CHAPTER XXIY. 
PROSPECTS — SPECULATIONS — THE ARGUMENT-TELE CONCLUSION— 
THE RECONNAISSANCE — THE SCHEME-EQUIPMENT OF BOAT 
PARTY — EIDER ISLAND-HANS ISLAND — THE CORMORANT GULL 
— SENTIMENT-OUR CHARTS — CAPTAIN INGLEFIELD-DISCRE¬ 
PANCIES— A GALE-FAST TO A FLOE. 
Pfmgt in Island 
All the sledge-parties were now once more aboard 
ship, and the season of Arctic travel had ended. For 
more than two months we had been imprisoned in ice, 
and throughout all that period, except during the en¬ 
forced holiday of the midwinter darkness or while 
repairing from actual disaster, had been constantly in 
the field. The summer was wearing on, but still the 
ice did not break up as it should. As far as we could 
see, it remained inflexibly solid between us and the 
North Water of Baffin’s Bay. The questions and 
speculations of those around me began to show that 
they too had anxious thoughts for the coming year. 
There was reason for all our apprehensions, as some 
of my notes may show. 
310 
