TAKING TO THE LAND.
By this time, the dogs had become more broken. They had borne up admirably during the journey north, but the scant rations which we had left behind for the return journey were found to be insufficient to support their strength, especially as they had, for some time, Jensen's additional weight to carry. One of them gave out completely, and died in a fit, during the first day's journey in the hummocks; two others followed soon afterward; while another, having become unable either to pull or follow, was shot. Much to my surprise, as soon as the bullet struck the animal, wounding him but slightly and causing him to set up a terrible cry, his companions in the team flew upon him and tore him to pieces in an instant, and those who were lucky enough to get a fragment of him were tearing the flesh from his bones almost before the echo of his last howl had died away in the solitude.
The sea below Cairn Point was filled with loose ice, evidently broken adrift by a very recent gale. By keeping to the land-ice we managed to work our way down the coast, and got around Cape Hatherton; but, below this, the ice-foot, too, was gone, thus obliging us to take to the land. To cross the mountains with our sledges was, of course, impracticable; so we were compelled to abandon them until such time as we could come for them in a boat.
The land journey was very tedious and tiresome, exhausted and foot-sore as we were already; but we managed better than the dogs. Most of them sneaked away as soon as loosened from the sledges, and would not follow us; and when sought for could not be found. I did not feel apprehensive for them, as I supposed they merely needed rest, and would follow our tracks to the vessel. Three of them only stuck to us. One is the noble old beast, Oosisoak; another is his brave queen, Arkadik; and the third Nenook, the finest of Kalutunah's dogs. Three others have come in since; but four are yet missing. I have sent out to seek them, without success. I much fear that they will not have strength to drag themselves on board.
A NEW SOUND.
And so my journey ended. If it has had its disappointments, it has had, too, its triumphs and successes. It was unfortunate that I did not get the boat over the Sound, together with a good supply of provisions; but, failing in this, the failure of the foot-party was of little moment. No amount of assistance could, with sledges alone, have helped me further north; or, if I had got further, could have ever got me back again.
June 8th.
I have finished the plotting of my chart, and I find, as I have already had occasion to observe, that the coast-line from Cape Sabine to Cape Frazer differs somewhat from that shown from my journey in 1854, which was made under the embarrassments of partial snow-blindness and a vapory atmosphere. The most important feature in connection with this old survey is the fact that the Sound opening westward from Smith Sound, above Cape Sabine, formerly escaped my observation. The existence of this Sound was abundantly confirmed during my return journey; and my materials, now reduced and put on paper, give me the correct conformation of the coast. The Sound is somewhat wider than Smith Sound, narrowing, however, steadily, from a broad entrance, something like Whale Sound. Whether it continues to the westward, parallel with Jones and Lancaster Sounds, separating the Ellesmere Land, of Inglefield, from the Grinnell Land of my former exploration, of course, remains to be proven; but, that such is the fact, I have no doubt.
NOMENCLATURE.
I give to this Sound the name of my vessel. The first conspicuous Cape which appears on its south side I name Cape Seward, and the most remote point of visible land lying beyond it, Cape Viele. The three last conspicuous Capes on the north side I name as follows: the most westerly, Cape Baker; that next to it, Cape Sawyer; and the third, Cape Stetson. The apparently deep indentations of the coast which lie between these bold headlands are designated as Joy Bay and Peabody Bay. The two large islands lying in the mouth of the Sound I have distinguished as Bache Island and Henry Island. Eastward of Cape Stetson I have applied such names as seemed to me appropriate to distinguish the prominent landmarks; but it is unnecessary to mention them here, as the map tells its own story. In those parts of the coast which were plotted by Dr. Kane from my old survey, I have endeavored to adhere, as far as practicable, to his nomenclature; and such parts of the shores of Kennedy Channel as were seen by Morton alone, I have, for the most part, simply applied Dr. Kane's names, without inquiring very particularly as to their corresponding places on the two maps. I think this course, in the main, preferable to that somewhat confusing system which deprived Captain Inglefield of the benefits of his survey of Smith Sound; and I have, besides, the additional satisfaction of joining Dr. Kane in paying respect to many distinguished men of science, dead and living, and among them to none that contribute more gratification than that of M. de la Roquette, Vice-President of the Geographical Society of Paris; and to Sir Roderick Murchison, President of the Royal Geographical Society, London, and Dr. Norton Shaw, its Secretary. The coast-range, which forms such a conspicuous feature of Grinnell Land, I have followed Dr. Kane in designating as Victoria and Albert Mountains.