SLOW PROGRESS. 309 



with comparative ease. The snow-drifts are some- 

 times a help and sometimes a hinderance. Their sur- 

 flice is uniformly hard, but not always firm to the 

 foot. The crust frequently gives way, and in a most 

 tiresome and provoking manner. It will not quite 

 bear the weight, and the foot sinks at the very mo- 

 ment when the other is lifted. But, worse than this, 

 the chasms between the hummocks are frequently 

 bridged over with snow in such a manner as to leave 

 a considerable space at the bottom quite unfilled; 

 and at the very moment when all looks promising, 

 down sinks one man to his middle, another to the 

 neck, another is buried out of sight, the sledge gives 

 way, and to extricate the whole from this unhappy 

 predicament is probably the labor of hours ; espe- 

 cially, as often happens, if the sledge must be un- 

 loaded ; and this latter is, from many causes, an event 

 of constant occurrence. Not unfrequently it is neces- 

 sary to carry the cargo in two or three loads. The 

 sledges are coming and going continually, and the 

 day is one endless pull and haul. The nautical cry 

 of the sailors, intended to inspire unison of action, 

 mingles with the loud and not always amiable com- 

 mands of Jensen and Knorr, each urging on his fa- 

 tigued and toil-worn dogs. 



It would be difficult to imagine any kind of labor 

 more disheartening, or which would sooner sap the 

 energies of both men and animals. The strength 

 gave way gradually ; and when, as often happened, 

 after a long and hard day's work, we could look back 

 from an eminence and almost fire a rifle-ball into our 

 last snow-hut, it was truly discouraging. 



I need hardly say that I soon gave up all thought 

 of trying to get the boat across the Sound. A hun- 



