FIRST SLEDGE TRIP 181 



way to the Pole, I calculated in the midst of the 

 tumult that it would take exactly a year to get there, 

 without counting the return journey. During all this 

 confusion I stole another glance at the ship, but the 

 sight that met me made me quickly withdraw my eyes 

 again. They were simply shrieking with laughter, and 

 loud shouts of the most infamous encouragement 

 reached us. "If you go on like that, you'll get there 

 by Christmas," or, "Well done! stick to it. Now 

 you're off." We were stuck faster than ever. Things 

 looked desperate. At last, with the combined strength 

 of all the animals and men, we got the sledge to move 

 again. 



So our first sledge trip could not be called a triumph. 

 We then set up our first tent on the Barrier, between 

 Mounts Nelson and Ronniken a large, strong tent for 

 sixteen men, with the sheet for the floor sewed on. 

 Round the tent wire ropes were stretched in a triangle, 

 fifty yards on each side. To these the dogs were to be 

 tethered. The tent was furnished with five sleeping- 

 bags and a quantity of provisions. The distance we 

 had come was 1'2 geographical miles, or 2*2 kilometres, 

 measured by sledge-meter. After finishing this work, 

 we went on up to the site selected for the station. 

 Here we set up the tent a similar tent to the other, for 

 sixteen men for the use of the carpenters, and marked 

 out the hut site. According to the lie of the ground 

 we elected to make the house face east and west, and not 



