GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



human description, given by a man whom the cultured civilized 

 being looks upon as a primitive savage. 



Our own fight to win for science new ground, our suffering 

 and toil, how slight it all seems compared with the sighs of the 

 millions which now resound through the bleeding world. 



Will anyone have time to stop and pay attention to the work 

 we have done ? 



During the march down to the camp of the " Eiderduck " — 

 sometimes jumping between the sharp blocks of the stone- 

 heaps, wading across little rivers, or hastening across soft 

 meadows with their welcome rest for the sore balls of our feet — 

 such were the thoughts that went through my brain. 



It was nearly two o'clock in the morning when we reached 

 the moraine where the reindeer hunters had their camp. In 

 a strong feeling of joy and gratitude that our sufferings now 

 seemed at an end, I picked a still beautiful and flowering poppy 

 in memory of the day. It was almost as if I were now at 

 home. 



But before we went to rest we broke into the " Eider- 

 duck's" meat store and boiled seal meat with blubber, which 

 we ate with an appetite known only by one who for a long 

 time has fought against starvation and an almost empty 

 stomach. 



The first question to be decided after we had found men was 

 whether there would be any possibility of returning for our 

 comrades immediately. As already mentioned, it would be 

 hopeless to wait for the " Eiderduck 's " party; for Qulutana, 

 who was a keen hunter, had emphatically declared that his 

 hunting might last for some time if he did not quickly come 

 across game. We immediately took stock of the provisions 

 and found that they consisted merely of a small piece of 

 bearded seal, which would only constitute one meal for seven 

 men. This piece of meat belonged to the " Eiderduck " ; he 

 also had a piece of blubber for one feed for his dogs. Qulutana, 

 on the other hand, had no meat at all on this spot. From 

 previous years of hunting he still possessed some old depots in 

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