GREELY'S EXPEDITION (1883) 195 



Cape Hawks was reached on 26th August. Here it was 

 found that the record left on the northward journey had 

 been untouched. This proved that no vessel had reached 

 this point either in 1882 or 1883, and Greely began to 

 see that the position of his party was critical. He 

 calculated that on this date he had still sixty days' 

 provisions, except sugar. The English depot left here 

 was also found. The bread was very mouldy, but all 

 that was eatable was taken, and the barrels were broken 

 up for steaming purposes. 



Cape Hawks was left on the afternoon of 26th August, 

 and on the same day they became beset. The tempera- 

 ture was now low, and young ice formed rapidly. The 

 Eskimo killed a seal on 1st September, and another on 

 the 2nd. 



On 3rd September, Greely took the wise course of 

 calling together the officers and two of the sergeants 

 and pointing out to them the necessity of hearty and 

 united action. He expressed a desire for the frankest 

 opinion of each one as to what would be the wisest 

 measures to take. Various opinions were expressed, but 

 Greely decided to make no immediate movement. 



Meanwhile they slowly drifted southwards.. A tepee 

 after the Indian style was made of the sails, and could 

 accommodate eighteen men. The ice-boat with a canvas 

 shelter could hold nine. On 6th September they were only 

 3 miles from Bache Island, and about 17 from Cape Sabine. 

 On the 10th September the launch was abandoned, and 

 a start was made for the land with two boats dragged 

 on sledges. On the 12th one of the two boats had to be 

 left, as it was feared that it would break down the 

 sledge. On this date the last of the sugar was used. 

 A high south-west wind sprang up on the 14th, and in 

 three hours drove the party farther north than they had 

 travelled south in three days. This gave rise to muck 



