DR. KANE'S EXPEDITION. 



487 



SLEDGE-PARTY. 



In order to ascertain whether it were practicable to 

 force a way over the crowded bergs and mountainous 

 ice of the frozen area toward the north, Dr. Kane now 

 organized a party of the strongest men, who volunteered 

 their services for the labor, placing himself at their head ; 

 and, on the 19th of March, sent out an advanced corps 

 to place a relief cargo of provisions at a suitable dis- 

 tance from the brig. On the ninth day of their absence 

 the latter encountered a heavy gale from the north-east ; 

 the thermometer fell to fifty-seven degrees below zero, 

 and the ice-ridges became so obstructed by snow as to 

 prevent their depositing their stores beyond fifty miles 

 from the brig. 



By the 31st three of the members of this advance 

 party returned to the brig, swollen, haggard, and hardly 

 able to speak. They had left four of their number in a 

 tent on the ice, frozen and disabled. On being informed 

 of the disaster, Dr. Kane started for the rescue with 

 nine men, under the direction of Mr. Ohlsen, one of the 

 returned party, whose previous exposure, however, had 

 rendered his services as a guide almost useless. We 

 will here quote the commander's own graphic words : 



" We had been nearly eighteen hours out without 



