332 Knud Rasmussen. 



Camp 3. 14 August. 



Snow not quite so deep as yesterday, but clogs the runners badly. 

 It is heavy hauling for the dogs, and we sorely miss our walrus hide 

 runners. Camp at 8.30, after a run of 53 km. 



15 August. 



Lying up. Snowstorm. 



Camp 4. 



Start at three in the morning, snow still driving down continually, 

 but gale somewhat subsiding. Again heavy snow underfoot, making pro- 

 gress very difficult for the dogs. Halt from 5 to 7, melt some snow, 

 and give the runners a coating of ice, as we did before with the wal- 

 rus hide. The ice does not of course stick on as well as it did then; 

 hard, smooth iron is a very different thing to the rough and shaggy 

 skin, but it should last out the day's run. And as a matter of fact, 

 it does turn out very well indeed, but unfortunately we are forced to 

 lie to again at 9 in the morning, a violent snowstorm coming up from 

 the south west. We have thus made about 20 km. in 4 hours. Now 

 and again we catch a glimpse of the sun; we have been going up- 

 wards all the time, and are now among the clouds, which drive over 

 the tent. For a long time we are forced to keep awake, fearing lest 

 the tent should carry away, and our gear go with it. Towards evening 

 calmer. 



Camp 5. 17 August. 



Pitch tent at 11 a. m. for observations. Bright sunshine at last, 

 and ice level as a tablecloth, but still heavy going. 



Camp 6. 19 August. 



We have for some time past had an idea that we were out in our 

 dates, as the observations do not agree with our reckoning as to where- 

 abouts. Talking the matter over after today's observations, we come 

 to the conclusion that we must be a day behind. Such a mistake might 

 easily occur living as we have done, especially when out after game, 

 when we have often been at it for 36 hours at a stretch. We fancy, 

 too, that we can trace the error back to the first days in the Zig-Zag 

 Valley, when Freuchen was lying snowblind in the tent, and I was 

 out hunting with the two Eskimos for six days. During this time, 

 when we had but poor luck, we took no proper count of day or night, 

 but simply kept on our feet as long as we could, and slept when we 

 couldn't. And as ill fortune would have it, I had no diary at the 

 time, having left my notebook in the tent. In spite of careful efforts 

 to remember where we were, and subsequent comparing of notes with 

 Freuchen, we must, it seems, have missed a day; at any rate, we 

 now agree that this must be the 19th. 



