494 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



The cairn which we built there could be seen at a 

 distance of nearly forty English miles. 



In the mean time Dr. Borgen had recovered and could 

 now take his share in the work. The next thing to be 

 done before the beginning of the great sledge journey was 

 the measuring of the base. We had already made an 

 attempt at this, in the beginning of March, but were 

 obliged to give it up. Measuring-stakes and tripods had 

 been buried on the spot, and from time to time we had 

 seen that all was right. When on the 25th we thought to 

 take them up without any trouble, we found that the 

 tripods which we had buried in two boxes heavily 

 weighted with stones, were scattered around and that the 

 stakes were not to be found. Since Mr. Sengstacke's last 

 visit on the 20th April a bear had no doubt been there, 

 and a storm might have carried away the stakes. We 

 had now to provide new ones as soon as possible, for 

 which purpose Mr. Sengstacke gave us two oars belonging 

 to the large boat, which were the required length of twelve 

 feet six inches. On the morning of the 27th the sleighing 

 party returned from the north. The remainder of the 

 day was of course given up to them, and the joy of their 

 return ; and on the oOth April, the first part of the base 

 of 296 feet was again measured. The temperature at 

 this time was not above 14°, and we feel sure that the low- 

 ness of temperature is no hindrance whatever to European 

 base measurement in Arctic regions with the most delicate 

 instruments and the utmost exactness. 



On an excursion to the top of the Kefersteinberg we 

 climbed several gently rising valleys, and at last over a 

 yard and a half broad rift, to the left of which is a 

 very beautiful cauldron-shaped valley with steep walls, in 



