Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/425

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for dogs than before. Only six animals survived the late journey. Of these one died after a few days, apparently from sheer loss of vitality; and one was returned to Kalutunah.

Under these circumstances, it became a matter for serious reflection, whether it were not wiser to return home, refit, add—what was of much consequence—steam-power to my resources, and come back again immediately. Once at Cape Isabella with a proper vessel, I was fully persuaded that I could get into the northern water, and find a free route to the Pole, although it might be a hard struggle and somewhat hazardous. The chances of success would be greatly enhanced by steam.

On the other hand, by remaining, I could not clearly see my way to accomplish any thing more of northern discovery than had been accomplished already; and I was now called upon to consider whether my time and means could be employed to better advantage by promptly returning to refit than to postpone that inevitable result to another year. The responsibilities of the expedition had been wholly assumed by myself; and, from the time of leaving Boston until I should have completed the exploration which I had undertaken, I proposed to make the costs which, hitherto, various associations and individuals had shared with me, now exclusively my own. I was, therefore, compelled to husband my resources and to act with caution and deliberation.

I will not now detain the reader with the full details of my plans for the future, arranged to meet this new exigency; suffice it here to observe that, after taking Jensen and Kalutunah into my counsels, I was fully convinced that, by bringing out two ships,*