SVERDRUP'S EXPEDITION (1899) 243 



set in it was discovered that the Sound divided into two 

 fiords, and one of these was penetrated to its head. 

 The valleys in this region were found to support large 

 numbers of musk-oxen, but as Sverdrup failed to detect 

 the flavour of musk either in the flesh or in the milk, he 

 preferred to use the term " polar oxen." 



A more or less permanent camp was formed on the 

 point of land where Hayes Sound divides into Beitstad- 

 fiord and Jokelfiord. It received the name of " Fort 

 Juliana. " While Sverdrup was here on 6th October he 

 met Peary, who was out on a sledge-journey. Peary's 

 ship had passed Cape Sabine on 13th August, and on 

 the 15th had been beset off Cape Hawks, where it had to 

 winter. 



Sverdrup's party passed the winter busily engaged in 

 various preparations for exploration in the spring. The 

 winter quarters were not far from Greely's starvation- 

 camp, but little trace of it could be found. 



On the 18th March 1899 an Eskimo from Inglefield 

 Gulf on his way to Peary's ship paid the Fraim a visit, 

 and other Eskimo arrived during the course of the 

 spring. 



On the 19th March, when the Eskimo left the ship 

 on his way to Peary, he was accompanied by Baumann, 

 Sverdrup's second in command, and by Hassel, one of the 

 crew, who wished to visit Peary- The Windward was 

 reached without incident, but at that time Peary himself 

 was confined to his cabin. In February, during a sledge- 

 journey, most of his toes were frost-bitten, and had to be 

 amputated. 



On 17th April, Sverdrup with three men left the ship 

 to make an attempt to cross Ellesmere Land to the west 

 coast. Two days were taken to reach Fort Juliana, 

 which was left on 20th April. After leaving this camp, 

 the ice was found very favourable, and a distance of 



