to man.")

After one day's exploration of the coast line of this island, we lifted
anchor and turned our prow to the north in an open sea.(8)

(8 Dr. Kane says, on page 379 of his works: "I cannot imagine what
becomes of the ice. A strong current sets in constantly to the north;
but, from altitudes of more than five hundred feet, I saw only narrow
strips of ice, with great spaces of open water, from ten to fifteen
miles in breadth, between them. It must, therefore, either go to an open
space in the north, or dissolve.")

I remember that neither my father nor myself had tasted food for almost
thirty hours. Perhaps this was because of the tension of excitement
about our strange voyage in waters farther north, my father said, than
anyone had ever before been. Active mentality had dulled the demands of
the physical needs.

Instead of the cold being intense as we had anticipated, it was really
warmer and more pleasant than it had been while in Hammerfest on the
north coast of Norway, some six weeks before.(9)

(9 Captain Peary's second voyage relates another circumstance which may
serve to confirm a conjecture which has long been maintained by some,
that an open sea, free of ice, exists at or near the Pole. "On the
second of November," says Peary, "the wind freshened up to a gale from
north by west, lowered the thermometer before midnight to 5 degrees,
whereas, a rise of wind at Melville Island was generally accompanied
by a simultaneous rise in the thermometer at low temperatures. May not
this," he asks, "be occasioned by the wind blowing over an open sea in
the quarter from which the wind blows? And tend to confirm the opinion
that at or near the Pole an open sea exists?")

We both frankly admitted that we were very hungry, and forthwith I
prepared a substantial meal from our well-stored larder. When we had
partaken heartily of the repast, I told my father I believed I would
sleep, as I was beginning to feel quite drowsy. "Very well," he replied,
"I will keep the watch."

I have no way to determine how long I slept; I only know that I was
rudely awakened by a terrible commotion of the sloop. To my surprise,
I found my father sleeping soundly. I cried out lustily to him, and
starting up, he sprang quickly to his feet. Indeed, had he not instantly
clutched the rail, he would certainly have been thrown into the seething
waves.

A fierce snow-storm was raging. The wind was directly astern, driving
our sloop at a ter