arters. They dragged a
heavily loaded sled after them, upon which rested a boat, which they
expected to use in case they reached open water. The men set out bravely
and toiled hard, but were compelled to turn back, finding it impossible
to make any progress.

No one can describe the horrible loneliness of such a life as the party
were now compelled to lead. They played cards and games, told stories,
and held discussions until all such things palled on their taste. Then
they grew weary of one another's company, and hours would pass without a
man speaking a word. Dr. Hayes has related that, when thus placed, he
has dashed out of the dwelling in desperation and wandered for miles
through the frozen solitudes, for no other reason than that the company
of his friends had become unbearable. He stated further that a rooster
on his ship deliberately flew overboard and committed suicide out of
sheer loneliness.

One means resorted to by the explorers for relieving the frightful
monotony was the publication of a paper called the _Arctic Moon_. The
contents were written and copies made by the hektograph process. Then
Greely formed a class in arithmetic, and Lockwood taught a class in
geography and grammar. Matters were quite lively on Thanksgiving Day
(the party being careful to note the passage of the regular days), when
foot-races were run and shooting matches indulged in, Greely
distributing the prizes.

One of the many curious facts regarding life in the Arctic regions is
that its rigors are often withstood better by the inexperienced than by
the experienced. The two Eskemo guides were the most depressed of the
whole party, and one of them wandered off in a dazed condition. When
found miles away, he was running as if in fear of his life, and it was
with great difficulty he was persuaded to return. The second native
would have run off had he not been closely watched.

In the middle of February, the thermometer fell to sixty-five degrees
below zero, an intensity of cold which few living men have experienced.
At such a terrible temperature pure brandy and glycerine freeze hard,
and a man, though heavily clothed, will perish in a few minutes. The
Eskemo dogs by choice slept in the snow outside rather than within the
building.

THE GRAVE OF DR. HALL.

On the last day of February, Lieutenant Lockwood, accompanied by
Brainard, Jewell, Long, the two Eskemos, and a couple of dog teams,
started on a journey to Thank God Harbor