186 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



is not contagious, and the natives of the west coast 

 never suffer from it. Amongst the inhabitants of Fried- 

 richsthal, was a woman from the east ; she and her 

 children formed the only family unbaptized; all the 

 others were Christians. Thus we had much to talk about ; 

 and it was getting late when we retired to our couch in 

 the schoolroom. The latter, with the bedroom (the 

 church), forms an additional building to the mission 

 house. How wonderful it seemed to us that, for the 

 first time since the 2nd of January, we could take off 

 our clothes ere we lay down to rest ! How free from 

 care we could give ourselves up to sleep ! How many 

 anxious terrible nights lay behind us ! — now, all was 

 happily passed ! We had already finished our night 

 toilet when the door opened, and there in his never- 

 ending goodness came Mr. Starick, laden with beer, in 

 case we should be thirsty in the night. Beer ! What 

 German could withstand that ! The bottles were un- 

 corked, and soon the foaming drink filled the tankard, 

 doing all honour to its Greenland brewer. 



It was late when sleep overtook us, th-ed out ! Once 

 more did the picture of the past vividly recur to our 

 minds, from the tragedy of our shipwi^eck, to the happy 

 moment which brought us to Friedrichsthal ; and in our 

 inmost hearts we all ejaculated, " God be thanked !" 



