GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



forces him to make such an attempt, for harness and traces 

 are unplaceable during a journey. But, at the same time, it 

 is robbed of the ability to eat very hard bones. 



We had fine, beautiful weather, but for all that we did not 

 succeed in reaching the depot in one run. We had to camp 

 right out on Sherard Osborne Fjord, just as we did on the 

 outward journey, and not until the 19th at noon did we reach 

 our old camp. 



May 19th. — Immediately before our arrival at the depot 

 we saw to our great pleasure the first seal crawling up on the 

 ice to sun itself ; unfortunately it was not killed, although Ajako 

 got very close to it, the bullet passing above its head. In spite 

 of this mishap, the occurrence was of the greatest importance 

 to us. For when the seals begin to crawl up through the old 

 thick Polar-ice already by the middle of May, we are sure of 

 good hunting here nearer the end of June. Successful seal- 

 hunting in this neighbourhood will simplify our return journey 

 very much. 



Twenty hours of hare-hunting gives the very meagre bag 

 of only one animal, for in this neighbourhood the hares are so 

 timid that they run off long before a shot can reach them. 

 Some distance from the camp we found the skeleton of a seal 

 on the shore ; it had been caught and eaten by a bear. It thus 

 seems that the bears pay occasional visits here, and it is to be 

 hoped that we may succeed in meeting one of these wandering 

 fellows. 



While Hendrik and Bosun drive back to Depot Island, the 

 rest of us make the last preparations for the journey into 

 Sherard Osborne Fjord. First, however, we watch their start. 

 Slowly, very slowly, the dark figures move across the ice. The 

 snow is deep and so loose that the sledges sink into it in spite 

 of the skis. The dogs sink down to their bellies, dragging their 

 tails behind them. 



For a long time we hear across the quiet fjord the drivers 

 desperately shouting to the dogs. 



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