THE FOURTH WIXTER AND SPRING. 369 



It consisted of low, rounded ridges, with such flat and roomy 

 valleys in between that at first we took it to be a group of 

 islands. It seemed so near that we thought we should be able to 

 reach it in four or five hours, and we straightway took a line for 

 the part of it which was farthest off. Advance was certainly 

 difficult ; but, all the same, we managed to make sixteen or seven- 

 teen miles. Nevertheless the cape still kept at a distance, and, 

 when we camped in the evening, was to all appearance equally 

 remote. 



Next day we made up our minds that we would reach the cape. 

 We started before half-past six and went as hard as we could 

 drive. Each time that, through the mist or driving snow, we 

 caught a glimpse of land, it appeared to be as far off as ever. 

 Still, we reached it by evening, looked about a little to find 

 shelter from the raging snowstorm, and took refuge at last inside a 

 chain of pressure-ridges, of which several must have measured 

 their fifty feet. 



Here the country was so difficult to make one's way in that, 

 as the gale was equally rough next morning, Wednesday, May 7, 

 and the air so thick one could cut it with a knife, we thought it 

 best to remain where we were. Towards noon next day it cleared 

 so far that we were able to take a meridian altitude, and go ashore 

 to look about us a little. Along the shore, especially out by all 

 the points, stood great pressure-ridges, like fortifications trying to 

 cut off our way ; though in truth there was little enough that 

 required defending in there stone and grit in masses, but hardly 

 a sign of vegetation. 



We could not expect to find big game for the first fortnight, 

 and our dogs were in such a deplorable condition that we dared 

 not do otherwise than turn back. In the afternoon I went up a 

 height to the north of us, while Schei took some observations. I 

 had a fine view in all directions, and saw that the land we were 

 lying by was an island, separated by a narrow sound from the 

 land in the east, which I also suspected to be an island. On the 

 whole, I think to this day that a number of the countries there in 

 the west are islands. From a point, about three miles north of 

 the camp, the land turned to the north-east, while in a westerly 

 VOL. n. 2 B 



