CHAPTER XIII 

 A RACE WITH DEATH 



DR. WULFF SUCCUMBS TO THE STRAIN OF THE 



JOURNEY 



SEPTEMBER 10th.— Wulff is dead. This evening the 

 relief sledges returned with Koch, Harrigan, and Bosun. 

 It was ordained, then, that after all he should not 

 have the strength to continue, but must give up just as he had 

 reached land and was not far from men. This last death takes 

 me absolutely by surprise. Well I know that he was ex- 

 hausted, but so were we all ; that death was approaching when 

 Ajako and I departed I did not suspect. 



What a tragic death, just as he had toiled through all 

 dangers and seemed safe at last. I cannot understand it — I 

 cannot understand it ! 



Yet it is true ; the man with whom for a long time I have 

 shared good and evil I shall see no more ! Like his sledge 

 comrade Hendrik, he has entered the great peace. 



As soon as it was reported to me that people were coming 

 from Foulke Fjord, I immediately made everything ready to 

 send the boats out, whilst we commenced our preparations for 

 the reception we had planned for them. As I was informed 

 that some of the people were quite near, I went out to meet 

 them to hear what news they brought. I was at once surprised 

 to see Koch amongst them, for we had agreed that he and 

 Wulff were to be fetched by the boats ; but as I came up with 

 them Koch sat down on a stone, pale and without a word, and 

 the tears which rolled down his cheeks told me everything I 

 needed to know. 



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