STORE AND LILLE BJORNBKAP. 353 



great age, which we had found in numbers in some places in 

 Ellesmere Land, we had not hitherto seen any signs which could 

 point to the existence of reindeer in these parts at the present 

 time. It is, however, an animal which roams very far afield, and 

 we thought that possibly these might be traces of reindeer which 

 had come from the islands in the west, and, after having crossed 

 the ice and paid King Oscar Land a summer visit, had returned 

 home again on the approach of autumn. 



The polar ox is also a wanderer, but compared with the 

 reindeer I think one may safely say that, as far as these regions 

 are concerned, it is much more stationary than the latter. In 

 a country where there are wolves the reindeer is continually 

 on the move, and I do not think ever remains for long in one 

 place. 



During the afternoon we saw a high mountain crag appear 

 above the horizon on the port side forward, and this we named 

 ' Store Bjornekap ' (Great Bear Cape). It appeared to be situated 

 on an island, and on what we presumed to be the strait between 

 the island and King Oscar Land we set our course. 



Our next camping-place was outside a fjord which extended 

 into the land in a south-easterly direction. From this fjord 

 onward the country seemed to change its character, taking north 

 of it a more mountainous formation, with rounded tops, which rose 

 to an apparent height of 1500 to 2000 feet. 



During the course of the day we came across several bear- 

 tracks, which were so fresh that the dogs became absolutely 

 unmanageable in their eagerness to follow them up. It seemed 

 as if it would be a matter of no difficulty to procure food for them 

 up in this bay if we should be pressed for it. 



"We drove nearly twenty-nine miles that day, and camped out 

 on the ice four or five miles from land. Unhappily for us, the 

 going became heavier and heavier the farther north we went. If 

 only we could have a gale of wind to blow away all this loose 

 hoar-frost ! Underneath it was the most beautiful hard snow, but 

 driving on the fine dust-like snow on the top was something like 

 sledging on ashes, or blue clay. The temperature, too, kept rather 

 low, about -40 Fahr. (-40 Cent.). 



VOL. i. 2 A 



