2l6 FARTHEST NORTH 



they were whales, and, running to the sledge, had my 

 gun out in a second. Then came the adjusting of a 

 harpoon, and after a little work this was accomplished, 

 and I was ready to start in pursuit. Meanwhile the 

 animals had disappeared from the opening in the ice 

 where I had first seen them, though I heard their 

 breathing from some openings farther east. I followed 

 the lane in that direction, but did not come within 

 range, although I got rather near them once or twice. 

 They came up in comparatively small openings in the 

 ice, which were to be found along the whole length 

 of the lane. There was every prospect of being able 

 to get a shot at them if we stopped for a day to watch 

 the holes ; but we had no time to spare, and could not 

 have taken much with us had we got one, as the sledges 

 were heavy enough already. We soon found a passage 

 over, and continued our journey with the flags hoisted 

 on the sledges in honor of the day. As we were going 

 so slowly now that it was hardly possible for things to 

 be worse, I determined at our dinner-hour that I really 

 would take off the under-runners from my sledge. The 

 change was unmistakable ; it was not like the same 

 sledge. Henceforth we got on well, and after a while 

 the under-runners from Johansen's sledge were also re- 

 moved. As we furthermore came on some good ice 

 later in the day, our progress was quite unexpectedly 

 good, and when we stopped at half-past eleven yesterday 

 morning, I should think we had gone lo miles during 



