CHAPTER XIX 



AT ADVENT POINT 



ONE important piece of work had, if possible, to be 

 done at Advent Point. It was to take observations 

 for latitude and a true bearing of Bunting Bluff. There are 

 discrepancies in the latitude of Advent Bay as set down in 

 the published charts. These will be set at rest by Baron 

 De Geer's observations, which, however, will not be reduced 

 before this volume sees the light. It was highly desirable, 

 therefore, that I should obtain an independent observation. 

 Unfortunately the fine weather was now at an end. Days 

 passed and the sun did not appear. The same clouded sky, 

 which condemned the theodolite to idleness when we were 

 at Advent Point before, reigned throughout the whole of 

 this second visit. Each day seemed colder, cloudier, and 

 more wet than the one that went before. My tent unfor- 

 tunately had no window. If I closed the doors for warmth 

 it was dark, and I could not be employed ; if I opened them 

 for light, the cold prevented any continuous sedentary 

 occupation. 



So unpromising, indeed, were the meteorological condi- 

 tions, that I should have quitted the place at once if it had 

 been possible so to do ; but it was not possible. Of our 

 four sledges, two were wrecked and two were in hospital at 

 Hammerfest. They ought to have been returned a fortnight 

 before, or two native sledges ought to have come up in 

 their stead, but the north Norwegian takes t his time over 

 everything. In fact, apologies only, not sledges, had come. 



