THE GREAT EXPEDITION. 331 



nothing to complain of, as the snow had drifted a little, and smoothed 

 over some of the inequalities. 



In the bays and fjords the ice had not been subjected to this 

 violent upheaval ; in fact, had one placed a line from headland to 

 headland, it would, as a rule, have formed the inner boundary of the 

 pressure-ridges ; for it was very seldom that they extended farther 

 in than this imaginary line. 



The dogs, which for the last few weeks had been fed up on 

 blubber and raw meat, were in splendid condition, and hauled like 

 heroes, every one of them. We made a good day's march in con- 

 sequence, for in the evening we camped at Lille Sandor, about 

 thirty-seven miles from the ship. As I did not wish to use my 

 new spinnaker tent as long as I was travelling with the returning 

 party, I quartered myself on Schei and Peder, in their three -man 

 tent, while Fosheim lodged with Isachsen. 



Next morning, at the usual time, that is to say, about half-past 

 seven, we continued our march westward, on ice that was splendid 

 going. 



Baadsfjordnuten had become quite noted for the violent 

 upheaval which had taken place there, and the last few times 

 we had driven by it we had been obliged to take to the ice-foot. 

 Driving up on this now was rather nasty work, and before we 

 could cross the crack we were compelled to go a good way through 

 the pressure -ice great masses of ice in the immediate vicinity 

 having been pressed right up to and over the ice-foot. Baumann's 

 party, however, had done some road- clearing for us, as they had 

 with them the necessary implements, with which they were 

 provided chiefly with a view to negotiating the sound in the west. 



On the ice-foot we discovered the track of a bear, and I expected 

 every moment to see the animal itself among the hummocks, but 

 did not do so. We made a short halt here, and ate some biscuits 

 while the dogs were resting. The weather was simply beautiful, 

 considering the time of year, and under the steep bluffs the sun 

 was so powerful that one could almost describe it as warm. Some 

 of the party even took the opportunity of splicing some old traces 

 which the dogs had gnawed through during the night. 



Fosheim and I still felt the effects of our over-exertion on the 



