“We had no other incidents of importance until our return from the island.  The weather suddenly became cloudy, and a warm wind set in from the southward.  The snow softened so that the dogs could with difficulty draw the sledges, even when relieved of our weight.  We walked by their side, encouraging them in every possible way, and as the softness of the snow increased, it became necessary to throw away a part of the loads.  Our safety required that we should reach the land as soon as possible, since there were many indications that the ice was about to break up.  After sixteen hours of continuous dragging, we stopped, quite exhausted, though still thirty miles from land, as it was absolutely impossible for men or dogs to proceed further without rest.  I was so utterly worn out that I sank upon the snow, hardly able to move.  The Yakuts fed the dogs, and then lay down at their side, anxiously waiting the morning to bring us relief.

“Just as the day was opening, I was awakened by a rumbling noise, and a motion below me, followed by a shout from Ivan.

“‘The ice is breaking up!’

“I sprang to my feet, and so did my companions.  The dogs were no less sensible of their danger than ourselves, and stirred uneasily while giving vent to plaintive whines.  The wind from the south had increased; it was blowing directly off the land, and I could see that the ice was cracking here and there under its influence, and the whole field was in motion.  Dark lanes appeared, and continued to increase in width, besides growing every minute more numerous.  I ordered all the loads thrown from the sledges, with the exception of a day’s provisions for men and dogs, and a few of our extra garments.  When this was done—–­ and it was done very speedily—–­ we started for the shore.

[Illustration:  JUMPING THE FISSURES.]

“We jumped the dogs over the smaller crevices without serious accident, but the larger ones gave us a great deal of trouble.  On reaching them, we skirted along their edges till we could find a cake of ice large enough to ferry us over.  In this way we crossed more than twenty openings, some of them a hundred yards in width.  Do not suppose we did so without being thrown several times in the water, and on one occasion four of the dogs were drowned.  The poor brutes became tangled in their harness, and it was impossible to extricate them.  All the dogs seemed to be fully aware of their danger, and to understand that their greatest safety lay in their obeying us.  I never saw them more obedient, and they rarely hesitated to do what we commanded.  It grieved me greatly to see the dogs drowning when we were unable to help them, but could only listen to their cries for help, until stifled by the water.

“We toiled all day, and night found us five miles from shore, with a strip of open water between us and land.  Here and there were floating cakes of ice, but the main body had been blown off by the wind and promised to be a mile or two further to the north before morning.