198 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



disappeared from our siglit ; our convoy had also dimi- 

 nished ; some canoes had remained in Igikait, and some 

 had gone back. We were now alone with Jonathan, 

 Hagen's son (whom we were to take to Nennortalik), and 

 a volunteer, who having just had a son born to him 

 begged Mr. Hildebrandt to be godfather to it. "We had 

 thrown a rope to Jonathan, who as pilot tugged with all 

 his might at the flotilla, while our volunteer made all 

 kinds of artistic strokes with his weapons. 



Although the ice on our way reached pretty close to the 

 land, we came across no hindrance; only that, as the 

 wind was against us, we had to lay upon our oars. Wild 

 mountain chains formed with their sharply cut contours 

 a most lovely distant view. About noon we caught sight 

 of a high Greenland mountain; like an obelisk, the 

 thin rocky peak rises boldly into the clouds.* Cape 

 Egede, too, of evil repute on account of the piled-up ice, 

 came in sight. At a small island (which bore the high- 

 sounding though not easily pronounced name "Kiker- 

 tarsoeitsiak ") we landed for a short rest. Some ptarmigan 

 provoked the bloodthirsty appetites of our hunters at 

 once ; and even our Greenland godfather could not allow 

 this opportunity of showing his dexterity in fire-arms to 

 pass, without availing himself of it. Once more we were 

 all together, and the cold cakes from Friedrichsthal were 



* The height of this mountain was stated to us to be 12,000 feet, 

 which is considerably above the mark. The highest yet ascertained is 

 on the north-west coast, from 6000 to 7000 feet. Tlie highest peak 

 (over 10,000 feet in height) was discovered by the Germania. In 

 Southern Greenland they reach scarcely 4000 feet. In the interior, 

 near the Tessermiut Fjord, is a mountain, to which they give the name 

 Napersorsoak. This has now been ascended by Europeans, and accord- 

 ing to Dr. Rink's statement, is at the most 4000 feet high. 



