THE JOURNEY OVER THE PACK ICE 235 



tried to follow some patches of ice a few hours older, but it 

 bent under me with every step. I dared not return, but dragged 

 my sledge onwards, trusting that the ice could carry me. At 

 length I crossed, and Mr. Lemngwell followed with the two 

 sledges. Rather unpleasant were the thoughts which occupied 

 me while I watched Mr. Lemngwell and Storkersen crossing, 

 holding to their hauling straps, whipping up their dogs and 

 yelling at them to keep them on the move. Along the trail 

 I had made I had punched holes to test the ice, and small 

 fountains spouted out of them when the sledges came by. 



The dogs- did not like it either and pulled hard to get over. 

 They seemed to know that if they stopped pulling the sledge 

 was bound to go through, and where would we be, far from 

 land, with no provisions ? It was a great relief when we again 

 had the sledges on firm ice, and we crossed over to see what 

 things were like on the other side. A still wider lane, about 

 500 yards, separated us from the other shore, and the ice was 

 as thin as that of the lane we had just crossed. We had had 

 excitement enough for one day, and camped on the small floe 

 we were on at 4.50 P.M. It is rather a dangerous game we are 

 playing, but the longer we stay on the ice the more reckless 

 we get. At first we would not have crossed ice three times as 

 thick, but having done it once without any accidents, next 

 time we try it with ice still a little thinner. Although we are 

 quite aware of the risk we run, we make almost unjustifiable 

 attempts on the spur of the moment. However, I think that 

 we have now reached the limit as regards thin ice ; but I expect 

 there will be some other opportunity of taking risks. 



" Weny " was the victim to-day, and the poor beast died 

 hard. He was very fat, and, although a rather small dog, gave 

 q.uite a good portion of feed. 



Made nine and a half miles true E.S.E. Lat. 71 33' N., 

 long. 149 18' (D.R.). Temperature at start 13, at camping 

 time - 7 C. 



Thursday, April 18. Broke camp at 7 A.M. and crossed the 

 wide lane which stopped us yesterday without any difficulty at 

 all. There had been no motion in the ice, and it had frozen quite 

 thick. But our troubles began afresh at 10 A.M., when we came 

 into a network of lanes, all newly opened. Some were not 

 very wide, perhaps only a couple of feet, and they were easily 



