744 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



5.45 laid on oars for supper, twenty feet water. At 

 6.05 went ahead again. Evidence of tide setting to 

 southwest. At eight p. m. an impenetrable fog settled 

 down over everything, and so completely shut out the 

 land that after pulling until 9.40, three boats in a tow, 

 I concluded to give up for the night. Ran alongside a 

 rough floe piece, hauled out, and camped. Served out 

 tea and four oz. pemmican to each person, and lighted 

 a candle to see to eat it by. Dead calm. Seven feet 

 water. Floe aground. 



September 10th, Saturday. — Called all hands at 

 seven. Breakfasted at eight. Light N. E. breeze. Tem- 

 perature 31°. Our Liebig all gone. Last used for sup- 

 per yesterday. Other boats out several clays ago. 



Land in sight about one mile distant the northern 

 end of the island ; no doubt Semenovski Island, bearing 

 about west. Yesterday afternoon I saw a second island 

 (Wassilewski Island) to the southward. Underway 8.30. 

 Thick fog. Reached north end of island at 9.10. Stood 

 alono; its western edo;e until 11.30, when ran in for din- 

 ner. Island seems eighth of a mile in width. Fresh 

 deer-track and bear- track seen. Mr. Dunbar quite fee- 

 ble. Island seems washing away. Mud. Deer antler 

 found on top of hill. Teeth of mastodon found by doc- 

 tor. Fresh pond of water found on hill-top. Island 

 from thirty to one hundred feet high. Islands not the 

 result of river deposits, and consequently fossil remains 

 not brought here. That these islands had once trop- 

 ical climates is proven by the coal found on Bennett 

 Island. 



Upon turning to at' 12.45 p. m., I ordered five of my 

 party to walk along to the south end of the island in 

 quest of game, and I directed Chipp and Melville to 

 send people from their boats for a like purpose. In 



