* * * * * As we neared the climax of the winter the satisfactory progress of events became disturbed by a series of misfortunes which largely influenced the destinies of the expedition, and which, by disarranging all of my plans, caused me grave embarrassments. [Sidenote: AN EPIDEMIC AMONG THE DOGS.] In a former chapter I have mentioned that a disease had been, for several years, prevailing among the dogs of Southern Greenland, and that a large proportion of these useful animals had fallen victims to it. The cause of this disease had not been determined, but I was led to believe, from what information I could obtain, that it was purely of local origin, and that, therefore, when I had removed my teams from the seat of its influence I would be freed from its dangers. Under this impression I had consumed much time at the Danish-Esquimau settlements, in picking up here and there a dog, until I had obtained thirty-six animals. Up to the first of December they remained in perfect health; and, being fed upon an abundant allowance of fresh meat, I had great confidence that I should be able to carry them through to the spring, and, when the period of my sledge explorations should arrive, that I would have four strong and serviceable teams. My fears were for a time somewhat excited by the information received from Hans, that the Esquimaux of Whale Sound and vicinity, with whom he had been living, were heavy losers by the death of a great number of their dogs, and the description which he gave of this distemper corresponded with that of Southern Greenland; but November being passed without any symptoms of the malady having made its appearance in my splendid pack, I felt hopeful that they would escape the visitation. The loss which Dr. Kane had suffered by the death of his teams was fresh in my recollection; but for this there appeared to be a sufficient cause. Being almost wholly without fresh food of any kind, he was compelled to subsist his teams upon salt meats, which, giving scurvy to his men, could hardly be expected to act otherwise than injuriously upon the dogs, which had always before been used to a fresh diet of seal meat.