A HARD STRUGGLE 195 



been difficult to do the work properly ; and also because 

 the chances were that they would soon get holes in them 

 again from being upset. In addition to this I was un- 

 desirous of crossing lanes at present; they were still 

 covered with young ice, which it would have been difficult 

 to break through, even had it been possible to protect the 

 bows of the kayaks from being cut, by means of a plate 

 of German silver and some extra canvas. As I have 

 mentioned before, not the least drawback was the fact 

 that any water entering the kayaks would immediately 

 have frozen and have been impossible to remove, thus in- 

 creasing the weight of our loads at each crossing. It was 

 undoubtedly a better plan to go round, even if the way 

 was long, than to incur the hinderances and casualties 

 that the other alternative would, most probably, have 

 occasioned. 



To continue quoting from my diary for the same day, 

 I write : " The dogs were at one of our precious pemmi- 

 can grips last night; they have torn off a corner of the 

 bag and eaten some of its contents, but happily not 

 much. We have been fortunate, inasmuch as they have 

 let the provisions alone hitherto ; but now hunger is 

 becoming too much for them, and nature is stronger 

 than discipline. 



"Wednesday, May ist. -12.6° Fahr. (-24.8° C). I 

 ' half-soled' my Finn shoes to-day with sail-cloth, so I hope 

 they will last a while ; I feel as if I could hold my own 

 again now. I have two pairs of Finn shoes, so that for 



