Farewell to Norway. 123 



honest face beamed at the sight of the beautiful medal 

 and the bright ribbon. 



Next day, August 3rd, we were at last ready for a 

 start, and the 34 dogs were brought on board in the 

 afternoon, with great noise and confusion. They were all 

 tied up on the deck forward, and began by providing 

 more musical entertainment than we desired. By 

 evening the hour had come. We got up steam every- 

 thing was ready. But such a thick fog had set in that 

 we could not see the land. Now came the moment when 

 our last friend, Christofersen, w r as to leave the ship, 

 We supplied him with the barest sufficiency of pro- 

 visions and some Ringnes's ale. While this was 

 being done, last lines were added in feverish eager- 

 ness to the letters home. Then came a last hand- 

 clasp ; Christofersen and Trontheim got into the boat, 

 and had soon disappeared in the fog. With them went 

 our last post ; our last link with home w r as broken. 

 We were alone in the mist on the sea. It was not likely 

 that any message from us would reach the world before 

 we ourselves brought the news of our success or defeat. 

 How much anxiety were those at home to suffer between 

 now and then ? It is true we might possibly be able to 

 send letters home from the mouth of the Olenek, where, 

 according to the agreement with Baron Toll, we were to 

 call in for another supply of dogs ; but I did not consider 

 this probable. It was far on in the summer, and I had 

 an instinctive feeling that the state of the ice was not so 

 favourable as I could have wished it to be. 



