BENNETT ISLAND. 649 



there had been several leads open, they were now 

 closed, and we might sled right over. I gave the order, 

 therefore, to go ahead, and returned to my work of a 

 Sumner. As I have to carry my instrument box on a 

 dog sled, my movements and those of the sled do not 

 correspond, and I generally have to send to the rear to 

 get my box brought up, and keep by it during the in- 

 terval between sights to prevent it getting out of my 

 reach. Mr. Dunbar had gone ahead to get a good hum- 

 mock to look for the water. Much time elapsed with-' 

 out Melville coming back for the second fleet, and I 

 could not understand why. Finally I rushed ahead, 

 with my sextant in one hand and my artificial horizon 

 in the other, and at last found the cause of the delay ; 

 the ice had opened again, and left us in a fearful mess. 

 The dog sleds had got over and discharged, but could 

 not get back, and Melville was trying to get his two 

 sleds out of the snarl in which he found himself. I saw 

 we were in for a time, and so it was ; for not until nine 

 A. M. did we get all our traps into camp, requiring three 

 hours for what we expected to do in one. However, 

 we are consoled, for Mr. Collins shot a seal meanwhile, 

 the dingy got him, and we have another luxurious sup- 

 per ahead. 



Previous to getting sights, I had a mishap which w T as 

 annoying. Going to the top of a hummock to take a 

 look at the land, Mr. Dunbar and I had to go out of the 

 road and jump some rather wide openings. Going was 

 all right, but jumping across a four foot opening the ice 

 broke under me as I jumped, and I went into the water 

 up to my neck. My clothes held me up for a moment, 

 and Mr. Dunbar grabbed me by the hood, as he thought, 

 but by the whiskers principally, as I realized, for he 

 nearly took my head off. My knapsack was away to 



