320 FARTHEST NORTH 



I thoLieHt them, until I was constrained to fetch the srlass. 

 No sooner had I fixed it on the black part than it struck 

 me at once that this must be land, and that not far off. 

 There was a large snow-field out of which black rocks 

 projected. It was not long before Johansen had the glass 

 to his eye, and convinced himself that we really had land 

 before us. We both of us naturally became in the high- 

 est spirits. I then saw a similar white arching outline 

 a little farther east; but it was for the most part covered 

 with white mist, from which it could hardly be distinguish- 

 ed, and, moreover, was continually changing form. It soon, 

 however, came out entirely, and was considerably larger 

 and higher than the former, but there was not a black 

 speck to be seen on it. So this was what land looked like, 

 now that we had come to it ! I had imagined it in many 

 forms, with high peaks and glittering glaciers, but never 

 like this. There was nothing kindly about this, but it 

 was indeed no less welcome ; and on the whole w-e could 

 not expect it to be otherwise than snow-covered, with all 

 the snow which falls here. 



" So then we pitched the tent and had a feast suited 

 to the occasion : lobscouse made of potatoes (for the last 

 time but one ; we had saved them long for this occasion), 

 pemmican, dried bear's and seal's fiesh, and bear tongues, 

 chopped up together. After this was a second course, 

 consistino^ of bread-crumbs fried in bear's q-rease, also 

 vril-food and butter, and a piece of chocolate to wind up." 



We thouoht this land so near that it could not pos- 



