250 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



On the 31st March the returning party retraced their 

 steps. Sverdrup with three others proceeded westward. 

 At the parting a bottle of brandy was produced, but 

 somewhat to their astonishment they found it solid, and 

 it had to be poked from the bottle with a stick. The 

 temperature was 44° below zero. 



The party now met loose snow, and during the first 

 day made only 9 miles ; during the second day only 

 8 miles were covered. In the evening of the second day 

 they fortunately killed a bear, and decided to camp for a 

 day or two while the meat lasted, in the hope of the 

 travelling and weather improving. On this and many 

 other occasions the liver of the bear was offered to the 

 dogs, but they will touch it only when excessively hungry. 

 It has been a common belief that the bear's liver is 

 poisonous to both men and dogs, but Sverdrup has eaten 

 it many times without feeling any disagreeable conse- 

 quences. He never found it in the least unpalatable 

 when care had been taken to remove the gall-bag as 

 quickly as possible. The last of the bear-meat was 

 consumed on the 7th April, and next day a fresh start 

 was made. A high mountain in the west had been 

 visible for some time, and Sverdrup formed the opinion 

 that it was not part of Ellesmere Land. He thought 

 that a sound probably passed north between Ellesmere 

 Land and this new land, and later exploration proved 

 that this opinion was correct. The high headland 

 received the name of " Cape Sydvest," or " Cape South- 

 West." 



Beyond the headland bare ice was met, and travelling 

 became much faster. On 16th April, while Sverdrup 

 was standing on a pressure-ridge scanning the country, 

 he suddenly became aware that he was looking at land 

 far away in the west. A new plan was at once formed : 

 Isachsen with Hassel were to visit the new land in the 



