^98 Chapter VII. 



o 



May 8th the wind had broken up the ice a good deal, 

 and now there were lanes in all directions, which proved 

 a great obstacle when I went out driving with the dogs. 

 The temperature, however, was still so low that the 

 channels were quickly frozen over again and became 

 passable ; but later on in the month the temperature 

 rose, so that ice was no longer so readily formed on the 

 water, and the channels became ever more and more 

 numerous. 



On May 2Oth I write : " Went out on snow-shoes 

 in the forenoon. The ice has been very much broken 

 up in various directions, owing to the continual winds 

 during the last week. The lanes are difficult to cross 

 over, as they are full of small pieces of ice, that lie 

 dispersed about, and are partly covered with drift-snow. 

 This is very deceptive, for one may seem to have firm 

 ice under one at places where, on sticking one's staff 

 in, it goes right down without any sign of ice." On 

 many occasions I nearly got into trouble in crossing 

 over snow like this on snow-shoes. I would suddenly 

 find that the snow was giving way under me, and would 

 manage with no little difficulty to get safely back on to 

 the firm ice. 



On June 5th the ice and the snow surface were 

 about as before. I write : " Have just been out on a 

 snow-shoe excursion with Sverdrup in a southerly 

 direction, the first for a long while. The condition 

 of the ice has altered, but not for the better ; the sur- 



