The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume IX, No. 4 [‎186r] (42/172)

THE FIRST CROSSING OF SPITSBERGEN.
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brought us off Cape Weyprecht, towards which we steamed in hopes to
get into Unicorn bay and through Heley’s sound. But it was not to be.
The bay was full of ice, and Heley’s sound was unapproachable. Be-
turning along the edge of the pack, which stretched far out into Olga
sea from Barents and Edges Land, we rounded its north point, and
then followed along it to the south-east. An ice-blink rising before us
extended ever more to the east as we advanced, and finally filled the
whole horizon ahead.
The high land of Wiche’s Land rose above the horizon, and became
more and more definite as we neared it. The pack stretched across to
it, and we were strongly drawn to make the land, which no geologist
has ever investigated. But neither was this to be. The ice-master
refused to linger in these waters in such a tin kettle of a boat under
existing conditions, when the ice-pack was, as we had occasion to
observe, coming up from the south and would soon be at Cape Torell,
where a walrus sloop that we hailed had found it only three days before.
All we could do, therefore, was to stay long enough to sketch the outline
of the land, and observe the sheet of hyperite that covers its top, and
makes a nodding cap to its bold north cape.
The run back to Yerlegen Hook presented no new features, save
in fresh combinations of clouds, snow-brooms, and barren hills. We
rounded the point through drift-ice, and then turned south to ex
plore Wijde bay, again chiefly for the sake of beholding the moun
tains said to border it. Here we were not to be disappointed.
The scenery of Wijde bay is superb. Its level-topped east side,
crowned with the edge of the ice-sheet, is broken at three points,
where great glaciers descend to the bay between splendid walls of
rock. The west coast is lined by a row of mountains, some of grand
form, and all together forming an impressive assemblage. A series
of deep valleys cut back between them and lead many miles into the
interior. The shores at the north end of the bay were buried under
snow, and had an exceedingly desolate and arctic appearance, but a
little further in a great change of climate became manifest. 1 he snow
line rose to 1000 feet above sea-level; boggy valleys took the place of
snow-flats, and such glaciers as there were all descended from high
catchment areas of snow.
Having reached Cape Petermann, we made for the west shore of the
west fjord, where I landed my companions, and proceeded on alone to
the head of the fjord, to see whether it was worth while to land there
and make a dash for Dickson’s bay and back. The low clouds, however,
would have rendered this a valueless exploit, for surveying would have
been impossible; so, after sketching and photographing the mountains,
I returned for the others, and we steamed back to the north. So strong
a south wind (doubtless local) had been blowing for the last two days
wherever we were, that we thought it likely Andree might decide to