250 FARTHEST NORTH 



and full of brash, which rendered it impossible to use 

 the kayaks. In some places, however, the brash was 

 pressed so tightly together that we could walk on it. 

 But many journeys to and fro are nearly always nec- 

 essary before any reasonable opportunity of advance is 

 to be found. This time is often long to the one who 

 remains behind with the dogs, being blown through or 

 wetted through meanwhile, as the case may be. Often, 

 when it seemed as if I were never coming back, did 

 Johansen think I had fallen through some lane and was 

 sone for o-ood. As one sits there on the kavak, 

 waiting: and waitino-, and crazinQ^ in front of one into 

 solitude, many strange thoughts pass through one's 

 brain. Several times he climbed the highest hummock 

 near at hand to scan the ice anxiously ; and then, when 

 at last he discovered a little black speck moving about 

 on the white flat surface far, far away, his mind would 

 be relieved. As Johansen was waiting in this way yes- 

 terday, he remarked that the sides of the floe in front 

 of him were slowly moving up and down,* as they might 

 if rocked by a slight swell. Can open water be near.f' 

 Can it be that the great breakers from the sea have pene- 

 trated in here ? How willino-ly would we believe it I But 

 perhaps it was only the wind which set the thin ice we 

 are now travellino- over in wave-like motion. Or have we 

 really open water to the southeast .^ It is remarkable that 



* It was probably pressure of the floes against each other which caused 

 this movement. We noticed the same motion several times later. 



