ch, xxxix] The Parry A rchiftelago — Sverdrup 349 
of Sir Edward Belcher, who made a journey in 1853 along 
the north coast of Grinnell Peninsula, from the winter 
quarters of the Assistance in Northumberland Inlet. 
The coast of North Devon turns north, forming the Colin 
Archer Peninsula, followed by North Kent Island with 
Cardigan Strait on the North Devon side, and what 
Sverdrup called Hell Gate on the Ellesmere Island side. 
Both these straits lead north and south. 
The Fram entered Cardigan Strait and reached the 
north end against a strong current. She was ultimately 
drifted out of the strait, and excellent winter quarters 
were found near Hell Gate on the north side of Jones 
Sound, a long narrow inlet free of ice which was named 
Gaasefjord. Around it there were grassy stretches 
with small tarns and a lake three miles long, and the 
country abounded in game. The third winter passed 
with all in good health. As many as 20 walrus and 18 
musk oxen had been obtained. 
The travellers started on the 1st April to continue 
their very important discoveries. This time Sverdrup 
had Schei the geologist with him as a companion, while 
Isachsen again took Hassel. Sverdrup discovered the 
whole west coast of Ellesmere Island to within a short 
distance of Aldrich's furthest on the north coast, naming 
the north-west point Lands Lowk. He also discovered 
the whole east coast of Axel Heiberg Island, and the 
northern point facing the Polar Sea was named Svarte- 
vaeg. The channel between these two points was named 
after Fridtjof Nansen. Isachsen explored Ellef Ringnes 
and Asmund Ringnes Islands, as well as the west coast 
of Axel Heiberg Island. 
The travelling parties returned in June, but the ice 
blocked up the Gaasefjord and the Fram was far up. 
A few months hard work blasting and cutting enabled 
them to get the ship several miles nearer the water, 
but six miles still remained when they realised that their 
work was in vain. The boats were accordingly sent away 
for walrus meat, and a fourth winter had to be faced. 
When the spring once more returned, Captain Sverdrup 
decided upon sending a party down Wellington Channel 
to examine the state of the depots at Beechey Island. 
They found the house in ruins, old Sir John Ross's 
