226 NEW LAND. 



off-shore wind, which, we hoped, would drive out both ice and 

 slush to sea. 



On the return journey to the tent, we caught sight of a bearded 

 seal on a floe out in the fjord, and tried to get within range of it 

 unseen. It is not easy to steal unawares on seals in such circum- 

 stances. To get the boat along at all was very difficult, and the 

 ice in the slush always makes a certain amount of noise when the 

 boat cuts through it. After incredible toil we at length succeeded 

 in getting more or less within range ; but, as ill-luck would have 

 it, Fosheim, for once in his life, shot wide. Several hours' hard 

 rowing are not very good training for a rifle-shot. 



Not long after this, we saw a herd of saddle-back or harp seals 

 (Phoca greenlandica) making up the fjord. These handsome seals, 

 which have their name from the saddle-shaped mark on their 

 backs, are in the habit of swimming round and round in a circle in 

 large herds, and frequently get on such a pace that the whole body 

 of the animal can be seen high above the waves. When they see 

 a boat, they will often swim towards it, and then stop, gazing at 

 it, raised right out of the water, with their flippers above the 

 surface. In the autumn they are so fat that they float like cork 

 fenders. 



Fosheim shot one of them without difficulty, but that was 

 the extent of the damage we did, for the whole herd went on at 

 once. We hauled our booty up into the boat, and filled one of 

 the cooking-pots with its blood, for we were all very fond of 

 food prepared with this delicacy, especially of blood pancakes. 



A short time afterwards, we shot a harbour seal, which went to 

 the bottom ; but not so Isachsen's ten eider-ducks and two glaucous 

 gulls. 



We got back to the depot about two o'clock, unloaded and 

 beached the boat, and then Isachsen and I set to work to sew 

 the lining to the tent, while Fosheim and Stolz went to see what 

 sport was to be had with the hares. They returned at supper-time 

 with five animals, and we had every reason to be satisfied with our 

 bag for that day. 



