332 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



the steam-cutter rig, which is now used for distilling 

 only. To provide for light wind, Melville commenced 

 to-day the construction of a pump of boiler tubes, also 

 to be worked by the windmill. To determine by ex- 

 periment which will be the most economical of fuel, — 

 the Baxter or the steam-cutter's engine, — I directed 

 Melville to use the Baxter hereafter for distilling and 

 unavoidable steam pumping. 



Chipp has been hard at work of late making fuses and 

 torpedoes, in anticipation of our needing them for our 

 future operations. We have plenty of powder for blast- 

 ing purposes, and Chipp, with his torpedo experience, 

 has manufactured the necessary weapons. Mr. Dunbar 

 has earned among us the reputation of making a mile, 

 according to his reckoning, as near two, judging from 

 our feelings, as can be. Last fall, upon the occasion of 

 killing some walruses, he came back for a boat, and as 

 he said the distance was about a mile, the doctor, Mel- 

 ville, and myself started with him, a team of dogs drag- 

 miiQ- the boat on the sled. We ran the best three miles 

 I ever saw, and were pretty w^ell used up before we got 

 to the end of his mile. To-day, when he started out, 

 I got him to carry a pedometer hitched to his pocket. 

 On his return he said he thought he had gone about 

 three miles in all, but T could see in his face he felt he 

 was saying too much — that he ought to have made It 

 less. The pedometer read five miles. Rule : Multiply 

 Mr. Dunbar's estimate by two, and then judge whether 

 you are game to hold out. 



Although I am sure the ice is wasting under the sun, 

 it wastes far too slowly for me. I am anxious to get on. 

 To-day our latitude is N. 72° 59' 54" (almost 73°), and 

 I am hoping that 73° is a barrier which, once passed, we 

 shall s:o on with some credit to ourselves and the name 



