150 HUNTERS AND HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



so unprotected a spot. The course was altered, 

 therefore, and we entered Hamilton Channel, 

 a narrow fjord between the north of Nansen 

 Island and the south of Pritchett Island, 

 and finally anchored to the west of Pritchett 

 Island in a sheltered bay between a glacier 

 and a strip of pebbly beach. We dropped 

 anchor in fifteen fathoms of water at half- 

 past ten at night near two large stranded 

 icebergs, which seemed like buoys in our little 

 harbour. 



The following morning I landed on Pritchett 

 Island. It is, in fact, the only place where land 

 is to be encountered hereabouts. Plants and 

 herbs flourish on the white terrace forming 

 the south-western extremity of the island. On 

 our arrival the preceding night I had seen 

 two stercoraires circling around their nest. 

 Further, the Captain had pointed out to me 

 several large duck in a small lagoon some 

 distance off. I rose early, therefore, and landed 

 on a shore composed partly of sand, partly of 

 ice, in the vicinity of one of the stranded ice- 

 bergs. I observed a rather curious phenomenon 

 here. From the beach, land ice extended, but 

 it was beneath the water, exactly as though it 

 had been fastened to the sea bottom, instead 

 of floating on the surface as usual. This is due 



