THE MOTOR-CANOE SWAMPED 



his head to show that he understood. Below it a 

 larger spoon was drawn and the figure six placed 

 beside it. More nodding of the head and now a 

 broad smile. A table knife and a table fork were 

 each in turn drawn and the figure six added. And 

 so on with each dish, fry pan or boiler needed. Just 

 as I was about to fold this document an idea came 

 to me. We had obtained from David Olsen several 

 cans of ptarmigan, the Arctic pheasant quite abun- 

 dant in Greenland, and four of these birds after 

 parboiling had been sealed in each can. On a 

 chance I decided to add as a postscript to my letter 

 a request in English that a number of cans of ptar- 

 migan be sent in to us with the cooking utensils. 

 This seemingly unimportant postscript to my 

 pictograph message played a most important 

 role in connection with the accident ; for Olsen be- 

 ing unable to read this message sent the document 

 by a kayaker down to Governor Bistrup at Hol- 

 stensborg. This trip to Holstensborg involved con- 

 siderable delay. The Governor decided to send 

 the articles requested in a whale-boat rowed by 

 Eskimo women but as usual with one man as cox- 

 swain. When this whale-boat appeared under sail 

 off our base with two kayakers flanking it on either 

 side it was a great surprise to us. When the cargo 

 had been delivered and the crew had curiously in- 



33 



<P^ 



