PEARY'S EXPEDITION (1892) 285 



accident, however, had the effect of reducing the march 

 to one of 10 miles. Next day the snow was deeper and 

 softer, and but 15 miles were covered. During this 

 latter march they began to ascend, and the snow was so 

 deep that the sledges sank in it nearly to the cross-bars. 

 This made the hauling so heavy that Peary contrived an 

 impromptu sledge from an extra pair of ski, and trans- 

 ferred to it 120 lb. from the big sledge. On this day 

 one of the dogs was ill, and at night it was killed and 

 fed to the others. 



On the following day the up-grade and the deep snow 

 compelled them to make two journeys in hauling the 

 sledge. Next day the surface fortunately improved, and 

 15 miles were covered. 



They were now evidently at the top of the grade, 

 and soon began a gradual descent toward the basin of 

 the Petermann Fiord. During this march they made 



20 miles, and sighted land to the north-west. 



On the last day of May the head of Petermann 

 Fiord, with its guarding mountains, suddenly came into 

 sight, and Peary found it necessary to deflect some 

 10 miles to the eastward to avoid the inequalities of 

 the glacier basin. Peary camped here thirty-six hours, 

 and determined his position and took bearings of the 

 land. 



From this camp the surface was comparatively level, 

 and the highest summits of the Petermann Mountains 

 were kept in sight for 40 miles. Then began a gradual 

 rise, the snow becoming softer and deeper. 



On the 5th June the summit of the next divide was 

 reached at an elevation of 5700 feet above sea-level. 

 From here the travelling was very good, and 19 J and 



21 miles were made in two marches ; and on the 8th June 

 they camped in sight of St. George's Fiord, but they 

 believed it was Sherard-Osborn Fiord. At the end of 



