314 NEW LAND. 



were like, and from the top of a mountain, Schei and I saw for 

 certain that the route we wanted to take was packed full of drift- 

 ice and totally impracticable. Westward, however, it appeared 

 as if the fjord-ice lay strong and thick as far as the eye could 

 see. 



Next day we set oif with the sledge to the inner part of the 

 fjord, first along the ice-foot, later down on the fjord-ice. We 

 hauled like heroes, often to our knees in the pools of water, and 

 with the sluices of heaven open above us. 



It was a pleasure to camp on tolerably dry shingle in the 

 evening, and to get rid of our wet clothing. It was not quite 

 such a pleasure, after our clothes had been lying outside all night, 

 to drag them on again in the cloudy weather next morning. We 

 stayed a day at the head of this fjord, ' Viksfjord,' as we had 

 observations to take, and the sun did not give audience before 

 July 29 or 30, when it condescended to peep out from the 

 curtains of cloud for a moment now and again. In the meanwhile 

 we explored a little of the interior of the country, and climbed 

 several of the highest points in the hope of getting a glimpse of 

 Wellington Channel, west of the land. But there were no peaks 

 which rose to sufficient height ; all were rounded ridges ; though, 

 judging from the air, it could not be far to it. A more barren 

 land none of us had seen before sand, grit, and stones wherever 

 we went ; not the sign of a plant was to be seen, not the track of 

 an animal. Our footgear was a sight to behold. The soles no 

 longer existed, and of leather for cobbling purposes we had very 

 little. 



On July 30 we went outwards again. There was less water 

 on the ice now, and our heavy loads rode splendidly on the steel 

 runners. We had meant to take an observation at noon, but just 

 as we were going ashore for a halt, the sun suddenly dipped 

 behind a bank of cloud. Consequently we did not get the 

 latitude ; but we drowned our sorrow in some cups of boiling-hot 

 milk. We enjoyed it amazingly, for possibly we were rather 

 chilled by our soaking clothes. Later in the evening we settled 

 down at our old camping-place on Baadodden, where the boat had 

 been left behind. 



