314 NEAREST THE POLE 



I camped on the morning of the 14th at the glacier, 

 which fills the head of Sawyer Bay. 



During the following six days I ascended the glacier, 

 crossed the ice cap to its western side, and, from 

 elevations of from 4,000 to 4,700 feet, looked down 

 upon the snow-free western side of Ellesmere Land, 

 and out into an ice-free fiord, extending some fifty 

 miles to the northwest. The season here was at least 

 a month earlier than on the east side, and the general 

 appearance of the country reminded me of the Whale 

 Sound region of Greenland. Clear weather for part 

 of one day enabled me to take a series of angles, then 

 fog and rain and snow settled down upon us. Through 

 this I steered by compass back to and down the glacier, 

 camping on the 21st in my camp of the 15 th. 



The return from here to the ship was somewhat 

 arduous, owing to the rotten condition of the one-year 

 ice, and the deep pools and canals of water on the sur- 

 face of the old floes. These presented the alternative 

 of making endless detours or wading through water 

 often waist deep. During seven days our clothing, 

 tent, sleeping-gear and food were constantly saturated. 

 The Windward was reached on the 28th of July. 



In spite of the discomforts and hardships of this 

 trip, incident to the lateness of the season, I felt repaid 

 by its results. In addition to completing the notes 

 requisite for a chart of the Princess- Marie-Buchanan- 

 Bay region, I had been fortunate in crossing the Elles- 

 mere Land ice-cap, and looking upon the western 

 coast. The game secured during this trip comprised 

 I polar bear, 7 musk-oxen, 3 oogsook,* and 14 seals. 



♦Bearded seal. 



