MODERN VIKINGS IN THE ARCTIC SEAS 405 



was so hopelessly cold ; all life so far away. We stood and watched 

 it till it sank; then everything became so still that it made one 

 shudder as if the Almighty had deserted us and shut the gates of 

 Heaven. The light died away across the mountains and slowly 

 vanished, while over us crept the great shades of the polar night, the 

 night that kills all life." 



The winter passed without any fatality among them, although 

 there was an occasion when one of the members nearly came to his 

 end. Various trips were taken when the moon was up to try and 

 locate the site where Greely made his historic camp on Pirn Island, 

 which was in that vicinity. In February two men set out to look for 

 it, and, as they did not intend to be long away, they took neither 

 food nor sleeping-bags with them. The weather was clear and cold, 

 with the thermometer at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, but the men 

 experienced no ill effects from it on their journey. They found 

 some pieces of rope and sail-cloth scattered about at a spot on the 

 north side of the island, and came to the conclusion that this must 

 have been the site of the camp. Having examined the place, they 

 were about to return to the "Fram," when one of them sank to the 

 ground. His companions strove to lift him up, but without avail; 

 he had suddenly become exhausted, and his strength gave out so 

 entirely that he could not remain on his feet. It was a serious situa- 

 tion. A few hours of inactivity in such a temperature, without an 

 excess of fur clothing and warm food, meant freezing to death. His 

 companion was in doubt whether to wait and strive to rouse him, or 

 to run to the ship for help. He adopted the latter course, and sped 

 away as fast as his legs could carry him. Arrived at the "Fram," 

 he raised the alarm, and every one turned out and hastened to the 

 rescue. A sledge was quickly harnessed to a dog team, and on it 

 were placed furs and food. The place where the man had collapsed 

 was about a mile away, and the rescuers were soon at his side. He 

 lay in a heap on frozen snow, too far gone to recognize any one. He 

 was pushed into a sleeping-bag, placed on the sledge, and driven 



