THE MARCH OVER THE FROZEN OCEAN. 611 



further, we had another ice opening about sixty feet 

 wide, and to bridge this we had literally to drag an ice- 

 island thirty feet wide and hold it in place. Hardly 

 had we done this when the lead widened, and we had 

 to scour around for more huge blocks to make them 

 serve our purpose. There seems to be general slack- 

 ness to the ice, and a streaming away without any re- 

 sistance. It is hardly late enough to find leads of any 

 length, but there are openings enough to give us seri- 

 ous trouble. 



To work like horses all day for ten or eleven hours, 

 and to make only a mile, is rather discouraging ; and 

 the knowledge that we are very likely going three 

 miles northwest to every mile we make southwest 

 keeps me anxious. Melville and the doctor are the 

 only ones to whom I have communicated our latitude, 

 and to them I intend it shall be confined ; for no doubt 

 great discouragement, if not entire loss of zeal, would 

 ensue were such a disagreeable bit of news generally 

 known. I dodge Chipp, Danenhower, and Dunbar, lest 

 they should ask me questions. 



Thus far everybody is bright and cheerful, and sing- 

 ing is going on all around. I hope our good health and 

 spirits may long continue. Supper at 7.40 ; piped down 

 at nine a. m. Found upon arrival in camp that the run- 

 ner of the second cutter's sled was beginning to double 

 under, so we dismounted the boat and left the relash- 

 ing to be done by the successive men on watch. 



Everybody complaining of the heat — at nine the 

 temperature was 30° in the shade. It seems curious 

 enough to see men seeking a shady spot in which to sit 

 and smoke while the temperature is so low. At supper 

 we found the tent exceedingly warm, and as soon as I 



