SUMMER JOURNEYS AND FERTILITY. 15 



make to one of the western fjords. He had heard so much of the 

 vigorous herbage in the west that he hoped for a rich harvest out 

 there. Bay was no less anxious to be off. Besides the insects, he 

 was determined to become the possessor of the skeleton of a really 

 fine polar ox. It was decided, therefore, that Simmons, Bay, and 

 Isachsen should join company, and on June 28 they all three left 

 the ship. 



Schei had long had his eye on the glacier at the head of 

 Havnefjord, which he was anxious to survey, and at the same 

 time to make a more thorough examination of the mountains 

 behind it. On July 2, therefore, he and I set off for the head of 

 the fjord. 



We had had fine weather the last few days, and, practically 

 speaking, the country was now free of snow. The streams and 

 rivers foamed wanton and wild over the cliffs and precipices, and 

 we could hear the roar of the water a long way off. In some 

 places, where the decline was slight and the valley broad, the 

 river would roll quietly and solemnly along, as if deeply ponder- 

 ing the dark riddles of existence ; then suddenly would forget all 

 its philosophy and make a couple of joyous leaps out over the 

 precipice, the foam glittering like silver filigree in the sunshine. 



The fjord-ice had suffered much these warm days, and presented 

 a sorry spectacle pool after pool all the way up the fjord ; but 

 for the seals it was a glorious time ; they lay scattered about in 

 numbers, basking in the summer sunshine. 



We camped on the east side of the big river which comes down 

 just at the head of the fjord. Outside the mouth was a large lane, 

 where the greatest commotion was going on among the eiders, 

 black guillemots, and gulls ; their clamour was absolutely dis- 

 tracting. We tried shooting some, but they were wild, and it 

 was difficult to come within gunshot. Well, well, we gave them 

 up, but hares there must be, somewhere about, for when we peeped 

 into the fjord the previous year we saw them in numbers. But 

 no there was not a hare to be seen ! Our astonishment was 

 boundless. 



And the geese on which we had pinned our faith if all else 

 should fail ? Not so much as a feather ! This was no goose 



