292 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



fast till I gathered my senses to look round and see where I was. 

 It was snowing fast and furiously, and what with that coming 

 down, and that thrown upward by the wind, every object three 

 or four fathoms distant was hidden from sight. Fortunately, the 

 almost perpendicular side of a mountain that I had before noticed 

 was within a distance that could be seen. From this I struck a 

 course leading up the bay to the land-route. In a short time I 

 had overtaken the party, which had been detained by one of the 

 dogs giving out. Casting it off, I took a seat upon the sledge, 

 and away we went merrily toward the Pass. As we drove along 

 we were a curious sight to behold, for we resembled a living 

 snow-bank. 



We ascended the Pass on foot, crossed the summit, descended 

 on the other side, and again made the sea-ice of Field Bay. Here 

 two more of our clogs gave out, and we cast them adrift, though 

 they still followed us. We had nine remaining, and this made a 

 good team. 



We rested half an hour, then started again, the Innuits endeav- 

 oring to find their way, as usual, by the previous sledge-tracks ; 

 but we had to go this way and that way, in and out among the 

 numerous islands covering the head of the bay, until finally all 

 traces of our route were lost. Nevertheless, they would have found 

 a course to the ship, though, perhaps, with some delay and difficul- 

 ty, but I saved all this by using my compass, and thus directing 

 them which way to go, and by 9 P.M. we were on board, having 

 been absent only 22J hours. 



The following clay, May 29th, was the anniversary of our de- 

 parture from the United States. My thoughts at that time I find 

 mentioned in my diary as follows : 



" One year ago to-day the George Henry sailed from New Lon- 

 don. It seems to me a short year, though spent in regions that, to 

 many civilized men, would be repulsive, and would appear unqual- 

 ified desolation. Still, I like this country — not as a place in which 

 to spend all my life, if it be one of fourscore and ten years, but for 

 work to be continued three or five years." 



On the following day, as there appeared to be some indications 

 of its turning out fine, I thought of taking a trip to a place called 

 by the Innuits Sing-ey-er. Accordingly, I procured the services 

 of Ebierbing and started; but in two hours afterward there came 

 on thick weather, and every indication of a storm. We had, 

 therefore, to abandon the journey and return. While we were 



