n8 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



easterly direction towards a cape named after Sherard 

 Osborne. From Cape Fligely it could be seen that the 

 open water was simply a " Polynia " surrounded by old 

 ice. Blue mountain-ranges were believed to be visible in 

 the distant north, and were named " King Oscar Land " 

 and " Petermann Land. 11 



After enclosing a brief account of the journey in a 

 bottle and depositing it in a cleft of rock, the return 

 journey was begun. Cape Schrotter was reached on the 

 evening of the 13th April. It was well for those left 

 there that nothing serious happened to Payer's party, for 

 although all the means of ascertaining their position had 

 been given to them, when asked what direction they 

 would have taken to return to the ship, they pointed 

 north-east up Rawlinson Sound ! 



Cape Schrotter was left on the 14th April, and the 

 party made for the Coburg Islands, in very bad weather. 

 Klotz's foot had become much worse, and all those who 

 had been left behind were more or less snow-blind. It 

 struck Payer as peculiar that the dogs did not suffer from 

 this affection, close as they were to the glare of the snow 

 and without any protection against it. Coburg Islands 

 were reached in the evening. Next day, after a severe 

 march, they got clear of the region of ice-hummocks, and 

 were able to use their sledge-sail. On the return journey 

 Payer ascended Cape Hellwald, 2200 feet, and Cape 

 Tyrol, 3000 feet, above sea-level. 



On the 19th April, south of Cape Tyrol, they came 

 on open water, and had to take to the coast of Wilczek 

 Land. The iceberg on which one of the depots had been 

 placed was afloat, and could not be reached. Their 

 provisions were now running short, and they were still 

 55 miles from the ship. During the next two days they 

 struggled on in terrible weather. Their last depot, 

 fortunately, was discovered, and also the remains of a bear 



