I was not surprised to see from the “Drift Point” igloo that the Black Horn Cliffs were fronted by open water. The pack was in motion here, and had only recently been crushing against the ice-foot, where we built our igloo. I thought I had broken my feet in pretty thoroughly on the journey from Etah to Conger; but this day’s work of handling a sledge along the ice-foot made me think they had never encountered any serious work before. A blinding snowstorm on the 24th kept us inactive. The next day I made a reconnoissance to the Cliffs, and the next set the entire party to work hewing a road along the ice-foot. That night the temperature fell to –25°F., forming a film of young ice upon the water. The next day I moved up close to the Cliffs, and then with three Eskimos reconnoitred the young ice. I found that by proceeding with extreme care it would in most places support a man. With experienced Ahsayoo ahead, constantly testing the ice with his seal spear, myself next, and two Eskimos following, all with feet wide apart, and sliding instead of walking, we crept past the cliffs. Returning we brushed the thin film of newly fallen snow off the ice with our feet, for a width of some four feet, to give the cold free access to it. I quote from my diary for the 27th: “At last we are past the barrier which has been looming before me for the last ten days—the open water at the Black Horn Cliffs. Sent two of my men, whose nerves are disturbed by the prospect ahead, back to Conger. This leaves me with Henson and three Eskimos. My supplies can now be carried on the remaining sledges. Still further stiffened by the continuous low temperature of the previous night, the main sheet of new ice in front of the cliffs was not hazardous, as long as the sledges keep a few hundred feet apart, did not stop, and their drivers keep some yards away to one side. Beyond the limit of my previous day’s reconnoissance there were areas of much younger ice, which caused me considerable apprehension, as it buckled to a very disquieting extent beneath dogs and sledges, and from the motion of the outside pack, was crushed up in places, while narrow cracks opened up in others. Finally, to my relief, we reached the ice-foot beyond the cliffs and camped.” The next day there was a continuous lane of water, 100 feet wide, along the ice-foot by our camp, and the space in front of the cliffs was again open water. We crossed just in time.