THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 527 



channels already made for it and by midsummer the ice is cut up 

 into a network of channels, a few inches or s'everal feet deep and 

 separating ice islands of all shapes and sizes. If the ice is three 

 or four years old these islands resemble mushrooms or champagne 

 glasses — a narrow stem with a sort of wide table on top. If the 

 ice is not so old this mushroom formation is not noticeable, but 

 progress is a continual climbing up on such "islands" and plunging 

 into the water beyond. Frequently the dogs have to swim and the 

 sled must float buoyed up by sealed tin cans kept in the bottom 

 of the load for that purpose. When the sled is actually in the 

 water there is no danger of upsetting and the task of the drivers 

 is to keep the dogs and sleds in the water most of the time, avoid- 

 ing the ice "islands" and climbing out upon them only occasionally. 

 The great danger is when the sled is crossing one of these islands, 

 especially if there are rounded hummocks upon them as frequently 

 happens. The sled is then likely to slide sidewise into the water. 

 Indeed it is sure to slide, and the steersman's task is to see that 

 just before it does it shall be turned in such a way that it goes in 

 bow foremost. Sidewise, it will upset, as happened to us July 8th. 



This condition of the ice is bad not only for traveling but also 

 for seal hunting. If you approach a seal that is basking on the 

 ice he will probably hear you splash, and the least splash will send 

 him into his hole. Furthermore, it is practically impossible to 

 crawl snake-fashion over ice of this sort. Thus we must make our 

 living in July and August from caribou on the land or from the 

 occasional seal that happens to lie near enough to land to be shot 

 from shore. 



July 12th I shot three caribou, the only ones killed in Amund 

 Ringnes Island. That day we saw the first polar bear track we 

 had seen since leaving Melville Island. Judging from two years 

 of experience, polar bears are so rare on the west coast of Prince 

 Patrick Island and in the vicinity of our new lands and Isachsen 

 Land that they may be said not to exist there. As we proceeded 

 south birds increased in variety. There were snow buntings, terns, 

 old squaw ducks, and owls, in addition to the birds seen farther 

 north. With caribou on the land, there were sure to be wolves, 

 but we saw only their tracks. 



July 14th we crossed the straits, which in this vicinity were 

 about fifteen miles wide, and as usual ran a line of soundings. 

 Bear tracks became more numerous. July 18th and 19th we 

 stopped for two days near the southern end of Hassel Sound to 



