THE FOURTH WINTER AND SPRING. 



365 



Farther west the ice near land was covered with stones and grit, 

 which would make an end of the German silver at once. We 

 therefore had to turn a good way out into the sound, and let the 

 sledges run into every mushroom we passed. 



The mountain we had to the north of us was, without doubt, the 

 highest in all the newly discovered lands. It was a colossal wall 

 of rock, which for long distances fell sheer into the sea, The wind 

 appeared .to enjoy itself under these great precipices, and found 

 there an unexceptionable playground. Grit and pebbles had been 



PRESSURE-RIDGE AT LANDS LOKK. 1902. 



swept several miles from land, and if we were to make any progress 

 at all, there was nothing for it but to keep a course half a mile 

 to a mile from land where, by way of return, our route was an un- 

 ceasing struggle with the old ice. Farther west things improved, 

 and at times we could drive almost under the crack. Now and 

 then Schei went ashore, and here also found some fossils. 



We now had some days with a particularly high temperature, 

 considering the time of year ; in the misty air under Blaafjeld the 

 thermometer read as much as 16 Fahr. (-9 Cent.), and at mid- 

 day there was sometimes thaw-water from the ice under the steep 

 walls of rock. 



