1870 NORTHERN SLEDGE JOURNEY. 353 



worse. The snow goggles are worn by all, and cer- 

 tainly afford relief to the eyes. Moss is rendering 

 valuable service by assisting me in the selection of a 

 road — no easy task whilst going through hummocks. 

 Although the temperature is minus 30°, the sun has 

 sufficient influence to dry our blanket wrappers and 

 other gear ; the yards of the boats being very con- 

 venient for the purpose of tricing up our robes, &c. 

 The snow is still very deep on the floes and between 

 the hummocks, materially retarding our progress. 

 Halted at seven, and encamped on a heavy floe. 

 From its north-western edge the depot at Cape Joseph 

 Henry was plainly visible ; a great relief to our minds, 

 as thoughts of its being buried in deep snow-drift would 

 frequently occur to us. Distance marched thirteen 

 miles ; made good four. 



' 10th. — Leaving the tents pitched, we started with 

 an empty sledge for the depot, distant about two miles. 

 We experienced heavy work in cutting a road through 

 the line of shore hummocks that girt the coast, and 

 did not succeed in reaching the depot until eleven 

 o'clock. Sending the party back to camp, Aldrich, 

 Giffard, Moss, and I ascended View Hill (650 feet), 

 whence we obtained a good look-out. The prospect 

 was anything but cheering. To the northward was an 

 irregular sea of ice, composed of small floes and large 

 hummocks. Our anticipations of slow travelling and 

 heavy work seem about to be realized. The sun was 

 so powerful that the snow was thawing, and the water 

 trickling down on the southern side of the hill. We 

 shall start to-morrow morning with provisions com- 

 plete for sixty- three days. Thus loaded, the sledges 

 VOL. I. A A 



