328 



NEW LAND. 



theodolite and compass. All the instruments were tested before 

 our departure, and, as far as possible, corrected. 



By the evening before our departure, everything was ready 

 except a sledge, but this Peder undertook to complete during 

 the course of the evening. Ic still required a hauling strap at the 

 fore end, and the ' long lashings.' 



These long lashings, as we called them, proved to be 

 extremely practical. They were small lines, which we made fast 

 round the top of the uprights of the sledge ; by so doing a 



FROM THE HEAD OF HAVNEFJORD. 



quantity of line was saved, while the loads at the same time were 

 better kept in place, to say nothing of the rapidity with which the 

 lashing and unlashing could be accomplished. It was a method 

 which we owed to our Eskimo guests in Eice Strait, and will be 

 readily understood from the illustrations. They, however, used 

 straps of seal-skin, which we also tried at first, but soon gave up in 

 favour of rope, as we found that in the cold weather the straps 

 became very brittle. 



At last, then, all our paraphernalia was ready, and I could 

 draw a sigh of relief. It had cost a great deal of work to bring 



