270 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



couple came flying over our tent, en route for the breeding- 

 grounds to the east, a sure sign of the coming of spring ! 



The wind had been brisk in the morning, but fell towards 

 night, and it commenced to snow. It feels almost like rain, and 

 the temperature is only 2 C. 



Monday, May 6. A day of events and hard work, but with 

 some results at last. 



As soon as breakfast was over we went out to have a look at 

 the ice. The whole aspect had, of course, changed, and it looked 

 as if we could find a crossing further to the east. At 6.45 A.M. we 

 were off, and again began to cross lanes, jumping from piece to 

 piece, trusting to luck, and dragging the sledges after us. The 

 slush was not solid and the ice was in constant movement. 

 Storkersen and myself went in, and only escaped a ducking by 

 throwing ourselves forward and grabbing some more solid ice. 

 Mr. Leffingwell, however, was not quite so successful later in 

 the day, when we were crossing a lane of about fifty to sixty 

 yards wide. We had just got one sledge on to a small floe 

 which we were going to use as an intermediate station, and Mr. 

 Lerfingwell and Storkersen were dragging the next sledge up, 

 ready to launch out over the slush, while I was ready with a 

 rope to haul the sledge over. The trail was treacherous, and 

 though Storkersen came across all right, the ice broke under Mr. 

 Leffingwell and let him in. The sledge capsized at the same 

 time, and Storkersen had his hands full to prevent the sledge 

 from slipping down on the top of Mr. Leffingwell, who was 

 hanging on to it with one hand. Storkersen could not help 

 him, and I jumped on to the solid ice to give a hand. In the 

 meantime Mr. Leffingwell had scrambled out somehow, but 

 soaked to the skin. He sat down on a piece of ice and com- 

 menced wringing out his clothes while we other two got the 

 sledges over. It was a cold bath for him, but after he had poured 

 the water out of his boots and wrung out his parkey he declared 

 he was all right and insisted on going on without waiting to 

 change his under-garments. 



After this lane had been passed the surface was splendid, 

 the best for many days, and we took the sledges at a run for 

 almost a mile. Then more open water, but that was easily 

 passed; the corners of two floes joined together just as we 

 were opposite them, and by dint of much shouting and whipping 



