Chapter 2 - Gammelnok and the Arctic Circle

Up at the top pond, the animals had listened with interest and horror as the story unfolded.

Now they wanted more..

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I travelled north during the few daylight hours available in the winter part of the year.

After a few days, the weather changed and a strong wind developed followed by snow and ice blowing all around me. A virtual blizzard it was and I soon became disorientated. I found a little shelter behind a large rock and lay down to wait for the storm to pass.

Desperately hungry and totally lost I dug into my haversack, and lo and behold, true to my mother's words, I found a large sandwich which I ate, washed down with handfuls of snow. I soon felt great again but still had no idea where I was.

Everywhere I looked, the landscape was white with the occasional rock outcrop looming black against the sky.

I wish I had a compass to help me move in the right direction. Unconsciously I rummaged through my haversack hoping to find more food but instead I came across a large compass.

If I understood it right I was facing north north-west and several Norwegian miles from the Arctic Circle.

There was nothing for it, I had to keep moving just to keep warm and stop me from freezing like a block of ice.

As I walked, the black line on the compass moved steadily towards the centre where I was. I was certain that the next day I would cross the line and then hopefully find a settlement where I could stay until spring.

What a disappointment! I was on the line as indicated by my compass, but I could see no Arctic Circle. I scratched the snow and ice until I hit bare rock, but no Arctic Circle line anywhere.

I felt cheated but there was nothing for it, I had to keep moving.

Next time I checked my compass, the black line had dropped below the centre and I was obviously now in the Arctic proper.