LIFE IN CAMP 191 



roar of the sea dashing against the Barrier. Meanwhile 

 we lost no time. The day before Captain Nilsen and 

 Kristensen had shot forty seals, and of these we had 

 brought in half the same day. We now began to fetch 

 in the rest. During the forenoon, while we were flaying 

 and shooting seals, we heard the old, well-known sound 

 -put, put, put of the Frames motor, and presently the 

 crow's-nest appeared above the Barrier. But she did 

 not get into her old berth before evening. A heavy 

 swell had forced her to go outside. 



Meanwhile the carpenters were busily constructing 

 the hut. By January 21 the roof was on, and the rest 

 of the work could thus be done under cover. This was 

 a great comfort to the men; at that time their job was 

 undoubtedly the worst of any. Bitterly cold it was for 

 them, but I never heard them talk about it. When I 

 came up to the tent after the day's work, one of them 

 was busy cooking. The meal always consisted of pan- 

 cakes and pitch-black, strong coffee. How good it 

 tasted! A rivalry soon arose between the two cook- 

 carpenters as to which of them could make the best 

 pancakes. I think they were both clever at it. In the 

 morning we had pancakes again crisp, hot, delicate 

 pancakes, with the most glorious coffee before I was 

 even out of my sleeping-bag. That is what the car- 

 penters had to offer me at five o'clock in the morning. 

 No wonder I enjoyed their society. Nor did the men 

 in the lower camp suffer any privation. Wisting 



