Page 24

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 be-
long to the entire nation and they are
dependent upon these and their progeny for
absolute existence. Never the less I mana-
ged 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?] jour-
ney up to the very breastwork of the great
glacier only returned to the ship by compul-
sion.

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.