BANGSTED'S EXPEDITION TO THE ICE-CAP 



ers been available I should have taken several 

 sleds, but suitable dogs and drivers are obtainable 

 only at the Northern Greenland stations. There 

 was now, however, no time to lose. Most Arctic 

 expeditions have accomplished their best results 

 between late winter and early spring. Our pre- 

 liminary work had to be accomplished during the 

 winter itself, the coldest and darkest time of the 

 year, so as to be ready to start on the main ex- 

 pedition as early as there should be sufficient light. 

 No one of our difficulties was so serious as the 

 extreme mildness of the winter and the almost 

 total lack of snowfall. Loads had to be reduced 

 to the minimum in order to make any progress 

 whatever over the bare "sandpaper" surface and 

 the wet slippery river and fjord-ice. Instead of 

 two sled trips, as we had hoped would suffice, no 

 less than six were necessary before the depots were 

 laid down, and even at that we had cut our pro- 

 visions and dog food down to an absolute 

 minimum. 



It was well into the month of December before 

 this was accomplished. In the meantime the travel- 

 ing conditions had not improved, though the re- 

 turning daylight would soon afford us a longer 

 working day. My plan was to make our start 

 with the coming of the new year, but this had to 



191 



