chap, x THE TRIDENT 



!53 



sure of news and food in the future, as well as of the 

 immediate benefit of a warm sleeping-bag. Inside it I 

 was more comfortable, but was too hungry to sleep. I 

 turned out all my pockets in the vain hopes of finding 

 some stray scrap of something eatable, and then counted 

 again the sticks of chocolate. I dared not eat any of these, 

 as we might have to rely on them to act as a stimulus for 

 the wade back through the bogs of Sassen Valley. At ten 

 o'clock Pedersen came back. Instead of meeting our boat 

 party, he had found that of Baron de Geer, who had 

 generously sent me some reindeer meat, cheese and biscuits. 

 There was ample supply for one man for two days, so I re- 

 solved to leave Pedersen here to watch for the boat party, and 

 myself return to Waterfall Camp, and thence march overland 

 to Yambuya. Pedersen and I therefore ate as small a breakfast 

 as possible of biscuits and cheese. I waited till the after- 

 noon to see if the boat came in or the ice packed with the 

 change of tide. At four p.m., leaving a note for the boat party, 

 I started back for Waterfall Camp, arriving there ravenously 

 hungry at 7.30. I had one mighty meal to clear off arrears, 

 a long sleep, and then another big feed to lay in a reserve 

 for the future. At 5.30 P.M. on the Monday, I was ready 

 for what Conway called the colossal march to Advent Bay. 

 This had taken five days to do on the way over, but then it 

 was unknown ground, and we had the sledges. It had now 

 to be done in one, partly in hope of reaching Advent Bay 

 in time to catch the boat, partly because I could not carry 

 much with me, and sleeping in the open air without a 

 blanket does not agree with me. 



" I left Waterfall Camp at 5.30, and started up the Esker 

 Valley for Brent Pass. I carried with me a little Emergency 

 Food and fried reindeer meat, but trusted mainly to Root's 

 Cuca Chocolate, which, as it does not make one thirsty, I 

 find the best thing for forced marching. 



