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Page 49
Public opinion was unanimously in favor of fitting out a relief
expedition. Commercial men, manufacturers, the members of schools and
colleges, the judicial corps--in fact, all classes voluntarily
contributed to the enterprise. A rich ship-owner offered to equip a
vessel at his own expense, to go to the relief of the "Vega;" and he
named it the "Nordenskiold."
The enthusiasm increased as days passed without bringing any
intelligence of the "Vega." By the end of December, the subscription had
reached a considerable sum. Dr. Sehwaryencrona and Mr. Bredejord had
headed the list with a subscription of ten thousand kroners each. They
were members of the committee who had chosen Erik for their secretary.
The latter was in fact the soul of the undertaking. His ardor, his
modesty, his evident ability with regard to all questions relative to
the expedition, which he studied untiringly, soon acquired for him a
most decided influence. From the first he did not conceal the fact that
it was his dream to take part in the enterprise, if only as a simple
sailor, and that he had a supreme and personal interest in the matter.
This only gave the greater weight to the excellent suggestions which he
made to the originators of the expedition, and he personally directed
all the preparatory labors.
It was agreed that a second vessel should accompany the "Nordenskiold,"
and that it should be like the "Vega," a steamship. Nordenskiold himself
had demonstrated that the principal cause of the failure of previous
attempts had been the employment of sailing vessels. Arctic navigators,
especially when on an exploring expedition, must not be dependent upon
the wind, but must be able to force their way speedily through a
difficult or perilous pass--and above all, always be able to take the
open sea, which it was often impossible to do with a sailing vessel.
This fundamental point having been established, it was decided also to
cover the vessel with a lining of green oak, six inches thick, and to
divide it into compartments, so that it would be better able to resist a
blow from the ice. They were also desirous that she should not draw too
much water, and that all her arrangements should be so made as to enable
her to carry a full supply of coal. Among the offers which were made to
the committee, was a vessel of one hundred and forty tons, which had
been recently built at Bremen, and which had a crew of eighteen men, who
could easily maneuver her. She was a schooner, but while she carried her
masts, she also was furnished with an engine of eighty horse-power. One
of her boilers was so arranged that it could burn oil or fat, which was
easily procurable in the arctic regions, in case their coal should fail.
The schooner protected by its lining of oak, was further strengthened by
transverse beams, so as to offer the greatest possible resistance to the
pressure of the ice. Lastly, the front of it was armed with a spur of
steel, to enable it to break its way through a thick field of ice. The
vessel when placed on the stocks, was named the "Alaska," on account of
the direction which she was destined to take. It had been decided that
while the "Nordenskiold" should pursue the same route which the "Vega"
had followed, that the second vessel should take an opposite direction
around the world, and gain the Siberian Ocean, by the island of Alaska
and Behring's Straits. The chances of meeting the Swedish expedition, or
of discovering traces of her if she had perished would thus, they
thought, be double, for while one vessel followed on her track, the
other would, as it were, precede her.
Erik, who had been the originator of this plan, had often asked himself
which of the vessels he had better join, and he had finally concluded to
attach himself to the second.
The "Nordenskiold," he said to himself, would follow the same course as
the "Vega." It was therefore necessary that she should be equally
successful in making the first part of the voyage, and double Cape
Tchelynskin, but they might not be able to do this, since it had only
been accomplished once. Besides, the last news which they had received
from the "Vega," she was only two or three hundred leagues from
Behring's Straits; therefore they would have a better chance of meeting
her. The "Nordenskiold" might follow her for many months without
overtaking her. But the other vessel could hardly fail to meet her, if
she was still in existence.
The principal thing in Erik's eyes was to reach the "Vega" as quickly as
possible, in order to meet Patrick O'Donoghan without delay.
The doctor and Mr. Bredejord warmly approved of his motives when he
explained them to them.
The work of preparing the "Alaska" was pushed on as rapidly as possible.
Her provisions, equipments, and the clothing, were all carefully chosen,
for they profited by the experience of former Arctic explorers. Her crew
were all experienced seamen, who had been inured to cold by frequent
fishing voyages to Iceland and Greenland. Lastly, the captain chosen by
the committee, was an officer of the Swedish marines, then in the
employment of a maritime company, and well known on account of his
voyages to the Arctic Ocean; his name was Lieutenant Marsilas. He chose
for his first lieutenant Erik himself, who seemed designed for the
position by the energy he had displayed in the service of the
expedition, and who was also qualified by his diploma. The second and
third officers were tried seamen, Mr. Bosewitz and Mr. Kjellguist.
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