504 FARTHEST NORTH 



smooth shore -ice to the south. AUhoiigh the air was 

 thick and we could not see far, we felt convinced that by 

 going over the ice we should at last reach open water on 

 the south side of these islands among which we were. 

 Perhaps we might there find a shorter route to Spitz- 

 bereen. In the meantime mornino; was far advanced 

 (June 5th), and we pitched our camp, well pleased at 

 having got so far south.* 



As it was still so hazy the following day (Saturday, 

 June 6t]i) that we could not see any more of our sur- 

 roundings than before, and as there was a strong north 

 wind, which would be inconvenient in crossing the open 

 sea westward, we determined on going southward over 

 the shore-ice. We were once more able to use a sail on 

 our sledges, and we got on better than ever. We often 

 went along without any exertion ; we could stand on our 

 snow-shoes, each in front of our sledge, holding the steer- 

 ing-pole (a bamboo cane bound firmly to the stem of the 

 ka)'aks) and letting the wind carry us along. In the 

 ousts we often went alono- like feathers, at other times 

 we had to pull a little ourselves. We made good prog- 

 ress, and kept on until far into the night, as we wanted 

 to make as much use of the wind as possible. We 

 crossed right over the broad sound we had had in front 

 of us, and did not stop until we were able to pitch our 

 camp by an island on its southern side. 



* This was on the south side of Jackson's '• Cape Richthofen," the 

 most northerly point which Jackson had reached earlier the same spring. 



