PIONEERING 
of rough ice and on the edges of the large 
floes. The dogs, with tails up and heads out, 
stamped off mile after mile in rapid succes- 
sion, and when we camped I conservatively 
made the estimate fifteen miles. It has to be 
good going to make such a distance with 
loaded sledges, but we made it and I was sat- 
isfied. 
March 16: We started going over ice con- 
ditions similar to the good part of the day 
before, but our hopes were soon shattered 
when the ice changed completely and, from be- 
ing stationary, a distinct motion become ob- 
servable. The movement of the ice increased, 
and the rumbhng and roaring, as it raftered, 
was deafening. A dense fog, the sure indica- 
tion of open water, overhung us, and in due 
time we came to the open lead, over which 
small broken floes were scattered, interspersed 
with thin young ice. These floes were hardly 
thick enough to hold a dog safely, but, there 
being no other way, we were obliged to cross 
on them. We set out with jaws squared by 
anxiety. A false step by any one would 
mean the end. With the utmost care, the 
sledges were placed on the most solid floes, 
99 
