chap, xiv ICE FJORD 



97 



but at the same time making it appear light and delicate, 

 a faery thing. Every step opened the eastward continua- 

 tion of this mass of rock, where other cathedral-like pro- 

 montories, with wide flat glaciers between, all tributaries of 

 Post Glacier, carry on the architectural suggestion, resembling 

 a group of splendid public buildings beside streets paved 

 with whitest marble in the midst of a city of giants. Re- 

 garded as mountains they may in fact be small, but their 

 regularity brings them into comparison with the works of 

 man, and renders them strangely impressive. 



Rubber boots are intolerable to walk in for long. I 

 took mine off and stood barefoot. The ground was of 

 springy bog, wet or dry, a delight and a surprise to tread 

 on. I found walking thus a most agreeable experience. 

 Incipient fatigue swiftly disappeared. I cared no longer 

 whether I sank into bog or not. It was a new delight to 

 feel the play of all the muscles of the foot, and how it 

 spread abroad like a hand and responded to every inequality. 

 There was no need to tug it from the clasp of bog or mud ; 

 it came out easily, and the softness under foot was no longer 

 a nuisance, but a pleasure. The cold ground and cool air 

 felt fresh and kindly. I had found a delightful new sensa- 

 tion. Three or four miles were thus covered before stony 

 places returned and boots had to be resumed. I have seen 

 men in the East, who habitually walk barefoot, go most 

 gingerly over stony patches. Henceforward this will cause 

 me no surprise. 



Beyond the last river was yet another raised beach, from 

 the point of which Sassen Bay was visible close at hand. 

 The ponies were cast loose to graze. It seemed that the 

 march was done in shorter time than was expected. Gregory 

 told me we must either camp at Starvation Bluff or Windy 

 Point — a sorry-sounding alternative ! Starvation Bluff is the 

 natural landing-place for Sassen Bay ; it is a low raised point 



