324 FARTHEST NORTH 



now, and it has stopped raining, so we made some por- 

 ridge for breakfast and think of going on again ; but if it 

 should begin to rain again we must stop, as it will not do 

 to Q^et wet throuo^h when we have no chano-e of clothes. 

 It is anything but pleasant as it is to lie with wet legs 

 and feet that are like icicles, and not have a dry thread 

 to put on. Full-grown Rosss gulls were seen singly 

 four times to-day, and when Joliansen was out to fetch 

 water this morning he saw two.* 



"Wednesday, July 31st. The ice is as disintegrated and 

 impracticable as can well be conceived. The continual 

 friction and packing of the tioes against each other grind 

 up the ice so that the water is full of brash and small 

 pieces; to ferry over this in the kayaks is impossible, 

 and the search is long before we eventually find a 

 hazardous crossing. Sometimes we have to form one by 

 pushing small iloes together, or must ferry the sledges 

 over on a little floe. We spend much time and labor on 

 each single lane, and progress becomes slow in this way. 

 My back still painful, Johansen had to go ahead yesterday 

 also; and evening and morning he is obliged to take off 

 my boots and socks, for I am unable to do it myself. 

 He is touchingly unselfish, and takes care of me as if I 

 were a child; everything he thinks can ease me he does 

 quietly, without my knowing it. Poor fellow, he has to 

 work doubly hard now, and does not know how this will 



* We saw more and more of these remarkable birds the farther we 

 went. 



