The sun went down Nov. 14 not to be seen again until Jan. 28, and the wind sometimes blew at nearly 40 miles an hour for five days straight. The Greenland team left Summit Camp on April 16. We have running water, heat, music, books, a small garden, rooms of our own and tea. The ice cap is like a frozen sea. There is no topography, only snow, horizon and sky as far as the eye can see.
Nothing lives here.
The air is as dry as desert air and bitterly cold and carries no smells. During storms, the wind blows snow sideways, piling it in drifts the size of submarines. Spending three hours making a good dinner is great. Digging snow and melting it for showers, drinking, etc. Phil Austin of Whitefish, Mont., who tended the radios that kept the team in touch with the world, described the food as ''excellent,'' including fresh fruit and vegetables brought by supply flights in November and February.