326 SPITSBERGEN chap, xxiv 



care was thus rendered necessary ; we found it unsafe to 

 jump even narrow crevasses on account of the untrustworthy 

 nature of the landing afforded by their edges. 



As we advanced diagonally up the glacier the fog thickened ; 

 presently snow began to fall. Matters looked rather hope- 

 less. We sat down on the snow, ate our Emergency Food, 

 and discussed the situation. After a short halt we pushed 

 on again, determined to continue the advance in a south- 

 easterly direction until we reached the watershed of the 

 Island, or were stopped by impassable crevasses. Imper- 

 ceptibly the fog thickened until one could scarcely see his 

 neighbour on the rope. Although the ground at our feet 

 was so indistinct, that the white lines, indicating the snow- 

 filled cracks of the neve crevasses, were not always dis- 

 cernible, the glare reflected from fog and snow was almost 

 blinding. It was impossible to see at all with glasses, and the 

 strain on the eyes without them was most trying. I felt a 

 curious mesmeric drowsiness stealing over me, such as I 

 have occasionally experienced in a slight degree in Switzer- 

 land after a long day on the snow. We were affected by 

 this feeling when crossing the Ivory Glacier, but now the 

 strain on the eyes was greater and the feeling more intense. 



Presently we found ourselves again amongst open crevasses 

 which we endeavoured to outflank, but after following their 

 edges for some time Trevor-Battye, who was behind, keeping 

 me straight as far as possible by compass, announced that 

 we were heading due north, and would soon be returning 

 on our tracks. We retraced our steps, turned the crevasses 

 on the far side, and regained the more level plateau. It 

 was subsequently proved that the crevasses ran in a circular 

 manner round the bulging dome of ice, due doubtless to a 

 projection in the floor of the valley at this point. But for 

 the compass we might have wandered round the dome in 

 the thick fog till it cleared the next evening. 



