118 



NEW LAND. 



'When we reached the margin of the old ice, which I have 

 already mentioned, Kolotengva pulled up to polish his sledge- 

 runners. He broke off an icicle from the iceberg, put a bit of it 

 into his mouth to melt, and with his bare hands washed the water 

 over the ivory runners of his sledge. When this had been duly 

 accomplished, he walked back a little way, to behind Hassel, who 

 was driving last, made some cabalistic signs, and drew a line 



OUR CAMP AT THE HEAD- OP FLAGLER FJORD. ((36 p. 120.) 



across the way with his whip-handle. On my asking him what 

 was the reason of it all, he answered very seriously, " Uangva 

 angekok," which probably meant, " I am a sorcerer," or " priest," 

 and that he was invoking a prosperous journey for us. 



' We now went on again, following our old tracks, which were 

 almost obliterated by the falling snow. We came to the place 

 where we had left the dog-food, took it aboard, and drove 

 on south, but instead of following our old route, we took to the 

 Eskimo track at the place where it joined ours, and followed it 

 southward. When the sun went down in the west, we pitched the 



