2OO Chapter V. 



to the west of Bielkoff Island. Open sea ; good wind 

 from the west ; good progress. Weather clear, and we 

 had a little sunshine in the afternoon. Now the decisive 

 moment approaches. At 12.15 shaped our course north 

 to east (by compass). Now it is to be proved if my 

 theory, on which the whole expedition is based, is correct 

 -if we are to find a little north from here a north-flowing 

 current. So far everything is better than I had expected. 

 We are in latitude 75^ N., and have still open water and 

 dark sky to the north and west. In the evening there 

 was ice-light ahead and on the starboard bow. About 

 seven I thought that I could see ice, which, however, 

 rose so regularly that it more resembled land, but it was 

 too dark to see distinctly. -It seemed as if it might be 

 Bielkoff Island, and a big light spot farther to the east 

 might even be the reflection from the snow-covered 

 Kotelnoi. I should have liked to run in here, partly to 

 see a little of this interesting island, and partly to inspect 

 the stores which we knew had been deposited for us here 

 by the friendly care of Baron von Toll ; but time was 

 precious, and to the north the sea seemed to lie open to 

 us. Prospects were bright, and we sailed steadily north- 

 wards, wondering what the morrow would bring. Dis- 

 appointment or hope ? If all went well we should 

 reach Sannikoff Land that, as yet, untrodden ground. 



"It was a strange feeling to be sailing away north in 

 the dark night to unknown lands, over an open, rolling 

 sea, where no ship, no boat had been before. We might 



