GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



are now fleeing for life southward, as it has been impossible 

 for them to reach de Long Fjord. The y h a d been obliged to 

 reduce the number of dogs, and were now driving one team 

 consisting of five dogs, with their baggage wrapped up in a seal- 

 skin. The other team of nine dogs was yet able to pull a real 

 sledge. Of the twenty-seven dogs which, distributed among 

 three sledges, left Cape Salor on the 2nd of June, only fourteen 

 remained. 



They had made their headquarters at Low Point and con- 

 tinued their hunting excursions from this point right across to 

 Cape Wykander ; as, however, they had seen not the slightest 

 sign of musk-ox, they had returned so that they might save the 

 last of the dogs for the homeward journey. They had taken 

 our long absence to indicate that we had succeeded in crossing 

 the inland-ice to Independence Fjord, and as it seemed obvious 

 that they would not be able to find food for the long period of 

 waiting which this would necessitate, they had decided on the 

 homeward journey whilst they were yet in a fair condition and 

 had some of the dogs left. 



Considering the bad luck they have had, nothing could be 

 said against this decision ; one must act according to one's own 

 judgment under such desperate conditions, and the different 

 parties of an expedition must always, within certain limits, have 

 a free hand so that one does not run the risk of losing everything 

 out of consideration for agreements when presuppositions prove 

 to be incorrect. For all that, I was glad to meet them and to 

 prevent their lonely homeward journey. 



We then made camp, and discussed the position during a 

 feast of seal meat, hares, and abundant coffee. 



It was essential to my plan that everything must be risked 

 in order to push on along the coast where our comrades had been 

 defeated ; when so near to our goal, I could not decide to give 

 up and start the homeward journey without having convinced 

 myself personally that progress was really impossible. On the 

 other hand, we must not wantonly attempt something which 

 would be disastrous for the whole expedition. Furthermore, 

 the prospects of what one might meet northward were so dark, 

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