262 GREENLAND 



to the shore ; but they had been caught in the floes, 

 and on them and among them they had drifted for 

 twelve days an experience they had not bargained for. 

 Getting ashore at last near Cape Tordenskiold, they 

 worked their way back northwards along the coast, 

 spending a short time at an Eskimo encampment at 

 Cape Bille, until on the 15th of August they hauled 

 their two boats up near Umivik and started to cross 

 Greenland over the inland ice. 



The country is now in its glacial period, and for days 

 they toiled across its glacial desert; each day alike in its 

 wearisome monotony. " Flatness and whiteness were 

 the two features of this ocean of snow," says Nansen; 

 "in the day we could see three things only, the sun, 

 the snowfield and ourselves. We looked like a diminu- 

 tive black line feebly traced upon an infinite expanse of 

 white. There was no break or change in our horizon, 

 no object to rest the eye upon, and no point by which to 

 direct the course. We had to steer by a diligent use of 

 the compass, and keep our line as well as possible by 

 careful watching of the sun and repeated glances back 

 at the four men following and the long track which the 

 caravan left in the snow. We passed from one horizon 

 to another, but our advance brought us no change." 



By the 2nd of September they had all taken to their 

 skis on which they made great progress alone, but when 

 it came to hauling the sledges there was a difference. 

 Sometimes the snow proved to be very heavy going, 

 particularly when it was wind-packed, and then it was 

 no better than sand. One entry in Nansen's journal 

 will suffice : " It began to snow in the middle of the 

 day, and our work was heavier than ever. It was worse 



