Hayes.] 335 [December. 



again on the 6th; but, failing to pass Littleton Island, and the tem- 

 perature having fallen to 12°, when navigation was no longer safe, I 

 was obliged to go into winter quarters in Hartstein Bay, ten miles 

 northeast of Cape Alexander, in a harbor which I have named Port 

 Foulke, in honor of my friend, William Parker Foulke, Esq., of 

 Philadelphia, a member of this Society, who was the earliest and has 

 been one of the most constant friends of the Expedition. Subsequent 

 observations gave our position latitude 78° 17' 41", longitude 72° 

 30' 57" W., twenty miles south of the latitude of Rensselaer Harbor 

 (Dr. Kane's winter quarters), and distant from it by the coast line 

 about ninety miles. 



At the time of going into winter quarters my vessel was badly 

 crippled by frequent collisions with field ice, and by twice being 

 driven upon icebergs. The weather was not only very boisterous 

 from the time of our first entering the Strait, but thick snow was 

 almost continually falling. I regretted very much that I had not 

 steam-power. 



My plans of exploration being based upon reaching the west coast 

 and there attaining a harbor above or near latitude 79°, which I had 

 thought practicable from personal observations made in 1854, you 

 will perceive that my winter harbor was very unfavorable for the ac- 

 complishment of my purpose. I could not attain even as convenient 

 a position as that of Dr. Kane, whose line of travel being near the 

 Greenland coast was freed from some of the obstacles attending my 

 passage across the Strait, with dog sledge, to Grinnell Land. 



Our preparations for the winter were similar to those of Dr. Kane. 

 A house was built on shore to receive our stores, and the hold of the 

 vessel was converted into a room for the men. The upper deck was 

 covered with a house made of boards which had been brought for the 

 purpose. The ship's company lived in health and comfort. 



With the winter, however, came serious misfortunes. A disease 

 which has been for several years prevailing throughout all Northern 

 Greenland, broke out among my dogs, and by the middle of De- 

 cember all of them had died but eleven. It became then necessary 

 to open communication with the Esquimaux of Whale Sound, with 

 the view of obtaining a new supply. It will be remembered that my 

 plans of exploration were based entirely upon the use of dogs as a 

 means of transporation across the ice; and from my unfavorable situa- 

 tion it appeared evident that with my reduced force I had not the 

 means to prosecute my purposes with the success which I had anti- 

 cipated. 



Mr. Sonntag early volunteered to go to the Esquimaux for the pur- 



