A HARD STRUGGLE 235 



not more than 3 feet in thickness, and the floes are as 

 flat as when they were frozen. Yesterday evening, how- 

 ever, we got on to a stretch of old ice, on which we are 

 stationed now, but how far it extends it is diflicult to say. 

 We camped yesterday at half-past six in the evening and 

 found fresh ice again for the cooker, which was distinctly 

 a pleasant change for the cook. We have not had it 

 since May 25th.* A disagreeable wind from the south, 

 it is true, has sprung up this evening, and it will be hard 

 work going against it. We have a great deal of bad 

 weather here ; it is overcast nearly every day, with wind — 

 south wind, which, above everything, is least desirable just 

 now. But what are we to do ? To settle down we have 

 hardly provender enough; there is nothing for it, I sup- 

 pose, but to grind on. 



" Took a meridian altitude to-day, and we should be 

 in 82'' 21 N., and still no glimpse of land ; this is becom- 

 ing more and more of an enigma. What would I not 

 give to set my foot on dry land now ? But patience — 

 always patience." 



* It was from about 82° 52' N. south to 82° 19' N. that we travelled 

 over young ice of this description ; that is to say, there must have been 

 open water over a distance of fully 32 English geographical miles (33' of 

 latitude). We also found ice of this kind farther south for a long dis- 

 tance, and the open sea must have been considerably greater. 



