338 



THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



she treated us very hospitably. In the morning our friends 

 left for th-eir destination, and we soon moved on south, never, 

 probably, to meet again in this world. 



Shortly after this, in crossing a river, we broke through 

 the ice, wetting things, throwing us off the sleds, and break- 

 ing one of them all to pieces. Afterward we reached a 

 stansea in a beautiful little valley among the mountains. 

 The scenery at this place was the finest I had yet seen in 

 Siberia rugged, inaccessible peaks clad with snow. 



DOWN GRADE. 



On Friday, December 9th, we crossed a range of moun- 

 tains, and descended a pass in a manner worth describing. 

 After toiling up the rugged ascent we reached a ridge, and, 

 on looking over the other side, found a very steep and dan- 

 gerous-looking place to be traversed ; but our drivers went 

 to work so systematically that confidence was soon restored. 



