390 THE END OF THE WINTER 



the Bay of Whales. This party was composed of Prest- 

 rud, Stubberud, and Johansen, under the leadership of 

 the first-named. 



The advantages of this new arrangement were many. 

 In the first place, a smaller party could advance more 

 rapidly than a larger one. Our numbers, both of men 

 and dogs, on several of the previous trips had clearly 

 shown the arrangement to be unfortunate. The time we 

 took to get ready in the morning four hours was one 

 of the consequences of being a large party. With half 

 the number, or only one tent full, I hoped to be able to 

 reduce this time by half. The importance of the depots 

 we had laid down was, of course, greatly increased, 

 since they would now only have to support five members 

 of the party originally contemplated, and would thus 

 be able to furnish them with supplies for so much more 

 time. From a purely scientific point of view, the change 

 offered such obvious advantages that it is unnecessary 

 to insist upon them. Henceforward, therefore, we 

 worked, so to speak, in two parties. The Polar party 

 was to leave as soon as spring came in earnest. I left 

 it to Prestrud himself to fix the departure of the party 

 he was to lead ; there was no such hurry for them they 

 could take things more easily. 



Then the same old fuss about the outfit began all over 

 again, and the needles were busy the whole time. Two 

 days after our return, Wisting and Bjaaland went out to 

 the thirty-kilometre mark with the object of bringing in 



