384 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXI'KPrTION". 



sible for tlie lonely wanderer to keep in one decided 

 direction. Beaten and overpowered by the storm, the 

 stronofest man will soon in snch a case be lost. Two 



o 



of onr men, having strayed far to the north, we shonld 

 probably never have seen again had they not struck upon 

 the ship's anchor and thus retraced their steps. 



Besides, such attempts were never carried to rashness. 

 On the following stormy days, three different times we 

 felt our way to land by the rope, but from the thickness 

 of the falling snow dared not venture to let it go and 

 mount. The danger of going the wrong way was so 

 imminent in such cases that we always stood on the 

 steps, in order to help, if necessary, as far as was pos- 

 sible. With the lantern in hand we tapped around on 

 deck in the deep snow. The humcane raged round the 

 tent, so that the props cracked and the cordage creaked ; 

 mighty fiends seemed let loose upon us, and at one time 

 we were seriously afraid for the preservation of our tent- 

 roof. 



The 18th dawned and ended : the storm raged on, and 

 squall upon squall rushed over the ship without inter- 

 mission or abatement; the falling snow being so dense 

 that we could not see six steps before us. 



The 19th was the same — the storm howled and raged 

 unchanged, but we still lay firm in the ice. But for how 

 long — who could tell ? Destruction might be near, and 

 perhaps the open water already splashing beneath us. 



The long inactivity began to tell upon us. The food 

 no longer tasted as usual, we had no heart to work, and 

 here and there were signs of bad temper. In the fore- 

 castle something had happened. Tlie snow-wall must 

 have become relaxed, for on one side the cold wind 



