Secondly, I have about twenty photographs of the Expedition and I am keen to make sure I look after them properly. Would you recommend someone I could ask to advise on this? Finally, I have his auto-biography and there is a chapter on the Expedition, which I am happy to upload if you think it interesting. If so, please let me know how. Many thanks

[quote=markfane;10086196] I have recently inherited some items from my great great grandfather who was on HMS Alert. He was called Lieutenant William May and later become Admiral of the Fleet and Second Sea Lord. I would appreciate your help with two questions. Firstly, do you have any photographs of him? Secondly, I have about twenty photographs of the Expedition and I am keen to make sure I look after them properly. Would you recommend someone I could ask to advise on this? Finally, I have his auto-biography and there is a chapter on the Expedition, which I am happy to upload if you think it interesting. If so, please let me know how. Many thanks[/quote] Hello Mark and welcome to the forum. To answer your questions in order. 1. I have posted all the photographs I have in this thread. A photograph of him could be there, but I don't know what he looks like. 2. You are very welcome to post any (or all) of the photographs you have. They should be kept in acid-free paper. If they are not in good condition, then I suggest scanning them at a high resolution and restoring them with a suitable program such as Photoshop. 3. I would say that an account of his time on the expedition would be very interesting indeed. If it is not too long you could transcribe it. Alternatively, you could scan the pages and post them as .JPG pictures. I look forward to seeing anything you have of Lieutenant May. P.S. Do you have his Arctic Medal?

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