Greenland by the Polar Sea. The Story of the Thule Expedition from Melville Bay to Cape Morris Jesup.

First chapter is a history of Eskimos starting with Ross’s first communication.

p. xxi, gives Rasmussen’s written agreement with expedition members: I wish before to emphasize that during Expedition there must be no difference in standing between the Eskimos and ourselves, the Eskimos being members of the Expedition with equal rights and duties to the scientists, and no man but the leader must have command over them.

opp p. 33, picture of house with bookshelves in background.

p. 43: April 11th-12th.—We spent the days at Etah killing time in various ways. We dived into the very extensive library of the Crockerland Expedition [Captain George Comer], visited the Eskimo families which all old friends of ours, and every evening ended with a ball which lasted into the early hours of the morning.

The Americans had a wonderful gramophone, which entertained us greatly with its varied and select repertoire. There was something for everybody’s taste, so that at times we heard songs from all the operas of the world, sung by Caruso, Alma Gluck, Adelina Patti, etc., and at other times we abandoned ourselves to musical debauches, for a change indulging in tangos and one-steps.

p. 203: Nobody will be surprised to hear that it is difficult to kill time; we cannot sleep continually, and, hungry as wolves, we do not feel in the mood for reading, though our library yet contains the Bible and fragments of Snorre.

p. 256, in Thule on the arrival of a supply ship Neptune, which had brought a letter from Freuchen: In addition to this letter the considerate captain had left some newspapers, with the latest news from the War which, of course, were no less welcome than the letter itself.

p. 290-91, Rasmussen on returning to Thule on October 22, 1916: It was as if all houses sneezed at once; from every entrance a crush of people poured out, stormed toward us and surrounded us. Only Harrigan’s [Inukitsoq] young wife did not come out; she was so overcome by joy at our sudden arrival that she broke out weeping, unable to rise from her bench.

I hastened down to Freuchen, whose house lies about a quarter of an hour’s walk from the camp of the Greenlanders. He was lying in bed reading a year-old copy of Lolland-Falster Folketidende. He was taken entirely by surprise; I entered the room before he had time to collect himself, as if shot up through the floor, fresh from my journey with the cold reeking from my clothes.

The eyes with which my old friend looked at me I shall remember as long as I live. I was back again in Thule.