GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



hurt us right through the kamiks, breaking under our weight. 

 A wearisome walk ! In addition, the journey was at an even 

 upward incline, and as soon as we encountered the slightest 

 rise we felt in our knees that we were exhausted. 



As the paws of the dogs began to bleed, we had to sacrifice 

 all our gloves, wrapping them round their feet as kamiks. That 

 was a help. 



At a height of 900 metres above the sea-level we came to a 

 lot of great and small lakes, the largest of which had still open 

 water, rippling deep blue and beautiful in the white surround- 

 ings. It seemed peculiar here in the midst of the glacier to see 

 these basins of living water, of seas which could be up to 300 

 metres long and 100 metres broad. We also passed some 

 smaller crevasses and little frozen rivers. 



Due west, we had Washington Land in sight all day, with 

 its high steep mountains standing like a wall against the inland- 

 ice. Beautiful white glacier tongues intersected and slit the 

 reddish-brown and yellowish cliffs like mighty waterfalls. 

 Through dips in the land we could occasionally discern the 

 pointed alps of Grinnell Land like fine, violet banks of clouds — 

 a view which encouraged us on the march, and broke agreeably 

 the monotonous plane which everywhere surrounded us. 



This voyage across the inland-ice, which has loomed threaten- 

 ingly in the horizon during the last few months, now appears 

 in the light of a pleasant surprise, a final spurt, a reward for all 

 our adversities. 



CAMP 11 



(1,100 metres above sea-level. Distance, 35 kilometres). 



August 16th. — Immediately after the beautiful journey of 

 yesterday a south-wester came up with thick weather, blowing 

 us quickly to sleep. Towards evening it dropped somewhat, 

 and we tried to set off; but after making 14 kilometres we had 

 to call a temporary halt because of the fog and snow, and we 

 took the opportunity to kill a dog which was too exhausted to 

 travel any further. In the course of the night we had a tem- 

 perature of minus 75° (Cent.), and the result of this cooling 

 224 



