2 4 o SPITSBERGEN chap, xviii 



We left Advent Bay on the evening of July 13. It 

 was exceedingly unpleasant with rain and wind, but 

 was clearer over Sassen Bay, into which we had a fine 

 view as we passed. Then the fog fell and we were among 

 the ice. 



We had had some idea of landing at the entry by 

 Nordenskjold's House, but this was impossible. Cape Thord- 

 sen itself was almost invisible when we passed it. 



July 14. Wind SW\ Bar. 29.50. — We had a great 

 deal of ice to work through, but landed early on this 

 morning at the mouth of the Saurie River, between 

 Cape Thordsen and Middle Hook. Here the river and 

 the sea have built up a bar and a beach, behind which 

 lies a little lake forming a harbour capable of holding 

 many boats. We camped on the beach in driving rain 

 with ice-floes driven by the wind on shore, and lifted by 

 the rising tide in places on to the top of the beach and 

 close to the tent. 



I went out in the boat again, and landed on a large 

 ice-floe, which* might easily have been taken for an island, 

 it was so piled up with stones and mud. I walked along 

 the hills for several hours, but the fog was such that it was 

 impossible to get an extended view. I, however, gained 

 the impression that there is but one valley here, though 

 this of considerable extent. On the seaward side of the 

 mountains to the north, a wide flat of turf and lichen 

 runs for a long distance. Conway with admirable per- 

 severance managed to make a sketch in oils in spite of 

 the wet. 



July 15. Wind SW. Bar. 29.30. — Proceeding on our 

 way we pulled for three hours in pelting rain and hampered 

 by ice till we sighted Cape Wijk. Entry into Dickson Bay 

 was impossible ; the way was absolutely blocked under the 



