OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE POLAR OX. 41 



out again, but not for long there were twenty-two degrees below 

 zero. 



The next morning, at our usual hour, that is to say, eight 

 o'clock, w r e started to drive on up the glacier, but the snow was 

 heavier than on the previous day, and we found it necessary to 

 camp half-way up it. 



When, on the following day, we reached the watershed, the lie 

 of the land obliged us to set our course north-east, through a valley 

 which, after many difficulties, brought us to a glacier at the end 

 of Alexandra Fjord ; but, in spite of the most eager search, we could 

 find no way down to bare land from the face of the glacier, which 

 was almost perpendicular. We were afraid that we should have 

 to turn back thus early in the expedition, but the next day we 

 accidentally found a place where, with the utmost difficulty, it was 

 possible to make a descent. 



Our way led us along a channel, part of which was through 

 a tunnel worn by the action of water, which, at this time of the 

 year, however, was all frozen. A long half mile it was, and it 

 took us from six in the morning till dinner-time to accomplish it. 

 When dinner at last was served, I fell to on a biscuit with such 

 ardour that I managed to break off a front tooth. Fosheim thought 

 that we ought not to waste our teeth so far away from people, and 

 implored me not to go on in that way. I followed his advice, 

 but was about to throw away the tooth, when he again observed 

 that there was no knowing how useful it might be ; so I put it in 

 my pocket, to serve as a remembrance and a warning. I have since 

 had it put in again. 



We then drove on towards the fjord, down a long, grassy slope, 

 with one man always ahead of the team to show the way. None 

 of us knew much about dog-driving, only just enough to be quite 

 aware that we were doing it all wrong. When we got down to 

 the fjord, we made an attempt at haut ecole style, and succeeded 

 beyond our expectations, but I am afraid we had chiefly the dogs 

 and the favourable condition of the ice to thank for it. In a couple 

 of hours' time we were out of Alexandra Fjord ; though after that 

 we made but slow progress, as the ice was old polar ice which had 

 been pressed right up to land. 



