728 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



while waiting. At four p. m. I saw a good-sized piece, 

 and ran both boats up to it. I could see nothing of the 

 second cutter, but I did see enough to make me anx- 

 ious. The ice was coming in on us in all directions, 

 much as it did on August 20th, and I feared we might 

 again be caught. There was no ice around us large 

 enough or safe enough to camp on, and nothing re- 

 mained but to go on. I had full confidence in Mr. 

 Chipp's ability to take care of the second cutter, and I 

 had no doubt he would soon overtake and rejoin us. At 

 five, seeing a good large floe piece, I ran up to it, as be- 

 fore stated, got supper, and then camped and turned in. 



Being successful in keeping clear of the sand bank 

 during the day, we did not see the island marked in 

 the middle of the southern edge ; in fact, I had given 

 up all idea of making for it, and was now heading so 

 as to keep clear of the sand bank, and make the south 

 end of Kotelnoi Island. The distance was about sev- 

 enty miles from the south cape of Faddejew Island, 

 and though I could not tell how far we had run last 

 night before bringing up against the reef, I estimated 

 roughly that by five p. m. we had run fifty miles of that 

 seventy. The land was not yet in sight, though low- 

 lying clouds from west southwest along to the right 

 indicated its presence. Everybody was wet and cold, 

 and we crawled into our bags with great content. 

 Temperature 26°. Wind increasing and promising a 

 gale. 



September 2d, Friday. — The wind remained at E. 

 S. E., and was blowing a gale with snow, at five A. m., 

 when all hands were called. Temperature 29°, at 

 seven. Nothing has been seen of the second cutter 

 during the night. Soundings ten and a half fathoms. 

 Rapid drift W. N. W. But very little sleep was ob- 



