THE WHITE WORLD 



Nautsarsorfike and Mount Kunguat could be discerned, 

 and were perhaps seventy miles distant. There was much 

 floe ice between us and the land, and also to the westward, 

 the ice seeming to form a continuous line along the hori- 

 zon. Then the fog closed all about us again, and the 

 ship was obliged to lie to with the ice all around it. To 

 the westward there was a continuous roar as of waves 

 beating upon a rocky shore, but it was the roar of the ice- 

 pack. 



Finally the fog lifted and disclosed an alarming state 

 of affairs, for the floe was closing in upon the ship. West 

 of us was a line of pack ice like a wall, only about half 

 a mile away, while to the east was another ice wall. The 

 Miranda fled in a southeasterly direction, and beat a most 

 interesting retreat through shapes and forms of ice of all 

 varieties and colors. Slowly the ship picked its way 

 through the ice-belt and at last we left the dangerous pack 

 behind. Then the fog fell again, and for days we drifted 

 about, making little progress. 



On the morning of August 7 we again sighted land, 

 and the ship was headed for the shore, blowing its whistle 

 to attract attention should there prove to be a settlement 

 along the coast. For an hour or so we lay to, blowing 

 fierce blasts from the whistle and firing the ship's cannon. 

 After a time two little specks were made out and before 

 long shaped themselves into Eskimo kayaks. Soon a large 

 boat hove in sight and made directly for the ship. It con- 

 tained several Eskimo who came on board and piloted our 

 vessel into a snug little harbor surrounded by islands. 

 Here was the Eskimo settlement of Sukkertoppen (Sugar 

 Loaf), presided over by a Danish governor. On a hill we 

 saw a staff flying the Danish flag, and collected about it a 

 crowd of Eskimo, men and women, who were apparently 

 in a great state of excitement, and looking down at us with 

 every evidence of curiosity and interest. As soon as the 

 ship dropped anchor, boats were lowered and we were 

 soon on shore. Here the entire population, about four 

 hundred souls, had gathered just in front of the governor's 

 house, and received us with every expression of simple- 

 minded wonder and delight. 



After paying our respects to Governor Bistrup and his 



