IN THE BOATS. 705 



falling in thick flakes. Some sign of a good lead 

 showing to the westward, I sent Mr. Dnnbar out to 

 look at it, and upon his return he reported that it 

 trended to the northward. Nothing remained there- 

 fore but to drag everything across the floe to where 

 the lead was seen yesterday p. m. At 7.15 we com- 

 menced, and it was a fearful job. The ice was very 

 much wasted, and had numerous holes extending 

 through to the sea. So much snow had fallen during; 

 the night that these holes were covered by it, and the 

 first warning any one had was his going in up to the 

 waist. However we got across by going a crooked, 

 roundabout track, but it was 10.15 before we got our 

 boats floated, loaded, and ready to start. Then we 

 were much bothered with new ice and the thick sludge 

 which the snow had made, and at one time I had to 

 resort to hard tracking. But at twelve, when I came 

 to for dinner, I considered we were two miles south of 

 where we started after breakfast. While waiting for 

 dinner Mr. Dunbar shot a seal, which not only gives us 

 a good supper but also provides the two dogs with a 

 meal. At 1.15 went ahead again. During the fore- 

 noon I had been much bothered by the sun not show r - 

 ing, and the wind suddenly shifting from N. E. to S. E. 

 But during the afternoon the sun showed occasionally, 

 and I was able to keep a knowledge of our course. 



There w r as very little water indeed, so little in fact, 

 and so much young ice, as to make me more anxious 

 than I care to show or to record. With our provisions 

 running low, and no islands or open sea in sight, each 

 day finds me more and more anxious. Over two 

 months of this care and anxiety is very wearing. 



By six p. M., when w r e stopped for supper, I think 

 we had added three miles south to our day's work. 



