TOWARDS THE SOUTH ! TOWARDS THE SOUTH ! 227 



for I had to look after both the sun and the 'Primus,' so that 

 neither should escape me. 



When everything was well over, and we had put away a 

 respectable quantity of chocolate and biscuits, we went on south, 

 and in the evening turned into a sheltered bay at the south end of 

 the island. Here there was much to be done ; bearings and 

 observations to be taken, angles to be set off, and the formation 

 examined. 



While we were engaged on our tasks, we saw many ruins of 

 former structures. The Eskimo, it appeared, had lived snugly in 

 this pretty little bay, which was so conveniently situated for their 

 catches, and well sheltered from wind and weather. A network 

 of intersecting bear-tracks was on the ice, up on land the hares 

 were hopping among the stones, and from the ridges we heard the 

 calling of the ptarmigan cocks. 



We had a little feast that evening, for it was Whitsun Eve; but 

 afterwards Schei had to go up to the high ground again, as he had 

 found some fossils among the rocks which he absolutely must 

 have. To sit alone in the tent on such a glorious Whitsun Eve I 

 could not. One's thoughts are not always of the cheerfulest on 

 such anniversaries, so I walked up to the ruins, and dug as if I 

 meant to go through the crust of the earth, but of articles of native 

 workmanship I found not one. 



It was really dreadful the time Schei remained away that day. 

 To cultivate science is very proper, but one may have enough of a 

 good thing. Oh, there he was, far away, coming down the hillside ; 

 but with what a load ! Gun, hammers, chisels, a brace of hares, 

 and a wallet crammed full of stones ! On with the coffee-kettle ! 

 It was Whitsun Eve, and his walk had been a long one. 



On the other side of the sound a fjord cut into the land, in a 

 north-westerly direction. This we must explore a little the next 

 day. 



On Whit Sunday morning, May 26, we accordingly drove into 

 it. There was a southerly breeze, with snowfall, and the weather 

 was so thick that we could hardly see each other. The fjord was 

 narrow, with almost perpendicular cliffs. It looked as if it knew 

 how to blow here. No snow was on the ice, except the little 



VOL. II. Q 2 



