FROM " BIG LEAD " TO 87° 6' N. LAT. 133 



as I had expected. Very rough going at first through 

 rafters and big drifts, then very decent for the re- 

 mainder of the march. 



This was the first entirely calm day since leaving 

 the big lead. Clear except for cirro strata running 

 east and west. We crossed much one season's ice, 

 and some only a few days old. No old fioes. Travelled 

 ten hours. We must be close to Abruzzi's highest 

 now. 



During this march the dogs were much excited at 

 one time by the scent of something to windward, and 

 for three or four miles struck such a pace that I found 

 it difficult to keep ahead of them even by running, 

 so stepped one side and let them pass. At the time 

 I thought it might possibly be a bear and was strongly 

 tempted to go in pursuit. Later I was very glad 

 that I did not, as the scent noticed by the dogs was 

 undoubtedly from a seal in an open lead. 



As we advanced the character of the ice improved, 

 the floes became apparently larger and the rafters 

 more infrequent, but the cracks and narrow leads 

 increased and were nearly all active. These cracks 

 were uniformly at right angles to our course, and the 

 ice on the northern side was moving more rapidly 

 eastward than that on the southern. Our pace was 

 heart-breaking, particularly so as we were on scant 

 rations. 



As dogs gave out, unable to keep the pace, they 

 were fed to the others. April 20th we came into a 

 region of open leads, trending nearly north and south, 

 and the ice motion became more pronounced. Hurrying 



