SPRING JOURNEYS, 1901. 159 



direction I meant to go ; but they moved off north-westward, and 

 were soon hidden behind the ridges. 



It was hard work making one's way to the top of the steep 

 hillside in such terribly loose snow. My ' ski ' sank right 

 through it and down to the sharp stones beneath, and as for 

 their gliding, it was out of the question. In one of the prettiest 

 parts of the south side of the valley a herd of polar oxen were 

 peacefully grazing ; it was the second herd we had seen that day. 

 In the end I succeeded in stamping ray way up to the top. 

 but there my cup was filled to overflowing, for a thick fog came 

 on! Grey and clammy it came pouring round me, rendering it 

 impossible to see anything, though I was just able to make out that 

 I was standing on a large plateau. I went northward a while in 

 hopes that the mist would lift, which it did to a certain extent, 

 but not sufficiently for me to form any idea of the lie of the 

 land. From the higher points on the plateau I could see a top 

 here and there, protruding above the sea of mist, but what there 

 was down in the valley below I knew no better than before, 

 and I eventually wended my way back to camp as wise as when 

 I set out. 



Fosheim returned very soon afterwards, having been no luckier 

 than myself. He had seen a herd of grazing oxen, eleven in 

 number, and countless tracks wherever he turned. In many 

 places the ground was trodden up just like the cattle-fold of a 

 ' sseter ' at home. 



There was nothing for it but to repeat our reconnaissances the 

 following day in clearer weather : Fosheiin up the fjord ; I up 

 the valley we were lying near. This valley ran almost west, 

 but two or three miles farther up it trended due north. I con- 

 tinued in a westerly direction, and climbed a fairly high top, 

 from which I expected a good view northward. I cannot say that 

 I had no view, for in point of fact I saw a long way to the north, 

 in the direction of the trend of the valley, but I was not higher 

 than the watershed, and was therefore unable to solve the all- 

 important question. To follow the valley northward in order 

 to find this out would take too long ; I therefore chose the 

 alternative of climbing a more westerly top. 



