- Report of the International polar expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, in response to the resolution of the [U.S.] House of representatives of December 11, 1884 (archive.org)
The Secretary of War has the honor to transmit to the House of Representatives the report of the International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, together with the letter of the Chief Signal Officer of the Army, of this date, submitting the report to this Department, the same being furnished in response to the resolution of the House of Representatives of December 11, 1884, as follows : “Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested to transmit to the House of Representatives, if not inconsistent with the public service, the report of the International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, by Lieut. P. H. Ray, U. S. Army, for the years 1881, 1882, and 1883.” ROBERT T. LINCOLN, Secretary of War.
arrival of the North Star
- On the 18th day of July, 1881, at ten o’clock in the forenoon, we sailed from San Francisco, Cal., on board the schooner Golden Fleece, a staunch little schooner of one hundred and fifty tons burden, and, being towed outside the heads, we began our voyage in the teeth of a strong northwest gale; and it was three days before the reefs were shaken out of our sails.
- Owing to adverse winds and calms, it was not until August 9 [in 1881] that we raised the high lands of the Aleutian peninsula to the eastward of Ounimak Pass. A succession of calm days left us at the mercy of the currents, which here are strong to the eastward, and carried us in sight of Kadiak, before a breeze sprung up that would enable us to bear up for the pass.
- We entered it [Unimak Pass] on the afternoon of the 15th, when the wind fell, but the tide serving, we drifted through during the night. After entering Bearing Sea we had stronger winds, and after clearing the pass we were enabled to stand on our course, which carried us about sixty miles to the eastward of the Pribyloff Islands.
- On the morning of the 19th [of August 1881] we sighted the island of Saint Mathews, passing three miles to the eastward of it, its highest peaks only showing above the fog.
- We were favored with fair, strong winds from this time on until we arrived at Plover Bay, Siberia, where we anchored at 6 p. m. August 21 [in 1881].
- The weather being stormy, we were unable to get a sight of the sun until the 24th [of August 1881], when a series of excellent observations were obtained.
- on the 22d [August 1881] the U. S. revenue steamer Corwin came into the harbor for coal. Her master, Captain Hooper, reported the ice very light in the lower latitudes of the Arctic Ocean; so much so that he had been enabled to reach Wrangel Land, a point never heretofore attained
- We found that our chronometers were running steadily and well, and, after laying in a supply of fresh water, were towed outside the harbor by the Corwin on the morning of the 25th.
- We sighted Cape Lisburne on the afternoon of August 31 [in 1881], and soon after it came on to blow so heavity that the vessel was hove to, and in that position rode out the gale.
- The force of the gale having abated on the 3d of September [in 1881], we stood to the southeast, the weather remaining so thick that we were unable to obtain a sight of the sun to determine our position.
- On the 7th [September 1881] we sighted Icy Cape
- we sighted the point [Barrow] on the afternoon of September 8 [in 1881], and came to anchor about one mile to the northeast of Cape Smythe, thus successfully accomplishing the first and most important stage of our work.
