314 FARTHEST NORTH 



near when we can be off aorain and start homeward in 

 earnest. The snow has decreased sufficiently to make 

 advance fairly easy. We are doing our utmost to get 

 ready. The grips on the sledges are nicely arranged, 

 and provided with cushions of bearskin on Johansen's 

 and of cloth on mine. This is in order to o;ive the 

 kayaks a firm and soft bed and prevent chafing. The 

 kayaks are painted with soot and train-oil, and have been 

 calked with pastels (for drawing), crushed and also mixed 

 with train-oil ; that is to say, as far as these various ingre- 

 dients would go. We are now using a mixture of stea- 

 rine, pitch, and resin,* to finish up with. A thorough 

 revision of our equipment will take place, and everything 

 not absolutely invaluable will be left behind. We must 

 say good-bye here to the sleeping-bag and tent.t Our 

 days of comfort are past, and henceforth until we are on 

 board the sloop^ we wall live under the open sky, 



" Meanwhile we have lain here — ' Longing Camp,' as 

 we call it — and let the time slip by. We have eaten 

 bear- meat morning, noon, and night, and, so far from 

 being tired of it, have made the discovery that the breast 

 of the cubs is quite a delicacy. It is remarkable that 

 this exclusive meat and fat diet has not caused us the 

 slightest discomfort in any way, and we have no craving 



* This was taken in case it might be wanted for soldering the cooking 

 apparatus or the German-silver plates under the sledge-runners. 

 t We eventually decided to retain this, however. 

 X The vessel we expected to catcli in Spitzbergen. 



