BY SLEDGE AXD KAYAK 



279 



advisable where the ice is uneven, as it only means o-et- 

 ting into difficulties and being constrained eventuallv 

 to turn back. In this way we are grinding along, but it 

 goes without saying that speed and long marches are not 

 the order of the day. But still, as it is we make a little 

 way, and that is better than nothing; it is, besides, the 

 only thing we can do, seeing that it is impossible to crawl 

 into a lair and hibernate for a month or so till progress is 

 possible again. 



" To judge by the sky, there must be a number of 

 lanes in the south and southwest. Perhaps our trying 

 mode of advance is leading us to something better. We 

 began at about ten yesterday evening, and stopped at six 

 this morning. We have not had dinner the last few days, 

 in order to save a meal, as we do not think this ice and our 

 progress generally are worth much food. With the same 

 object, we this morning collected the blood of 'Storrceven' 

 and converted it into a sort of porridge instead of the 

 ' fiskegratin.' It was good, even if it was only dogs 

 blood, and at any rate we have a portion of fish flour to 

 the good. Before we turned into the bag last night we 

 inspected our cartridges, and found, to our joy, that we 

 had 148 shot-gun cartridges, iSi rifle cartridges, and in 

 addition 14 spherical -shot cartridges. With so much 

 ammunition, we should be able to increase our provisions 

 for some time to come, if necessary ; for if nothing else 

 should fall to our guns there would always be birds, and 

 148 birds will go a long way. If we use half -charges 



