424 NEW LAND. 



How could they have come here ? For the present we must 

 be content to let this remain in darkness, but as we went further 

 south we saw by the tracks that the runaways had been bear- 

 hunting on their own account. They were as fat as they could be, 

 and their coats were positively shining. 



We camped in the evening in ' Kenbugten ' (Reindeer Bay), 

 whence we meant to go overland to Gaasefjord. The tent we 

 pitched on a strip of fine shingle, seemingly a high-water mark 

 which ran along the shore ; it was not very high, only a foot above 

 the ice-foot. 



The sudden transition from full winter in the north to a 

 temperature which to us seemed quite summer-like; from the 

 congealed dead scenery we had left to the life and movement 

 down here, made a great impression on us. It was pure joy, 

 while we were pitching the tent, to hear the ceaseless mewing of 

 the sea-birds, and even the uncanny bellowing and grunting of the 

 walruses. And then to have our tent on bare land ! It was so long 

 since this had been the case. It was a pleasure simply to be able 

 to leave our things outside without having to think about sweeping 

 them ; to feel the fine shingle under our feet instead of snow 

 day after day. We pulled off our boots and amused ourselves by 

 walking about in our socks, like children when they are allowed to 

 go barefoot in summer. 



Next morning, when we opened the tent door, we were met 

 by a cold rush of raw foggy air. Another change of weather, 

 then ! And before we were ready to start it had begun to snow ; 

 but the birds and the walruses went on just the same as the 

 previous evening. What life there was ! 



We then began to make our way up the steep slopes to the 

 watershed. It was soon so thick that we could hardly see more 

 than a hundred yards in front of us, and we therefore came to 

 take a rather different way from the one Baumann had indicated. 

 After passing the watershed we came down into a pretty valley, 

 and this we followed, well pleased with ourselves ; but by degrees, 

 as we descended, the valley became narrower and narrower, and 

 we began to wonder whether, .after all, it was going to end 

 in a canon. Without any warning, we were suddenly stopped 



