92 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



planted the flag. As we noticed that tlie ice was once more 

 in motion, from the fact that the small harbour in which 

 our boat lay was entirely filled up, we resolved to return. 

 The home journey was considerably more difficult than 

 the outward one ; the canal was closed up, and it was not 

 easy to find the right opening. We were often obliged 

 to get out and survey from some high spot, and often to 

 push the boat over the ice. As the wind had quite 

 drojDped we were compelled to row. In some places the 

 fresh ice prevented us from making any way ; and after 

 sunset a dense fog rose, which might in so far be dis- 

 agreeable, as to compel us to pass the night on the floe. 

 We, however, eventually succeeded in reaching the 

 Hansa, which we had left in open water, and now found 

 jammed between two hummocks, so that we could 

 scarcely get near her. But we at least brought the 

 hope with us that it was not impossible to reach the 

 coast." 



The 25th of August was the captain's birthday, and 

 was kept by firing a gun, the hoisting of the ship's flag, 

 and a huge cake, made with great art by our cook. At 

 breakfast, the hero of the fete found upon his plate a 

 pretty poem by Dr. Laube, in which the good wishes of 

 all were heartily expressed. A part of our community 

 amused themselves by skating. On the afternoon of the 

 29th we saw a magnificent phenomenon. Two coloured 

 coronas formed round the sun, in which were conspicuous, 

 by their greater brightness, three spots. One stood 

 vertically over the sun, and was the spring of an arch, 

 which touched one corona, and the convex side of which 

 was turned to the sun. This was not really a mock sun, 

 like those on each side, but .a concentration of bright- 



