Report of the First Thule Expedition 1912. 339 



10 September. 



UvDLORiAQ and Inukitsoq set out in search of reindeer, while I 

 remain behind with Freuchen, who has been suffering the last few 

 days from pains in the leg, doubtless due to over-exertion on the long 

 day's marches. 



As a matter of fact, it was not surprising that troubles of this 

 sort happened to one or another of us from time to time, as a six 

 months' trip of this sort necessarily involves a strain on even the 

 toughest constitution. For the first few^ days in the Zig-Zag Valley, 

 Inukitsoq and I were practically unfit for w^rk owing to pains in the 

 back. The same thing had happened to Uvdloriaq, though in a lesser 

 degree, during the w^ork of getting down our gear on to Nyeboes Gla- 

 cier. I had been bad at Navy Cliff, on the first part of the homew^ard 

 journey, and now it was Freuchen's turn. He now suggested that 

 we should leave him behind on the nunatak and fetch him in from 

 Thule later on, so as to. give the dogs a better chance of getting back 

 alive. With the slow progress we were making, however, it might be 

 a fortnight before new^ sledges could reach him, and to leave him under 

 such conditions was out of the question. He would have to go on with 

 us, even if we had to haul him on a sledge. 



The tw^ hunters came back during the night with four hares, 

 having seen *no reindeer. 



We now' decided to leave one sledge and all our gear behind, making 

 one team of the 13 remaining dogs, and make the best of our w^ay in, 

 a matter of 200 km. 



Camp 25. 



Our homeward way lies now in a broad curve round behind the 

 tongues of ice that jut out into the land. Deep fissures abound, and 

 now- and then one or two of the dogs fall in, but are hauled up again, 

 as they are held by the traces. By ten in the evening, after a tw^elve 

 hours' day, we are abreast of the Nunatarssuaq country, about the 

 latitude of Academy Glacier. Made about 40 km. this day. 



Freuchen has stubbornly disregarded his bad leg and refuses to 

 sit on a sledge. At the end of the day, he is in a high fever, and loses 

 consciousness. 



Snowstorm coming up. 



12 September. 



Freuchen conscious now% but pains very bad indeed. 



■Camp 26. 



In spite of haze and south westerly gale we try to get on a little 

 farther, but after a few hours are obliged to give up. 



