MY RESOURCES. 379 



for dogs tban before. Only six animals survived the 

 late journey. Of these one died after a few days, 

 apparentl}^ from sheer loss of vitality ; and one was 

 returned to Kalutunah. 



Under these circumstances, it became a matter for 

 serious reflection, whether it were not wiser to return 

 home, refit, add — what was of much consequence — 

 steam-power to my resources, and come back again 

 immediately. Once at Cape Isabella with a proper 

 vessel, I was fully persuaded that I could get into the 

 northern water, and find a free route to the Pole, 

 although it might be a hard struggle and somewhat 

 hazardous. The chances of success would be greatly 

 enhanced by steam. 



On the other hand, by remaining, I could not 

 clearly see my way to accomplish any thing more 

 of northern discovery than had been accomplished 

 already ; and I was now called upon to consider 

 whether my time and means could be employed to 

 better advantage by promptly returning to refit than 

 to postpone that inevitable result to another year. 

 The responsibilities of the expedition had been wholly 

 assumed by myself; and, from the time of leaving 

 Boston until I should have completed the explora- 

 tion which I had undertaken, I proposed to make 

 the costs which, hitherto, various associations and in- 

 dividuals had shared with me, now exclusively my 

 own. I was, therefore, compelled to husband my 

 resources and to act with caution and deliberation. 



I will not now detain the reader with the full de- 

 tails of my plans for the future, arranged to meet this 

 new exigency ; suffice it here to observe that, after 

 taking Jensen and Kalutunah into my counsels, I 

 was fully convinced that, by bringing out two ships, 



