7 o SPITSBERGEN chap, v 



We wasted much valuable sentiment on this supposed un- 

 fortunate, and only some weeks later learned that the 

 monument was raised to commemorate a gigantic beer- 

 drinking bout or Kneipe enjoyed by the tourists who came 

 up in the great Hamburg-American liner on the date men- 

 tioned. Other Kneipe-monuments were erected beside this 

 one during the course of the summer — gaily painted and 

 inscribed beer-barrels, iron flags, and so forth. Assuredly 

 the vulgarisation of Spitsbergen has begun. 



The view from this spot is indeed the best in the im- 

 mediate neighbourhood of Advent Point. When the glaciers 

 of Cape Boheman are clear, away across Ice Fjord, and 

 the water lies blue beneath them, it must be superb. It 

 was charming even on this dull day, when fog and cloud 

 enveloped the distance, for the outline of the bay was grace- 

 ful, and the margin of the smooth ice curved harmoniously 

 from it. Sunlight carpeted the mottled frozen floor, except 

 where a cloud cast a blue shadow down into the midst, 

 whilst the floating ice-blocks glittered off Advent Point. On 

 the plateau, where the ill-fated crew wintered, the Norwegian 

 flag waved over the hut, in honour of the dead man whose 

 body had just been consigned to its last resting-place in 

 presence of the Swedes and some of the members of our 

 expedition. When camp was reached the cold wind blew 

 again and the sun was hidden. Larger ice-floes than ever 

 came drifting past the point. Our last night by the shore 

 was depressing enough. 



Next day (June 23), we were to make our final start 

 inland. It was neither fairly dry nor tolerably fine. The 

 loading of the second sledge was at last finished. It was 

 burdened down at one end with half a truss of compressed 

 hay, whilst various objects, remembered almost too late, were 

 tied on outside the canvas cover in picturesque confusion. 

 Garwood and Pedersen were to drive the sledge ; I was to 



