738 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



Two years ago we were beset in the ship, near Herald 

 Island, and to-day finds ns on a sand bank, — which of 

 the two situations is the preferable ? To go back with 

 the two years' experience to come, which we know we 

 have had, or to go on with everything unknown before 

 us ? I think I will pronounce in favor of the unknown 

 as less gloomy than the known. Toward noon the snow 

 ceased, the wind moderated, and the sun made one or 

 two efforts to shine through the clouds. Mr. Newcomb 

 went out with his gun, but got only two ducks. He 

 brought back, however, the antlers and skull of a deer, 

 pronounced by Alexey to belong to a young deer. Per- 

 haps wolves ate him. 



After dinner I sent all the guns out but one. A seal 

 came close in shore, but before our gun had been got 

 he was too far off. Ducks made their appearance, but 

 out of range, had our shot-gun been in camp. Little 

 sand-pipers waded around the shore, and large purple 

 jelly-fish were seen. At two p. m. barometer at a stand, 

 almost calm. Temperature 29°. During the afternoon, 

 as our stragglers came in, various accounts were re- 

 ceived of what had been seen. Hundreds of cords of 

 drift-wood to the southeast of us, and curiously enough, 

 lying in lines northwest and southeast. Deer antlers 

 shed naturally. Places under six inches of water, etc. 

 Curious stones were picked up on the beach, among them 

 ammonites. Lee saw the ruin of a hut about one mile 

 southeast of us. 



It may seem curious to some people why I do not go 

 around more myself when ashore, instead of taking 

 accounts of others ; but the fact is, my feet are swol- 

 len with cold, and my toes are broken out with chil- 

 blains, and I am unable to get around very much. In 

 the boat I am obliged, like everybody else, to sit or 



