[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]