94 THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS 



point a height of over 100 feet. On the west it sloped 

 gradually into the lower ground and allowed us to 

 advance that way. In order to have a better view of 

 the surroundings we ascended the eastern and highest 

 part of the ridge, and from here we at once had a 

 confirmation of our supposition of the day before. The 

 ridge we had then seen, behind which we hoped to find 

 better conditions, could now be seen a good way ahead. 

 And what we then saw made our hearts beat fast with 

 joy. Could that great white, unbroken plain over 

 there be real, or was it only an illusion? Time would 

 show. 



Meanwhile Hassel and I jogged on, and the others 

 followed. We had to get through a good many 

 difficulties yet before we reached that point, but, 

 compared with all the breakneck places we had already 

 crossed, these were of a comparatively tame description. 

 It was with a sigh of relief that we arrived at the plain 

 that promised so well; its extent was not very great, 

 but we were not very exacting either in this respect, 

 after our last few days' march over the broken surface. 

 Farther to the south we could still see great masses 

 piled up by pressure, but the intervals between them 

 were very great and the surface was whole. This 

 was, then, the first time since we tackled the Devil's 

 Glacier that we were able to steer true south for a few 

 minutes. 



As we progressed, it could be seen that we had really 



