PASSAGE THROUGH THE ICE ' 93 



ship's length ahead of us. Some of us have been out with 

 boats, sounding up the lagoon, and shots were continually fired 

 from the ship, so that the people in the boats at any time 

 could know where to find the vessel. Although we thought 

 that we had found a channel all the way to Flaxman Island, a 

 bank with only six feet of water was reported to-day, which 

 seemed to be stretching all the way across the lagoon. On 

 the other side of it the water was deep once more. We 

 shall have to go out sounding to-morrow again. 



Friday, September 14. Calm, dead calm, and foggy. Pleasant 

 climate this ! A small and exceedingly light puff of wind from 

 the westward came about 10 o'clock, but it disappeared very 

 fast, as if it were ashamed of being the forerunner of the first 

 fair wind we had had for months. Well, we never had more 

 than that puff; the wind seems to have left this part of the 

 world. We would have given anything now for a motor, 

 either in the ship or in a separate boat, but unfortunately we 

 have none, as we could not afford it. However, we have all 

 learned a lesson, never to go back to the Arctic without a 

 motor. I think that we should have been very far east if we 

 had had one on board ; but what is the use of crying over spilt 

 milk? 



We were out sounding again, and found a place where we 

 thought we could cross over the bank. The moment we 

 returned to the ship the fog cleared, and within a few minutes 

 it disappeared entirely to disclose a fine, clear sky overhead. 

 We weighed anchor at noon, and assisted by a very light wind 

 we felt our way toward Flaxman Island. However, one hour 

 after starting we came aground on a narrow ridge, and although 

 it was only a few yards across, it took us until 5 P.M. before we 

 were afloat again. We anchored at 7 P.M., when it had become 

 too dark to see the marks on the sounding line, and as we had 

 only a few inches of water between our keel and the bottom, we 

 could not be too careful. When we had anchored, volunteers 

 were called to go up to Flaxman Island sounding, and 

 Storkersen, Hicky, and Fiedler agreed to go. The ice is 

 lying close on the sand-spits, and there is no water visible 

 anywhere. Although we were rather anxious as to the result 

 of the sounding excursion, we turned in before the men came 

 back. 



