172 Chapter V. 



islands still farther to the north-east. From the atmo- 

 sphere it seemed as if there might also be open water in 

 that direction. To the north it 'all looked very close, 

 but to the west there was an open waterway as far as 

 one could see from the masthead. I was in some doubt 

 as to what should be done. There was an open channel 

 for a short way up past the north point of the nearest 

 island, but farther to the east the ice seemed to be close. 

 It might be possible to force our way through there, 

 but it was just as likely that we should be frozen in, so I 

 thought it more judicious to go back and make another 

 attempt between these islands and that mainland, which 

 I had some difficulty in believing that Sverdrup had seen 

 in the morning." 



" Thursday, August 2Oth. Still foggy weather. New 

 islands were observed on the way back. Sverdrup's 

 high land did not come to much. It turned out to be an 

 island, and that a low one. It is wonderful the way 

 things loom up in the fog. This reminded me of the 

 story of the pilot at home in the Drobak Channel. He 

 suddenly saw land right in front, and gave the order 

 'Full speed astern!' Then they approached carefully 

 and found that it was half a baling-can floating in the 



O O 



water." 



After passing a great number of new islands, we 

 got into open water off Taimur Island, and steamed in 

 still weather through the sound to the north-east. At 

 five in the afternoon I saw from the crow's-nest thick ice 



