408 MODERN VIKINGS IN THE ARCTIC SEAS 



of his gallant comrades. Their method of defense was capable of 

 repelling the attack of any animal inhabiting the Arctic regions, 

 and more complete in its system than appeared to be needed to repel 

 any of the animals likely to attack them. 



The return of summer, during the first year of their stay, was 

 marred by the death of the doctor. Early in June the shores of 

 Hayes Sound were being surveyed. The ice still covered the sea 

 and the land was deep in snow. One night, when the surveying 

 party had returned to their tent and were sitting round the oil stove 

 eating their supper, they heard a man outside asking if he might 

 come in. They opened the tent flap and discovered the doctor stand- 

 ing outside. He was evidently ill, and, as they soon realized, snow- 

 blind. He had missed his way while out after specimens and had 

 accidentally stumbled on the camp. He was taken in and given 

 warm food, which revived him somewhat, afterwards being put in 

 a sleeping-bag and made as comfortable as they could make him. 

 In the morning he pronounced himself much better, and said he 

 would stay at the camp, resting, for the day. The party left him 

 with no misgivings, but on their return in the evening they found 

 him dead in the sleeping-bag. 



Camp was struck the following morning, and with the body 

 of the doctor on the sledge, the party started back to the ship. It 

 was a sad journey. Not only was it the first time in the history of 

 the "Fram" that a member of the ship's company had died, but the 

 loss of the doctor was a serious matter to the explorers, who were 

 thus left without any qualified expert to attend to them in the event 

 of either sickness or accident occurring. The procession reached 

 the ship on June I5th, and the next morning the whole company 

 formed up in funeral array to convey the remains of the doctor to 

 their last resting-place. They gave him a sailor's burial. The 

 national flag covered the body and bier, and the explorers, walking 

 slowly, two and two, proceeded down Rice Strait over the ice to a 

 spot where a hole had been cut through the ice to the open water. 



