In a comparatively short time we reached the ledge in the glacier that we had noticed a long way off; it was not quite flat, but sloped slightly towards the edge.  When we came to the place to which Hanssen and Bjaaland had carried their reconnaissance on the previous evening, we had a very fine prospect of the further course of the glacier.  To continue along it was an impossibility; it consisted here —­ between the two vast mountains —­ of nothing but crevasse after crevasse, so huge and ugly that we were forced to conclude that our further advance that way was barred.  Over by Fridtjof Nansen we could not go; this mountain here rose perpendicularly, in parts quite bare, and formed with the glacier a surface so wild and cut up that all thoughts of crossing the ice-field in that direction had to be instantly abandoned.  Our only chance lay in the direction of Don Pedro Christophersen; here, so far as we could see, the connection of the glacier and the land offered possibilities of further progress.  Without interruption the glacier was merged in the snow-clad mountain-side, which rose rapidly towards the partially bare summit.  Our view, however, did not extend very far.  The first part of the mountain-side was soon bounded by a lofty ridge running east and west, in which we could see huge gaps here and there.  From the place where we were standing, we had the impression that we should be able to continue our course up there under the ridge between these gaps, and thus come out beyond the disturbed tract of glacier.  We might possibly succeed in this, but we could not be certain until we were up on the ridge itself.

We took a little rest —­ it was not a long one —­ and then started.  We were impatient to see whether we could get forward up above.  There could be no question of reaching the height without double teams; first we had to get Hanssen’s and Wisting’s sledges up, and then the two others.  We were not particularly keen on thus covering the ground twice, but the conditions made it imperative.  We should have been pleased just then if we had known that this was to be the last ascent that would require double teams; but we did not know this, and it was more than any of us dared to hope.  The same hard work, and the same trouble to keep the dogs at an even pace, and then we were up under the ridge amongst the open chasms.  To go farther without a careful examination of the ground was not to be thought of.  Doubtless, our day’s march had not been a particularly long one, but the piece we had covered had indeed been fatiguing enough.  We therefore camped, and set our tent at an altitude of 5,650 feet above the sea.