Report of the First Thule Expedition 1912. 333 



We are now driving uphill and down in long, easy slopes, with a 

 crust of snow which unfortunately will bear neither sledge nor team. 



We start at 9 a. m. and camp at 7 p. m. with a halt of two hours 

 for observations, and cover 51 km. this day. We have struck better 

 going the last part of the way, but the thin crust of snow is very 

 troublesome, and soon wears away the ice sheathing of the runners. 



Camp 7. 20 August. 



Day's run 55 km., from 10 o'clock to 9, with 1^/2 hour's halt for 

 observations. Heavy snow still calls for utmost efforts from the dogs, 

 and what is worse, the brittle crust is beginning to hurt their paws. 

 Not a cloud in the sky. Snow drifting lightly, with what the Eskimos 

 call a "ground wind", i. е., a little breeze which shifts the fine snow 

 without lifting it. 



The continual heavy going is making us anxious for the dogs, and 

 we have been talking over what we are to do if they prove to be 

 quite worn out by the time we get to Inglefield Gulf, where there is 

 a settlement on the southern side. Our Eskimos inform us that there 

 are still some few reindeer to be found on a nunatak, Qaqujârssuaq, 

 at the base of the bay; these we could fall back on in case of need. 

 Having first procured such game as we could get, we should then build 

 a kayak of our sledges, cover it with the canvas of the tent, and try 

 to get across to the settlement. Uvdloriaq tells us that dog skin is 

 the only kind of skin which is useless as a covering for kayaks, as the 

 roots of the hair go so deeply into the hide that it will not keep 

 watertight. This has been tried, he says, time after time by Eskimos 

 who have drifted out to sea on the ice and have tried to ferry them- 

 selves across in boats covered with dog's hide. 



Our chief anxiety, however, is for the dogs; we ourselves have 

 provisions enough to go on with. All through our wanderings on the 

 east coast we kept a stock of 20 lb, oatmeal in reserve, and this, mixed 

 with musk ox suet, comes in very useful now. We have sufficient tea, 

 too, for present needs, and tobacco as well, which is a great comfort 

 when lying idle on account of weather. 



21 August. 



Wake to find snowstorm coming up. It is thawing now, weather 

 being milder: thermometer at 0, which is about the worst thing that 

 could happen under the circumstances. We must lie up. 



22 August. 



Violent snowstorm raging all night, worse even than usual. Gale 

 slackens off somewhat, however, as the day draws on, and by 2 o'clock 

 we are able to start. 



24* 



