30 NEW LAND. 



course once we were out of our trap. My original intention had 

 been to go back to Smith Sound, and try to penetrate thence to 

 the north side of Greenland, nor had I given up the plan ; but as 

 circumstances were that year I had my doubts about the advis- 

 ability of doing this. Who could tell that the condition of the 

 ice in Kane Basin was more favourable this year than it had 

 been the two previous summers ? And, besides, we knew that 

 there was an expedition up there already. Added to this, we had 

 by no means completed our work in the tracts in which we now 

 were, and to ]eave this work unfinished, in the state it then was, 

 we did not consider either quite right or satisfactory. We looked 

 upon it as our duty to go through with what we had begun. 



All these considerations combined brought about my decision 

 to sail west on the first opportunity. If we should have a really 

 favourable ice year, and an occasion presented itself of exploring 

 the yet unknown tracts of newly discovered country in the west, 

 we might possibly sail down Penny Strait and Wellington 

 Channel, and take up our winter quarters somewhere down by 

 Victoria Land. 



However, this was all in embryo we must first bring a 

 little more certitude to bear on the lands we had begun to 

 investigate before we could think of pushing farther on. All 

 things considered, therefore, I gave up the idea of penetrating up 

 through Smith Sound, as I looked upon it as of far greater interest 

 to thoroughly explore the country here in the west. 



We accordingly prepared for a start. On Friday, July 27, we 

 began to fill the boiler, a task performed by Peeler and Olsen, who 

 went ashore and fetched boat-loads of water. 



While they were engaged on this, they saw a stoat darting in 

 and out among the stones. They at once caught and killed it, and 

 Peder brought it back with him. As soon as he came on board 

 he went off to Bay, who, I need scarcely repeat, was the naturalist 

 of the expedition, and told him that he had seen a stoat among 

 the stones. Bay bitterly reproached him for not having tried 

 to catch it. Peder looked innocence itself, declaring that he had 

 no idea that Bay cared about stoats, but that if it was so im- 

 portant, he could easily catch it when he went ashore after the 



