SKI-FITTINGS 363 



In addition to remaking the sledges, Bjaaland had to 

 get the ski ready. To fit the big, broad boots we should 

 wear, the Huitf eldt fittings had to be much broader than 

 usual, and we had such with us, so that Bjaaland had 

 only to change them. The ski-bindings were like the 

 snow-goggles; everyone had his own patent. I found 

 the bindings that Bjaaland had put on for himself so 

 efficient that I had no hesitation in ordering similar 

 ones for myself ; and it may be said to their honour, and 

 to the honour of him who made them, that they were 

 first-rate, and served me well during the whole trip. 

 They were, after all, only a retention of the old system, 

 but, with the help of hooks and eyes, they could be put 

 on and taken off in an instant. And those were the 

 conditions we demanded of our bindings that they 

 should hold the foot as firmly as a vice, and should be 

 easy to hook on and take off. For we always had to 

 take them off on the journey; if one left one's bindings 

 out for a night, they were gone in the morning. The 

 dogs looked upon them as a delicacy. The toe-strap 

 also had to be removed in the evening; in other words, 

 the ski had to be left absolutely bare. 



Johansen, besides his packing, was occupied in making 

 weights and tent-pegs. The weights were very ingeni- 

 ously made; the steelyard system was adopted. If 

 they were never used, it was not the fault of the 

 weights they were good enough. But the reason was 

 that we had all our provisions so arranged that they 



