A Diary and Journal from the Second Grinnell Expedition

42 [verso] are thus free to labour upon the boats.

This object had been the leading one of the month - to [mature?] and carry out a complete organization for boat travel in case it be necessary to abandon the brig.

Next to this but with me as near my heart and nearly as much a duty comes another journey northward to complete the line of Kennedy Channel, and search its shores for wrecks. For this purpose I have planned and schemed as well as worked. Our own feeble team could never undertake such a journey as of all our dogs now amounting to sixty two there remain but four. Among the natives famine had been more fatal than desease with us barely but not over thirty dogs belong to the entire nation and they are dependent upon these and their progeny for absolute existence. Never the less I managed to get the two best teams with leading men of best reliance to our brig and [these?] requested a bear hunt with certain conditions as to northern progress which if addressed to would have placed me beyond the region of my hopes. We started but in the excitement of the chase my drivers became savaged. Scouted contracts provided and rewards - and after a [furious?] journey up to the very breastwork of the great glacier only returned to the ship by compulsion.

Thereupon I persuaded my friends [Ma?]- lutak and [?] to lend me each one dog out of their team of six, and to urge [Mitak?] (of [?]) to come up [?] [?] four dogs. My own team being then away on their food providing journey Monday - the day of this record - is here and no [Mitak?] . So much for my efforts thus far in favour of

43 [recto] my original duty of search.

This last day of April has led me to make a hurried review of a month full of blessings. Our entire crew can, with a few exceptions, - now contribute somewhat to our heavy accumulation of work. Mr. Goodfellow [and] Mr. Wilson - George Whipple George Stephenson D: Hayes and Mr. Sonntag are all who now remain incapable of locomotion. I can eventually look to the sufficient recovery of all of these to prevent them becoming a burdge to the rest, but here again I have to except Mr. Wilson and Mr. Goodfellow - the latter too inert and impracticable the former too much bro- ken for duty. Mr. Goodfellow I no lon- ger consider as a member of the Expedition but on Tom's account have refrained from any formal act to that effect. I give him every thing that he can desire, but find it difficult even in this non operative relations of passenger to keep him out of hot water with his comrades.

During this month I brought back William Godfrey who is now on duty.