142 PEARY CROSSES GREENLAND 



One purpose was to avoid the Peterman Basin, a fiord set- 

 ting inward from the west coast. In this Peary failed, his route 

 trending too much to the northward and a detour of ten miles be- 

 came necessary on the seventh day's march to avoid a series of 

 crevasses and inequalities, the presence of which proved that a 

 gorge was at hand. This gorge or fiord was reached on the last: 

 day of May, a clear, pleasant and summerlike one, the mercury 

 standing at 77 degrees at midday. Here the explorers .encamped 

 for thirty-six hours, taking advantage of the sunny warmth to give 

 their clothes a thorough drying, and enjoying the luxury of a snow 

 bath in the mild air. 



So far their route had been a comparatively easy one, but as 

 it proved they had got considerably off of the right track and on 

 the 8th of June a period of difficulties began. In the days that fol- 

 lowed many crevasses and ice hillocks broke the hitherto smooth 

 surface and they soon found themselves on the edge of a glacial 

 depression, with steep cliffs and icy slopes visible beyond. At this 

 depressing interval a severe storm broke upon them, driving them 

 to shelter for two days. Their camp now consisted of an excava- 

 tion in the snow, they gaining further protection from the wind by 

 banking their sledges and spreading a tarpaulin to windward. 



The storm abating, they were obliged to turn on their tracks, 

 heading southward and enduring two days of difficult and weari- 

 some climbing before the surface level was again reached. This 

 lay more than six thousand feet above the sea. In the days that 

 followed new troubles were encountered, including bewildering fogs 

 which for many hours rendered progress impossible. In addition, 

 Nalgaksuk, the best of their dogs, sprained his foot and showed 

 such signs of the fatal dog disease that they were obliged to kill 

 him. The large sledge had also suffered from the strain of the long 

 journey and a whole day was lost in repairing it and in readjusting 

 the loads, everything that could be spared being thrown away. 

 When they started again the sun was shining brightly, but the 



