UNLOADING THE ' FRAM ' 183 



possible, so that the Fram might get away. The 

 harbour arrangements were not of the best. The quay 

 she was moored to suddenly broke in pieces, and all 

 hands had to turn out to make her fast to a new quay. 

 Perhaps they had just got to sleep again when the 

 same operation had to be repeated; for the ice broke 

 time after time, and kept the unfortunate " sea-rovers ' 

 in constant activity. It is enervating work being always 

 at one's post, and sleeping with one eye open. They 

 had a hard time to contend with, our ten comrades, and 

 the calm way in which they took everything was extra- 

 ordinary. They were always in a good humour, and 

 always had a joke ready. It was the duty of the sea 

 party to bring up all the provisions and outfit for the 

 wintering party from the hold, and put them on the ice. 

 Then the land party removed them. This work pro- 

 ceeded very smoothly, and it was rare that one party 

 had to wait for the other. During the first few days of 

 sledging all the members of the land party became quite 

 hoarse, some of them so badly that they almost lost 

 their voices. This came from the continual yelling and 

 shouting that we had to do at first to make the dogs 

 go. But this gave the sea party a welcome oppor- 

 tunity of finding us a nickname; we were called "the 

 chatterers." 



Apart from the unpleasantness of constantly changing 

 the anchorage, on account of the breaking up and drift- 

 ing out of the ice, the harbour must in other respects 



