516 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



One day they came home successful, having caught a seal, the 

 first of the season, and no happier beings could exist than we were 

 for the time at the feast of raw seal that followed. In the even- 

 ing of the next day, April 28th, Koojesse and Sharkey drove up 

 with two seals, one of about 200 pounds' weight, and the other 

 weighing 100 pounds. This was success indeed, and it enabled 

 them to feed the dogs as well as ourselves. By this time the 

 weather had become so warm that we could not keep our igloo 

 dry, and it was resolved to erect a tupic or tent. This finished, 

 we moved into it; and a few minutes after we had vacated our 

 old home, down fell the igloo a mass of ruins. 



On May 1st, 1862, 1 started from this encampment on a trip to 

 Kingaite coast. While Henry was engaged harnessing up the 

 dogs, I put together my instruments, a little bag of rock pemmi- 

 can, and some Borden meat-biscuit, of which I had saved merely 

 a trifle for use on excursions of this kind. Sharkey, with sledge 

 and dogs, was ready, and, after a good hot breakfast, we started, 

 at 7 40 A.M., for the point I had selected — near the President's 

 Seat — viz., that where an ascent could probably be made of the 

 glacier which I had seen on my voyage up the bay the previous 

 fall. 



My course across the bay to Kingaite coast was south 4° east, 

 true. The number of dogs in the team was ten, but, as they were 

 in poor condition, we made but three and a half to four and a half 

 miles per hour. In crossing the bay we found abundance of hum- 

 mocky ice, and the snow-wreaths were numerous, abrupt, and 

 high. A few minutes before noon we drew into a small bay that 

 extended on toward the point I sought to reach. With great so- 

 licitude, I watched that part of the heavens in which the sun was, 

 but, to my deep regret, the thick clouds were as a veil between 

 my eyes and it. I had my instruments in readiness in case the 

 sun should show itself for a few moments. If I could have got 

 two solar observations, keeping correct account of the time elaps- 

 ing between, by which to obtain accurately the " hour angle," I 

 should have done so, for thus I could have determined my actual 

 latitude ; but the clouds were too thick for the sun's rays to pen- 

 etrate them. I kept, however, a careful account of my course 

 and of the distance made, by which I determined the latitude of 

 Kingaite coast where I struck it. 



As the clogs turned up the narrow bay leading to the point of 

 land we were making, I was delighted to see the face of an abut- 



