44 



SPITSBERGEN chap. 



hi 



THE ASCENT OF MOUNT STARASHCHIN 



By E. J. GARWOOD 



Having landed near Cape Starashchin, after Conway and 

 Gregory had gone away with the skipper to inspect the 

 condition of the ice, I struck inland across the low swampy 

 ground, which here extends for several miles between the 

 hills and the sea, and directed my steps to the foot of a 

 prominent mountain ridge running southward and nearly 

 parallel to the seaboard. My original intention was to col- 

 lect specimens of the rock, but habit is strong, and I had 

 not gone far before the temptation to attempt the ascent 

 of the peak overcame me. After examining the ridge for 

 a practicable route, I changed my course, so as to arrive at 

 a point more directly under the summit of the mountain, 

 and so avoid traversing the whole length of the arete. This 

 involved crossing the boggiest portion of the foreshore, 

 and my first attempt at Arctic exploration was decidedly 

 damping. 



The low ground, which must be crossed, forms a 

 portion of the recently-raised sea floor, which makes so 

 conspicuous a fringe to all the more sheltered inlets on 



