2o8 FARTHEST NORTH 



north latitude, or about 14 miles from what is marked as 

 the mainland on Nordenskiold's or Bove's map. It was 

 hardly to be expected that these should be correct, as the 

 weather seems to have been foggy the whole time the 

 explorers were here. 



Nor were we successful in finding Hovgaard's Isl- 

 ands as we sailed north. When I supposed that we 

 were off them, just on the north side of the entrance to 

 Taimur Strait, I saw, to my surprise, a high mountain 

 almost directly north of us, which seemed as if it must 

 be on the mainland. What could be the explanation of 

 this } I began to have a growing suspicion that this was 

 a regular labyrinth of islands we had got into. We were 

 hoping to investigate and clear up the matter when 

 thick weather, with sleet and rain, most inconveniently 

 came on, and we had to leave this problem for the future 

 to solve. 



The mist was thick, and soon the darkness of nisfht 

 was added to it, so that we could not see land at any 

 great distance. It might seem rather risky to push ahead 

 now, but it was an opportunity not to be lost. We 

 slackened speed a little, and kept on along the coast all 

 night, in readiness to turn as soon as land was observed 

 ahead. Satisfied that thino^s were in crood hands, as it 

 was Sverdrup's watch, I lay down in my berth with a 

 lighter mind than I had had for lonor. 



At 6 o'clock next morning (September 7th) Sverdrup 

 roused me with the information that we had passed 



