University of Nevada, Reno Spring 2023
Captain Deuchars, of the Dundee whaler Jan Mayen, has received from Dr. Franz Boas, Berlin, a copy of a chart he has just published in Germany, showing the explorations be made in the winter of 1883-84 of the Cumberland Gulf. In 1883 Dr. Boas sailed to the Gulf in the whaler Germania, and wintered at the Kikerten Islands. Daring the winter and spring Dr. Boas (who was accompanied by a servant and well provided with sledges, &c.), surveyed the north shore of the Gulf as far as Cape Mercy, crossed to Niatlik, and travelled round the head of the Gulf, making a thorough examination of the coast and the outlying islands. Having finished his survey of the Gulf, Dr. Boas left his headquarters in the summer of 1884, and journeyed to Cape Searle. He then skirted the west coast of Davis Straits, as far north as Cape Kater. In the autumn he returned south, and made arrangements to winter with a tribe of Esquimaux at Cape Hooper ; but the Dundee whalers Jan Mayen and Nova Zembla came in sight, and the doctor went on board the former. Afterwards be was at his own request transferred to the American whaler Wolf, as he wished to visit New York before returning to Germany. The shores of the Cumberland Gulf have hitherto been little known. During his explorations Dr. Boas depended mostly for his supplies of food upon his rifle, and to bartering with the natives, who treated him with the greatest kindness.
Liverpool Mercury. etc. 30 Dec 1885. Wed - Page 4
By his own account, in "A Journey in Cumberland Sound," published in 1884 by The Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York, the story of his leaving the far north appears to take on a different recollection:
"That day a ship was seen by the natives, the Arctic, a Dundee whaler. We tried hard to get on board, but just as we came near it a thick fog covered the floe edge and the ship was lost to us. This was a bitter disappointment, but a few days later two ships more were seen, which we managed to reach, though we had to travel over about five miles of pack ice. We were welcomed most heartily and each of the captains offered us most hospitably the home journey. As the ship Wolf, of St. Johns, Capt. Burnett, was going to leave the next day, we accepted his invitation. We left the 28th of August, called into Exeter Bay, where we stayed some days, and arrived in St. Johns the 7th of September." (page 270)
Boas, Franz. “A Journey in Cumberland Sound and on the West Shore of Davis Strait in 1883 and 1884.” Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York, vol. 16, 1884, pp. 242–72. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/196367. Accessed 4 Mar. 2023.
Both stories appear accurate but the discrepancy lies in the fact that Boas doesn't explicitly mention he was on board the Jan Mayen, the Scottish whaler, before he transferred to the American ship. His intention, thus, was not to return to Germany but go forward to the United States.
Nova Zembla, image credit: FEATURE: Amazing story behind discovering the wreck of the long-lost Dundee whaling ship the Nova Zembla (thecourier.co.uk)
James L'Angelle UNR, English Undergraduate Dept.
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