| [00:02.48] |
September 24, we turned out early and set off with the determination to reach land that day. |
| [00:08.57] |
This time, too, we were not disappointed. |
| [00:10.55] |
We pushed on fast, as the gradient was often tolerably steep and gave us much help. |
| [00:15.81] |
The wind was fair, too, the ice easy, and everything promising. |
| [00:19.19] |
Some way down a reconnaissance proved necessary, as the ice here got rather rougher. |
| [00:24.28] |
I went on in front and soon found myself upon the brow of an ice-slope which overlooked a beautiful mountain tarn, |
| [00:30.54] |
the surface of which was covered with a sheet of ice. |
| [00:33.88] |
Beyond was a gorge through which a river from the tam ran downwards , |
| [00:37.44] |
while to the right the great glacier sloped evenly down to its end moraine, |
| [00:41.53] |
and would have formed the most magnificent coasting-hill imaginable, |
| [00:44.41] |
but for the stones that lay scattered over its surface. |
| [00:47.92] |
Here was an easy descent for us, and no obstacles to separate us from our goal. |
| [00:53.17] |
I soon had the whole party by me , and we stood enjoying the sight of, the land below. |
| [00:57.62] |
After I had taken a couple of photographs, we set Off down the last ice-slope. |
| [01:01.65] |
It was steep it was steeper perhaps than any we had run down before， |
| [01:05.66] |
and we had to use our brakes ; |
| [01:07.76] |
but the sledges went gaily , and soon we were safe and well upon the frozen tarn below the glacier , |
| [01:12.51] |
with the “ Inland ice ” for ever left behind. |
| [01:16.40] |
We now pushed across the tarn towards the river on the Other side. |
| [01:19.90] |
The ice was not everywhere quite safe ,but by moving carefully we reached the rocks beyond without mishap, |
| [01:24.99] |
took of the “ crampons ” which we had been using the last few days, |
| [01:28.06] |
and like schoolboys released, ran wildly about the shore. |
| [01:31.26] |
Words cannot describe what it was for us only to have the earth and stones again beneath our feet, |
| [01:36.16] |
or the thrill that went through us as we felt the elastic heather on which we trod, |
| [01:39.72] |
and smelt the fragrant scent Of grass and moss. |
| [01:43.00] |
Behind us lay the “ Inland ice, ” its cold , grey slope sinking slowly towards the lake ; |
| [01:48.28] |
before lay the genial land. |
| [01:51.26] |
Away down the valley we could see headland beyond headland, |
| [01:54.09] |
covering and overlapping each Other as far as the eye could reach. |
| [01:57.28] |
Here lay our course ， the way down to the fjord. |
| [02:00.19] |
I’ll return. |
| [02:04.93] |
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