BANGSTED'S EXPEDITION TO THE ICE-CAP 



Are our hopes to be again dashed after making 

 all our preparations for a start? No! I decided 

 to start out and take what chance had to offer. 

 The storm began during the night and as we 

 turned out about five o'clock the next morning the 

 wind was blowing strongly from the southeast 

 off the ice-cap. Later in the day the fjord-ice was 

 again covered with water. 



Dr. Church got a start of a couple of hours 

 while Marius and I made the last arrangements 

 packing the sleds. During these morning hours 

 the wind increased, but there could now be no 

 backing out, for Church had already gone on 

 ahead. As soon as I had made sure that every- 

 thing was in order I gave the dogs the signal, and 

 we were making a shining sled-track out across 

 the wet fjord-ice in the dawning of the new day. 



The wind was almost dead ahead. Soon violent 

 gusts drove the sled sideways with great force. It 

 was impossible to steer as we could not stand 

 against the wind on the slippery ice. All our ef- 

 forts had to be given to preventing the sled being 

 smashed when it was dashed against rough ice. 

 By noon the wind had so increased that it had 

 reached a maximum velocity of 120 miles per hour 

 as registered on the anemometer at the observatory 

 on Mount Evans. It was a desperate fight for 



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