The party now met loose snow, and during the first day made only 9 miles; during the second day only 8 miles were covered. In the evening of the second day they fortunately killed a bear, and decided to camp for a day or two while the meat lasted, in the hope of the travelling and weather improving. On this and many other occasions the liver of the bear was offered to the dogs, but they will touch it only when excessively hungry. It has been a common belief that the bear’s liver is poisonous to both men and dogs, but Sverdrup has eaten it many times without feeling any disagreeable consequences. He never found it in the least unpalatable when care had been taken to remove the gall-bag as quickly as possible. The last of the bear-meat was consumed on the 7th April, and next day a fresh start was made. A high mountain in the west had been visible for some time, and Sverdrup formed the opinion that it was not part of Ellesmere Land. He thought that a sound probably passed north between Ellesmere Land and this new land, and later exploration proved that this opinion was correct. The high headland received the name of “Cape Sydvest,” or “Cape South-West.” Beyond the headland bare ice was met, and travelling became much faster. On 16th April, while Sverdrup was standing on a pressure-ridge scanning the country, he suddenly became aware that he was looking at land far away in the west. A new plan was at once formed: Isachsen with Hassel were to visit the new land in the west, while Sverdrup and Fosheim were to continue to the north along what was afterwards named “Axel Heiberg Land.” Isachsen decided to leave behind a small dépôt where he was to place a letter on his return. During the first day Sverdrup and Fosheim covered 18 miles. Next day they had strong wind and drift, and as a consequence went out of their course and found themselves far inland among some sand-hills, and all the time they had thought they were driving on the sea-ice. A little farther to the north they experienced very severe weather, and were compelled to remain at one camp five days. On the 2nd May they found themselves in latitude 80° 31½′, and the coast was trending due north. The tracks of reindeer were seen on several occasions, but not the animals themselves. There was now no extra food for the dogs, and it became evident that their strength was failing. The latitude of 80° 55′ was reached on 5th May, and here they decided to erect a cairn and then return. It is remarkable that along the whole of this coast Sverdrup saw nothing approaching to palæocrystic ice.