SNOWSTORM AND MISFORTUNE. 89 



to make it clear that from some place in N. orskebugten a sound 

 must connect it with Greely Fjord. The large icebergs we had 

 seen during the summer in the eastern part of Norskebugten must 

 have come from a long distance, and the fjords and mountains 

 we had observed the previous year from Bay Fjord we had not 

 yet succeeded in finding again on the west side. If there were 

 no sound here leading northward it would be a very strange thing. 

 At any rate, I was exceedingly anxious to explore the fjords there 

 more thoroughly. 



Olsen had never yet been on a sledge-expedition. This was 

 through no wish of his own, but because the opportunity had 

 never presented itself. I therefore asked him if he would like to 

 come with me north across the bay. I need not say my invitation 

 was accepted with alacrity, and he began to prepare for it at 

 once. 



On the morning of October 18 we left the ship, equipped for 

 ten days only, for there was so little snow on the neck that we 

 did not care to take with us more than was absolutely necessary. 

 Besides, I knew that as soon as we got into the big fjords there 

 would be plenty to eat both for us and for the dogs. 



In my team at this time I had two young dogs, ' Sultan ' and 

 ' Bex.' They were also called ' Slasken ' and ' Slusken ' (' Bough ' 

 and ' Bascal ') when we were in a bad temper. ' Basen ' was gone, 

 ' Lillemor ' had a large litter of puppies to look after, and I thought 

 it would do the young dogs good to be broken in a little during 

 the autumn ; I therefore took them, in the hope that they would 

 know something by the time we began the spring sledging. 

 ' Sultan ' promised to be a first-rate dog. ' Bex,' too, was strong 

 and willing to work, but was very tiresome, on account of his 

 extraordinary timidity ; being as frightened of the other dogs as 

 he was of people. 



We had beautiful weather the whole day, and crossed the neck 

 with so little trouble that we reached Nord strand in good time. 

 There we met Baumann and the mate, by whom we were invited 

 to dinner. They had made themselves exceedingly comfortable in 

 the tent, thanks to the ox-skins, of which there were enough to 

 put, one on the top of the other, on the roof and round the walls. 



