Report of the First Thule Expedition 1912. 331 



which broke beneath the dogs' feet, often cutting their paws. Under 

 such adverse conditions, therefore, it was not surprising that the dogs,, 

 after having had their rest cut down to a minimum all through the 

 four months' arduous work, now proved, despite their apparent sound- 

 ness, less able to stand the strain than if they had started fresh. In 

 addition to this, the poor beasts shed their coats at this season of the 

 year, and in their thinned summer fur they suffered considerably under 

 the snowstorms of the inland ice, which rage summer and winter alike. 

 We were, however, not in a position to choose the season for our jour- 

 ney, and were forced to make it as best we could. 



It may perhaps be worth while to give a rough idea of the way 

 we managed from day to day under these sometimes difficult circum- 

 stances. I therefore take this section of the expedition in diary form, 

 with a few brief remarks for each day. 



Camp 1. 10 August. 



• Prevented from starting by thick fog over the ice. Towards eve- 

 ning it clears, and we move off at 10 p. m. 



The inland ice rises gently from the moraine we have left, being 

 far from level, however, at first. There are no fissures, but a number 

 of deep dried-up watercourses greatly hinder progress. I am obliged 

 for the present to play passenger on Uvdlokiaq's sledge, my leg being 

 still too weak for me to manage alone. Meanwhile, Freuchen is driv- 

 ing my sledge. 



11 August. 



We soon strike firm and level ice, and the dogs step out bravely, 

 keen on making a new start. If the ice but last as it is, they will get 

 along well enough all the way to Thule. We camp at 6 in the mor- 

 ning, after covering 49 km. in 8 hours, which is not bad work for our 

 27 dogs, seeing that we have been working uphill all the way, with 

 very rugged ice at the start. Unfortunately, we cannot take our eleva- 

 tion on the homeward trip, having smashed our aneroid barometer 

 going over one of the many watercourses. 



12 August. 



Lying up on account of snow and fog. Snow just now is anything 

 but welcome. The sun comes out, however, in the afternoon, and we 

 set off. 



Camp 2. 13 August. 



Started at 9 o'clock last evening, and kept on until half past five 



this morning, covering only 38 km,, however, in the time. The sledges 



cut deep, and the dogs soon grow fatigued by toiling through the soft 



snow, where they can find no decent footing. Start off again at 11 p.m. 



LT. 24 



