THE MARCH OVER THE FROZEN OCEAN". 615 



By 7.30 A. M. I arrived with the rear guard at the 

 camp, after sounding in twenty-seven fathoms. I tried 

 to get sights, but the fog was too much for me. To- 

 day we detected the second cutter's runner preparing 

 to double under, and it was at once repaired and re- 

 lashed, getting the boat off the sled for that purpose. 

 The port runner of No. 4 sled was found trying the 

 same trick, and proper repairs were made by the watch 

 while we were sleeping. 



Chipp seems to be gaining strength. 



The temperature has been steady at 30° all day, but 

 it seems much colder; we always get our feet wet early 

 in the morning, and that keeps us uncomfortable until 

 we stop to camp ; a thick fog seems to penetrate to our 

 bones all day. And an unusual thing, a S. W. wind, is 

 worthy of record. My barometer marks now 29.90", 

 so it may have been right all along. 



Supper at 8.30 a. m. ; piped down, 9.30 a. m. Called 

 all hands at seven p. m. ; breakfasted at eight p. m. ; 

 underway at nine p. M. ; wind S. W. From nine p. m. 

 to 12.40 A. M., 



June SOth, Thursday, we advanced without much 

 difficulty, only one or two small openings presenting 

 themselves. In these three hours and forty minutes 

 we succeeded in getting everything along half a mile, 

 and then halted for dinner. 



Toward midnight we had observed a long low line of 

 black cloud in the west, extending from southwest to 

 northwest, and it promised a rising fog. By the time 

 we had halted it had spread around in its accustomed 

 way north and south, and by 1.30 a. m. the sky was 

 entirely overcast, a wet, damp fog like fine rain shut- 

 ting in everything. The daily recurrence of this phe- 

 nomenon makes me believe that we are drawing near 



