Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/393

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they scattered to right and left, and refused to proceed further. This behavior of the dogs was too familiar to me to leave any doubt as to its meaning; and moving forward in advance, I quickly perceived that the ice was rotten and unsafe. Thinking that this might be merely a local circumstance, resulting from some peculiarity of the current, we doubled back upon the old floe and made another trial further to the eastward. Walking now in advance of the dogs they were inspired with greater courage. I had not proceeded far when I found the ice again giving way under the staff, with which I sounded its strength, and again we turned back and sought a still more eastern passage.

Two hours consumed in efforts of this kind, during which we had worked about four miles out to sea, convinced me that the ice outside the bay was wholly impassable, and that perseverance could only end in disappointment; for if we happened to break through, we should not only be in great jeopardy but would, by getting wet, greatly retard, if not wholly defeat our progress to the opposite shore. Accordingly we drew back toward the land, seeking safety again upon the old floe, and hauling then to the westward, endeavored to cross over further up the bay; but here the same conditions existed as outside, and the dogs resolutely refused to proceed as soon as we left the old ice. Not wishing to be defeated in my purpose of crossing over, we held still further west and persevered in our efforts until convinced that the bay could not be crossed, and then we had no alternative but to retreat to the land-ice and follow its circuit to our destination.

With the view of ascertaining how far this course