350 OBSERVATIONS. 



by using the same means, though at greater 

 intervals, we at length (at 9 p.m.) reached the 

 open water with a strong current. But though 

 the picturesque sand-hills seemed close to us, 

 and the crew, half benumbed as they were from 

 being so long in the water, exerted themselves 

 to the utmost, and had moreover the aid of the 

 current, still, with all this, we did not reach 

 land until past 10 p. m. Our observations placed 

 us in latitude 65° 48' 4" N., longitude 99° 40' 

 46" W., with variation 29° 38' E. ; and in sixteen 

 hours we had only come fourteen miles. 



July 21st. — I examined the lake from the 

 summit of the hill above our encampment, and 

 found that the current which had befriended us 

 over night became powerless about two hundred 

 yards farther on ; at which point the main body 

 of the ice commenced again, and stretched to an 

 undefinable distance, interrupted occasionally 

 by jutting points, over which in some places it 

 was again visible. A small southerly channel, 

 however, led to some islands, and for these we 

 steered, but soon became hampered with sur- 

 rounding ice. The same mode of proceeding was 

 therefore adopted as on the preceding day; and 

 in four hours we were lucky enough to have ad- 

 vanced eight miles, though not in the direct line 

 of our course. Some open water was then seen 



