The Dipsey carried several small boats, and even Sarah Block frequently landed and took a trip upon a motor sledge.

Sometimes the ice was rough, or the frozen snow was piled up into hillocks, and in such cases it was easy enough to walk and draw the light sledges; but as a general thing the people on the sledges were able to travel rapidly and pleasantly.

The scenery was rather monotonous, with its everlasting stretches of ice and snow, but in the far distance the mountains loomed up in the beautiful colors given them by an arctic atmosphere, and the rays of the sun still brightened the landscape at all hours.
Occasionally animals, supposed to be arctic foxes, were seen at a great distance, and there were those in the company who declared that they had caught sight of a bear.

But hunting was not encouraged.

The party had no need of fresh meat, and there was important work to be done which should not be interfered with by sporting expeditions.
There were days of slow progress, but of varied and often exciting experiences, for sometimes the line of Mr.Marcy's canal lay through high masses of ice, and here the necessary blasting was often of a very startling character.