steadily, and the constant movement, coupled with the appearance of
lanes near the land, convinced me that we must stay by the ship till
she got clear. I had considered the possibility of making a landing
across the ice in the spring, but the hazards of such an undertaking
would be too great.

The training of the dogs in sledge teams was making progress. The
orders used by the drivers were "Mush" (Go on), "Gee" (Right), "Haw"
(Left), and "Whoa" (Stop). These are the words that the Canadian
drivers long ago adopted, borrowing them originally from England. There
were many fights at first, until the dogs learned their positions and
their duties, but as days passed drivers and teams became efficient.
Each team had its leader, and efficiency depended largely on the
willingness and ability of this dog to punish skulking and disobedience.
We learned not to interfere unless the disciplinary measures threatened
to have a fatal termination. The drivers could sit on the sledge and
jog along at ease if they chose. But the prevailing minus temperatures
made riding unpopular, and the men preferred usually to run or walk
alongside the teams. We were still losing dogs through sickness, due
to stomach and intestinal worms.

Dredging for specimens at various depths was one of the duties during
these days. The dredge and several hundred fathoms of wire line made a
heavy load, far beyond the unaided strength of the scientists. On the
23rd, for example, we put down a 2 ft. dredge and 650 fathoms of wire.
The dredge was hove in four hours later and brought much glacial mud,
several pebbles and rock fragments, three sponges, some worms,
brachiapods, and foraminiferae. The mud was troublesome. It was heavy
to lift, and as it froze rapidly when brought to the surface, the
recovery of the specimens embedded in it was difficult. A haul made on