IN A VERY BAD FIX. 625 



Loaded too deep. Threw overboard 100 pounds of meat; 

 must throw away all our clothes. Cannot carry anything 

 but the tent and a few skins to cover us with, a little meat 

 and our bread and peminican. Made ten to fifteen miles 

 south and three or four miles west from eight A. M. to 

 twelve noon. We lauded (that is, on a floe) to lighten 

 our boat, pitched our tent, and intend stopping all night. 

 Caught a young seal as soon as we got on the ice. When 

 we left this morning, 12 degrees above zero. This after- 

 noon spent in making from canvas washboards for the 

 boat to keep her dry. Caught two more seals. This 

 piece of ice is not very safe ; it is cracking. All well. 

 Splendid weather this afternoon. 



"April 2. Lovely last night. The floe lost several 

 pieces. I could not sleep for two reasons the ice break- 

 ing up and too cold. Had to keep in motion to keep 

 warm. Started at five A. M. ; the weather very fine and 

 calm. Worked the oars for tw r o hours; then a breeze 

 sprung up, and increased until it blew almost a gale. We 

 made several narrow escapes w T ith our boat before we 

 could find a piece of ice safe to land on, and when we did 

 she was making water fast. When emptied, we found a 

 hole in her side, which we are repairing this afternoon. 

 Weather still very bad. We are in a very bad fix. 

 Caught a seal. All well." 



The loss of their hut in deserting their ice-raft rendered 

 almost constant exercise needful to avoid freezing. They, 

 however, constructed temporary huts when they stopped 

 long enough on a floe. We turn to the diary again, and 

 this time make a long extract ; the horrors of the days 

 and nights from the 1st of April to the 10th can be tcld 

 best by one who shared in them : 



"April 3. Repaired our boat, and started at 8.45 A. M., 

 wind ahead ; yesterday S. W. ; to-day calm. Pulled three 

 hours, w r hen a breeze sprung up from N. N. W. We kept 

 under way until 2.30 P M M when we had to haul up on a 



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