234 DEPOT JOURNEYS 



If, then, the snowfall was so inconsiderable at this time 

 of the year and along the edge of the Barrier, what 

 might it not be in autumn and winter in the interior? 

 As I have said, something was better than nothing, and 

 Bjaaland, Hassel, and Stubberud, who were to return 

 to Lindstrom's flesh-pots on the following day, were 

 given the task of setting up these marks. As with the 

 former depot, this one was marked for nine kilometres 

 on each side from east to west. So that we might know 

 where the depot was, in case we should come upon one 

 of these marks in a fog, all those on the east were 

 marked with a little cut of an axe. I must confess they 

 looked insignificant, these little bits of wood that were 

 soon lost to sight on the boundless plain, and the idea 

 that they held the key of the castle where the fair one 

 slept made me smile. They looked altogether too incon- 

 siderable for such an honour. Meanwhile, we others, 

 who were to go on to the south, took it easy. The rest 

 was good for the dogs especially, though the cold pre- 

 vented their enjoying it as they should have done. 



At eight o'clock next morning we parted company 

 with the three who went north. I had to send home 

 one of my dogs, Odin, who had got an ugly raw place 

 -T was using Greenland harness on him and I went 

 on with five dogs. These were very thin, and apparently 

 worn out; but in any case we had to reach 82 S. 

 before we gave up. I had had some hope that we 

 might have got to 83, but it began to look as if we 



