232 FARTHEST NORTH 



" While we were making our way during the morning 

 between some lanes I suddenly saw a black object come 

 rushing through the air; it was a black guillemot {Uria 

 grylle), and it circled round us several times. Not long 

 afterwards I heard a curious noise in a southwesterly 

 direction — something like the sound made by a goat's 

 horn when blown on ; I heard it many times, and 

 Johansen also remarked it, but I could not make out 

 what it was. An animal, at all events, it must be, as 

 human beings are hardly likely to be near us here.* A 

 little while later a fulmar came sailing towards us, and flew 

 round and round just over our heads. I got out my gun, 

 but before I had a cartridge in the bird had gone again. 

 It is beo:innin2: to s^row livelv here ; it is cheerincf to see 

 so much life, and gives one the feeling that one is ap- 

 proaching land and kindlier regions. Later on I saw a 

 seal on the ice ; it was a little ringed seal, which it would 

 have been a satisfaction to capture ; but before I had quite 

 made out which it was it had disappeared into the water. 



" At lo o'clock we had dinner, which we shall no 

 longer eat in the bag, in order to save time. We have 

 also decided to shorten our marches to eight hours or so 

 in the day on account of the dogs. At 1 1 o'clock, after 

 dinner, we started off again, and at three stopped and 

 camped. I should imagine we went 7 miles yesterday, 

 or let me say between 12 and 15 during the last two 



* It was undoubtedly from seals, which often utter a sound like a 

 protracted " ho !" 



