DE LONG'S LOG-BOOK. 266 



WEDNESDAY, May 25. Latitude north 77 deg. 16 min. 3 

 see., longitude east 159 deg. 33 min. 30 sec. 



At eight A. M. the ice was found to have opened in numer- 

 ous long lanes, some connected and some single, extending 

 generally in north-northwest and south-southeast direction. 

 By making occasional portages boats were able to go several 

 miles from the vessel, but for the ship herself there were no 

 ice-openings of sufficient magnitude. 



The strong appearance of land mentioned on the 19th inst. 

 proves to have been land in fact, and for reasons similar to 

 those herein set forth (in the remarks of the 17th inst.) it 

 may be recorded as another discovery. The second land is 

 an island of which the position and present distance are yet 

 to be determined. The following bearings were taken : 



Ship's head, S. 14 deg. W. (true). 



Eastern end of island first seen on 17th, S. 17 deg. W. 

 (true). 



Nearest end of island seen to-day, S. 69 deg. 30 min. W. 

 (true). 



The following sextant angles were taken from the crow's- 

 nest : 



Island first seen subtends an angle of 2 deg. 42 min. 



Island first seen has an altitude of deg. 16 min. 



Island seen to-day subtends an angle of 3 deg. 35 miu. 



Island seen to-day has an altitude of deg. 10 min. 



Interval between two islands, 49 deg. 55 min. 



TUESDAY, May 31. No observations. Crew engaged in 

 digging a trench round the vessel, and after four P. M. in 

 getting up provisions, etc., in readiness for a sledge party 

 directed to leave the ship to-morrow morning. 



WEDNESDAY, June \j- No observations. At nine A. M. a 

 party consisting of Passed Assistant Engineer G. W. Mel- 

 ville, Mr. William Dunbar, W. F. C. Nindermann (seaman), 

 H. H. Erickson (seaman), J. H. Bartlett (first class fire- 

 man), and Walter Sharvell (coal-heaver), started to make 

 an attempt to land upon the island discovered by us on the 

 25th ult. and which bears southwest half-west (true) at an 



