1876 RETURN JOURNEY TO 'ALERT.' 293 



in our teeth, and a great deal of drift ; could not see 

 more than a few yards before us, so decided to wait 

 until the wind went down a little. There being" no 

 signs of the wind abating, resecured the tent and pre- 

 pared for a day of misery, for the best part of the day 

 is when we are on the march ; to be cramped up in 

 one's bag, or get miserably cold if you get out of it, is 

 not a pleasant prospect to look forward to. However, 

 we determined to make the best of it, and having one 

 book — " The Ingoldsby Legends " — with us, we read, 

 smoked, sang, and slept all day ; and, excepting the 

 pains in one's shoulders and legs from cramp, it was 

 not so bad as we had expected. 



' The highest temperature we could raise in the 

 tent was 10° above zero ; that was while we had the 

 lamps lighted ; the temperature outside was only 

 minus 19°. 



' 2nd. — The wind has gone, and it is a fine day. 

 One of the dogs was very unwell to-day ; he refused to 

 eat anything, and was not able to pull. Slipped him 

 from the drag-ropes, but as he would not keep up with 

 us, were obliged to lead him. By keeping well out 

 from the land we got on very well for the first two 

 hours, but after that we came to a regular stop. No 

 more floes in sight, so there was nothing for it but to 

 make for the land. Between us and the shore there 

 was nothing but hummocks. After an hour or so at 

 it we picked up one or two " wrinkles ; " instead of 

 cutting a broad path for the sledge we simply made a 

 way for one runner, and then canted the sledge up, 

 one hand preventing it from capsizing ; by one of us 

 walking ahead to lead the dogs and pick the way, two 



