The vegetation was just sufficient to remind him of the glorious trees and grasses of another zone far, far away. Still, with all its desolation, Lockwood thought it a very picturesque region, and that perhaps the moon, to one on its surface, presents a similar aspect. They left for the station on the 25th, encountering much ice all the way. Off Cape Clear it whirled about in such a manner as to threaten to crush the launch. At one time a large piece of ice—larger than the launch itself—was caught between the moving pack and the grounded ice and thrown up into the air fifteen feet. Finally, they reached the station, sadly disappointed not to see the masts of the hoped-for ship. They could not divine the reason for her non-appearance. Dr. Pavy thought that it never started, for want of an appropriation. Lieutenant Greely thought otherwise. It looked then as though they would have to retreat in boats during the next summer, and might fail to meet the ship in the channel; or, on reaching Littleton Island, find she had not been there, and then undoubtedly all of them would perish. A fine salmon-trout of three pounds and three quarters was caught in a net about this time, and, while Rice tried to obtain more, Brainard went to Depot “B” on a hunt for musk-oxen and other game. On the 26th, Lockwood went across Lady Franklin Bay in the launch after Dr. Pavy. Saw many seals, but failed to secure any. Found the doctor and Ellison awaiting them, forlorn enough. They had reached Carl Ritter Bay, seen musk-oxen, and discovered some lakes. Lockwood left more stores over the bay, and returned through much ice. It was pleasant to see how readily the launch cut through the young ice then forming in the midst of falling snow. On the 28th, Lieutenant Greely, desiring some further exploration up Ella Bay, and inland from its head, Lockwood and a select party made several attempts in the launch to accomplish it; but the young ice was forming so rapidly, there was so much pack-ice, and the snow was obscuring the atmosphere so badly, that Lieutenant Greely, after some hesitation, decided they had better not go, and, instead, requested them to take the long-boat Valorous to Cape Baird and leave her there, and then lay up the steam-launch for the winter.