There was no other alternative but to prepare for abandoning the _Advance_, as early in the spring as the weather would permit, and hope to reach the Danish settlements at Upernavik. Before the boats could be transferred to the open water, much labour in preparation must be expended, and the most of the party were bedridden and unable to move. Not until May 20, 1855, were they able to bid farewell to the brig, and the retreat was started under the most trying experiences of sickness and famine. By June 17, they stood beside open sea, but not for fifty-six more days did they reach Upernavik. Before the open water was reached, a sad and tragic accident had befallen one of the ablest men. “I had left the party on the floe,” writes Dr. Kane, “with many apprehensions for their safety, and the result proved they were not without cause. While crossing a ‘tide-hole’ one of the runners of the _Hope’s_ sledge broke through, and, but for the strength and presence of mind of Ohlsen, the boat would have gone under. He saw the ice give way, and, by a violent exercise of strength, passed a capstan-bar under the sledge, and thus bore the load till it was hauled on to safer ice. He was a very powerful man, and might have done this without injuring himself, but it would seem his footing gave way under him, forcing him to make a still more desperate effort to extricate himself. It cost him his life; he died three days afterwards. “I was bringing down George Stephenson from the sick-station, and, my sledge being heavily laden, I had just crossed, with some anxiety, near the spot at which the accident occurred. A little way beyond we met Mr. Ohlsen, seated upon a lump of ice and very pale. He pointed to the camp about three miles farther on, and told us in a faint voice, that he had not detained the party: he ‘had a little cramp in the small of his back,’ but would soon be better. “I put him at once in Stephenson’s place, and drove him on to the _Faith_. There he was placed in the stern sheets of the boat, and well muffled up in our best buffalo robes. During all that night he was assiduously attended by Dr. Hayes; but he sank rapidly. His symptoms had from the first a certain obscure but fatal resemblance to our winter’s tetanus and filled us with forebodings.” The strength of the stricken band was gradually reaching its minimum. The exertion of bailing the unseaworthy boats required all the strength left to the enfeebled party. They breathed heavily, their limbs swelled, and they suffered from insomnia, so that each day rendered their weakened efforts less promising. At this crisis of their fortunes, they saw a large seal floating on a small patch of ice, and seemingly asleep.