no HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



disturbed at his protracted absence, came up to 

 him at that moment. 



Swensen and I together had a more agreeable 

 experience in Lowe Sound. On the occasion to 

 which I refer the weather was splendid, the 

 land admirable, and the reindeer still sufficiently 

 wild to lend interest to the sport. Everything 

 in fact was just what a hunter might desire. 

 After a short sojourn at Bell Sound, where we 

 watched the whale-hunting, and duly admired 

 the two magnificent glaciers at Recherche 

 Bay, we entered Lowe Sound on July 24, 

 and found it a kind of fjord branching away 

 to the north of Bell Sound. Navigation is 

 rather difficult here due to the presence of 

 strong sea currents, which swirl through the 

 narrow passage-way and attain enormous 

 power between the coast and the little islands 

 which form a sort of dam at the entrance to the 

 fjord. Fortunately, Swensen, having hunted 

 a great deal in these regions, knew the currents 

 perfectly and proved himself an excellent pilot. 



A towering, rugged cliff formed the right bank. 

 Moss-covered as it was, the green presented 

 a curious contrast against the blackness of the 

 rocks. This cliff is one of the largest rookeries 

 in the Spitzbergen seas. Thousands and thou- 

 sands of guillemots, sea-swallows, and sea- 



