460 FARTHEST NORTH 



Peter says that Juell should begin to bore, while Juell 

 maintains that Peter ought to cut the 4 feet first. This 

 evening it ended in Juell incautiously offering 10 kroner 

 to any one who would bore. Bentzen took him at his 

 word, and immediately set to work at it with Amundsen ; 

 he thought one did not always have the chance of earn- 

 ing 10 kroner so easily. Amundsen offered him a kroner 

 an hour, or else payment per foot; and time payment was 

 finally agreed to. They worked till late on into the 

 night, and when they had got down 12 feet the borer 

 slipped a little way, and water rose in the hole, but this 

 did not come to much, and presently the borer struck on 

 ice again. They went on for some time, but now the 

 borer would reach no farther, and Peter had to be called 

 up to cut his four feet. He and Amundsen worked away 

 at cutting till they were dripping with perspiration. 

 Amundsen, as usual, was very eager, and vowed he would 

 not give in till he had got through it, even if it were 30 

 feet thick. Meanwhile Bentzen had turned in, but a mes- 

 sa2:e was sent to him to sav that the hole was cut, and 

 that boring could now begin again. When it was only an 

 inch or an inch and a half short of 20 feet the borer 

 slijDped through, and the water spurted up and filled the 

 hole. They now sank a lead-line down it, and at 30 feet 

 it again brought up against ice. Now they were obliged 

 to give it up. A fine lump of ice w^e are lying on ! Not 

 taking into account a large, loose ice-floe that is lying- 

 packed up on the ice, it is 16 inches above the water; and 



