only remained. This we deposited at our camp;
fresh meat would furnish a welcome change on our return. During the
following days we had stormy weather and thick snow flurries, so that
we could see nothing of the surrounding country. We observed, however,
that we were descending rapidly. For a moment, when the weather
improved for a short time, we saw high mountains directly to the east.
During the heavy snow squall on November 28th we passed two peculiarly
shaped mountains lying in a north-south direction; they were the only
ones that we could see on our right hand. These "Helland-Hansen
Mountains" were entirely covered by snow and had an altitude of 9,200
feet. Later they served as an excellent landmark for us.

On the next day the clouds parted and the sun burst forth. It seemed to
us as if we had been transferred to a totally new country. In the
direction of our advance rose a large glacier, and to the east of it
lay a mountain range running from southeast to northwest. Toward the
west, impenetrable fog lay over the glacier and obscured even our
immediate surroundings. A measurement by hypsometer gave 8,200 feet for
the point lying at the foot of this, the "Devil's Glacier." We had
therefore descended 2,600 feet since leaving the "Slaughter House."
This was not an agreeable discovery, as we, no doubt, would have to
ascend as much again, if not more. We left provisions here for six days
and continued our march.

From the camp of that night we had a superb view of the eastern
mountain range. Belonging to it we saw a mountain of more wonderful
form than I have ever seen before. The altitude of the mountain was
12,300 feet; its peaks roundabout were covered by a glacier. It looked
as if Nature, in a fit of anger, had dropped sharp cornered ice blocks
on the mountain. This mountain was christened "Helmer-Hansen Mountain,"
and became our best point of reference. There we saw also the "Oscar
Wisting Mountains," the "Olav Bjaaland Mountains," the "Sverre Hassel
Mountains," which, dark and red, glittered in the rays of the midnight
sun and reflected a white and blue light. In the distance the mountains
seen before loomed up romantically; they looked very high when one saw
them through the thick clouds and masses of fog which passed over them
from time to time and occasionally allowed us to catch glimpses of
their mighty peaks and their broken glaciers. For the first time we saw
the "Thorvald Nilsen Mountain," which has a hei