The Voyage of the Kite
Samuel Entrikin wrote on the back of this photograph: “This is the first ship I went to Greenland in.”
The Kite was a 280 ton Whaler-Sealer ship, a barkentine with square sails on the front mast and rigged like the schooner on the back two. Designed to navigate through ice floes, the oaken prow could force its way through powered by coal-fed steam.
Imagine the anticipation Entrikin felt to explore and discover uncharted territory. When I look at this photo, I think of the sounds at the dock, the splashing of water against the pilings, creaking of the ropes and the rhythmic slapping of the ship against the pier, the constant tugging on the ropes pulling eagerly toward the sea, toward the excitement of the voyage.
The ship left Brooklyn NY on June 6, 1891 to begin its 6000 mile voyage. Poker-faced Captain Pike appeared calm. He knew what dangers they faced. The voyage had to be completed before winter closed down the passageway. The danger of being caught or crushed in the floating ice was constant no matter the season.
Pamela Powell, Photo Archivist
Sounds like quite a ship! How did it force its way through the ice with steam? Did it actually melt the ice somehow, or did it have a motor?
The Kite was small – only 40 yards in length. Could you imagine plowing through icy seas on something less than half the length of a football field?
But she was a scrappy little vessel. As Academy of Natural Science’s Angelo Heilprin wrote, “to certain peculiarities of the structure were added the suggestion of the odor of oil and blubber.” His nice way of saying that this sealing/whaling vessel was dirty and stinky. But she was up to the task in the summer of 1892 when Entrikin was aboard for a summer journey in relief of Robert Peary’s Greenland expedition.
The Kite was small – only 40 yards in length. Could you imagine plowing through icy seas on something less than half the length of a football field?
But she was a scrappy little vessel. As Academy of Natural Science’s Angelo Heilprin wrote, “to certain peculiarities of the structure were added the suggestion of the odor of oil and blubber.” His nice way of saying that this sealing/whaling vessel was dirty and stinky. But she was up to the task in the summer of 1892 when Entrikin was aboard for a summer journey in relief of Robert Peary’s Greenland expedition.
-Rob Lukens, Guest Curator
Wow - I can’t imagine what these explorers went through, all in the name of Science!
I know - amazing.
The ship used steam power to move through the seas. I am, by no means, an expert in the history of such ships (perhaps someone out there is?) but I do know that these ships were made more to withstand the ice than cut through it like icebreakers do today.
Also, Science was very important - there were meteorologists, ethnologists, geologists, biologists etc., etc. on these ships and quite often they went deliberately to add collections to specific museums. BUT - even more of a motivation at the turn of the century, was the fame that could come from reaching the North Pole. PLUS - lecturing, book, and newspaper deals were good money that could pay off significantly.
Rob Lukens, Guest Curator
The Peary North Greenland Expedition of 1893-94 with Entrikin sailed in June of 1893 on the ‘Falcon’. “This time my ship, a much larger one than the ‘Kite”, was chartered for two voyages—to take me north and bring me back.” (from “Northward Over the Great Ice, Robert E. Peary, Vol. I, pg. XIV, 1898). She made another voyage to fetch the expedition in 1894.
After landing the return party of 1894 with Entrikin and the majority of the expedition in Philadelphia, the ‘Falcon’ went down with all hands without a trace while going from Philadelphia to St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Hence the painting of the Polar Bear in the exhibit, looking at a piece of the ship with “Falcon” on it.
It was a dangerous business indeed.
Bill Marshall williamhmarshall [at] gmail [dot] com
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