338 Knud Rasmussen. 



go the whole way round Inglefield Gulf, which cuts deep into the land, 

 before we can shape a course for Thule. Slowly and disappointedly we 

 make our way up over the inland ice again, camping somewhere be- 

 hind the Qânâ country. The day's run amounted to 28 km. 



We might of course have gone in search of people, both at the 

 Qânâ settlement and at Quinisut, a little distance away, both places 

 being but a day's journey off. When we started out in the spring, 

 however, none of the nomad Eskimos had yet decided to take up land 

 here, and if we failed to find people, we should have used up the dogs' 

 last strength in a fruitless journey, first down and then up over the 

 inland ice. 



Camp 20. 5 September. 



Start off in a haze of snow, trusting to the dark mass of land on 

 the coast, still visible through the mist, as a point by which to steer. 

 Soon, however, this too disappears, and we are forced to halt, after 

 makiûg but two km., the shortest distance we have ever shifted camp. 

 And now, with the goal before our eyes, it is doubly hard to have to 

 lie weatherbound. As regards food for ourselves we can manage well 

 enough, having still oatmeal, suet,, dried musk ox meat and some musk 

 ox tongues which we had intended should furnish forth a little dinner 

 on our arrival at Thule. Some of these tongues we have today, making 

 a modest feast to mark our satisfaction at having safely crossed the 

 inland ice twice within six months. 



6 September. 



Still lying up, on account of fog and snow. 



Camp 22. 7 September. 



Cover 22 km. in 10 hours, over hilly ground, snow-filled hollows 

 alternating with hills of polished ice. We are now nearly opposite 

 Qaqujârssuaq, the place mentioned before, where there are said to be 

 reindeer. If so, they would be most welcome as food for the dogs. 



Camp 23. 8 September. 



Deep snow and heavy going; dogs exhausted. Make 20 km. in about 

 10 hours, snow driving hard all the time. 



Camp 24. 9 September. 



The surface of the inland ice here near the edge is very variable, 

 but changes, unfortunately only from one extreme to the other. Yester- 

 day we had hollows with deep snow, today it is bare, prickly ice, 

 which cuts the dogs' paws till they bleed. Make 23 km. in 10 hours, 

 landing at last on a moraine at Qaqujârssuaq. We have now only 15 

 dogs left. 



