124 FARTHEST NORTH 



must have been quantities. We, however, did not see 

 any. 



From the tops of the ridges we could see over the 

 Kara Sea to the northeast. Everywhere ice could be 

 descried through the telescope, far on the horizon — ice, 

 too, that seemed tolerably close and massive. But be- 

 tween it and the coast there was open water, stretching, 

 like a wide channel, as far as the eye could reach to the 

 southeast. This was all we could make out, but it was 

 in reality all we wanted. There seemed to be no doubt 

 that we could make our way forward, and, well satisfied, 

 wc returned to our boat. Here we lighted a fire of drift- 

 wood, and made some glorious coffee. 



As the coffee-kettle was singing over a splendid fire, 

 and we stretched ourselves at full length on the slope by 

 its side and smoked a quiet pipe, Sverdrup made himself 

 thoroughly comfortable, and told us one story after 

 another. However gloomy a country might look, how- 

 ever desolate, if only there were plenty of driftwood on 

 the beach, so that one could make a right good fire, the 

 bigger the better, then his eyes would glisten with de- 

 light — that land was his El Dorado. So from that time 

 forth he conceived a high opinion of the Siberian coast 

 — a right good place for wintering, he called it. 



On our way back we ran at full speed on to a sunken 

 rock. After a bump or two the boat slid over it; but 

 just as she was slipping off on the other side the pro- 

 peller struck on the rock, so that the stern gave a 



