386 NEW LAND. 



in the morning outside Blaamanden. As far as it was possible 

 we now took observations at every stopping-place southward. 



The wind was raging outside the promontory, and there was 

 little comfort to be got out of standing there handling instruments 

 for longitude and azimuth observations southward, and northward 

 to Smorgrautberget ; still less pleasant was it to turn out at mid- 

 day to get a meridian altitude. Farther south we kept close 

 under the east shore, only a few yards from the crack, as Schei 

 was anxious to see something more of the great plains which 

 began here, just east of Blaamanden, where the coast trended 

 about due east. Blaamanden itself is of some height, but it 

 falls abruptly away towards the east, and has very much the 

 appearance of a gigantic up-standing rock continuing northward 

 in the shape of a narrow border of mountains. 



In many places up on the precipices were animals grazing; 

 sometimes in herds, large or small, though now and then we saw 

 a solitary old ox or several oxen which had joined company. 

 Once we observed four oxen together, which eyed us unperturbed 

 as we drove quickly past. But we had meat enough now, and 

 had no reason for disturbing their pastoral peace. 



In the small hours of the morning we camped in a river- valley, 

 which cut straight through the level country. On the plain just 

 above us a polar herd of twenty head was grazing, and Schei, who 

 went some hours' walk inland, saw these same animals almost 

 wherever he went. I dared not go far from camp, as the dogs 

 would be sure to go off hunting on tlieir own account if they 

 winded game. 



In the evening we went on southward, alongside the land in 

 rather heavy snow, and camped next day due north of Maiodden, 

 where we took a series of observations. We had had good weather 

 on the whole since our Seventeenth of May camp, and no snow 

 had fallen; the last few days had been even brilliantly fine. 

 During the daytime the dogs had actually found the warmth too 

 much for them ; they puffed and panted, and their tongues hung 

 far out of their mouths. 



Next day we made a short halt at our old camping-ground, a 

 little way north of Maiodden. Schei, as usual, began to rummage 

 about, this time not among rocks or Eskimo ruins, but on the 



