272 THE SEA. 



the dangers they had met the previous winter. Their winter quarters were comparatively 

 safe, and being near the land they obtained a sufficiency of bear-meat, the animals often 

 approaching the ship closely. 



In the winter of 1874 several sledging parties were sent out. On the 24th of 

 March, Lieutenant Payer, with six companions, left the vessel, dragging a large sledge freighted 

 with provisions and stores to the extent of three-fourths of a ton. They succeeded in 

 reaching the new land, after many a struggle with the ice-hummocks, snow-drifts, an'd 



START OF LIEUT. PAYER'S SLEDGE EXPEDITION. 



floods of sea-water which had submerged some parts of the ice. Their difficulties were 

 increased by the fact that a once fine team of dogs was reduced to three capable of being 

 of service. Payer describes the new land as broken up by numerous inlets and fiords, and 

 surrounded by innumerable islands. The mountains were of fair altitude from 2,000 to 

 5,000 feet in height while the glaciers in the valleys were of gigantic size, and formed 

 a great feature in the wild scenery. Some visited " were characterised by their greenish- 

 blue colour, the paucity of crevasses, and extraordinarily coarse-grained ice." The vege- 

 tation was poor, as might be expected. To this hitherto unknown land the name of the 

 Emperor Franz Josef was affixed. The party reached the high latitude of 81 37' N. 



The return journey to the vessel was made successfully, although the scarcity of 



