PASSAGE THROUGH THE ICE 83 



a secure place, which could, if necessary, be used for winter 

 quarters. We took our dogs ashore to a place called " Dead 

 Man's Island," an old Eskimo burial ground, and they 

 were happy indeed. It seemed as if they would never get tired 

 of running backwards and forwards, and whenever one of us 

 landed on the island they came running in great numbers, 

 jumping up against us, trying to lick our faces in the peculiar 

 demonstrative dog manner, and showing their appreciation of 

 the much-needed leave ashore. " Dead Man's Island " is only 

 about 400 yards long and 200 wide, so the animals could not 

 get lost, and we could safely leave them there. 



We went over to the Thetis and had a talk with Captain 

 Hamlet and the whaling masters. They all agree that there 

 is nothing to be done unless we get a westerly wind to raise the 

 water and float the ground ice that binds the loose drifting ice 

 and blocks up the passage east. They all speak of beautiful 

 open water to the east. It is maddening to think that here we 

 are, half in winter quarters, with only a few miles between 

 ourselves and open water. 



We are near desperation, and almost wish to get frozen in 

 as quickly as possible. The suspense which has lasted so long 

 is almost wearing us out, and it would be a relief to have 

 matters settled one way or the other. 



We have had two deaths on board to-day. The bitch with 

 pups had not been herself for several days, and this morning 

 Mr. Leffingwell found one of the pups lying outside the box. 

 He went to put it back and saw the other one lying dead with 

 its head eaten off. Of course no one but the mother could 

 have killed it, and as we had suspected that something was 

 wrong with her, we took the live pup down in the cabin. For 

 a while the bitch was quiet, but all of a sudden she commenced 

 to bark and snap at everything near, and to foam at the mouth. 

 We knew, of course, that she would have to be killed, but 

 killing her was not very easy, as she practically owned the ship, 

 and no one liked to approach her. Mr. Leffingwell stood on the 

 mainboom and managed to catch her neck in a loop. Then 

 we all became very brave, and finally succeeded in having her 

 tied, but we soon saw that nothing could save her. While we 

 were down for breakfast she broke her chain and jumped over- 

 board, and when we came on deck again she was lying in the 



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