356 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. Anul 



having only made about half a mile during the after* 

 noon. 



4 The surface snow on the floes sparkles and glitters 

 with the most beautiful iridescent colours, the around 

 on which we walk appearing as if strewn with bright 

 and lustrous gems ; diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and 

 sapphires being the most prominent. At 3 P.M. ob- 

 served the fresh traces of a lemming. It is strange the 

 little creature should wander so far from the land, the 

 nearest point being quite three miles off. Crossed 

 over some streams of young ice, and through a long 

 fringe of hummocks leading on to a large floe of 

 " ancient lineage " presenting an undulating surface, 

 and having on it diminutive ice mountains, or frozen 

 snow-drifts, from fifteen to twenty feet in height. 

 Halted at the edge of a belt of hummocks, through 

 which a road was cut whilst the tents were being- 

 pitched. Camped for the night, the men being rather 

 fatigued, having had a hard day's work. We are all 

 suffering from cracked 'skin, the combined action of sun 

 and frost, our lips, cheeks, and noses being especially 

 very sore. The temperature all day has been delight- 

 ful, ranging from minus 8° to minus 20°. Travelling 

 through hummocks is most unsatisfactory work ; it is 

 a succession of standing pulls — one, two, three, haul ! 

 and very little result. Distance marched nine miles ; 

 made good one and-a-half. 



4 loth. — Passed through a fringe of hummocks about 

 200 yards in breadth, then arrived on a fine large floe 

 that afforded us capital travelling for about a mile due 

 north, and then on to another long fringe of large and 

 troublesome hummocks, until we were completely 



