216 THE GERMAN AlvCTIC EXPEDITION. 



rough ground, set tliemselves to prepare a dainty meal 

 of lierrino-s for us. At the " soft-stone" rock itself there 



O 



was little to be seen, for the natives had long since so 

 cut away the block that it scarcely rose above the ground ; 

 and so we thought it better to travel onwards without 

 waiting for the dainty meal prepared for us by the old 

 women, who, however, were not at all offended, but eat 

 it themselves. Not so easy was it to leave the Fjord as 

 to enter it. The Isersarnak blew strongly against us, and 

 it took many strokes of the oars and much time ere we 

 saw Igdlopait. We decided to spend the whole of the 

 next day on the island, and enjoy once more the hospi- 

 tality of Mrs. Hilbig. Amongst other things, Mrs. 

 Hilbig set before us at the evening meal a dish peculiar 

 to Greenland : young shoots of the Angelica steeped in 

 vinegar and sugar. This piquant aromatic food, which 

 would do honour to any great table, had our full 

 appreciation, and the good beer no less, which awaited 

 us once more on this desert rocky island. Our amiable 

 hostess rejoiced in our blessed hunger and thu"st ; but the 

 times of Friedrichsthal were happily over, so without 

 being brought into difficulties by too great a hunger, we 

 sought our nightly couch, which we prepared by placing 

 side by side the forms in the church. 



Of Igdlopait and its hospitable mission-house, how- 

 ever, we were to see no more. As we were at breakfast 

 the following morning, a K^ak post arrived from Lich- 

 tenau. We were to go thither immediately. A message 

 had arrived from Julianeshaab that the Constance was 

 waiting for us, and would take us all ! What could now 

 tempt us to remain a moment ? We dejDarted at once. 

 Filled with thankfulness, we bade good-bye to our kind 



