260 NEW LAND. 



We drove off early on October 26, and in spite of our heavy 

 loads the sledges glided easily and rapidly onwards. About five 

 miles down the fjord I caught sight of a herd of polar cattle on 

 some level ground, a little way up from the sea. I stopped, 

 got out my glasses, and began to count them, and after some 

 counting backwards and forwards, there proved to be as many as 

 fifteen animals in the herd. 



We now held a council of war. I had some hesitation in 

 attacking, as the distance to the ' Fram ' was so great ; moreover, 

 being late in the year, it was possible that we might not be able to 

 fetch all the animals before the winter set in. To shoot more 

 animals than we could transport and make use of was simply 

 barbarism. After some minutes' discussion we came to the con- 

 clusion, that if we all lent a hand at hauling the sledges, we 

 should be able to bring the flesh on board during the course of the 

 autumn, even if we shot as many as a score of animals. 



In order to get within range we were obliged to drive a short 

 way farther out, till we could get under cover of a small island 

 near the east side of the fjord. Our sudden change of direction in 

 shaping a course for this island made the dogs aware that we were 

 after something or other, but I am sure they had not yet got wind of 

 the cattle. At the northern point of the island we lost our cover, 

 as we were obliged to cross the bay, a distance of some two to 

 three hundred yards. I felt convinced that the oxen, if they were 

 as observant as they usually are, would see us before we could 

 get into cover again on the other side, so we left the sledges, 

 and each man took his team, holding the connecting lanyard in 

 such a manner that when the time came he would only have to 

 let go the one rope-end. 



A little way out on the bay the dogs got scent of the cattle, 

 and set off as fast as they could go. They pulled so hard, that 

 we could hardly keep our legs, and time after time one or other 

 of us fell down, and was dragged, rolling like a log of wood, across 

 the ice. 



Remarkable to relate, we managed to cross the bay without 

 being seen by the herd, and then headed up across a steep sand- 

 hill on the other side. Fosheim and I now had only two or three 



