784 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



bling way in which it ran. Frequently it led us into a 

 sand bank or deep snow, and our floundering around 

 was both exhaustive of energy and consumptive of 

 time. There is no use denying it, we are pretty weak. 

 Our food is not enough to keep up our strength, and 

 when we lose a night's sleep we feel it keenly. I had 

 several bad falls on the ice this afternoon which shook 

 me up pretty badly. A freshening N. E. wind had 

 blown the efflorescence off the ice, and left smooth, 

 clear spots as clear as glass. Frozen boots are but poor 

 foot gear, and besides cramping the feet, are like boots 

 of iron in walking. Slip, slide, and down you are on 

 your back. 



At 4.05 p. m. I saw more wood than we had sighted 

 since our dinner camp, and but little ahead. I there- 

 fore called a halt and " camped," i. e., sat down, made 

 a fire and got supper. Then we stood by for a second 

 cold and wretched night. There was so much wind that 

 we had to put our tent halves up for a screen, and sit 

 shivering in our half blankets. 



October M, Monday. — One hundred and thirteenth 

 day. At midnight it was so fearfully cold and wretched 

 that I served out tea to all hands, and on that we man- 

 aged to struggle along until five a. m., when we ate 

 our last deer meat and had more tea. Our remain- 

 ing food now consists of four fourteenths pounds pem- 

 mican each, and a half-starved clog. May God again 

 incline unto our aid. How much farther we have to 

 go before reaching a shelter or a settlement, He alone 

 knows. 



Brisk wind. Ericksen seems failing. He is weak 

 and tremulous, and the moment he closes his eyes talks 

 incessantly in Danish, German, and English. No one 

 could sleep even if our other surroundings permitted. 



