Neale William Henry 
(? –1939)


English arctic researcher, doctor. 
He entered the history of Arctic research as a member of two expeditions to the archipelago 
of Franz-Josef Land under the command of B. Lee-Smith on the "Eyre" steam yacht. 
The first expedition set off in the summer of 1880 with the intention of studying the ice conditions in the North Atlantic, and then trying to advance north as far as ice conditions would allow. The expedition consisted of 25 people, Niel served as a physician and naturalist. It is known that this expedition Lee-Smith has achieved excellent results. 
The vessel called at the island of Jan Mayen, then, having failed to reach the coast of Greenland, sailed around Spitsbergen from the south and approached theFranz Josef Land archipelago , thus making the third visit to the archipelago. A number of islands were discovered and surveyed, and numerous materials were collected that were a significant contribution to the body of knowledge about this region, which was little studied at that time. 
The second voyage took place next year and turned out to be significantly less successful due to the most severe ice conditions. Near Cape Flora on the island of Northbrook, "Eyre" was trapped and crushed by ice. The tragedy occurred disastrously quickly, all scientific materials died, a significant part of the products, Niel was especially upset by the loss of lemon juice, which he justly considered an excellent remedy for scurvy. Having built a hut out of improvised means, polar explorers spent 10 exceptionally difficult months in it. Nevertheless, the excellent organization of life, classes, food allowed to preserve the life and health of all crew members. Great in this is the role of the doctor of the expedition, who established regular feeding of people with fresh meat of bears and walruses. In addition, Niel found time to conduct natural scientific observations, the results of which he later published in the writings of the Zoological Society. 
In June 1882  on four boats, the sailors made the most dangerous 42-day voyage to Novaya Zemlya. On the way every night they landed on the ice and pulled the bots out of the water to minimize the risk of death from ice compression. At the western entrance to the Matochkin Strait, the valiant travelers were met by the ships of the expedition of Allen Jung sent to rescue them. Later, the Jackson - Kharmsouurt  expedition found and returned to Nil his stethoscope and camera “in good condition after fourteen years of freezing in Cape Flora on ice”. 
In the following years  for nearly half a century, Niel led a medical practice in St. John's Wood and South Hempstead, gaining a reputation as a talented and skilled doctor.

 

Cape Niel

(Photo from http://yablor.ru/blogs/zfi/683463)


Cape in the west of the island of George Land in the archipelago of Franz-Josef Land. Opened and named by the expedition of Lee-Smith in 1880.

 

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