GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



The reunion was a merry one. They had shot a small bear, 

 which was already half eaten when we arrived ; and, in spite 

 of its shyness, a small hare also had had to lay down its life for 

 Tornge's sure aim. The antlers of a reindeer which were 

 found a short distance inland we looked at with interest. 



After a short rest, during which we were given our part of 

 the tender bear-flesh, we drove on and reached in the morning 

 Cape Constitution, having passed a lot of pressure-ice in 

 Lafayette Bay. 



April 24£/i. — In Lafayette Bay the dogs had repeatedly got 

 the scent, and after some minutes of hot pursuit we had as a 

 rule met with fresh tracks. But as it was difficult to follow the 

 trails across the awkward pressure-ridges, where the sledges 

 frequently toppled over among the uneven ice-blocks, we had 

 had to give up the hunt. But the dogs' keenness was now 

 aroused, and although the journeys of the last few days had 

 been very long, and the load on the sledges weighed at least 

 500 kilograms, the speed increased during the night. In the 

 neighbourhood of the big Crozier Island the dogs forgot all 

 their weariness and galloped along towards Cape Constitution. 



During the monotonous everyday drive the dogs are always 

 hypnotized forward by the will of the driver ; herein lies all the 

 art of dog-driving. But if something unusual happens and the 

 dogs stand trembling against the wind with quivering nostrils, 

 then it is often the animal which influences the man. Thus it 

 was to-day ; even we were smitten with the contagious hunting 

 fever. 



Hardly had we pulled in under the grey mountain-sides 

 when off they rushed with us. Three times fresh bear-tracks 

 pointed forward, and the dogs, who had been cheated several 

 times during the day, now seemed firmly decided to overtake 

 the bear so that the journey might end with a meal of fresh meat. 



The wind had blown away the snow along the mountain- 

 sides, and the sledges shot across little blocks of pressure-ice 

 with such speed that I often feared that the runners would 

 break. In a bay between Cape Constitution and Cape 

 Independence I made a halt by an ice-mountain, well adapted 

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