MOUNTING T II K BEL T. 
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landmarks and leaving old ones behind. Their spirits 
rose; the sick mounted the thwarts; the well clung to 
the gunwale: and, for the first time for nearly a year, 
broke out the sailor’s chorus, “Storm along, my hearty 
boys!” 
We must have made a greater distance in this single 
day than in the five that preceded it. We encamped 
at 5 P.M. near a small berg, which gave us plenty of 
fresh water, after a progress of at least eight miles. 
As we were halting, I saw two Esquimaux on the ice 
toward Life-boat Cove; and the well-known “Iluk! 
liuuk!” a sort of Masonic signal among them, soon 
brought them to us. .They turned out to be Sip-su and 
old Nessark. They were the bearers of good news: 
my dogs were refreshed and nearly able to travel again; 
and, as they volunteered to do me service, I harnessed 
up our united teams, and despatched Nessark to the 
hut to bring down Mr. Wilson and George Whipple. 
We expected now to have our whole party together 
again; and the day would have been an active cheering 
one throughout, but for the condition of poor Old sen, 
who was growing rapidly worse. 
From this time we went on for some days aided by 
our sails, meeting with accidents occasionally,—the 
giving way of a spar or the falling of some of the 
party through the spongy ice,—and occasionally, when 
the lloe was altogether too infirm, laboring our way 
with great difficulty upon the ice-belt. To mount this 
solid highway, or to descend from it, the axes were 
always in requisition. An inclined plane was to be 
