INTRODUCTION 



The explanation is this : The distances between the fields of 

 labour are immense ; the conditions of the ground are bad ; and 

 in the fjords there is bottomless snow. For these reasons those 

 who have visited this district with what is called good equip- 

 ment could not get ahead. Their heavy baggage did not 

 permit them to get about, and they always preferred to follow 

 the route along the Polar-ice proper, some distance from land, 

 where the going was firm. 



In other words, that which under all other circumstances 

 was to be looked upon as a decided advantage, rich and good 

 equipment, is here a weight which does not permit the explorer 

 to move as quickly as the travelling season demands. 



Those who were to attempt the completion of the charting 

 of Greenland must therefore break entirely with the general 

 practice of expeditions, and completely rely upon the hunt. 

 Only this will make light sledges capable of forcing their way 

 through the snow into the deep fjords. 



Thus for us there was no alternative. All the tasks we had 

 set ourselves were weighty and important, and as long as they 

 remained undone the exploration of Greenland could not be 

 considered accomplished. 



This work fell within the International North Pole route, 

 which hitherto only the big nations had dared to attempt. 



The outlines of our work, however, were drawn by our 

 predecessors, and we therefore knew beforehand that we could 

 not expect any great geographical surprises ; it was only the 

 crumbs from the table of the rich expeditions we were to gather, 

 and the role we were to play would be comparable to that of 

 the little Polar fox, which everywhere on the Arctic coast 

 follows the footsteps of the big ice-bear, hoping that something 

 good may be left for it. 



But our task was not an ungrateful one, for we came to lift 

 the stones which the others had let lie. 



From our base at Thule the distance we had to cover to 

 Sherard Osborne Fjord was 1,000 kilometres, whilst our pre- 

 decessors, with their ships in winter harbour in Lady Franklin 

 Bay and Cape Sheridan, had merely had to go 300 kilometres, 

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