336 NEW LAND. 



I received orders from Captain Sverdrup to walk to the "Fram," 

 whence I was to be driven back to the point, bringing with me a 

 tent and provisions for a few days. It was intended that I should 

 guard the walrus meat until the ice was strong enough for it to be 

 driven on board. At the lower part of Gaasefjord there was still 

 open water, and I had to walk via Hvalrosfjord, where the old ice 

 was lying, to right past Ytre Eide. I had quite an interesting 

 trip. First of all, there was some difficulty in getting out on to 

 the ice, as near land it was very weak, and it was also the spring 

 tides. At last, however, I succeeded in doing this without 

 mishap, and nothing of moment occurred until I had passed Indre 

 Eide. After this I had some more trouble with the ice ; it was 

 rather unsafe at the mouth of the fjord, on the east side of the 

 point. Here I went through for the first time, though I did little 

 more than wet my feet. But in scrambling out I made a noise 

 and put up a wolf, which was lying among the hummocks about 

 two hundred and fifty yards from me. I had no time to fire at it, 

 as my gun was unloaded and in its case, and, besides, I was busy 

 enough getting on to safe ice. 



' Near the headland, north of this bay, was a little rounded 

 cove, by which were lying two bearded seals (Phoca larbata). As 

 I had to go in that direction in any case, I tried to see how near 

 they would let me come before they took to the water. The first 

 was soon frightened, but the other did not begin to be alarmed 

 until I was about two hundred yards from it, and I thought it was 

 worth while to try giving it a shot. This I did, and the seal's 

 head fell to the ice, but as I had aimed at the body and not at the 

 head I thought in all likelihood it was not yet dead. I therefore 

 hastened to load again, and ran nearer. A little while afterwards 

 the seal came to life again, but only to be stunned by another 

 shot. Again I ran nearer, and was perhaps fifty yards from it 

 when it once more made signs of being about to dive, and I gave 

 it a third shot. By this time I had no more rifle cartridges left. 

 However, it had got so much that it could not stir, though it 

 moved its head about. I therefore ran towards it as quickly as I 

 could. While I was doing this I noticed that the ice became 

 weaker and weaker, but I saw that the seal was lying on an old 



