THE MARCH OVER THE FROZEN OCEAN. 619 



tent to help the road and bridge makers. These so 

 quickly cut out a road for us in a roundabout mass of 

 confused ice that by three we had got everything on 

 to the " smooth ice " before referred to. This " smooth 

 ice " led to another piece where the water was knee 

 deep, and we plowed everything through it by five a. m. 

 — a good three quarters of a mile since dinner. Here 

 we were confronted by a terrible mass of hummocks 

 and rubble, but, setting the road makers at it in ad- 

 vance, no delay was occasioned, and we jumped every- 

 thing through it on to some " old-fashioned ice " (Erick- 

 sen) i: e. paleocrystic, by 6.45 a. m., and pitched camp. 

 Supper at 7.30 a. m. 



Called all hands at six p. m. Breakfasted at seven 

 p. m. A brisk N. N. W. wind ; barometer 29.95 at 38° ; 

 temperature 29.5°. Rain and snow at various times 

 during our stop. The temperature and our sleeping 

 in wet bags make us somewhat cold and stiff, but that 

 will soon wear off. We have the satisfaction of know- 

 ing now that this wind will dry our wet bags and foot 

 gear. At 8.30 p. m. advanced through a very rough and 

 confused " skeleton pack " for one half mile, after which 

 we fell in with some smooth ice, with but little water 

 and snow on it, and this extended for about one mile 

 on our course. It took us until 12.30 a. m., — 



July od, Sunday, — to get all our sleds and boats up 

 to the beginning of the smooth ice, and then we halted 

 for dinner. The sun now began to try to force its way 

 through the clouds and fog, and it seemed to grow 

 much colder. My thermometer being packed away, I 

 did not verify my sensations. 



To avoid the wind as much as possible the boats were 

 slued around across the wind, and we huddled under 

 their lee while we ate our dinner. Having placed Hags 



