summer CRUISE 45 
general level of the front of the ice-cap does not appear to be 
greatly over 1,000 feet in elevation. 
On the trip northward the ship passed close to several of the 
places where the Eskimo usually reside during the summer 
months, but no signs of them were seen as far north as the 
Littleton islands, whence we crossed to Cape Sabine, after mak- 
ing a call into the harbour of Etah, famous as the most northern 
human habitation on the earth, being 78 30' N. latitude. At 
Etah we saw a number of deserted underground houses, where 
the natives live during the winter, and a small quantity of coal 
left by Peary, who used this place as headquarters during one 
of his attempts to reach the pole. 
Our voyage northward was stopped by heavy sheets of Arctic 
ice coming down Smith sound in the vicinity of the Littleton 
islands. Into this neighbourhood it would be dangerous and 
foolish to force the ship for no definite purpose. A crossing 
was therefore made to Cape Sabine, and considerable anxiety 
for the ship's safety was felt passing between the great pans of 
thick solid ice, some of which were miles in extent, and rose 
from three to six feet above the water, with pinnacles of much 
greater height. Some very hard knocks were given to the ship 
as she was forced through the heavy ice from one lead of water 
to the next, and everybody felt relieved when the little harbour 
at Cape Sabine was reached in safety. 
A landing was made here, and a visit paid to the last winter 
quarters of Peary, which are situated near the eastern end of 
the cape on the side of Payer harbour, formed by a few small 
islands lying a short distance from the cape. The harbour 
being full of ice, the ship could not enter it, but stood off under 
steam, it being dangerous to anchor with the large sheets of 
heavy ice passing southward on the tide. The landing was 
made about a mile from the house, which was reached by climb- 
ing over the granite cliffs of the shore, at two o'clock on a 
