532 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



for six hours more, and even a dawn light at midnight, 

 we can no longer be oppressed by darkness. It is so 

 hard to realize that we are unable to go ahead. What 

 would we care for labor if we could only accomplish 

 something by it ? Nineteen months of inactivity and 

 failure is a long time and a severe trial, but I am satis- 

 fied we have all the zeal and energy needed to make a 

 dash when we are given the chance. 



March 2\th, Thursday. — Soundings in sixty-four 

 fathoms, light drift W.; it is again evident that the deep 

 water is northeast of us. 



March 25th, Friday. — Dressier has so far regained 

 the use of his wrist as to be returned to duty. But as 

 I am quite convinced that Chipp is overworked, and as 

 he looks wretchedly thin, I have directed him to dis- 

 continue taking three A. M. meteorological observations, 

 and I shall hereafter take them myself. 



March 2ftth, Saturday. — And thus do we drag our 

 weary length along, and seemingly no nearer a success. 

 Is there never to be a change to this simply horrible 

 monotony ? Soundings to-day in sixty-one fathoms ; 

 slight drift W. S. W. 



March 2Sth, Monday. — Latitude 75° 27' N., longi- 

 tude 170° 26' E., and a drift since the 19th of eighteen 

 miles N. W. We are to-day 350 miles northwest of Her- 

 ald Island. As may be seen we have, for some days, 

 been having cold mornings and evenings, and consid- 

 erable rises of temperature in the middle of the day. 

 It may be that the winter is breaking up, or, poetically 

 speaking, " lingering in the lap of spring." 



We have been quite excited to-day about ice open- 

 ings. At six A. m. masses of dark vapor were rising 

 in clouds from north northwest. Around by north to 

 southeast and from aloft a very large opening could be 



