CHAPTER YII. 



POST NUBILA PHCEBUS. ABANDONMENT OF THE FLOE AND BOAT 

 JOURNEY TO THE ISLAND OF ILLUIDLEK. FEB. TO JUNE 4, 1870.' 



A Fox near the Hansa-house. — Rapid drift of our floe. — Open water 

 westwards. — Changed aspect of the coast. — A family of seals. — 

 Numerous glaciers on the coast. — Threatened danger from an 

 iceberg. — In the latitude of Nukarbik.— Linnets. — Carpenter 

 attacked by scurvy. — Keeping Easter Festival. — Considerable ad- 

 vance of our floe in its southward drift. — Attractive aspect of the 

 coast. — The Puisortok glacier. —Walruses. — Bird life. — Open 

 water in the direction of land. — Determination to quit the floe and 

 take to the boats. — Preparations therefor. — Departure. — Storm 

 from the north. — Huge appetites and scanty rations. — Excessive 

 heat. — A fly. — Dragging the boats towards the coast. — Excursion 

 to the island of lUuidlek. — Difiiculty in dragging the boats over 

 the ice. — Anniversary of our departure from Bi-emen harbour. — 

 Prospects for the future. — Great exertions to escape. — Landing on 

 the island of lUuidlek on 4th June. 



On the 1st of February we caught a ghmpse of some 

 seals, the first we had seen for a long time ; also a raven, 

 and some various kinds of sea-gulls. The former came 

 from the land, the latter from the sea. One morning, 

 too, a fox appeared before our house. He stayed many 

 days, and became so bold at last, that he would fetch the 

 meat which had been thrown from the galley, and allow 

 himself to be stroked. The creature caused us much fun. 

 It never entered our heads to capture him. 



' By Captain Hogemann. 



