LAND AT LAST 325 



end. I feel very much better to-day, however, and it is 

 to be hoped shall soon be all right. 



" Thursday, August ist. Ice with more obstacles 

 than here — is it to be found, I wonder .f* But we are 

 working slowly on, and, that being the case, we ought, 

 perhaps, to be satisfied. We have also had a change — a 

 brilliantly fine day ; but it seems to me the south wind 

 we have had, and which opened the lanes, has put us a 

 good way farther off land again. We have also drifted 

 a long distance to the east, and no longer see the most 

 westerly land with the black rocks, which we remarked 

 at first. It would seem g,s if the Ross's gulls keep to 

 land here ; we see them daily. 



" One thing, however, I am rejoicing over; my back 

 is almost well, so that I shall not delay our progress any 

 more. I have some idea now what it would be like if 

 one of us became seriously ill. Our fate would then be 

 sealed, I think. 



" Friday, August 2d. It seems as if everything con- 

 spired to delay us, and that we shall never get away from 

 this drift-ice. My back is well again now; the ice was 

 more passable yesterday than before, so that we nearly 

 made a good day's march ; but in return wind and cur- 

 rent set us from shore, and we are farther away again. 

 Ao^ainst these two enemies all fisfhtino- is in vain, I am 

 afraid. We have drifted far off to the southeast, have 

 got the north point of the land about due west of us, and 

 we are now in about 81° 36' N. My only hope now is 



