66 PLAN AND PREPARATIONS 



for the kind way in which he fell in with all my wishes. 

 From this quarter we obtained outer clothing for both 

 cold and warm climates, underclothes, boots, shoes, 

 wind-clothing, and cloths of different kinds. 



As the last item of our personal equipment I may 

 mention that each man had a suit of sealskin from 

 Greenland. Then there were such things as darning- 

 wool, sewing-yarn, needles of all possible sizes, buttons, 

 scissors, tapes broad and narrow, black and white, 

 blue and red. I may safely assert that nothing was 

 forgotten; we were well and amply equipped in every 

 way. 



Another side of our preparations which claimed some 

 attention was the fitting up of the quarters we were to 

 inhabit, the saloons and cabins. What an immense 

 difference it makes if one lives in comfortable surround- 

 ings. For my part, I can do twice the amount of work 

 when I see tidiness and comfort around me. The saloons 

 on the Fram were very handsomely and tastefully 

 fitted. Here we owe, in the first place, our respectful 

 thanks to King Haakon and Queen Maud for the 

 photographs they presented to us; they were the most 

 precious of our gifts. The ladies of Horten gave us 

 a number of pretty things for decorating the cabins, and 

 they will no doubt be glad to hear of the admiration 

 they aroused wherever we went. ' Is this really a Polar 

 ship? " people asked; " we expected to see nothing but 

 wooden benches and bare walls." And they began to 



