1914] IN SEARCH OF CROCKER LAND 79 



utes' work of the whole trip — "rough" and "rubble** 

 do not half express the character of the surface. 



As before, excellent going followed. With eighteen 

 miles to our credit, we finished the day on the banks of 

 another narrow lead which froze over during the night. 

 At the end of the next day (April 19th) we were in high 

 hopes of making our distance. Throughout the day it 

 had been a succession of long, level stretches and newly 

 frozen leads with clean-cut edges — no pressure ridges 

 whatever. The haze on the horizon, which had been a 

 constant attendant, was slowly disappearing; no water 

 sky could be seen; all the leads were evidently frozen; 

 without a doubt we were beyond the pressure area. 

 By dead-reckoning we judged that we were about fifty- 

 two miles off shore. As this was based upon an esti- 

 mate of only three and one-half miles per hour, I was 

 quite sure that our regular observations would add 

 to the distance covered. 



On the 20th we stretched out for a record, crossing 

 nine newly frozen leads, and estimating at the end of 

 the day that we had surely covered thirty miles. Two 

 of Pee-a-wah-to's dogs dropped and were left on the 

 trail, hoping that they might come into camp later. 

 One was found lying with the team in the morning; he 

 went on for a few days and then dropped for good. 

 Pee-a-wah-to's dogs were plainly showing the effect of 

 his constant riding on the sledge, for he was no longer 

 leading and breaking the trail as he had done in the 

 past. Like all other Eskimos, he did not believe in 

 walking when he could ride. Green, with good judg- 

 ment and excellent driving, still kept his dogs on their 

 feet; although one was very weak; the others seemed to 

 be getting stronger. He walked nearly every step; in 



