368 
APPENDIX NO. V. 
been repeatedly broken, would scarcely hold together. Every spare 
line we had was brought into requisition ; and finally we had recourse 
to strips cut from the waistbands and extremities of the legs of our 
seal-skin pantaloons. It now became a question with me as to the 
possibility of reaching the land. Seven days' provisions had already 
been consumed, and we were fitted out for but ten. The severe nature 
of our journey precluded any abatement in our daily allowance. The 
deceptive nature of the country rendered it very uncertain when we 
could reach the shore, having made no perceptible advance toward it 
during the three preceding days. I was by no means certain that it 
would not require as long a time to return to the vessel as wo had 
already been out, in which event our only plan would be to kill one of 
the dogs for food for the others, as well as for ourselves. Feeling 
confident, however, that you would rather such a sacrifice should be 
made than that I should fail to effect a landing on the shore, I de¬ 
termined to push on to-morrow as far as possible. 
After having cooked and eaten our simple supper of coffee and pem- 
micau, and attended as well as I could to the necessities of my sick 
comrade, I left him at the sledge and walked on with the view of ex¬ 
ploring the track for our travel to-morrow. For eight miles I found it 
similar to that which wo had encountered for the last five days; but to 
my great joy I then struck upon the borders of an old floe, which 
appeared to run in-shore. I travelled on this smooth plain about two 
miles, and ascended a high hummock, from wheuce 1 could see this 
field locked against the bluffy headland toward which we had been 
for several days directing our course. On my return to the sledge I 
selected the best track, carefully walking through every chasm and 
around every point which I thought passable, leaving conspicuous 
markings by my foot-tracks. My determination was to push my way 
forward as far as possible, by drawing William on the sledge in case he 
should not be able to walk. 
May 27.—Reached the sledge at 2 A.M., after a walk since my last 
night's rest of not less than forty miles, over rough masses of ice and 
drifts of snow. I then turned into my sleeping-bag. At 7.30 a.m. 
rose, cooked our breakfast, and started by 9.30 A.M., one hour having 
been consumed in mending our harness. As the dogs had had no food 
on the previous evening, two of them had eaten their harness-lines to 
satisfy their hunger, and a third had consumed all his harness which 
was within his reach. An extra whip-lash furnished a line; a 
belt cut into strips, and a slice of William's pantaloons, fitted out the 
harness. 
