312 ILLNESS OF HOBSON. Chap. XVI. 



through which we had passed with so much 

 difficulty in April ; our new channel was 

 covered with smooth ice, and was also much 

 shorter. 



At one of our depots lately visited, a note left 

 by Hobson informed me of his being six days 

 in advance of me, and also of his own serious 

 illness ; for many days past he had been unable 

 to w^alk, and was consequently conveyed upon 

 the sledge ; his men were hastening home with 

 all their strength and speed, in order to get him 

 under the Doctor's care. We also were doing 

 our best to push on, lest the bursting out of 

 melting snow from the various ravines should 

 render the ice impassable. 



On the 15th the snow upon the ice every- 

 where yielded to the effects of increased tem- 

 perature ; I was, indeed, most thankful at its 

 having remained firm so long. To make any 

 progress at all after this date was of course a 

 very great labour, requiring the utmost efforts 

 of both the men and the dogs ; nor was the 

 freezing mixture through which we trudged by 

 any means agreeable : we were often more than 

 knee-deep in it. 



We succeeded in reaching False Strait on the 

 morning of the 18th June, and pitched our tent 

 just as heavy rain began to descend ; it lasted 



