PASSAGE THROUGH THE ICE 69 



down again and shut us out from the world around, but we 

 still stood shoreward until our lead told us that it was -time to 

 go about, and then seaward, until the rugged edge of the pack 

 loomed through the fog. We shall probably be at Point 

 Barrow to-morrow ! 



Tuesday, August 14. We have been doing well all day. 

 There is a headwind, but what does that matter as long as 

 there is open water ? It has also been foggy most of the day, 

 and only once in a while we could see a piece of ice through the 

 heavy fog. We have sailed hard all day long, and have been 

 able to lie on one tack for almost an hour and a half at the 

 time. The wind is really too strong to carry full sails, but we 

 must make the best of it, and press her as hard as we dare. 

 Towards night the weather cleared up a little, and we saw a 

 boat come out from behind the shore ice. It was the crew 

 from a wrecked whaler, the Bonanza, who were on their way 

 down to the ships to look for work. One of them, a sailor by 

 name of Joe Carrol, applied for a place with us. He seemed 

 an able, useful man, and as he had been in the country for a 

 long while, he ought to know something about it ; so being still 

 shorthanded, we let him sign on board as sailor, dog feeder, 

 hunter, etc. Our poor dogs are very uncomfortable, getting 

 wet every day, and never having time to rest, as they are tied 

 all over the ship, and whenever one of us is moving, or we are 

 working the ship, they are all disturbed. Poor things, we are 

 sorry for them, but we cannot help them. We anchored about 

 eight miles south of Cape Smyth, as the current was setting so 

 strongly southward that we could do nothing more. Now at 

 last Point Barrow is very near. 



Wednesday, August 15. Weighed anchor at about 7 A.M., 

 and worked our way up shore against wind and tide. It was a 

 hard day's work, and from the time we started till the time we 

 came to Cape Smyth we never had a minute's rest. Mr. Leffing- 

 well and Dr. Howe were aft at the mainsheet and peak halyard, 

 and the crew forward, as we were often obliged to let go the 

 anchor in order to prevent the ship from running aground, and 

 to help her through the wind. The channel was very narrow, 

 in places only about three hundred yards wide, and a very 

 strong current was setting against us. At last, at 2 P.M., we had 

 made the distance to Cape Smyth, and anchored to get some 



