New Lands Within the Arctic Circle (Volume 2); Narrative of the Discoveries of the Austrian Ship "Tegetthoff," in the Years 1872-1874

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1876. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... the course of our journey, would escape be possible? Not a man among us imagined that we could be saved, except by some extraordinary and happv turn of fortune, small signs of which were at present to be seen. To escape from this depressing fear, we deliberately avoided every allusion to the future. 3. The dogs, under the superintendence of Carlsen, took their part in the. transport of the baggage, but showed themselves very lazy and intractable under his management, and seemed to take a pleasure in plunging their loaded sledge deep into the snow, out of which it was beyond the old man's power to free them without help. Nor was their own strength equal to going over the track twice at least, even with only one cwt. each time. If, therefore, their services were to be turned to account, they must be led by some one whom they obeyed, who could help them by shoving or dragging, who could set up the sledge when it overturned, and was strong enough to keep constantly lifting the heavy bags, and who could pass over the same piece of road four or five times, if necessary. This duty was taken in turn by Haller and myself, and we succeeded in transporting in this way daily all the bread and the spirits, weighing together from 8 to 10 cwt., and, in some cases, at a later period, even the entire load of a great sledge divided into parts. 1 mention this in order to show the great services which our dogs, though their number was small, rendered during the march. 4. In the first week after the Tegetthoff was abandoned, whenever Weyprecht encamped at the end of the day's march, Haller, Zaninovich and I returned in the dog sledge to the ship in order to replenish the stores we had consumed. The distance which we had taken a week to pass with all our baggage, was done by the help...