BY SLEDGE AND KAYAK 291 



rose in it with alarming rapidity. The cooker, which was 

 on the deck, fell off, and drifted gayly away before the 

 wind with all its valuable contents, borne high up in the 

 water by the aluminium cap, which happily was water- 

 tight. The ' ski ' fell off and floated about, and the fleet 

 sank deeper and deeper in. Meanwhile I stood holding 

 our precious prize, not daring to let go. The whole 

 thing was a scene of the most complete dissolution. 

 Johansen's kayak had by this time heeled over to such 

 an extent that the water reached the open seam on the 

 deck, and the craft filled immediately. I had no choice 

 left but to let go the seal and drag up the kayak be- 

 fore it sank. This done, heavy as it was and full of 

 water, the seal's turn came next, and this was much 

 worse. We had our work cut out to haul the immense 

 animal hand over hand up on to the ice; but our rejoic- 

 ings were loud when we at last succeeded, and we al- 

 most fell to dancing round it in the excess of our de- 

 light. A water-logged kayak and soaked effects we 

 thought nothing of at such a supreme moment. Here 

 were food and fuel for a long time. 



" Then came the rescuing and drying of our things. 

 First and foremost, of course, the ammunition ; it was 

 all our stock. But happily the cartridges were fairly 

 water-tight, and had not suffered much damage. Even 

 the shot cartridges, the cases of which were of paper, 

 had not lain long enough to become wholly permeated. 

 Such, however, was not the case with a suppl)' of powder ; 



