A FROZEN SUMMER. 391 



in a short time, which, of course, I know to be out of 

 the question. Our other sick man, Iversen, seems to be 

 improving, only occasionally breaking out into hysteri- 

 cal weeping, etc. ; but his gloomy ideas of being watched 

 and a mutiny, etc., seem to have subsided. 



Our coal account shows that we have remaining fifty- 

 six and one half tons. At all hazards I must retain 

 thirty tons for keeping us warm and cooking and dis- 

 tilling next winter, so that I have just twenty-six tons 

 that could be devoted to steaming in case I had a fair 

 chance to accomplish anything. As our consumption 

 per diem in steaming would be at least five tons, T have 

 in round numbers five days' steaming. And with this I 

 have to make the Pole, accomplish the N. W. Passage, 

 or go back empty handed. What an ending the last 

 would be compared with our beginning, — the yachts, 

 the fort's salute, etc., etc. It makes my heart sick to 

 think of it. What a return for the expenditure of 

 money ! What a realization of all my fond dreams and 

 hopes ! 



To-day our men dug away the ice under and around 

 our propeller well, hoping for a time soon to come when 

 we can get the screw up and have a look at it. We 

 still rise slowly, but there is yet a large mass clinging 

 to us. Melville tried the other day to turn the screw 

 shaft by jacking, but it was held too rigidly. 



July 2d, Friday. — Another uneventful day, and such 

 gloriously beautiful weather that our enforced idleness 

 becomes terrible. A temperature ranging from 34° to 

 46.4° and back to 32°, and ponds here and there to 

 mock us with water that is too little for navigation and 

 too salt for drinking — at all these we stand and look, 

 and see one day more pass by without our having done 

 a thing that is to our credit. 



