OUR ICE-YACHT 159 



Nunatakker or Nunakoller as I prefer to term these smoothed 

 rock outcrops, for tak means a peak. 



The next morning (22nd) we had to cross a bay about 

 six miles wide. As we lugged our heavy sledge close to the 

 numerous seals they would raise their heads and gaze super- 

 ciliously at us, then roll over on the other side and go off to 

 sleep again; no doubt much preferring their own lot in life. 



Returning from the first trip we felt a strong southerly wind. 

 I decided to try our sail as the wind was dead behind us and 

 as there was no drift. 



Forde superintended the rigging of our ice-yacht. The mast 

 consisted of four of the tent poles, the other two going across 

 and forming yards. The leather ' bucket ' uniting the poles 

 formed a sort of pulley over which the main halyard was 

 passed. Two sheets to the poop (as I suppose the rear of the 

 sledge yacht should be called) kept the sail steady. These terms 

 are probably not used in their strict nautical sense ! 



We had a great job to start the two sledges for as usual 

 after waiting a short time the runners froze to the surface. 

 However Debenham ' broke her out,' the sail filled, and when 

 we once got going we found the half ton quite manageable. 



We felt we were progressing at racing speed when we accom- 

 plished a mile in forty-five minutes with both sledges, which 

 before had taken two hours. But needless to say we had to 

 pull with all our strength at the same time, though the wind 

 must have almost accounted for one of the sledges. The miles 

 piled up and we did 6 l / 2 geographical miles by 7 P.M., instead 

 of 4^ by 9 P.M. as heretofore. 



Between two bergs we had to cross a ' working ' crack 

 several feet wide. We were much amused at the efforts of a 

 young seal which was baaing loudly and trying to climb a 

 huge mountain eight inches high ! 



We reached Dunlop Island at noon the next day helped by 

 the wind and sail. There was a strait about quarter of a mile 

 wide separating it from the mainland cape. This strait con- 

 sisted of blue glassy ice covered in narrow belts by thin wettish 

 salty snow. This next mile led to the worst language I think 

 I heard on any sledge journey! My journal states: ' The wind 

 drove the whole 1200 Ibs. across the ice, while our combined 

 efforts, almost bursting blood vessels, were needed to cross five 



