igo 



CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



would never see us again, but after he had shaken hands all 

 round he came back to Mr. Leffingwell and myself and, by way 

 of cheering us up, said " Nanako keiliaktotin, ilibit mocke 

 pickoch ! " (by-and-by you will come back, you will not die). 



Then he returned, 

 and the last we saw 

 of him was a dark 

 silhouette on the top 

 of a piece of ice, 

 standing out black 

 and distinct against 

 the blue sky, waving 

 at us. 



The outlook ahead 

 is good ; the ice looks 

 level, and we shall 

 certainly be able to 

 cross the lane to- 

 morrow. Our hopes 

 are high, and all the 

 evening we discussed 

 the distance we 

 might be able to go, 



the land we were to find, or the deep water. We felt sure 

 that travelling over the old ice would be easy, and we had 

 seen much of that ahead of us. Our only anxiety was that 

 some of the dogs might feel homesick or not like the travel- 

 ling over the Polar pack, and use the night to break their 

 chains or slip their collars and make for the good quarters and 

 ample feed on board the ship. Our tent was highly satis- 

 factory, the covering we had over it proved a splendid 

 invention, and after half an hour's cooking the temperature at 

 the top of the tent was 8 C. 



Made about six miles. Temperature 25 C.; calm and 

 clear. 



Monday, March 4. As soon as we woke up and the first 

 preparations for breakfast had been made, we went out to have 

 a look at the lane which had checked our progress yesterday. 

 There had been some motion in it, but if we were very careful 

 we might nevertheless cross it. After breakfast, however, when 



ON SALTY ICE. 



