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[verso]

[?] [?] - he remained ill for five days and
then travelled on foot towards the brig till he met me.

The dogs carried us home by the outside passage
off Bedevilled Reach. I took the ice foot about
4 miles S.E. of [Badall?] Camp and reached
the brig in comfortable conditions.

Wednes: Apr. 11th

Hans started again to bring back the meat
from Littleton Id cashe. If he feels [?]
I have given him a commission to which I
attach the [greatest?] importance.

My hopes of again undertaking a Spring journey
to Kennedy Channel were storng in the early
months of the winter - but as our dogs died away a second
time - and the scurvy crept in upon
us I became sad and distrustful as to the
chance of our ever living to gain the open water.
The return of the withdrawing party absorbed all
[?]. They brought news of disaster, starvation,
and loss of dogs among the natives. The prospects
seemed then at their lowest ebb. Still I
cherished a secret hope of making another journey,
and had determined to undertake it alone with
our poor remnant of four dogs, trusting to my rifle
for provisions. In fact, this continuation of my one
great duty has been constantly before me, and I
now think that I can manage it. Thus: —

The Esquimaux have left Northumberland Id and
are now near Cape Alexander, as a better seat of
walrus hunt. Among them is [Kalutanek?] the best
of the breed and he, like a provident man, has
saved seven dogs. I have authorized Hans to
negotiate carte blanche - if necessary for four of
these dogs - even as a loan - promising as a
final bait the contingent possession of my whole
team when I reach the open water after my
return. On this mission I send my [?]
[?] and await his return with anxious
hope.

[recto]

I have foreseen, from the first day of our imprisonment
by the ice the possibility of melting more that we might never be able to
liberate the ship. Elsewhere in this journal I have
explained by what construction of my duty I [?]
the brig to the North and why I deemed it impossible
honorably to abandon her after a single
season. Why too I gave to others the free right to
remain or withdraw, and why I looked upon that
withdrawal as closing their connection with the
Expedition. The same connected train of reasoning
now leads me to mature and organize every
thing for an early departure without her in case she cannot
[should we find that the brig is not] to be released. My hopes
of this release are feeble: my judgment and experience
tell me that it is nearly impossible, and I
know that when it does release - if ever - the season
will, like the last, be too far advanced - for me to
carry home my people. [Now last year I warned
the withdrawing men of the futility of their attempt
as early as Aug 24th.] All my experience carefully
redeemed by consultation with Petersen- concerns me
that I must start early - and govern my boats
and sledges by the condition of the ice and hunting
grounds.

Whatever of [executive?] ability I have
picked up during this brain and body wearing [concise?]
awrnd me against [?] preparation or [vaccilating?]
[?] - I must have an [exact?] discipline, a
rigid routine and a perfectly though out organization.
In the past six weeks I have, in the intervals
between my duty to the sick and the ship, arranged
the schedule of our future course. Much of it is
already under way. My journal shows what I
have done, but what there is to do is appalling.
I state all this as a proper announcement of
my intentions to show how much I sacrifice by
my intended journey to the North and to explain
to my home friends why I have so little
time or mood for scientific observation or re-