THE THIRD GREENLAND EXPEDITION 



up and were landmarks seen from far out to 

 sea. Within the harbor of Godthaab we found 

 anchored the Sverdefiske and Sonja whahng 

 mother ship and "killer" respectively. They had 

 just towed in a whale. Somewhat after I had 

 turned in for the night the boys came to me to 

 ask if I cared to join them in a trip by boat over to 

 the whaling ships. The evening was foggy and raw 

 and the bed seemed just then particularly com- 

 fortable, so I declined. On the way over they fell 

 in with a shark attracted by the carcass of the 

 whale and with their oars and the boat-hook as 

 weapons they succeeded in killing it. When next 

 morning I asked for evidence of their prowess 

 they displayed the head, which I was bound to 

 accept as adequate. 



News of the wreck of the Shinfaxe had reached 

 us on the Bisho as we were approaching Godthaab, 

 which is some 200 miles farther to the south. The 

 unfortunate accident, so serious for the Green- 

 land settlements since they were, as is usual at the 

 end of the long winter out of supplies, was also 

 quite serious for us. Our entire year's supply of 

 balloons was aboard the SMnfa^e, and if these 

 were not now to be salvaged our most important 

 scientific work would be held up. Moreover a 

 wreck of this nature, serious enough anywhere 



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