522 FARTHEST NORTH 



the seams in both kayaks with stearine ; so now w^e 

 hope we shall be able to go on in quite sound boats. 

 In the meantime the walruses are lying outside, staring 

 at us with their great, round e)'es, grunting and blow- 

 ing, and now and then clambering up on the edge of 

 the ice, as though they wanted to drive us away. 

 " Tuesday, June 23d. 



"'Do I sleep? Do I dream? 

 Do I wonder and doubt ? 

 Are things what the}' seem? 

 Dr are visions about ?' 



What has happened? I can still scarcely grasp it. 

 How incessant are the vicissitudes in this wandering 

 life! A few days ago swimming in the water for dear 

 life, attacked by walrus, living the savage life which I 

 have lived for more than a year now, and sure of a 

 long journey before us over ice and sea through un- 

 known regions before we should meet with other 

 human beings — a journey full of the same ups and 

 downs, the same disappointments, that we have become 

 so accustomed to — and now living the life of a civilized 

 European, surrounded by everything that civilization 

 can afford of luxury and good living, with abundance 

 of water, soap, towels, clean, soft woollen clothes, books, 

 and everything that we ha\'e been sighing for all these 

 weary months. 



" It was past midday on June 17th when I turned out 

 to prepare breakfast. I had been down to the edge of 



