NORDENSKJ OLD'S AND BERGGREN'S JOURNEY IX 1870. 21 



" The ice-hill was considerably farther off than we had supposed. 

 The walk to it was richly rewarded by an uncommonly extensive 

 view, which showed ns that the inland ire continued constantly to 

 rise towards the interior, so that the horizon towards the east, 

 north, and south, was terminated by an ice-border almost as smooth 

 as that of the ocean. A journey further (if one were in a condition 

 to employ weeks for the purpose — which want of time and pro- 

 visions rendered impossible to us) could, therefore, evidently furnish 

 no other information concerning the nature of the ice than that 

 which we had already obtained ; and even if want of provisions 

 had not obliged us to return, we should hardly have considered it 

 worth while to add a few days' marches to our journey. Our 

 turning-point was situated at a height of 2200 feet above the 

 level of the sea, and about 83' of longitude, or 30 miles west of 

 the extremity of the northern aim of Auleitsivik Fjord. On 

 departing from the spot where we had left our provisions and 

 sleeping-sack, we had, as we supposed, taken careful notice of the 

 situation : nevertheless, we were nearly obliged to abandon our 

 search as vain — an example which shows how extremely difficult, 

 without lofty signals, we find objects again on a slightly undu- 

 lating surface everywhere similar, like that formed by the inland 

 ice. When, after anxiously searching in every direction, we at 

 length found our resting-place, we ate our dinner with an excellent 

 appetite, made some further reductions in our load, and then set 

 off with all haste to the boat, which we reached late in the evening 

 of the 25th. 



" At a short distance from our turning-point we came to a copious, 

 deep, and broad river, flowing rapidly between its blue banks of 

 ice, which were here not discoloured by any gravel, and which 

 could not be crossed without a bridge. As it cut off our return, we 

 were, at hist, somewhat disconcerted : but we soon concluded that, 

 as on our journey out we had not passed any stream of such large 

 dimensions, it must, at no great distance, disappear under the ice. 

 We therefore proceeded along its banks in the direction of the 

 current, and, before long, a distant roar indicated that our con- 

 jecture was right. The whole immense mass of water here rushed 

 down a perpendicular cleft into the depths below. We observed 

 another smaller, but, nevertheless, very remarkable waterfall the 

 next day, while examining, after our mid-day rest, the neighbour 

 hood around us with a telescope. We saw, in fact, a pillar of 

 steam rising from the ice al some distance from our resting-place, 

 and, a^ tin' spot was not- far out of our way, we steered our course 

 by it. in the hope of meeting- judging from the height of the misty 



