130 AT THE POLE 



also left behind. I wrote in pencil on a piece of case 

 the information that our tent — " Polheim " — would be 

 found five and a half geographical miles north-west 

 quarter west by compass from the sledge. Having put 

 all these things in order the same day, we turned in, 

 very well satisfied. 



Early next morning, December 16, we were on our 

 feet again. Bjaaland, who had now left the company 

 of the drivers and been received with jubilation into 

 that of the forerunners, was immediately entrusted with 

 the honourable task of leading the expedition forward 

 to the Pole itself. I assigned this duty, which we all 

 regarded as a distinction, to him as a mark of gratitude 

 to the gallant Telemarkers for their pre-eminent work 

 in the advancement of ski sport. The leader that day 

 had to keep as straight as a line, and if possible to follow 

 the direction of our meridian. A little way after 

 Bjaaland came Hassel,then Hanssen, then Wisting,and 

 I followed a good way behind. I could thus check the 

 direction of the march very accurately, and see that no 

 great deviation was made. Bjaaland on this occasion 

 showed himself a matchless forerunner; he went per- 

 fectly straight the whole time. Not once did he incline 

 to one side or the other, and when we arrived at the 

 end of the distance, we could still clearly see the sledge 

 we had set up and take its bearing. This showed it to 

 be absolutely in the right direction. 



It was 11 a.m. when we reached our destination. 



