CHAPTER XXX. 



THE PROSPECT AHEAD. — TO CAPE NAPOLEON.— TO CAPE FRAZER. — TRACES OF 

 ESQIHMAUX. — ROTTEN ICE. — KENNEDY CHANNEL. — MILDNESS OF TEMPER- 

 ATURE. — APPEARANCE OF BIRDS. — GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF COAST.— 

 VEGETATION, — ACCIDENT TO JENSEN. 



Although much gratified with the success which I 

 had achieved against such desperate obstacles, yet, 

 when I came to reflect upon my situation, in connec- 

 tion with the expectations which I had entertained 

 at setting out, I had Httle heart to feel triumphant. 

 The thirty-one days occupied in crossing the Sound, 

 the failure to get the boat, or even a foot party over, 

 had disarranged my original plans ; while the severity 

 of the labor, and the serious and unexpected draft 

 made upon my provisions by the extra feeding of the 

 dogs, in order to keep up their strength, had so much 

 reduced my resources that, for the present season, I 

 could have Httle hope of making any extended ex- 

 ploration. Under ordinary conditions of traveling, 

 much less than one half the amount of food which I 

 gave to the animals daily would have amply sufficed 

 for their sustenance. As it was, the eight hundred 

 pounds of dog-food which I had when the foot party 

 left me, was reduced by consumption and small de- 

 pots for our return journey to about three hundred 

 pounds, — in no case more than sufficient for twelve 

 days. The most that I could now expect to do was 

 to explore the route to the shores of the Polar Sea, as 



