WE TURN NORTHWARD 229 



level, uninterrupted snow surface and nothing else. 

 Should we go on? It was tempting enough, as the 

 probability was that sooner or later we should come 

 upon something; but there was a point in our instruc- 

 tions that had to be followed, and it said: Go to the 

 point where land is marked on the chart. This point 

 was now about 120 geographical miles to the north of 

 us. Therefore, instead of going on to the east in 

 uncertainty, we decided to turn to the left and go 

 north. The position of the spot where we altered our 

 course was determined, and it was marked by a snow 

 beacon 7 feet high, on the top of which was placed 

 a tin box containing a brief report. 



On that part of the way which we now had before 

 us there was little prospect of meeting with surprises; 

 nor did any fall to our lot. In day's marches that 

 varied from seventeen to twenty geographical miles, we 

 went forward over practically level ground. The nature 

 of the surface was at first ideal ; but as we came farther 

 north and thus nearer to the sea, our progress was 

 impeded by a great number of big snow-waves (sastrugi) , 

 which had probably been formed during the long period 

 of bad weather that preceded our departure from Fram- 

 heim. We did not escape damage on this bad surface. 

 Stubberud broke the forward part of the spare ski he 

 had lashed under his sledge, and Johansen's sledge also 

 suffered from the continual bumping against the hard 

 sastrugi. Luckily he had been foreseeing enough to 



