STOPPED BY ROTTEN ICE. 317 



they scattered to right and left and refused to pro- 

 ceed further. This behavior of the dogs was too famil- 

 iar to me to leave any doubt as to its meaning ; and 

 moving forward in advance, I quickly perceived that 

 the ice was rotten and unsafe. Thinking that this 

 might be merely a local circumstance, resulting from 

 some peculiarity of the current, we doubled back upon 

 the old floe and made another trial further to the 

 eastward. Walking now in advance of the dogs they 

 were inspired with greater courage. I had not pro- 

 ceeded far when I found the ice again giving way 

 under the staff, with which I sounded its strength, 

 and ag*ain we turned back and sought a still more 

 eastern passage. 



Two hours consumed in efforts of this kind, during 

 which we had worked about four miles out to sea, 

 convinced me that the ice outside the bay was 

 wholly impassable, and that perseverance could only 

 end in disappointment ; for if we happened to break 

 through, we should not only be in great jeopardy 

 but would, by getting wet, greatly retard, if not 

 wholly defeat our progress to the opposite shore. 

 Accordingly we drew back toward the land, seeking 

 safety again upon the old floe, and hauling then to 

 the westward, endeavored to cross over further up 

 the bay ; but here the same conditions existed as out- 

 side, and the dogs resolutely refused to proceed as 

 soon as we left the old ice. Not wishing to be de- 

 feated in my purpose of crossing over, we held still 

 further west and persevered in our efforts until con- 

 vinced that the bay could not be crossed, and then we 

 had no alternative but to retreat to the land-ice and 

 follow its circuit to our destination. 



With the view of ascertaining how far this course 



