TO GAASEFJORD. 63 



kind and consisted mainly of icy slush, but anyhow the sledges 

 travelled fairly well. After this we drove up the river until we 

 were in line with the place where the animals were lying, and 

 then struck straight up to them between some hills covered with 

 grass. Three animals were transported to the ship in the fore- 

 noon, and the fourth and fifth were conveyed thither by Hassel 

 and Fosheim during the afternoon. 



Ever since we had entered the fjord a strong wind had been 



SUMMER IX HELL GATE, LOOKING NORTH. 



blowing from the north. It made things pretty cold, but we 

 knew that as long as it lasted the fjord-ice would not form ; so, 

 although it was an ill wind, it blew us some good. During the 

 night of September 19, however, it went down, and in the early 

 morning we had a slight breeze from the south-east. A thick 

 sheet of ice began at once to form over the whole of the fjord. 



As we expected, the dredgers arrived back in the course of the 

 afternoon. The brash had increased so rapidly where they were 

 that they could not work any longer, and so had packed their 

 things together and come on board while there was yet time to 



