A BREAKDOWN ON THE MOUNTAIN 



good one, and we were able to build our snow house 

 on the summit of the Kiglapeit Pass, half way to 

 Nain, there was sufficient excitement in the second 

 day to make the trip a memorable one. 



The Eskimos say that there is always wind in 

 the mountains, but on that second morning the 

 wind was much too strong for comfort, though the 

 men assured me that it was quite safe to travel. 

 But the mountain stream, which is the winter road, 

 was clear of snow, and the dogs could not keep their 

 feet upon it. Each puff of wind sent them skidding 

 about, howling with terror, and the sure-footed little 

 Johannes was kept hard at work lifting the traces 

 over rocks and points of ice while the heavy sledge 

 came bowling after him. 



Things were even worse with the sledge. Julius 

 and I were clinging to it, trying to keep its nose 

 to the front, but the gusts swirled it hither and 

 thither and flung us from side to side like corks. 

 At last we came to a frozen waterfall, and the dogs 

 took to the bank. Julius tugged and strained and 

 put forth all his strength and cunning, but the ice 

 was like glass and the sledge would not turn; the 

 runners could get no grip upon the slippery surface, 

 and we were helpless in front of the wind. 



After a short few moments of anxious clinging 

 we came up against a boulder, and over we went 

 with a crash. I remember quite well that as I was 

 flung from my hold on the sledge and went sliding 

 down the frozen river I heard Johannes's voice from 

 the bank shouting " Ah ah ah " to make the dogs 

 lie down. 



I picked myself up and made my precarious way 



to the sledge by clinging to the boulders it was 



184 



