CHAPTER V 

 VOYAGE THROUGH THE KARA SEA 



It was well into the night, after Christofersen and 

 Trontheim had left us, before we could get away. The 

 channel was too dangerous for us to risk it in the thick 

 fog. But it cleared a little, and the petroleum launch 

 was got ready ; I had determined to go on ahead with 

 it and take soundings. We started about midnight. 

 Hansen stood in the bow with the lead-line. First we 

 bore over towards the point of Vaigats to the north- 

 west, as Palander directs, then on through the strait, 

 keeping to the Vaigats side. The fog was often so thick 

 that it was with difficulty we could catch a glimpse of 

 the Fj^ani, which followed close behind us, and on board 

 the Frani they could not see our boat. But so long 

 as we had enou2:h water, and so lonu; as we saw that 

 they were keeping to the right course behind us, we 

 went ahead. Soon the fog cleared again a' little. But 

 the depth was not quite satisfactory; we had been hav- 

 ing steadily \\ to 5 fathoms ; then it dropped to 4, and 

 then to 3.T. This was too little. We turned and sig- 

 nalled to the Fravi to stop. Then we held farther out 



