Report on the Dominion Government Expedition to Hudson Bay and the Arctic Islands on board the D.G.S. Neptune, 1903-1904 by A. P. (Albert Peter) Low — Summary & Review

This detailed report chronicles the Dominion Government Expedition to Hudson Bay and the Arctic Islands aboard the steamship Neptune from 1903 to 1904, led by A. P. Low. The narrative begins with the careful outfitting of the Neptune in Halifax for a two-year Arctic voyage, including structural reinforcements and provisions. Departing in late summer 1903, the expedition sailed along the coasts of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador, stopping at key locations such as Dominoe and Nachvak Bay to secure supplies and engage with local interpreters.

The Neptune then ventured into Hudson Strait and Bay, navigating treacherous ice and strong tides while making scientific observations on geology, geography, and native life. The crew visited whaling and mission stations on islands like Blacklead and Kekerten, documenting the whaling industry and its dependence on native Eskimos. Encounters with wildlife included walrus hunts and the killing of large white bears near Cape Wolstenholme. The expedition established winter quarters at Fullerton Harbour, where they built a police post and prepared extensively for survival through snow banking and ship modifications.

Throughout the winter, the crew maintained morale with games, music, and lectures, while also facing hardships such as the tragic loss of a cabin-boy in a snowstorm and the mental decline and eventual death of Dr. Faribault. Spring and summer explorations followed, including surveying expeditions up Chesterfield Inlet and geological studies along the coast. The Neptune broke free from ice in July 1904 and proceeded northward through Hudson Bay and the Arctic Islands, encountering variable ice conditions and visiting historic sites such as Beechey Island, the resting place of Franklin expedition members.

The voyage included scientific work in ethnology, natural history, meteorology, and geology, with collections of plants, birds, fossils, and detailed meteorological records. The report also provides extensive ethnographic descriptions of the Eskimo peoples, their social structures, hunting practices, clothing, and the impact of missionaries and whalers on their traditional ways of life. The geological survey covers a wide range of formations from ancient Archæan rocks to Tertiary deposits, with notes on glaciation, mineral resources, and fossil finds.

Interactions with commercial whalers, especially the American whaler Era, reveal the economic and social dynamics of Arctic whaling, including the risks faced by crews and the dependence of native populations on whaling stations. The report reflects on the history of Arctic exploration, recounting earlier expeditions and the gradual mapping of the Northwest Passage, while acknowledging the hardships and tragedies endured by explorers.

Overall, this comprehensive account combines official narrative, scientific data, personal observations, and cultural insights, offering a multifaceted view of early 20th-century Arctic exploration, its environment, inhabitants, and the challenges of navigating and studying one of the world's most remote regions.