ras aware of the treachery of his first officer? It
is impossible to say, but, at any rate, he said nothing about it.

At the end of Baring Bay is a narrow canal uniting Wellington Channel
with Queen's Strait. There the ice had accumulated very closely.
Hatteras made vain efforts to get through the passages to the north of
Hamilton Island; the wind was unfavorable; hence it was necessary to
go between Hamilton and Cornwallis Islands; five precious days were
lost in vain attempts. The air grew colder, and, July 19th, fell as
low as 26 degrees; the next day was warmer, but this harbinger of the
arctic winter warned Hatteras not to linger longer. The wind seemed to
blow steadily from the west and delayed his progress. And yet he was
in haste to reach the point whence Stewart saw an open sea. The 19th
he resolved to enter the channel at any price; the wind blew dead
against the brig, which, with her screw, could have made headway
against the violent snow-squalls, but Hatteras had before all to be
economical with the fuel; on the other hand, the channel was too broad
to permit of the brig being towed. Hatteras, without taking into
account the fatigue of his crew, made use of a device which whalers
often employ under similar circumstances. He lowered the small boats
to the surface of the water, not letting them free from their tackle;
then they were made fast, fore and aft; oars were put out, to
starboard on one side and to port on the other; the men sat on the
thwarts and rowed vigorously, so as to propel the brig against the
wind.

[Illustration: Hatteras made use of a device which whalers employ.]

The _Forward_ made slight headway; this method of working was very
fatiguing; the men began to murmur. For four days they advanced in
that way, until July 23d, when they reached Baring Island, in Queen's
Channel.

The wind was still unfavorable. The crew could go no farther. The
doctor found the strength of the crew much pulled down, and he thought
he detected the first symptoms of scurvy; he used every precaution
against this terrible disease, having abundant supplies of lime-juice
and chalk-pastilles.

Hatteras soon saw there was nothing more to be got from his crew;
kindness and persuasion were fruitless; he resolved to employ
severity, and, if need be, to be pitiless; he distrusted especially
Richard Shandon, and even James Wall, who, however, never dared to
speak too loud. Hatteras had on his side the doctor, Johnson,