GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



start without sleep. All the keener is the feeling of relief and 

 the appetite for work when at last everything is clear and ready 

 for the journey. 



The impatient dogs lie on the ice awaiting the signal for 

 departure ; whimpering and barking they strain at the traces, 

 and a man is posted by each sledge so that no team may interfere 

 with the right succession of events by forging ahead before the 

 drivers are ready. Alas ! when they are no longer in the vicinity 

 of the permanent camp, where there is always plenty of blubbery 

 walrus-hide to be had, this exaggerated joy of life will soon 

 wane. This loud eagerness, this overflowing energy, will be 

 damped all too soon when day after day they are offered many 

 hours of monotonous toil on meagre rations. But to-day there 

 is no limit to their wild, youthful courage, which bubbles over 

 after the many days of rest and strong food. Everyone is in 

 festive mood. 



The weather is glorious, with a high sun above the white 

 snow : the ice-mountains of the fjord gleam in the light and 

 the basalt of the mountains out towards Cape Parry flash in 

 merry colours. 



The crew of the ship wander around examining with interest, 

 and with the eyes of experts, the securely-roped sledges. Now 

 and then they go out to stroke the dogs. The fuss of departure 

 amongst these many sledges and all the busy people reminds 

 one of the stir of a fair-ground. 



When at length the start is made and the men have said 

 their last word to the women who must remain behind, each 

 man throws himself down on his sledge and races along the 

 fjord for the first modest kilometres towards the point which 

 we have set ourselves as the goal for the coming half-year. In 

 an hour the Dan mark is out of sight and the mount Umanaq, 

 where lies the camp, is outlined as a small cone far, far away in 

 the horizon behind us. 



The dogs are in excellent condition and stretch out for dear 

 life, and though the loads are heavy we hum along. Driving 

 on the ice is easy, and the smooth iron runners of the sledges 

 sing across the frozen snow. We started about four in the 

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