120 THE VOYAGE OF THE JE ANNETTE. 



unless we have plenty of open water under the stern. 

 If I trice up the screw now, ice will surely form in the 

 clutch and prevent the screw from getting back in place. 

 If I expected the ship to remain in this spot all winter, 

 these reasons would have less weio:hto But as I con- 

 sider it an exceptional state of the ice that we are hav- 

 ing just now, and count upon the September gales to 

 break up the pack, and perhaps open leads to Herald 

 Island, I want the ship to be in condition to move with- 

 out delay. Besides, I am told that in the latter part of 

 September and early part of October there is expe- 

 rienced in these latitudes quite an Indian Summer, and 

 I shall not begin to expect wintering in the pack until 

 this Indian Summer is given a chance to liberate us. 



SeiJtember Wi, Tuesday. — A superb day ; bright 

 sunlight, thermometer ranging between 21° and 25°. 

 No sign of a lead in any direction. Established our 

 position to be by observation, 71° 35' N., 175° o 48'' 

 W. At 7.30 p. M., with a sunset entirely free from 

 clouds, made out land distinctly between S. W. and W. 

 and S. S. W. The land furthest to the westward was a 

 kind of table land, with a range of peaks to its south- 

 ward, terminating in a low, flat strip just behind Herald 

 Island. And this is the land which, two months ago 

 yesterday, we sailed for from San Francisco, hoping to 

 explore this winter. Man proposes but God disposes. 

 Here we are not even able to get to Herald Island. 

 Ship still heeled 9° to starboard, and great pressure on 

 the rudder casing. This must be eased or Ave may 

 damage the pintles. We have been trying all day to 

 explode torpedoes under the stern, but our slow-match 

 was defective and would not burn, and we could not get 

 an electric current through our non-insulated copper 

 wire. During the last three days have turned the dogs 



