180 G. Ami.rtjp. 



The following days the weather was changeable ami blowy, on 

 the 30th they even had a gale. 



New year's eve like Christmas eve was spent at the depot and 

 was dreary and monotonous like the other days. 



On Janunri/ 2nd the weather was good. The storm of the 

 preceding days had formed a crust on the snow which enabled Hendrik 

 Olsen and Weinschenck to get all the cases transported to a spot 

 on the route for Shannon Island. 



On January 3rd in the morning they returned. G. Thostrup 

 now decided to make use of the good sledging and 



On Janiiarij 4th the party started on the return journey 

 in spite of the fact that Thostrup had not nearly recovered from 

 his frost bites. They drove northwards at an excellent pace until 

 they reached the cases with the dog biscuit deposited on the ice, 

 which were now placed on the sledges. Owing to this heavy load 

 the sledges sank to the cross-bars, so that the dogs could not draw 

 them, and it soon became evident to G. Thostrup, that under such 

 conditions it was necessary to forward the loads in two different por- 

 tions if they wanted to get on at all. The sledges were therefore again 

 freed of some of their load and the party proceeded on their journey. 

 In the evening the tent was pitched on the sea-ice south of Shannon 

 Island. 



On January 5th they iiad a fresh wind with snow in the air. 

 Later in the day it began to snow. Nevertheless, they set out to bring 

 in the loads left behind to the tent-place. 



On January 6th the sledging was a little better. They had 

 however an extremely fatiguing tour before they reached the south- 

 west point of Shannon Island in the afternoon. 



On January 7th they drove towards the N.W. in the direc- 

 tion (if Hochstetters Foreland. The sledging was fairly good but 

 they did not reach land till late in the evening, when the tent was 

 pitched. 



On January Sth the sledging was bad again. After an exceedingly 

 laborious day's journey they at last reached under the land, where 

 the tent was raised in the afternoon. 



On January 9th the journey was continued northwards 

 towards Haystack which was faintly visible in the distance. "It was 

 one of the most tiring day's journey I have ever had", G. Thostrup 

 wrote in his diary. "It was very hard for the dogs to work their way 

 through the heavy snow and many of them had their paws cut by 

 the snow-crust, which every few minutes gave way underneath them". 

 On the southward journey they had here been driving on snow-free 

 smooth ice, but had now to work their way through soft snow several 

 feet deep. 



On January 10th after one more very fatiguing day with 



