276 SPITSBERGEN chap, xx 



plug the south entrance of Hinloopen Strait, whilst the other 

 jams up against Edge Land. Thus Verlegen Hook to the 

 north, and the Ryk Yse Islands off Edge Land to the 

 south, are frequently the limits beyond which vessels cannot 

 pass. It seemed to be a mere question of hours before 

 Verlegen Hook would be infested. The floating ice was 

 already accumulating against the coast, and soon the gap 

 separating the pack from the land would be filled. 



Hereupon a difference of opinion arose on board. The 

 skipper was for turning back. He said it was folly to go 

 forward. The ice was coming down and we should be cut 

 off. The Expres is an iron boat incapable of resisting the 

 smallest blow from ice in water at freezing temperature. 

 It would be difficult to avoid touching some of the many 

 ice-blocks that dotted the sea in all directions. He wanted 

 neither to lose his ship nor his life. The ice-master, 

 Bottolfsen, on the other hand, was willing to go on. 

 Twenty-four hours, he judged, would elapse before the ice 

 could close on Verlegen Hook, and in twenty-four hours 

 we might run to the Seven Islands, and see how the pack 

 lay in that direction. Perhaps there might be open water, 

 and we might get round North-East-Land. The matter was 

 referred to me. I said "Go on," and on we went, in and 

 out amongst the floating ice, pieces of all sizes, — small 

 blocks we might have hauled on board, and flat floes big 

 enough for a cricket match. Gradually the open water 

 became larger, and in an hour or so we emerged into clear 

 sea once more, and found the edge of the fast ice trending 

 north, fringed by lines of large loose masses with tilted 

 tables and blue mounds of crushed floes. A sail was seen 

 ahead. It proved to be the stout-looking, new-built walrus- 

 sloop, Lykkenprove of Tromso. We came to and hailed her. 

 The warmly-clad crew and cheery captain assembled on 

 deck. When our engines stopped, and we lay still on the 



