CHAPTER IV 

 January i to May 17, 1896 



New-year's-day came with fine, clear weather, moonlight, 

 and about 43 degrees of cold. The ice kept remarkably quiet 

 for about a month, but on February 4th the pressure com- 

 menced again. It was not of long duration, but made a great 

 noise while it lasted: the ice all round us roared and screamed 

 as if a tremendous gale were blowing. I took a walk on the 

 ice for the purpose, if possible, of observing the pressure more 

 closely, but could see nothing. The following day we again 

 sallied forth on the ice, and found a comparatively new channel 

 and a large new pressure-ridge about a mile from the ship. It 

 was impossible, however, to get any comprehensive view of the 

 state of the ice, as it was still too dark, even at midday. The 

 surface of the snow was hard and good, but the hollow edges of 

 the snow-drifts were so deceptive that we every now and then 

 tumbled head over heels. 



On February 7th Scott-Hansen, Henriksen, Amundsen, and 

 myself took a run northward from the ship. The farther north 

 we went the more broken and uneven the ice became, and at 

 last we had to turn, as we came to a new and wide lane. Dur- 

 ing the morning a dark bank of clouds had been gathering in 

 the southwest, and now the fog got so thick that it was not easy 

 to find our way back to the ship again. At last we heard the 

 voice of "Sussi," and from the top of a pressure-ridge which we 

 ascended we got sight of the crow's-nest and the main-topmast 

 of the Frajn, towering above the fog, only a little way off. Close 

 as we were to the ship, it was not so easy to get on board again. 

 We v/ere stopped by a large lane which had formed just abaft 



