Daily Journal. Lady Franklin Bay Expedition (primarily temperature, animal, auroral, and magnetic observations). Explorer’s Club Inventory 2003-007. Each page bears stamp reading: “Recovered by Robert E. Peary, C. E., U.S.N., from Fort Conger, May, 1899, under the auspices of the Peary Arctic Club, and by it restored to the United States, December, 1899.

The official records of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition (1881-84) at the Explorers Club include the Daily Journal, copies of Letters sent, and the Sledge Journal.

August 16, 1881: Proteus at last succeeded in getting clear of the ice and steaming down the channel soon disappeared from sight. [No mention is made of Kislingbury’s abortive attempt to return with the ship.]

August 28, 1881: The day observed by Lieut. Greely reading one of the psalms and all games suspended, on the Sabbaths day.

The second unbound journal covers Jan 1 1883 –August 2: On July 29 Lt Greely gave orders that the stations would be abandoned on the 7 of August 1883. Each man to be allowed 8 lbs of luggage for the retreat.

Aug 2, gives last entry here: Journal items will here after be entered in Original [Records] of observations. [Entries are given in various hands.]

Next volume is “Letters sent 2 July 1881 – 3 August 1882” (These are copies of letters sent by Greely.)

p. 25: July 18 1881 Letter to Herr Fernker, Governor of Christianhaab, Greenland, soliciting bird specimens (male and female plus 6 eggs of each kind of bird): It would give me personal pleasure if you would advice me through Herr Inspector Smith as to the books on Ornithology or other subjects of interest which I could have forwarded to you in 1883. [Presumably that was when he thought the Expedition would return. Written from Upernavik Greenland July 28, 1881.

p. 42-49, copies of records found by Greely at Discovery Bay, from Nares H.M.S. Discovery 11 August 1876.

p. 50-68, Greely reports of Aug. 15, 1881 from Fort Conger on the Expedition so far.

p. 83, to C.S.O. Aug 17, 1881 from Fort Conger: …a list of articles found and brought away from Polaris winter quarters, Life Boat Cover.

p. 84: The books belonging to Dr. Bessels would most probably be gladly recovered by him [i.e. several parts of books from France?].