442 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



willow-seeking on the neighbouring coast, as well as from 

 the further destruction of our sledge which had already 

 been stripped of every available piece of wood. 



A short visit to Peschel Island, which lies over against 

 the cape of the same name, during the journey of the 

 21st, convinced me once more of the great identity of the 

 geological structure with the old crystal line formation 

 belonging to the East Greenland coast. The island 

 consisted of alternate strata of amphibolite and gneiss. 

 Everywhere were to be seen large blocks of thirty-three 

 cubic feet of hornblende-rock, and glacial detritus, 

 which attained a maximum elevation of 229 feet. 



On the 22nd a bear attacked us while dragging, and 

 was killed. A piece of his skin was taken with us and 

 the head laid with the remainder. We then had to put 

 up with drifting snow exactly resembling a storm, though 

 it did not prevent us from advancing, as we had the 

 wind at our backs and had made a sail of the empty 

 sacks, which greatly lightened our load ; indeed, so much 

 so for some distance, that the sledge ran with but very 

 moderate pulling. During such snow-drifting it often 

 happened that we had not the slightest idea where the 

 land lay. 



The snow-drifting lasted through the 23rd, its numbing 

 influence being increased by some hours' unsheltered 

 stay on the peninsula of Haystack, where we tried in 

 vain to sever the head of a bear, killed some time before, 

 to take with us. 



A troop of foxes, which for weeks had been gnawing 

 at the frozen flesh, would scarcely be driven away, and 

 then were constantly returning. 



The temperature of tlie last few days had risen to 



