CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE FATAL MONTH. 



October, 1881. 



The Hundred and Eleventh Day. — Crossing the River. — Haltiug 

 on a Bluff. — Cold Nights. — Weakness. — A Man's Track Seen. — 

 Huts in the Distance. — Uncertainty. — Disappointment. — The 

 Hut becomes a Mound. — Camping in the Face of the Bluff. 

 — The Dog Killed. — A Fearful Night. — Under Cover of a 

 Hut. — Extremity of the Party. — Speculations as to Position. — 

 Death of Ericksen. — Burial. — Final Start Without Food save 

 Alcohol. — Three Miles More. — The Effect of Alcohol. — Ninde- 

 mann and Noros Sent Ahead for Relief. — A Spoonful of Glycer- 

 ine for Supper. — Arctic Willow. — Staggering Forward. — Alexey 

 Dies. — Death of Kaack and Lee. — No Foot Gear. — Iverseu 

 Dead. — The Last Recorded Deaths. 



October 1st, Saturday. — One hundred and eleventh 

 day, and a new month. Called all hands as soon as the 

 cook announced boiling water, and at 6.45 had our 

 breakfast ; one half pound of deer meat and tea. Sent 

 Ninclemann and Alexey to examine main river, other 

 men to collect wood. The doctor resumed the cutting 

 away of poor Ericksen's toes this morning. No doubt 

 it will have to continue until half his feet are gone, un- 

 less death ensues, or we get to some settlement. Onlv 

 one toe left now. Temperature 18°. 



At 7.30 Nindemann and Alexey were seen to have 

 crossed, and I immediately sent men to carry one load 

 over. 



Left the following: record : — 



