rrc 



22 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCT 



so elated at his success that we almost had to 

 use force to induce him to accompany us to the 

 western shore. There we found a second cliff 

 in which the petrels nested. We inspected 

 Wilczeck Point and Brille Tower, which marks 

 the entrance to the Walrus Gap (it is certain 

 no walrus has been seen there for considerably 

 more than a century). On the other hand, 

 however, our guide informed us that only a few 

 days ago he had watched the passage of a 

 large whale. He had observed in the preceding 

 July a school of whales ten miles to the north- 

 east of the cape. One of these whales had been 

 stranded on Flotsam beach, but had escaped 

 before it could be destroyed. 



Snow began to fall thickly, while the ice 

 grew hard beneath our feet. Icy stalactites 

 fringed the cliffs, reminding us that Polar nights 

 are not to be despised, so we turned back to 

 the ship. 



As we passed the station, we were informed 

 that the sick man had returned from the 

 Belgica, and was already feeling better. He 

 had been reassured by the doctor and given 

 a supply of drugs. Subsequently, at Tromso, I 

 learnt that our opportune intervention had 

 resulted in his complete recovery. 



I enquired the name of our guide, and 



