200 



AECTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



To guard against and extricate ourselves from these dangers, 

 yet find a track amid the hummocks around, each of us by turns 

 took the lead, and in this manner we proceeded on our way ; but 

 it was evident we had hardly strength enough to persevere in 

 reaching our destination that night. By 2 P.M. we were so ex- 

 hausted that I deemed it best to make a halt, and use a little more 

 of the slender stock of provisions I had with me, and which, ow- 

 ing to our being so much longer on the way than expected, had 

 become very low. Each of us, therefore, had a slice of raw salt 

 pork and a quarter of a biscuit. This, however trifling, gave re- 

 newed strength, and again we pushed forward, hauling, scram- 

 bling, tumbling, and struggling almost for our lives. 



It was dark ere we got near the locality where our next en- 

 campment was to be made, and where, in fact, we intended to re- 

 main a while for the purpose of hunting and sealing, and myself 

 exploring. 



At length we caught sight of an igloo which afterward proved 

 to be Ugarng^s, and, as soon as we saw it, fresh efforts were made 

 to get nearer, but we found our passage more and more obstruct- 

 ed by the broken, upturned ice. Often the sledge was carried on- 

 ward by making it leap over these impediments, sometimes from 

 one point of ice to another, and at others down and up among the 

 broken pieces. Finally we succeeded in reaching the shore ice, 

 which we found all safe and sound, and in a short time more we 

 were alongside of Ugarng's igloo, encamped on the southwest side 

 of Eogers's Island, overlooking Cornelius Grinnell Bay and the 

 mountains surrounding it. 



Immediately I ran into Ugarng's igloo, and obtained some wa- 

 ter to drink, for I must mention that all day long we had been 

 famishing on account of thirst. The material to make water had 

 been abundant around us — beneath our feet, here, there, and ev- 

 ery where — but not a drop could be obtained, owing to our fire- 

 lamp and equipments not being in use. Thus it was most thank- 

 fully I received the warm-hearted welcome given me by JSTikujar, 

 family wife No. 1 of Ugarng, as she handed a cup of refreshing 

 cold water. Then I remembered how, on one occasion at the ship, 

 this same woman, with her infant, came and asked me for water, 

 which I gladly gave to her, with something else. Now she gave 

 it to me. 



I should mention that, in winter, water is most precious to the 

 natives. It is made only by melting snow or ice over the ikku- 



