GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



lashes the canvas of our tent, whilst our clothes go mouldy on 

 us. We heap big stones on the canvas, tighten the guy-ropes 

 thoroughly, and prepare for the worst. 



RAIN AND SNOW 



July 29th. — All through the night heavy weather has raged 

 in the fjord. There was a gale on, but fortunately we did not 

 feel this, being sheltered behind the mountain. The rain has 

 poured down as never before, unfortunately right through the 

 canvas, which is no longer water-tight. Towards noon the 

 barometer goes up somewhat and the rain turns to snow. This 

 cooling generally means an improvement. The country around 

 us is quite covered with snow, and its appearance is autumnal. 



I give strict orders that we must economize in provisions 

 as long as we remain quiet, so we have no food to-day. But at 

 five o'clock Koch arrives to announce that those in the other 

 tent can bear it no longer. I then distribute small rations of 

 musk-ox tallow and promise them boiled dog's flesh as soon as 

 the weather permits us to make a fire. The snow falls thicker 

 than before, but the barometer is on the upward grade. 



Some time during the afternoon I heard the strong calving 

 of a glacier somewhere inland — an uncanny sound. It appears 

 then that a producing glacier must be situated in the vicinity 

 of our point of ascent. From Dragon Mountain we thought 

 we could decide with certainty that Daniel Bruun Glacier was 

 connected with the main glacier due north-east, with a direc- 

 tion towards Ryder Glacier in Sherard Osborne Fjord, where 

 the inland-ice, so far as we could see, merged evenly with the 

 horizon. Harrigan and I were both quite sure that favour- 

 able conditions for ascent were to be found here ; but of course 

 we would rather reconnoitre beforehand. But the rotten ice 

 does not permit of a closer survey inward, so we must make a 

 bold stroke and attempt to get up on the inland-ice. We have 

 no other choice ; our many hunting excursions for hares have 

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