LAND AT LAST 335 



near to open water. We did not even notice bears now. 

 There seemed to be plenty about, tracks, both old and 

 new, crossing and recrossing; one had even inspected 

 the tent while we were asleep, and by the fresh trail we 

 could see how it had come down wind in lee of us. We 

 had no use for a bear now ; we had food enough. We 

 were soon able to see the open water under the wall of 

 the glacier, and our steps lengthened even more. As I 

 was striding along I thought of the march of the Ten 

 Thousand through Asia, when Xenophon's soldiers, after 

 a year's war against superior forces, at last saw the sea 

 from a mountain and cried, ' Thalatta ! thalatta !' Maybe 

 this sea was just as welcome to us after our months in 

 the endless white drift-ice. 



" At last, at last, I stood by the edge of the ice. Be- 

 fore me lay the dark surface of the sea, with floating 

 white floes; far away the glacier wall rose abruptly from 

 the water; over the whole lay a sombre, foggy light. 

 Joy welled up in our hearts at this sight, and we could 

 not give it expression in words. Behind us lay all our 

 troubles, before us the waterway home. I waved my 

 hat to Johansen, who was a little way behind, and he 

 waved his in answer and shouted ' Hurrah !' Such an 

 event had to be celebrated in some way, and we did it 

 by having a piece of chocolate each. 



" While we were standing there looking at the water 

 the large head of a seal came up, and then disappeared 

 silently ; but soon more appeared. It is very reassuring 



