General observations as to natural conditions. 345 



ascent is gradual; we halt in the evening after about 54 metres run, 

 having then reached an altitude of 1150 metres. 



The paucity of snow is due to the continual wind, which often 

 incommodes the Eskimos when travelling here ; we ourselves lost a 

 couple of days in this way. Not until the 64th degree of longitude 

 is reached does the snow lie in an unbroken covering over the ice. 



On the 18th April we set off again, the snow underfoot varying 

 considerably as to firmness. For the first 5 — 6 km. we had good firm 

 snow, drifted hard and much worn by the wind (SSE wind), and fur- 

 rowed by the same in parallel lines, the ridges being so strong as to 

 bear unbroken the weight of our 600 kilo loads. Then suddenly we 

 came upon equally lon^ stretches of soft heavy snow, in which we 

 sank up to the ankles. 



On the 19th April, at about 63°, we encountered a couple of nar- 

 row fissures in the ice, running SE — NW, and towards the end of the 

 day, a couple running north and south. These are evidently due to 

 the influence of the Humbolt Glacier, which is further marked by a 

 distinct slope of the ice towards the north. During the day we could 

 clearly see high sharp rocky summits to the NW. Our two Eskimos, 

 who are thoroughly familiar with the whole country within their hunting 

 grounds, declared without hesitation that these were the Victoria and 

 Albert Mountains in the interior of Ellesmere Land, which Peary and 

 others have observed from places as far distant as Cape Summer and 

 Polaris Promontory. We were then 1350 metres above sea level. 



The going was very good to begin with, but for the latter half 

 of the run, the crust which had formed on the surface of the snow 

 became thinner, and broke under the weight of dogs and sledges. The 

 depth of the snow above the sohd ice was very slight, varying from 

 0.5 metres to a couple of centimetres. It would therefore seem likely 

 that in summer, there would be clear, smooth ice here, which is further 

 supported by the fact that no transition stage between snow and ice 

 was visible, the snow lying in a fine dusty mass immediately on the 

 ice. The surface of the ice undulated considerably, with a difference 

 between crest and hollow of about 100 metres. 



On the 20th April we again encountered a few fissures running 

 NE — SW. as also on the following day. All these fissures found far 

 up in the interior of the ice were only 1 dem. across. 



Not until the 60th degree is reached is it possible to assert with 

 any confidence that the snow covers the ice all the year round. This 

 layer is about 20 cm. thick, so that the separate grains of ice coalesce, 

 forming a transition stage between ice and snow, i. e. having the appe- 

 arance of ice, but yet so soft that it can be cut with a knife. Our 

 latitude is now about 79 N ; height above sea level 1350 metres. We 

 have still the same hill and valley formation; a regular system, the 



