THE WHITE WORLD 



Grinnell Land to the Western Ocean. He was turned loose 

 to follow us to the station, but died from exhaustion while 

 struggling along in the deep snow to his home. 



From day to day we grew to depend much on the superior 

 intelligence of Ritenbenk in passing our sledge over diffi- 

 cult places and in plowing our way through the deep snow, 

 now made soft by the rising temperature. When the driver 

 gave the signal for the team to start, Ritenbenk would jump 

 to his feet uttering his orders to his subordinates in quick, 

 sharp barks, at the same time pressing into his harness 

 with all his strength. Woe to the unfortunate dog that 

 did not respond with alacrity to his commands, for the 

 punishment was swift, sure, and effective. We watched 

 Ritenbenk with great solicitude, and one day when he was 

 sick and staggered along with drooping ears and tail, we 

 were all depressed. That night he was offered a place in 

 the tent protected from the storm, but, ill though he was, 

 he scorned such a resting place, preferring to share the 

 bed of snow with his fellows. 



When we started out the traveling at first was very good, 

 but upon emerging from the fringe of shore hummocks, we 

 entered on a " domed " floe which was subsequently discov- 

 ered to be embayed ice. The dogs trotted rapidly along 

 over the undulating surface of this floe for a short time, 

 but soon deep snow was encountered which increased in 

 depth and softness as we advanced until our sledge finally 

 sank to its slats, whereupon the dogs sat down and refused 

 to work. By seizing the traces close to the sledge and 

 making " standing pulls," we succeeded in again placing 

 the sledge on firm crust, but it soon broke through as 

 before. The condition of the snow finally became so un- 

 favorable that Lieutenant Lockwood decided that it would 

 be economy of time and labor to advance half of the load 

 at a time, until there should be an improvement in the 

 traveling. He also changed the course from Cape May to 

 the direction of Cape Britannia, thus avoiding the deeper 

 snow which lies well up in the bavs near the land. 



On the 2d of May. Lieutenant Lockwood informed Fred- 

 erik that if he would get his team and sledge to Cape 

 Britannia he would be rewarded with ioo kroner. Frederik 

 needed no other aim to stimulate his efforts, and voice and 



68 



