120 A nUXTLSG TRfP TO XOnrRE/iX ORE EX LA XD 



Brave '"Matt" Hensoii, Peaiy'.s colored companion, was alno on 

 board, having Ijeen picked up at Etah, and on the ship's deck were 

 10 or 15 Eskimo. For a few da_ys we took part in tlie hunting, 

 and during that time reached our farthest nortii, the entrance to 

 Smith Sound, a little above 78° north and something more than one 

 degree south of the ship's fartiiest north (~{)° lO'j; then one glori- 

 ous summer day we left the ship and {(itched our tents on the rolling 

 shores of Olriks J^a}'. We knew that there reindeer wandered over 

 the moss-covered uplands, and we had come to hunt them. 



We stayed four days at this ])lace, hunting over the countr}' for 

 some 10 miles to the southeast. We got five deer, Init we thought 

 tliere might be better hunting farther up the fiord, so on August 15 

 we moved camp. Twelve hours later, after a hard fight against wind 

 and tide, we landed beside the red-brown cliffs and V)lack lava masses 

 of Mt Gyrfalco. 



For eiglit days we scoured the shore and the mountain plateau 

 above for deer. Tiie country was ever\'where open, low ridges and 

 occasional large stones being the only protection afforded us. The 

 stalking was of the most arduous description ; when game was seen 

 the hunter must " drop '' at once and crawl along over marshy places 

 and sharp stones until near enoiigh to risk a shot. The chances were 

 that in sjiite of all i)recautions the deer would note his approach and 

 be off like a flash. Many were the hunts and many the disappoint- 

 ments. We soon felt, moreover, that the deer were not nearl}' as 

 numerous as we had supposed, considering the extensive area over 

 which ttiey wandered : nevertheless, by August 23 nine had been 

 killed, making a total of 14. As tiie Greenland reindeer makes very 

 good eating, we lived well. On one occasion one of our jjart}' while 

 hunting alone discovered a herd of five deer and l)y skillful ma- 

 neuvering succeeded in killing every one of them. 



In the intervals l)etween our hunts after larger game we killed birds 

 and small animals. Specimens were obtained of almost every kind 

 of bird known to frequent those parts of Greenland. Among these 

 were the Ijurgomaster gull, turnstone, black turnstone, ))arasitic 

 jiiger, various shore birds (including snipe), and the hawk-like ger- 

 falcon. Eider ducks, both male and female, were seen flying in 

 flocks, and once a flock of geese was discovered sitting on a mud flat. 

 Tvittle auks and guillemots were also plentiful. Arctic hares and rab- 

 bits, the latter the smaller of the two and with fur of a bluish tinge 

 often graced our table and were considered by us excellent eating. 



