CHAPTER XL. 



THROUGH DRIFT AND SCUD. 



ISACHSEX decided to leave behind some of his dog-food and a keg 

 of petroleum, and start on the journey west as soon as possible, 

 When he returned to pick up his provisions, he would leave a 

 letter to say what way he had taken, and at what date he had left 

 the place. We then said good-bye to one another, and drove off in 

 our different directions. 



The weather was fine, and we were in excellent spirits. We 

 had all the time wanted to drive two alone it had been decided 

 on all the winter and now, at last, the moment had come. It 

 might be thought that the greater the number on such journeys, the 

 pleasanter they would be ; but this is far from being the case, and 

 the more men there are together, the greater is the likelihood of 

 confusion, and the less one's independence. There is always more 

 or less disturbance among the many dogs, always a team that gnaw 

 themselves loose, always something the matter ; and it is not till 

 one is alone with another man, that one is quite one's self. I am 

 sure the west party thought as we did, and were glad to be inde- 

 pendent and have their own separate task to perform, which is a 

 very different thing from driving on the heels of another sledge, 

 third or fourth in the train. 



Fosheim and I did not long enjoy the good weather ; the sky 

 clouded over later in the afternoon, and before evening it was as 

 rough as one could wish. This much we ascertained, however, that 

 deep valleys between lofty mountains cut far into the land from 

 the head of the deep bay. After a day's march of eighteen miles 

 we camped, and spent our first evening in pleasant anticipation 



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