REGONNOITERING. 241 



hundred yards distant I saw that he was limping ; so I ran 

 after him and sent him back. I went about half a mile and 

 saw several swamp-like rivers coming from the northwest ; 

 then went back to the boat and told Melville he had better 

 prepare tea while Mansen and I took a more extended scout. 

 We went further, and Mansen used his eyes for me. I could 

 see some high land about two miles off, and I asked Mansen 

 to look well to see if he could get over to it, for I was sure 

 deep water lay alongside of it. He thought lie could trace 

 a passage to it, all but in one small place ; so we returned 

 with that information. The land was about ten feet high 

 and covered with good deer moss. We saw many deer- 

 tracks, especially where they had come down to water at the 

 river ; we also saw another hut close by on a small flat. 



We then went back to Melville, and soon after started out 

 with the boat. We had splendid luck ; we struck a passage 

 and reached the deep water. We passed an island, and I 

 began to think that Bartlett was right. We proceeded at 

 least thirty miles that afternoon, and at dark we reached a 

 point about sixty feet high, where we expected the river to 

 turn due south. Here we pitched the tents and passed the 

 night. 



About four o'clock next morning Bartlett and I took a 

 scout. We saw two large rivers to the northwest, and a 

 broad river coining from the south. We thought we were at 

 the right turning-point, but were not sure. At six I called 

 Melville and the others and ordered tea cooked. The wind 

 was fresh from the west and blowing right on the beach. 

 We had breakfast, and then I took the well men and loaded 

 the boat. We struck the tents at the last moment and 

 assisted Melville and Leach into the boat, close-reefed the 

 sail, and made every preparation for getting the boat off the 

 lee shore. After some difficulty we succeeded in doing this, 

 and ran close hauled on the starboard tack under close- 

 reefed sail, standing about south-southwest under the lee of 

 a mud-flat. I was at the helm, and Bartlett on the bows with 

 sounding-pok). We saw seven reindeer among the hills, but 



