478 NEW LAND. 



weather was thick, with strong north-westerly wind. In the 

 middle of the day the drift cleared for a little, and, among other 

 things, I was able to see a herd of polar oxen which were grazing on 

 the low-lying land a couple of miles away but soon it was as thick 

 as ever again. One can see nothing in such weather, least of all 

 the snow on which one is about to take one's next step. Blinded 

 in this way I was rushing down through a little valley, under the 

 impression that I had a plain-sailing slope in front of me I was, 

 of course, on " ski " when I suddenly found myself buried in a 

 loose drift, which ran out from a point in the side of the valley. 





A PAUSE. 



As soon as I was on my legs again I continued my way till I 

 reached the lower part of the valley where it opened out on to 

 level country. The valley here made a turn, and as I was taking 

 a diagonal line across a projecting spit of land, I suddenly 

 stumbled on a white animal which was lying on the ground, and 

 in the thick atmosphere looked most fearsomely large. My gun 

 was ready in a moment, and when I raised myself up again I 

 had bent down to get hold of it at the moment when I became 

 aware of the animal the monster rose to its long legs, and I saw 

 that it was a buck reindeer, which had been taking its noonday 

 rest. While it stood doubtful what to do I let my " ski " glide 



