434 NEW LAND. 



could, but the unfavourable condition of the ice had hindered them 

 very much. On the west side of Hvalrosfjord they had been 

 obliged to leave the boat, and had crossed the mountains to Indre 

 Eide, but when they did not find the ' Fram ' in its old place, they 

 at once thought of the bay by the ruins, and had thus arrived at 

 Ytre Eide about noon on August 4. They had hardly any food 

 left, but happily found the cache almost at once. At first they 

 could not see the vessel, as the rigging was against the land, and 

 they themselves were almost invisible, being in the shadow of the 

 high mountains at the point. They understood from the cache that 

 we were expecting them at Ytre Eide, and they had therefore 

 waited there. They had no anxiety on the score of food, but were 

 more troubled about house-room. Even at this time of year it is 

 cold at nights without a sleeping-bag, or extra clothing, and their 

 clothes and the whole of their baggage they had been obliged to 

 leave with the boat. There were stones in numbers scattered about 

 on the point, so that they had plenty of building materials, and 

 they therefore set to work at once to make caves, the largest to 

 hold two men, the others for one. Sleeping in them was a cool 

 pleasure, and every now and then they had to go out and walk 

 about to warm themselves. 



We made some chocolate, allowed them a dram and a pipe 

 of tobacco, and before long their spirits were at their highest. Our 

 supply of tobacco had diminished very much during these four 

 years, but we could manage a pipe for the dredgers, for it was many 

 a long day since they had had a smoke. It was not to be wondered 

 at that they had not cared to smoke moss, for it is horrible stuff. 



They brought us the most joyful news that, from the top of 

 ' Hvalroskap ' (Walrus Cape) they had seen beyond the edge of 

 the ice in Jones Sound, and had found open water the whole way 

 east of Bjorneborg. If only we could have an off-shore wind now, 

 for three or four hours ! It was all that was wanted to sweep away 

 the ice, which lay pressed up to the coast, and was shutting us in 

 Before we had finished our chocolate and tobacco, the ice had 

 drifted so far out that we could row straight across to the ' Frarn. 

 We went apace, for there were eight men in the boat, and by half- 

 past four we were on board. 



