1861.] 387 [Hayes. 



pose before named. His offer was accepted^ and he started on the 

 22d of December, with a sledge drawn by nine dogs, and accompa- 

 nied by Hans (Dr. Kane's young native hunter), whom I had found 

 at Cape York. Mr. Sonntag lost his life in attempting to cross Whale 

 Sound, under the following melancholy circumstances^ as reported to 

 me by Hans upon his return. In attempting to cross a crack which 

 had been recently frozen over, Mr. Sonntag broke through the thin 

 ice and became thoroughly wetted. He was assisted out of the water 

 by his companion, but before they could reach a place of shelter, five 

 miles distant, Mr. Sonntag was so badly frozen that he was insen- 

 sible, and he died soon afterwards. The body was subsequently re- 

 covered and interred near the observatory at Port Foulke. 



Hans continued southward and accomplished one of the purposes 

 of the journey; but, in consequence of bad management and over 

 driving, five dogs of his team were killed, and I was left, upon his 

 return, with only six animals. The Esquimaux having learned 

 through Hans of our being at Port Foulke, came to us in the spring, 

 and from them I was enabled to obtain a sufficient number of dogs 

 to increase my pack to about twenty animals ; but some of them 

 died afterwards, and I was left, finally, with two teams of seven 

 each. With so reduced a force, I became seriously apprehensive for 

 the success of the labors which were to follow. 



On the 20th of March, I set out on my first journey. The object 

 of this effort was to establish a provision depot for use during the 

 summer, and it was successful. While absent upon this occasion I 

 visited Rensselaer harbor, Dr. Kane's winter quarters. No vestige 

 of the " Advance" could be discovered. She has probably drifted 

 out to sea with the ice, and been subsequently crushed and sunk. 



The preparations for the principal journey were completed early in 

 April; and on the 4th of that month I started northward with my 

 entire available force, comprising twelve men and fourteen dogs. 

 Our equipment consisted of a metallic lifeboat mounted ou runners, 

 provisions for seven persons for five months, provisions for six per- 

 sons and fourteen dogs for six weeks, and the necessary camp fix- 

 tures. 



That part of my plan involving the transportation of the boat to 

 Kennedy Channel proved, after three weeks' trial, to be impracticable, 

 and I accordingly sent the main party back, and continued north- 

 ward with the two dog-sledges and three companions. After a jour- 

 ney beset with unusual difficulties, the west coast was reached on the 

 10th of May, and I continued thence northward along that coast 



