236 Swedish North-Polar Expedition. 
masses, it is true as yet broken, but still so closely packed that 
not even a boat could pass forward, and we were therefore 
obliged to turn to the southwest and seek for another opening 
in the ice ; but we found, on the contrary, that the limit of 
the ice stretched itself more and more to the south the more 
we went to the west, so that, on the 23rd September, in the 
longitude of Greenwich, we were south of the parallel of 79° 
N. latitude. On the way we had in several places met with ice 
black with. stones, gravel, and earth, which would seem to in- 
dicate the existence of land still farther north. 
The ice itself had, moreover, a very different appearance 
from that which we had met in these tracts at the end of 
August. It consisted now, not only of larger ice-fields, but 
also of huge ice-blocks, so that it seems as if the former ice 
had drifted to the south, and given place to new ice-masses 
coming from the north. The temperature had now sunk to 8° or 
9° (centigr.) below the freezing point, and the ice, which in 
these parts had before been of tolerably loose texture, had 
now become so compact that any more violent collision with 
it was combined with no littledanger. Furthermore, the nights 
were now so dark, that it was necessary at that time to lay the 
ship to by the side of some large sheet of ice, at the hazard of 
finding ourseives blocked up there in the morning. Already, in 
the beginning of September, the surface of the ocean, after a 
somewhat heavy fall of snow, had shown itself, between the 
ice-masses, covered with a coating of ice, which, however, was 
then thin, and scarcely hindered the vessel’s progress. Now it 
was so thick that it was not without difficulty that a way 
could be forced through it. All things clearly indicated that 
the season of the year, during which it is possible to sail in 
these tracts, was nearly at an end, and as we intended to make 
yet another attempt to find a northern passage trom the Seven 
Isles, or seek a harbor for the winter, we determined to return 
though it appears, from Beechy’s description, that they them- 
selves happened to strike on the same shallow. 
‘After a few days’ rest, spent in inspecting the engine and 
taking in coal (the last remains of our store of coals had to be 
seached for under a thick covering of snow), and after having 
placed in the letter-box on the island in Kobbe Bay notices ot 
way 
our journey and our plans for the future, we steamed away — 
