nditions
about the same as the previous day; high rafters, huge and jagged; and
we pickaxed the way continuously. By noontime, we found ourselves
alongside of a lead covered by a film of young ice. We forced the dogs
and they took it on the run, the ice undulating beneath them, the same
as it does when little wanton boys play at _tickley benders_, often with
serious results, on the newly formed ice on ponds and brooks down in
civilization. Our _tickley benders_ were not done in the spirit of play,
but on account of urgent necessity, and as it was I nearly suffered a
serious loss of precious possessions.

One of the sledges, driven by Ahwatingwah, broke through the ice and its
load, which consisted of my extra equipment, such as kamiks, mittens,
etc., was thoroughly soaked. Luckily for the boy, he was at the side of
the sledge and escaped a ducking. Foolishly I rushed over, but, quickly
realizing my danger, I slowed down, and with the utmost care he fished
out the sledge, and the dogs, shaking as with palsy, were gently urged
on. Walking wide, like the polar bear, we crept after, and without
further incident reached the opposite side of the lead. My team had
reached there before me and, with human intelligence, the dogs had
dragged the sledge to a place of safety and were sitting on their
haunches, with ears cocked forward, watching us in our precarious
predicament. They seemed to rejoice at our deliverance, and as I went
among them and untangled their traces I could not forbear giving each
one an affectionate pat on the head.

For the next five hours our trail lay over heavy pressure ridges, in
some places sixty feet high. We had to make a trail over the mountains
of ice and then come back for the sledges. A difficult climb began.
Pushing from our very toes, straining every muscle, urging the dogs with
voice and whip, we guided the sledges. On several occasions the dogs
gave it up, standing still in their tracks, and we had to hold the
sledges with the strength of our bones and muscles to prevent them from
sliding backwards. When we had regained our equilibrium the dogs were
again started, and in this way we gained the tops of the
pressure-ridges.

Going down on the opposite side was more nerve-racking. On the descent
of one ridge, in spite of the experienced care of Ootah, the sledge
bounded away from him, and at a declivity of thirty feet was completely
wrecked. The frightened dogs dashed wildly in every direction