Wishing to try my hand, I set out to take a turn round the harbor. The wind was blowing at my back, and when I had gone far enough, and wanted to wheel round and return, the dogs were not so minded. There is nothing they dislike so much as to face the wind; and, feeling very fresh, they were evidently ready for some sport. Moreover, they may, perhaps, have wanted to see what manner of man this new driver was. They were very familiar with him personally, for he had petted them often enough; but they had not before felt the strength of his arm.
After much difficulty I brought them at last up to the course, but I could keep them there only by constant use of the lash; and since this was three times out of four blown back into my face, it was evident that I could not long hold out; besides, my face was freezing in the wind. My arm, not used to such violent exercise, soon fell almost paralyzed, and the whip-lash trailed behind me on the snow. The doors were not slow to discover that something was wrong. They looked back over their shoulders inquiringly, and, discovering that the lash was not coming, they ventured to diverge gently to the right. Finding the effort not resisted, they gained courage and increased their speed and at length they wheeled short round, turned their tails to the wind, and dashed off on their own course, as happy as a parcel of boys freed from the restraints of the school-room, and with the wild rush of a dozen wolves. And how they danced along and barked and rejoiced in their short-lived liberty!
If the reader has ever chanced to drive a pair of unruly horses for a few hours, and has had occasion to find rest for his aching arms on a long, steep hill, he will understand the satisfaction which I took in finding the power returning to mine. I could again use the whip, and managed to turn the intractable team among a cluster of hummocks and snow-drifts, which somewhat impeded their progress. Springing suddenly off, I caught the upstander and capsized the sledge. The points of the runners were driven deeply into the snow, and my runaways were anchored. A vigorous application of my sinew-tipped lash soon convinced them of the advantages of obedience, and when I turned up the sledge and gave them the signal to start they trotted off in the meekest manner possible, facing the wind without rebelling, and giving me no further trouble. I think they will remember the lesson—and so shall I.
ALIDA LAKE.
But I set out to record my journey up the Fiord. Reaching the head of it after a most exhilarating ride, we managed, with some difficulty, to cross the tide-cracks, and scrambled over the ice-foot to the land. Here we came upon a broad and picturesque valley, bounded on either side by lofty cliffs—at its further end lay a glacier, with a pool of water a mile long occupying the middle distance. This pool is fed from the glacier and the hill-sides, down which pour the waters of the melting snows of summer. The discharge from it into the sea is made through a rugged gorge which bears evidence of being filled with a gushing stream in the thaw season. Its banks are lined in places with beds of turf, (dried and hardened layers of moss,) a sort of peat, with which we can readily eke out our supply of fuel. A specimen of it brought on board burns quite freely with the addition of a little grease. This pool of water, in accordance with Sonntag's wish, bears the name of Alida Lake.
The valley, which I have named "Chester," in remembrance of a spot which I hope to see again, is two miles long by one broad, and is covered in many places, especially along the borders of the lake, with a fine sod of grass, from which the wind has driven the snow and made the locality tempting to the deer. Several herds, amounting in the aggregate to something like a hundred animals, were browsing upon the dead grass of the late summer; and, forgetting for the time the object of my journey, I could not resist the temptation to try my rifle upon them. I was rewarded with two large fat bucks, while Jensen secured an equal number.
MY BROTHER JOHN'S GLACIER.
The glacier was discovered by Dr. Kane in 1855, and, being subsequently visited by his brother, who was an assistant surgeon in the United States Expedition of Search under Captain Hartstene in 1855, was named by the former, "My Brother John's Glacier." It has been christened a shorter name by the crew, and is known as "Brother John." It has frequently been seen from the hill-tops and bay by all of us, but not visited until to-day. We reached home in time for dinner, weary enough and very cold, for the temperature was several degrees below zero, and the wind was blowing sharply.
During my absence McCormick has employed the crew in securing the boats, one of which was blown ashore and its side stove in by the violence of the gale, and in sawing out and unshipping the rudder. Hans and Peter have been setting fox-traps and shooting rabbits. The foxes, both the white and blue varieties, appear to be quite numerous, and there are also many rabbits, or rather I should say hares. These latter are covered with a long heavy pelt which is a pure white, and are very large. One caught to-day weighed eight pounds.
October 17th.