I had given my feet complete rest since my return from the previous attempt, and had fixed my foot-gear in every way I could think of, including a pair of heavy tin inner soles, but my feet were still very tender, and I dreaded the tramp, and wished it over. At 7 P. M. I started, and anxious to have it over as soon as possible, set my teeth and struck a good pace. One thing was in my favour, it was clear now and I should have to do no unnecessary travelling. At 3 A. M. Monday, July 30th, I looked down on the _Roosevelt_ from the bluffs, and at 3:30 I climbed over her side, a boat having brought me from the shore, thus ending my western trip of fifty-eight days. Between the 23d of February and the 30th of July, I had been on board ship eight days. My kamiks were cut through, my tin soles broken in dozens of pieces, and my feet were hot, aching, and throbbing, till the pain reached to my knees. Within the next twelve hours Marvin and the rest of the Eskimos came in, and the western trip was ended. The results of this trip had been particularly gratifying to me in its closing of the gap in the coast line between Aldrich’s and Sverdrup’s “Farthest,” which was the main object of the trip; in its determination of a new land to the northwest, and in its development of what, I am satisfied, when the facts in regard to it are known, will form one of the most unique and interesting features of this region to the glacialist, namely the broad glacial fringe of the Grant Land coast from Hecla westward. [Illustration: SIPSU AND HIS FAMILY Returning to the ship from Fort Conger ] [Illustration: THE “ROOSEVELT” FORCED AGROUND IN WRANGEL BAY ] [Illustration: THE “ROOSEVELT” IN WRANGEL BAY ] The fact that the pleasure of the trip and of these results was at least temporarily considerably dampened by the extremely unpleasant features of the return journey, is only the usual occurrence in all Arctic work. CHAPTER XII SHERIDAN TO ETAH July 30th and 31st the weather was fine, the channel pack surging back and forth with the tides close alongside, and every now and then large pieces crowding in against us, necessitating shifting the _Roosevelt_ by the lines to avoid them. The channel pack consisted of very large floes packed closely together and showing no signs of leads throughout the entire width of the channel and as far north and south as could be seen. The ship’s people assisted by the Eskimos worked night and day to complete the finishing touches to the new rudder so that we could take advantage of the first opportunity to get away from this exposed and dangerous position. From the Captain I learned the story of the _Roosevelt’s_ experiences after the ice opened at Cape Sheridan. She had had a crucial trial which few if any other ships would have survived, and twice everything had been landed from her in the belief that she would never leave her present position.