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[verso]
Sunday, Apr. 29. 8. P.M.
No Mitek . Eider duck has not flown
this way.

Our sick get along bravely Mr. Wilson
Mr. Goodfellow and Sonntag - being the only
cases which hang back. God willing we can
piggy-back them in case of need

The state of preparation considering our
recent helplessness is satisfactory and
unlooked for but still with the wide
area of ice between us and the water, we
are behind hands.

My plan is to construct two long sledges
of 17.6 feet length - arra[n]ged so as to cradle
stiffly our two remaining whale boats. The
boats to be washboarded and strengthened
with bottom timbers. These as soon as ready
I move step by step towards Anoratok - the
wind loved spot - which is to be filled up
for a depot: - in the interim the provision
bags and heavy articles of equipment
will be taken down by our dog team. Hans
and myself taking alternate trips
Thus I hope that the heavy strain upon the
boats will be postponed to the latest moment
and the sick retained at the brig until
a very short time before our final departure

Anoratok - or rather its empty hut
will be fitted with a door, stove, and
sleeping gear - and a half way tent erected
at Basalt Camp - By those two [halts?] I
hope to convey the three four sick who have not lost the use of
their legs - to a comfortable spot where
they can await the slow arrival of the
main party.

In the mean time I will remain
at the brig waiting until the changes of the
season render certain the future imprison-
ment of our little craft. For this I will
retain four faithful henchmen and

[recto]

the red boat. now mounted upon her sledge
the old "Faith." When the thing is
clear and written signatures from my offi-
cers declare the palpable fact of "no release"
I put my documents - hard earned - into
the Red Eric - and join my boats at
Cape Alexander.

Every thing that my powers admit of I have
done. I clung to the vessel and would
cling to her yet but for the higher duty
which I owe to my people. We can
stay here no longer for our provisions are
nearly gone. I'm starved out. Now if
Mitek will only give me the means of
completing a second travel I will feel
my conscience clean and commit my-
self trustingly to the long journey.

Should Providence and dry powder
carry us through this fearful medly of
ice and water, we will have made
a boat journey unexampled in the annals
of trial that of Barentz' crew along the Lap-
land coast will be childs play beside
it. Eighteen men with two frail boats
no resources for animal food but their
guns must travel [more than 1000] 900? miles over ice [and]
water with the certainty that the changes
of the season will freeze them in unless
they travel this distance within a period
which is fearfully short, for the means and
resources of the party. This journey will
be clogged by sick and rendered tardy
by the want of animal force to drag
our boats across the ice.

The day up to 4 P.M. was a busy
one Sunday can no longer be a day of
rest. Now however all around is quietude
prayers are read. The sleepy sleep and
the watchful talk in hopeful ignorance
of the long tramp ahead of them.