156 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



again broke up the ice off Flaxman Island, and we made up our 

 minds that we should be forced to cross a very bad stretch of 

 country before we could strike the pack, after which we hoped 

 to have some easy going. 



Mr. Leffingwell and myself went out for a long walk over the 

 pack ice, but it was a sorrowful sight which presented itself to 

 our view. Where before were large floes of level ice, we now 

 saw high pressure-ridges and many lanes of open water or very 

 thin ice which from the very beginning boded evil for our 

 sledging. 



We had a couple of unpleasant surprises towards the end of 

 the month. One of our best dogs, old " Dad," was badly 

 bitten by another dog, " Jack," and as some of the matter from 

 " Jack's " sick head got into the wound and poisoned it, we had 

 to lance the old dog in three or four places. We took him 

 down into the cabin, and old " Dad" luckily improved faster 

 than we had ever dared to hope. 



The other surprise was still more unpleasant. On February 26 

 Thuesen was taken ill with appendicitis. Dr. Howe was very 

 anxious about him, as he might have to operate if Thuesen 

 became seriously worse, and this again might prevent his going 

 out with Mr. Leffingwell and myself, as had been expected and 

 hoped. However, Thuesen improved fairly rapidly, and some 

 days later it was evident that he had recovered from his attack, 

 but the danger of a recurrence was still there. We had a talk 

 with him, and Dr. Howe offered to stay behind in case Thuesen 

 would agree to let himself be operated upon, if it became 

 necessary ; but Thuesen absolutely refused to agree, even when 

 he was told that a bad attack would be fatal if he were not 

 operated on, and that he was liable to get a bad attack at any 

 time. He signed a paper to this effect, and as Dr. Howe could 

 do no good by staying behind, he gave Storkersen directions 

 how to act in case of a new attack during our absence. 



Our sledges were loaded and ready to start on the 27th of 

 February, but the weather was so bad that there was no 

 possible chance of going out. It was well that we had made 

 up our minds not to start in February, as it had practically been 

 blowing all the time, and if the wind was the same further out 

 as on shore we should only have been able to travel a very few 

 days during that month. 



