SHERIDAN TO ETAH 259 



the ice under her fore-foot with a steady roar at a 

 four or five knot pace. Finally after one or two 

 temporary delays where the comers of big floes locked 

 together, the ship, at 4 a. m. of the i6th, pushed 

 her nose into open water somewhat north of Littleton 

 Island and steamed into Etah, thus ending a most 

 gallant battle with the ice which had begun on July 4th 

 and lasted for seventy-five days. 



During the crossing of Kane Basin six seals, one 

 bearded seal, two hood seals, and one polar bear were 

 obtained. Soundings made by Marvin at various 

 points across the basin, showed a very regular bottom, 

 and depths much less than in Robeson and Kennedy 

 Channels or between Sabine and Littleton Island. 

 These soundings ranged from loi to 139 fathoms. 



At Etah I found not only the Eskimo families 

 whom I had transplanted there the summer before, 

 but others who had come since with a view to meeting 

 the ship on her return. They had given up hopes of 

 our return this season until some three days previous 

 when active old Ahmah, Merktoshah's wife, walking 

 overland to Anoritok had seen our smoke far out in 

 Kane Basin. From these natives I learned that the 

 season had been an unusual one, the ice everywhere 

 remaining until very late. As soon as we arrived the 

 heavy anchor and cable which we had left here the year 

 before were taken on board, and Captain Bartlett 

 reconnoitred several places in the vicinity looking 

 for a suitable place to beach the Roosevelt and repair 

 her stem and propeller. Nothing satisfactory was 

 found and we steamed up to the head of the fiord in 

 the northeast comer of which was a place that could 



