DANGEROUS TRAVELING. 



521 



After some time spent on the glacier, of which my view was 

 not so extensive or protracted as it would have been but for the 

 clouds that capped the heights where we were, my companion and 

 myself returned to the sledge. I then walked to the shore and 

 obtained a few geological specimens, and we started on our way 

 back to the ninth encampment. Two or three miles from the 

 glacier we came to a small island. I took several bearings of 

 distant objects and sextant angles for elevation of the mountain 

 heights ; but the wind began to freshen almost to a gale, and 

 caused considerable risk in crossing the bay. There was a prob- 

 ability of the floe cracking off and drifting us to seaward; the 

 open water was within a mile of our course, and the floe, giving 

 way, would have been swept rapidly to the southeast. My driver 

 was constantly urging the dogs to their greatest speed while mak- 

 ing passage over the most dangerous part of the way. Fortu- 

 nately no mishap occurred, and we arrived at the tupic in the 

 evening. 



MY SLEDGE-LOG, LINE AND REEL. 



