306 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
found neither food, clothes, nor hunting implements. They 
were all much enfeebled by hunger, thirst, cold, and the long 
boat journey; their feet were swollen and partly frost-bitten. 
They remained in the house three weeks, and during that 
time shot a seal, two white foxes, and four reindeer, with which 
they kept in their lives; but as it appeared that there were no 
more reindeer to be had, and there were no more opportunities 
of shooting seals or reindeer, they determined to leave the 
house and endeavour to get to Yaygats Island. When they 
broke up. Ole Andreas Olsen and Henrik Nilsen took the guns 
and ammunition, while the other five commenced the journey 
with some small sledges they had found at the house, on which 
they loaded what they had of clothes and other articles. The 
boat was left behind. Soon after they left the house Ole 
Andreas Olsen and Henrik Nilsen were separated in a snow¬ 
storm from the others who drew the sledges. The latter now 
agreed to determine by lot whether they should return to the 
house or continue their journey, and when the lot fell for the 
latter they allowed it to settle the matter, and so went south.^ 
Their position was now desperate in the extreme. When 
they left the house they had about half a pound of reindeer 
flesh and a little blubber remaining. The weather was dread¬ 
ful ; they were badly clothed, and they wanted water. In con¬ 
sequence they could make only very short days’ marches. At 
night they buried themselves in the snow, and while the rest 
slept, one man kept constant watch, to prevent the others from 
being snowed up and to keep the bears at a distance. They all 
held out till the sixth night. Then Amandus Hansen died. 
The rest were compelled to leave him in the snow and continue 
their journey as well as they could, but they had by degrees 
become so weak and exhausted that, after having traversed 
^ It is very common that the hunters in cases of importance and danger 
when it is difficult to settle what course ought to be taken, permit the 
drawing of lots to determine the choice. 
