312 Knud Rasmussen. 



After all, it is not so bad for us; we have coffee and tea, and 

 up lo now a bird apiece per day. And if the worst comes to the 

 worst, we have still nearly a dozen pounds of the loveliest oatmeal 

 — the thought of it makes our mouths water these days — but we 

 are saving it for the homeward journey, and dare not touch it yet. 



The dogs, however, are in a sad case: they have had no food 

 for days and are utterly worn out with hauling through the deep 

 snow. After talking matters over, therefore, we decide to further 

 reduce the teams, and make shift with three sledges only. This also 

 enables us to make ski out of the materials of the odd sledge. We 

 had brought with us a pair of Norwegian ski and a pair of Canadian 

 snow shoes, but these are not sufficient for our present needs, as three 

 of us are generally obliged to be out hunting at the same time. 

 Moreover, with such going as we have here, one of us must take the 

 lead of the foremost team, to clear the way, and taking only three 

 sledges leaves us one man to spare. Uvdlokiaq, Inukitsoq and I 

 therefore divide Freuchen's team among our own, and cut up his 

 sledge, which enters on a new existence in the form of two pairs of 

 first class ashen ski. 



And now we are ready to tackle this pathless, gameless waste 



once more. 



20—22 May. 



We ought by rights to have been up betimes today, but the toil- 

 some trudging through the soft snow and the many détours in search 

 of game among the hills are telling on our strength. We do not no- 

 tice it as a rule until the day's march is done, and we are lying full 

 length in our sleeping bags. Then, however, we seem to float out of 

 existence, away from it all, and not until we wake after a heavy, 

 unbroken sleep do we realise that the body has taken more than we 

 had meant to give. And so it was today. Uvdloriaq and I intended 

 to have used the top of the morning before the sun had taken the 

 freshness out of ourselves and the dogs, to get on ahead. As a matter 

 of fact, however, the morning was no longer early when we at last 

 got ready to start. We were now only 70 m. above sea level, so the 

 coast could not be far off. Inukitsoq and Freuchen stayed behind 

 at the camp, with those of the dogs that were in poorest condition. 



I had my ski on, and ran ahead of Uvdloriaq's team all through 

 the day and a part of the night; we were at it for twelve or four- 

 teen hours, without covering any great distance, as the dogs were far 

 from keen on the work, and made but slow progress through the 

 snow. We pulled up at the foot of a hill which seemed to offer a 

 good view of the open country beyond, where no further heights were 

 to be seen, and tying up the dogs, started on a climb which we hoped 

 might give us a sight of the ice ahead. 



Thalassa! There lay the sea. Those Greeks could hardly have 



