SPRING AT LAST 391 



the dogs that had been let loose on that part of the 

 route and had not yet returned. They made the trip 

 of sixty kilometres (thirty-seven and a half miles) in six 

 hours, and brought all the stragglers ten of them 

 back with them. The farthest of them were found 

 lying by the flag ; none of them showed a sign of getting 

 up when the sledges came. They had to be picked up 

 and harnessed, and one or two that had sore feet were 

 driven on the sledges. In all probability most of them 

 would have returned in a few days. But it is incom- 

 prehensible that healthy, plucky dogs, as many of them 

 were, should take it into their heads to stay behind like 

 that. 



On September 24 we had the first tidings of spring, 

 when Bjaaland came back from the ice and told us he 

 had shot a seal. So the seals had begun to come up on 

 to the ice; this was a good sign. The next day we 

 went out to bring it in, and we got another at the same 

 time. There was excitement among the dogs when 

 they got fresh meat, to say nothing of fresh blubber. 

 Nor were we men inclined to say no to a fresh steak. 



On September 27 we removed the roof that had 

 covered over the window of our room. We had to 

 carry the light down through a long wooden channel, so 

 that it was considerably reduced by the time it came 

 in; but it was light genuine daylight and it was 

 much appreciated. 



On the 26th Camilla came back, after an absence 



