CHAPTER XII. 



LEAVING THE SHIP BEHIND. 

 11— 25 June, 1881. 



The Attack of the Ice on the Ship. — The Break across the Ship. 



— Orders given to remove Provisions. — The Ship begins to fill. 



— The Unloading. — The Ship sinks. — The Camp on the Ice. — 

 Preparations for Journey. — Loading of the Sleds. — Arrangement 

 of Camp. — The Sick-List. — Orders for the March. — Deposit of 

 Records. — The Start. — The Difficulties at the Outset. — Terrible 

 Roads. — The Heavy Loads. •— Snow and Rain. — The Cracks in 

 the Ice. — Ice Bridges and Ferries. — Fog. — The First Good 

 Day's Work. — The Daily Routine. — Papers hrought to Light. — 

 Doubts as to Locality. — Reconnaisance. 



[Up to this time Captain De Long had kept his pri- 

 vate journal, in addition to the ship's log, and from that 

 journal the narrative has been taken. After abandon- 

 ing the ship he kept but one journal, and the pages 

 which follow are from that, with the exception of the 

 first entry, which is from the ship's log.] 



June 10th, Friday, ship's date (June 11th, Saturday, 



correct date). — At 12.10 a.m. the ice suddenly opened 



alongside, and the ship righted to an even keel. Called 



all hands at once, and brought in the few remaining 



things on the ice. The ship settled down to her proper 



bearings nearly, the draft being eight feet eleven inches 



forward, and twelve feet five inches aft. A large block 



of ice could be seen remaining under her keel. At the 



first alarm the gate in the water-tight bulkhead for- 

 ts o 



ward was closed, but the amount of water coining into 



