228 NEW LAND. 



which had fallen during the course of the day, and beneath 

 it the ice was clear and shining. The dogs could hardly get a 

 purchase on it ; they scraped and clawed themselves along as best 

 they could, but we wont no pace that day. 



We pitched the tent at a point about a mile from the head of 

 the fjord. A large valley extended in a north-westerly direction 

 between high wild mountains ; another ran north-west, and, as far 

 as we could see, led up towards the large plains due north. From 

 both these valleys a large stretch of sand jutted out towards the 

 fjord. We christened it ' Whitsunfjord ' * on account of the 

 day. 



We made haste to put the camp to rights, cooked some food, 

 and then went ashore on an excursion that is to say, Schei did. 

 I had my eye on a big seal which was lying on the ice, some way 

 up the fjord, and meant to have it if possible. I equipped myself 

 with a stalking-sail, and we walked together till we were abreast 

 the seal, when Schei turned off up one of the valleys and I began 

 the stalk. I took my time about it, as there was no reason for 

 hurrying, and in the end came within capital range. The seal never 

 moved from the spot. 



But what sort of a seal it was I could not make out. It was 

 so large that all the time I had thought it to be a bearded seal, but 

 that it certainly was not. It looked like a harbour seal, but such 

 a gigantic ' snadd ' I had never seen before or since, and to this 

 day I am not certain of what particular kind it was. 



But, whatever it may have been, there was no doubt that it 

 was a solid bit of dog-food ! I put a rope-end through its snout, 

 rolled up the stalking-sail, and started for camp. I did not get 

 along as quickly as I expected, however. Although the snow 

 was hard and there were long stretches of bright ice with only 

 an inch of loose snow on them, it was as much as I could do 

 to drag the seal along. Towing this craft back to camp was not 

 exactly a Sabbath Day's work, but I got it there in time. Then I 

 skinned it and crammed the dogs with the blubber and meat, 

 and also saved a goodly portion for them to eat during the night. 



I had hardly finished doing this when Schei came back. The 



* So given by the author. 



