278 A MISHAP. 



for which I had striven, without success, the previous 

 autumn. It was evident that every thing depended 

 upon being now able to make good what I had lost 

 by that failure, through a chain of circumstances 

 which I have no need to repeat, as the reader will 

 recall the struggle which resulted in the crippling of 

 my vessel, and which had nearly caused its total 

 wreck among* the ice-fields in the mouth of the 

 Sound. If the state of the ice should prove favorable 

 to a speedy crossing of the Sound to Grinnell Land, 

 or even to securing, without much delay, a conven- 

 ient point of departure on the Greenland side beyond 

 Humboldt Glacier, I had little doubt as to the suc- 

 cessful termination of my summer labors. 



Upon reaching Sunrise Point we found the ice to 

 be very rough and insecure, and the tide of the previ- 

 ous night had opened a wide crack directly off the 

 point, which it was necessary for us to cross. This 

 crack had been closed over but a few hours, and the 

 dogs hesitated a moment at its margin ; but Jensen's 

 whip reassured them, and they plunged ahead. The 

 ice bent under their weight, and, as if by a mutual 

 understanding, the team scattered, but not in time to 

 save themselves, for down they all sank, higgledy-pig- 

 gledy, into the sea, dragging the sledge after them. 

 Being seated on the back part of it, I had time to roll 

 myself off, but Jensen was not so fortunate, and dogs, 

 sledge, driver and all were floundering together in a 

 confused tangle among the broken ice. Kalutunah, 

 who was a few paces in the rear, coming up, we extri- 

 cated them from their cold bath. Jensen was pretty 

 well soaked, and his boots were filled with water. 

 Being only five miles from the schooner, I thought it 

 safest to drive back as rapidly as possible rather than 



