80 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



I have mentioned purchasing here some dogs for sledge-work. 

 They were six in number, and the governor kindly gave me his 

 experience in selecting the best animals. I bought the six for 

 about ten Danish dollars, equivalent to five dollars American. 

 As these dogs will be frequently alluded to in my narrative, I here 

 append a list of their Greenland names : 1. King oh ; 2. Barbekark; 

 3. M — pronounced Ee; 4. Me-lak-ior — the leader; 5. Me-rok ; 6. 

 Me-ldk, or Ki-o-koo-lik, afterward called Flora. 



For their food I purchased over two bushels of little dried fish 

 ("capelins") for twenty -five cents. 



At length the repairs of our windlass were complete, and on 

 Tuesday, July 24th, a fair wind gave notice we were about to take 

 our departure. Two pilots — Otto and Lars — came on board, and 

 as some of our men had gone ashore, the colors were hoisted for 

 their return. All was excitement. My letters for home had to 

 be finished, and my last farewell uttered to kind friends. 



As I wrote in the cabin below, there was at my side a beautiful 

 bouquet of arctic flowers in great variety, sent me by several of 

 the Holsteinborg young ladies ; and I could not but feel, as I then 

 expressed in my letter, astonished at the profuseness of Nature's 

 productions in that part of the world. 



Having finished my letters all but a few concluding lines, I 

 was soon in a boat rowed by Esquimaux, and carried to the land- 

 ing-place at the foot of a hill leading to the town. 



As, we neared the shore, all the inhabitants — including dogs 

 and goats as well as Esquimaux and Danes — covered the place. 

 On the beach were the George Henry's men just about to leave, 

 having paid their farewell visit to the warm-hearted people. 

 Hearty cheers from the boat as it pushed off signified most clear- 

 ly that not in words alone, but from the very soul, was meant 

 ''Farewell, good friends; we thank you for your kindness, and 

 will remember you forever I" To this the Greenlanders respond- 

 ed by similar cheers, and I am sure with similar feelings. Indeed, 

 the parting exhibited several scenes worthy of notice. Almost 

 every evening during our stay in the harbor, our " boys" had been 

 invited to dances with the Esquimaux. Acquaintance ripened 

 as interviews increased. Friendships became firmly established, 

 and, in some cases, love finally ruled supreme. On this parting 

 I saw more than one pair of eyes moistened. I say it to no one's 

 discredit. Many eyes of our people also were darkened as the 

 gloom of separation came upon them. 



