THE VOYAGE OVER THE PACK ICE 223 



the better; but luckily " Kamalook" is quite well again. Made 

 only about one mile. Temperature at start, 24 C. ; at noon, 

 - 15 C. Slight breath of air from W.N.W. Cloudy and thick. 

 Lat. 7203'N. 



Thursday, April u. " Unimack" was heard groaning until we 

 fell asleep, but when we awoke this morning everything was 

 quiet. Poor " Unimack," he had ceased to live and to struggle 

 against the incurable sickness ; he must have died last night, 

 as he was frozen quite stiff when we came out of the tent. It 

 took some time to skin him, and while Storkersen was thus 

 occupied Mr. Lemngwell and myself had a serious talk over the 

 outlook. 



As the weather was still so thick that we could not make out 

 anything whatever except water-lanes intersecting the floes in 

 all directions, we at last made up our minds to return landwards 

 and once more regain the Continental Shelf. There was now 

 no doubt in our minds that we had passed the edge of the 

 Continental Shelf, and for that reason we had no business here 

 with a sounding wire too short for getting the depth of the 

 water. 



The purpose of the expedition was to go out until we either 

 found land or a depth of four hundred metres or more. This 

 we had found so close inland that at the time we could hardly 

 believe it to be beyond the edge of the Continental Shelf, and 

 that was why we had proceeded northward after passing it. 

 But now we were about forty miles to the north of our first 

 deep sounding, and would thus waste our time by going any 

 further, as we had no reason any longer to believe that we were 

 sounding in a local depression. We agreed to go to the 

 south-east until we again came into sounding depth, and then we 

 would as nearly as possible follow the desired depth of water, 

 four hundred metres, in an easterly direction. We hope to get 

 as far as Barter Island, if the ice will only be as good as we have 

 had it for the last few days, and if the sledges will stand it. 

 But the joints are weak, the runners are badly worn, and 

 Storkersen has thus far used two pairs of under-runners, worn 

 them first off his own sledge and then off mine. 



As the weather was still thicker than before, it was harder 

 to see the undulations of the ice than it had been yesterday, 

 and we started back, following our old trail. But even that 



