After mooring here, the Chief and one or two others went on a reconnoitring tour; but it began to snow pretty thickly, and, as far as I am aware, nothing was accomplished beyond seeing that the Barrier at the southernmost end of the bay sloped evenly down to the sea-ice; but between the latter and the slope there was open water, so that they could not go any farther.  We lay all night drifting in the ice, which was constantly breaking up, and during this time several seals and penguins were shot.  Towards morning on the 14th it became quite clear, and we had a splendid view of the surroundings.  Right over on the eastern side of the bay it looked as if there was more open water; we therefore went along the fast ice-foot and moored off the eastern Barrier at about three in the afternoon.  The cape in the Barrier, under which we lay, was given the name of “Man’s Head,” on account of its resemblance to a human profile.  All the time we were going along the ice we were shooting seals, so that on arrival at our final moorings we already had a good supply of meat.

For my part I was rather unlucky on one of these hunts:  Four seals were lying on the ice-foot, and I jumped down with rifle and five cartridges; to take any cartridges in reserve did not occur to me, as, of course, I regarded myself as a mighty hunter, and thought that one shot per seal was quite enough.  The three first died without a groan; but the fourth took the alarm, and made off as fast as it could.  I fired my fourth cartridge, but it did not hit as it ought to have done, and the seal was in full flight, leaving a streak of blood behind it.  I was not anxious to let a wounded seal go, and as I had only one cartridge left, and the seal had its tail turned towards me, I wanted to come to close quarters to make sure of it.  I therefore ran as hard as I could, but the seal was quicker, and it determined the range.  After running half-way to the South Pole, I summoned my remaining strength and fired the last shot.  Whether the bullet went above or below, I have no idea.  All I know is, that on arriving on board I was met by scornful smiles and had to stand a good deal of chaff.

As already mentioned, we left Norway on August 9, 1910, and arrived at our final moorings on January 14, 1911, in the course of which time we had only called at Madeira.  The Barrier is 16,000 geographical miles from Norway, a distance which we took five months to cover.  From Madeira we had had 127 days in open sea, and therewith the first part of the voyage was brought to an end.

Off the Barrier.