128 NEW LAND. 



south-east. It might well be thought that farther east these 

 fjords deviated to a more northerly direction. Moreover, we were 

 aware that a fjord penetrated the land eastwards from Store 

 Bjornekap, and we therefore assumed the possibility that Bjorne- 

 kap was situated on an island. 



After a great deal of consideration, and many conferences as 

 to who should lead the respective expeditions, I decided on the 

 following plan : Isachsen and Hassel were to go west to map the 

 new lands which they had visited the previous spring, while I 

 myself would explore the land north of Norskebugten. If I did 

 not meet with a sound, my course would then be to find a passage 

 across land to the more northern fjords. 



Having been prevented from making a depot the previous 

 autumn, however, we still had this to do before we could set off 

 for good. It was accordingly arranged that Isachsen, the mate, 

 Bay, and Hassel should put down a depot at Cape South-West, or 

 possibly in North Cornwall ; while I, with Baumann, Peder, and 

 Fosheim, would make a reconnaissance up the fjord east of 

 Bjornekap, and leave a depot somewhere in it. 



The weather at this time was not particularly inviting for a 

 sledge-journey. Day after day there was strong wind of a velocity 

 of 49 to 59 feet per second, and the thermometer remained steadily 

 below 40 Fahr. (40 Cent). It was useless to set out as long 

 as this never-ceasing blast was blowing ; it would be only ex- 

 hausting the dogs for nothing. Meanwhile we kept ourselves in 

 full readiness to start at any moment. 



About March 10, 1901, the north wind became a little less 

 violent, and on March 12 both parties took their departure, in all 

 eight men. It was a beautiful calm day ; not a breath of wind 

 stirred the air. The cold was intense, but that is a thing one has 

 to put up with, seeing that one hardly goes to the polar regions for 

 warmth. 



Next morning, while we were harnessing the dogs and pre- 

 paring to start, Bay in dragging his load a few yards forward was 

 unfortunate enough to slip on a drift. In doing this he strained 

 his knee so badly that he had to be carried on board, where he 

 kept his berth for several weeks. 



