1853.] ASCEND CAPE OGLE. 321 



melt the remaining portions of snow, and thus produce 

 a belt of water within the skirting ice, which opposed 

 great difficulty to our advance, notwithstanding our light 

 loads and double-manning the sledges. 



The travel without wading now became very difficult ; 

 and thinking I might avoid the difficulties by crossing 

 the ravine about a hundred yards up the hill-side, I 

 made the attempt. But I found the soil fluid, and so 

 quick, that in my weak state it was unsafe to risk being 

 entrapped : even the light dogs declined the effort. As- 

 cending however until I gaiued the old snow, I succeed- 

 ed in finding a place pretty well bridged, which enabled 

 me to clear the remaining difficulties. If such be the 

 condition of the coast-line in June, what must be ex- 

 pected in July and August ? The floe was no longer 

 safe, and a few hours might place us in the awkward di- 

 lemma of not being able to advance until it broke up. 

 Not a day had we to spare, and therefore it was neces- 

 sary to exert every effort to reach the turn of the land 

 before the ice became detached. 



June 19. As we neared Step Bluff (now named 

 Cape Ogle), the road improved, and about two A.M., 

 having reached the shingle beach which fringed the 

 coast-line, we pitched. The day was bright, the horizon 

 clear, and all the objects we were anxious to see were 

 clearly defined ; and this being our connecting, or key 

 station, I lost no time in gaining the summit. Indeed I 

 had become so weak, and anxious to relieve myself from 

 further fatigue, that I had preceded the party, hoping 

 to terminate my labours. But I was doomed to meet 

 with disappointment : before the instrument could be le- 



VOL. I. Y 



