SECOND EXPEDITION TO THE ICE-CAP 



plies unloaded the two men crept into their sleep- 

 ing bags unrolled upon the sand. 



The entire day following, the ninth, from nine in 

 the morning until six in the evening they spent in 

 portaging the loads past the Lower Rapids. At 

 seven in the evening the canoe was again put in 

 and towed until a high bluff was reached. The cur- 

 rent was here very strong. After two unsuccess- 

 ful attempts to tow past the cliff, the men got in 

 the canoe, Herz in the stern, and both paddled 

 hard until too tired to continue. Then a paddle 

 would be stuck in a crack in the vertical cliff be- 

 side the river and the canoe held in position until 

 they were rested sufficiently for another spurt. 

 Once past the cliff the current was swift but shal- 

 low and good progress was made until they reached 

 a big bend opposite a lake on the terrace above the 

 river, which they reached at about half-past ten 

 in the evening. Here the canoe was pulled out. 



The river carries numerous blocks of ice and 

 from some which were found stranded a little 

 tea was made and a simple supper eaten. Sleeping 

 bags were once more unrolled upon the sand and 

 the men were soon asleep, but were up again by 

 eight-thirty the next morning. On this third day, 

 the tenth of August, the loaded canoe was worked 

 up through swift water, sometimes by towing from 



165 



