REINDEER 115 



been submerged after its formation, and has 



since been left dry by the withdrawal of the 



sea a very common phenomenon in Spitz- 



bergen. We found several eider on the little 



lagoon, but no reindeer. There were numerous 



traces of them, but they were very old, and we 



also discovered the tracks of hunters. It is 



possible that these men had come from the 



coal or gold mines at Bell Sound. Apparently 



they had destroyed everything on the coastline, 



where the reindeer are so easy to shoot, and my 



chances of encountering game were very remote 



unless I was prepared to go much farther 



inland. I therefore turned back. In passing 



the spot where I had filled my bag I noticed 



that an enormous number of gulls had now 



gathered, and were fighting for the entrails. 



The plumage of this gull, the real vulture of 



the north, is of the purest white. I shot a few of 



them, and we were on board again by half-past 



eleven. 



The weather had become fine ; little by little 

 the wind had fallen. We succumbed to the 

 temptation to go and photograph the glacier 

 suspended between the two mountains towards 

 the south-east. Entering Braganga Bay in the 

 boat, we passed into a narrow channel, and 

 followed the moraine as far as possible in a 



I 2 



