Page:The frozen North; an account of Arctic exploration for use in schools (IA frozennorthaccou00hort).pdf/94

 needful for camping on the sledges, and four days after the Jeannette had sunk, the retreat across the ice began.

This march was one of the most difficult ever undertaken. In one day the travelers could cover a distance of only a mile, or at most a mile and a half. Thirteen times they were compelled to go over the road, seven times with loads, six times without, traveling a distance of twenty-six miles in order to cover an advance of two miles. Many of the party were taken ill and had to be carried by their companions.

At the end of the week, De Long found that the ice over which they were traveling had floated northwest faster than they had traveled south; consequently the party was twenty-seven miles farther away from the Siberian coast than when they started. De Long kept this disheartening fact a secret from his men, lest they should despair.

On and on they traveled, day after day, until at last a dim line of land came into view; it proved to be a new island, with rocky shores and steep sides. It was a difficult task to cross the channel of water which separated the ice pack from this bleak coast, but Captain De Long ordered all his men to attempt the crossing. They raised the American flag and took possession of the island in the name of the President of the United States. This land De Long called Bennett island. Thousands of birds were found among the rocks, and the men had a refreshing feast after their weeks of weary work. The sides of Bennett island were bold and steep, and landslides occurred several times.

It was thought best to continue the journey by water. There were three boats, and a part of the supplies was placed in each boat. De Long commanded one, Lieutenant