THE MARCH OVER THE FROZEN OCEAN. 613 



meant only changing foot gear. At five a. m., there- 

 fore, camped. At six a. m. had supper, and after sup- 

 per set No. 2 at work restowing sled, the lee boards 

 having been left out last time. 



Strong indications of water to the southwest. 



Chipp is improving in health, and I hope in a few 

 days the doctor will be relieved from the necessity of 

 staying with or near him. 



At eight a. m. piped down ; at six p. m. called all 

 hands ; at seven breakfasted, and at eight started 

 ahead. For one eighth of a mile we had fair going 

 with no more road-making than what a few strokes of 

 a pickaxe could do, and then we came to a very ugly 

 piece of ferrying ; an opening twenty feet wide filled 

 with ugly lumps and blocks of ice had to be passed, 

 and our only means available were to make a flying 

 bridge. The wind set all these lumps down faster 

 than we could clear them away, and our flying bridge 

 was unwieldy. However, we got across somehow, and 

 moved on, accomplishing half a mile before we halted 

 for dinner at 12.30 A. M. 



June 29th, Wednesday. — At 1.30 turned to. Right, 

 at our feet we had some road-making to do, and then 

 we came to some very old heavy ice, dirty and dis- 

 colored with mud, with here and there a mussel shell, 

 and with a piece of rock on it, which, as it was similar 

 to that on Henrietta Island, I carried along. Going 

 ahead with the dog sleds and Mr. Dunbar we suddenly 

 came to water, and peering into the fog it seemed as if 

 we had some extensive lead before us. Going back 

 hurriedly I sent the dingy ahead for an exploration, 

 but, alas ! it was fruitless. The favorable lead which 

 we thought we had turned out to be another wretched 

 opening seventy-five feet wide, which we had to bridge. 



