AT HELL'S GATE 85 



we were prepared for suprises was perhaps quite natural. 

 What I Hked least about this feeling one's way forward 

 in the dark was that it would be difficult — very difficult 

 indeed — to recognize the ground again on the way back. 

 But with this glacier lying straight across our line of 

 route, and with the numerous beacons we had erected, 

 we reassured ourselves on this score. It would take a 

 good deal to make us miss them on the return. The 

 point for us, of course, was to find our descent on to the 

 Barrier again — a mistake there might be serious enough. 

 And it will appear later in this narrative that my fear 

 of our not being able to recognize the way was not 

 entirely groundless. The beacons we had put up came 

 to our aid, and for our final success we owe a deep debt 

 of gratitude to our prudence and thoughtfulness in 

 adopting this expedient. 



Next morning, November 29, brought considerably 

 clearer weather, and allowed us a very good survey of 

 our position. We could now see that the two mountain 

 ranges uniting in 86° S. were continued in a mighty 

 chain running to the south-east, with summits from 

 10,000 to 15,000 feet. Mount Thorvald Nilsen was the 

 most southerly we could see from this point. Mounts 

 Hanssen, Wisting, Bjaaland, and Hassel formed, as we 

 had thought the day before, a group by themselves, and 

 lay separated from the main range. 



The drivers had a warm morning's work. They had 

 to drive with great circumspection and patience to 



