START IN A BLIZZARD 71 



juncture: courage and dauntlessness, without boasting 

 or big words. Amid joking and chaff, everything was 

 packed, and then — out into the bhzzard. 



It was practically impossible to keep one's eyes open ; 

 the fine drift-snow penetrated everywhere, and at times 

 one had a feeling of being blind. The tent was not 

 only drifted up, but covered with ice, and in taking 

 it down we had to handle it with care, so as not to 

 break it in pieces. The dogs were not much inclined 

 to start, and it took time to get them into their harness, 

 but at last we were ready. One more glance over the 

 camping-ground to see that nothing we ought to have 

 with us had been forgotten. The fourteen dogs' car- 

 casses that were left were piled up in a heap, and 

 Hassel's sledge was set up against it as a mark. The 

 spare sets of dog-harness, some Alpine ropes, and all 

 our crampons for ice-work, which we now thought 

 would not be required, were left behind. The last 

 thing to be done was planting a broken ski upright 

 by the side of the depot. It was Wisting who did this, 

 thinking, presumably, that an extra mark would do no 

 harm. That it was a happy thought the future will 

 show. 



And then we were off. It was a hard pull to begin 

 with, both for men and beasts, as the high sastrugi 

 continued towards the south, and made it extremely 

 difficult to advance. Those who had sledges to drive 

 had to be very attentive, and support them so that they 



