THE JOURNEY OVER THE PACK ICE 249 



could not jump over them. The floe, which was about two or 

 three hundred yards in diameter, had been subjected to immense 

 pressure and had been bent up into a small dome. The cracks 

 likewise are the result of this pressure. The ice is getting worse 

 and worse ; we have not seen any comparatively large old floes 

 for the last two or three days, and the rough ice is spoiling our 



RUGGED ICE. 



sledges to an alarming degree. We had to work for about two 

 hours on Storkersen's sledge to get it somewhat repaired, but 

 with the material at hand it was not possible to do much. 



We made only two miles to-day toward E.S.E. Lat. 71 15', 

 long. 1 48 04'. Observed no drift in the last twenty-four hours. 



Temperature at start 13 C., at 2 P.M. 8 C. Weather 

 clear, with a light westerly wind. 



Friday, April 26. Just after we broke camp at 6.20 A.M. the 

 going was very hard ; high-pressure ridges and deep, broad 

 cracks in the ice made progress very difficult for the first hour, 

 and there seemed to be no more prospect of covering any real 

 distance than there had been on the previous day. However, 

 at 9.30 we came to a space of young and unbroken ice. It was 

 salty, and our sledges consequently went heavily over it, but 

 nevertheless we thought it fine. As soon as we reach fairly 

 good ice we at once commence to think and talk about the 



