254 NEAREST THE POLE 



About noon of the 24th the ice slackened a trifle, 

 and we were able to work about three miles toward 

 Cape Baird, then the ice and the fog both shut down 

 on us. After this we drifted eastward very slowly 

 until midnight, remained motionless during the 25th, 

 and on the 26th lost it all and settled back into the 

 bay again. At 4 a. m. of the 27th, a very light air out 

 of Lady Franklin Bay began to drift us almost im- 

 perceptibly eastward. At 5:30 the ice slackened 

 slightly, and we began to hammer our way eastward 

 for freedom and the water under the Greenland shore, 

 At first progress was fearfully slow, but improved later 

 and we worked across toward Cape Tyson, then round- 

 ing an enormous floe were able to work down along 

 its eastern side and squeeze between it and Joe Island. 



Whatever else might be in store for us there was 

 no longer any danger that we would be pocketed in 

 Lady Franklin Bay for another year, or that we would 

 be smashed against the savage cliffs that line the shore 

 of Daly Peninsula from Cape Lieber to Cape Desfosse. 

 From this time the Roosevelt made very satisfactory 

 progress until 6 a. m. of the 29th when she was stopped 

 by impenetrable ice south and east of Hayes Point. 



From Joe Island to Hans Island our course lay close 

 to the Greenland shore among very large and heavy 

 floes. We passed east of Hans Island, and from Hans 

 Island to Cape Calhoun had practically open water. 

 From Cape Calhoun until we came to a stop heavy 

 floes were encountered again, becoming more and 

 more closely packed as we advanced. While passing 

 Franklin and Crozier Islands a fresh northeasterly 

 wind enabled us to set foresail, mizzenspencer, and 



