562 THE GEEMAN ATiCTTC EXPEDITION. 



taken on tlie sliip at the same time, was 44.0°, showing 

 a decrease of 23-° for every 700 feet of height. 



" Organic life was confined to a fibrous moss (Grimmia 

 lanuginosa, var. arctica), and to the black and yellow osier 

 {Gyrojjhora anthracina), which are also met with on the 

 highest points of the Alps. We left the summit at eleven 

 p.m., taking a new and far shorter way back over the ridge 

 of the mountain, and at seven a.m. reached the ship after 

 one and twenty hours' absence." 



We now found that reliance could no longer be placed 

 upon the boiler, the machinist informing us that at the 

 utmost it could only last forty-eight hours. This was 

 sad news, as all the steam power now to be obtained 

 must be used for reaching the outer coast ; for with sails 

 alone in the heavy calm we should with difficulty be able 

 to work our way out of this rocky basin in time, and 

 a second wintering was expressly forbidden in our 

 " Instructions." Our time here, therefore, at the latest 

 was until the end of August, but experience had already 

 shown that before that time the mouth of the Fjord was 

 blocked by a setting in of heavy ice. 



There were also many reasons against a boat-journey in 

 the short time we had to spare, not more than eight days ; 

 we could not, under the most favourable circumstances, 

 advance more than seventy-five English miles ; so that 

 the results of a boat excursion would in nowise equal the 

 risk of a second wintering, which must be avoided. 



Preparations were now made for departure. Opposite 

 our anchoring-place we erected a heap of stones, in which 

 we laid a document recording our discovery. We then 

 weighed anchor and steamed in a north-easterly direction 

 along the Fjord. A dense fog rose, and we had to find 



