160 TUE GERMAN ArvCTIC EXPEDITION. 



have to be emptied, and pulled to tlie spot where our next 

 day's rest is to be taken, while we frequently have to go 

 over walls of ice, the slipping downwards being often 

 more difficult than the pulhng up. Then the boats tip over 

 in the snow, or get caught behind a piece of ice, when it 

 costs us untold trouble to get them free again. Then, 

 again, we have to go over rifts in the ice, and weary our- 

 selves over places where it has fallen in. When this difficult 

 manoeuvre is happily accomplished, all the things must be 

 put in again. At this work each has to carry from 

 100 to 105 lbs. weight; and one can imagine that, as 

 with this burden we now sink deep into snow or snow- 

 water, and now have to climb over closely-packed frag- 

 ments of floes, all that is not really necessary is left 

 behind. On the night of the 30th to the 31st of May, we 

 left the longest distance behind us yet accomphshed, viz. 

 1200 paces. As we had drawn two boats to their desti- 

 nation, the captain, who had been leading and energetic 

 the whole night, and also active in dragging the boats, 

 fainted. 



In all this galling work hunger tormented us ; and if 

 night gave us sweet dreams of tables richly provided with 

 food, on awaking, our murmuring, grumbling stomachs 

 soon brought us back to reality. 



Beginning of June, uninterrupted storms from the north, 

 and fall of rain as from a bowl since the last three days 

 and nights. Our bad, thin sail can scarcely stand the 

 drops which fall like lead upon it. Truly we in the 

 King WiUiam are not to be envied. Our rations, too, 

 are getting scantier than ever ! As there is not even a 

 distant prospect of increasing our provisions, our meals 

 are reduced to two in twenty-four hours; and every 



