5l6 FARTHEST NORTH 



myself well into it, and he covered me with the sail and 

 everything he could find to keep out the cold air. There 

 I lay shivering for a long time, but gradually the warmth 

 be^an to return to mv bodv. For some time longer, 

 however, mv feet had no more feeling in them than 

 icicles, for they had been partly naked in the water. 

 While Johansen put up the tent and prepared supper, 

 consisting of my two auks. I fell asleep. He let me 

 sleep quietly, and when I awoke supper had been ready 

 for some time, and stood simmering over the fire. Auk 

 and hot soup soon effaced the last traces of my swim. 

 Durinor the nioht mv clothes were hunQ- out to drv. and 

 the next day were all near!}- dr)- again. 



As the tidal current was strong hert, and there was 

 no wind for sailing, we had to wait for the turn of the 

 tide, so as not to have the current against us ; and it was 

 not until late the following evening that we went on 

 again. We paddled and got on well until towards morn- 

 ing (June 14th), when we came to some great herds of 

 walrus on the ice. Our supply of meat was exhausted 

 but for some auks we had shot, and we had not many 

 pieces of blubber left. We would rather have had a 

 bear, but as we had seen none lately it was perhaps 

 best to supply ourselves here. We put in, and went up 

 to one herd behind a hummock. \W' preferred young 

 ones, as they were much easier to manipulate ; and 

 there were several here. I first shot one quite small, 

 and then another. The full-grown animals started . p 



