NEW LAXD. 



' Unfortunately, there was no time to investigate this further. 

 It was now the middle of May, the time when, probably, there 

 would be open water in Hell Gate. Nor were we successful in 

 getting the necessary observations in the eastern fjord, as it snowed 

 almost continuously from the 13th to the 19th of May. On the 

 latter day there was a snowstorm from the south-east. We dug 

 ourselves down till only the ridge of the tent was above the snow, 

 but even then I hardly expected the tent to hold. 



' Earlier the same day we had driven across a lane into which 

 " Storebron " and " Skelettet " had fallen. This, in conjunction 

 with the subsequent bad weather, had such an effect on " Skelettet," 

 that to our regret we were obliged to shoot him. 



' On May 21 we had another polar-ox hunt. We realized on 

 this occasion how difficult it is to distinguish between an ox 

 which is lying down and a stone with snow or lichen on it, the 

 light patch on the animal's back being particularly deceptive. 

 It was very curious to see one of the oxen take up and toss a 

 calf into the air, evidently under the impression that it was a dog. 

 It came down bellowing, with stiffened legs. 



' As we were almost out of biscuit, it occurred to us to try the 

 contents of the paunch as a binding ingredient for the traditional 

 black puddings. Directly I tasted it I found out how horrible 

 was the compound, but I thought it incumbent on me to say some- 

 thing in its praise to prevent it being at a discount. But when I 

 saw dissimulation was absolutely of no avail, I asked Hassel what 

 he thought of it. " I think it tastes something like cow-dung," he 

 answered. 



' On May 28 we were again at Norskebugten. It was very 

 apparent that spring-time was near. Now and then a gull, or a 

 skua, flew screaming past on its way north for the summer. We 

 now drove at night, on account of the going, which was of the 

 worst description. The snow at this time was at freezing-point 

 on the surface, while lower down it was considerably colder, a 

 state of affairs which causes ice to form under the sledge-runners. 



O 



We had to give up cooking our food at this time, as we had 

 used all the paraffin. Hassel called out solemnly as he was 



