GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



with the real characteristics of a glacier constantly increasing 

 in thickness, it passes Cape Buttress on the inner side. No 

 fissures were apparent, wherefore this ice-stream, which runs 

 out between two beautiful mountain tracts, would present a 

 convenient point of ascent on to the inland-ice itself if one did 

 not run the risk of finding clefts further inland. At any rate, 

 both Peary and Astrup mention that on the main glacier inside 

 Sherard Osborne Fjord they often had to take an inland course 

 to get inside the many broad and deep clefts which blocked 

 their way. 



The discovery of this far-reaching tongue of the glacier 

 reduces the extent of Sherard Osborne Fjord to a bare third of 

 what previously it was supposed to be, and at the same time it 

 gives an explanation of the belts of pressure-ice which a few 

 days ago we saw at the height of Cape Gray. This ice-stream, 

 then, is in constant, even movement outward, and thus exerts 

 a pressure on the old Polar-ice, so that the ridges arise in places 

 where otherwise one would not expect to find any movement. 



To the south-west of Cape Buttress a fjord cuts in, sur- 

 rounded by a great lowland ending in a high cape on the western 

 bank. This fjord, with its surrounding land buried in deep 

 snow, we christened " Ski Cove." 



When we had completed our survey we turned homeward, 

 and it soon became apparent that Koch, who during these last 

 few days had not been well, was much more ill than I had sus- 

 pected. A few times before we reached our tent he had to lie 

 down on the ice to avoid fainting, and I am sure it was with the 

 utmost effort that he succeeded in accomplishing the journey, 

 which even for a healthy man is very tiring, as we had con- 

 tinually to toil through the deep snow, which was so soft and 

 fine that neither skis nor snowshoes would carry one. 



May 2Mh. — Whereas the weather was clear with almost a 

 dead calm at the head of the bay where we had been, at the 

 mouth of the fjord there had been strong showers of driving 

 snow during the last few days. The ice was therefore partly 

 blown away, and although the dogs during the last couple of 

 days had to live on their four killed comrades, we had no great 

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