THE SUPPLIES RECOVERED 149 



greatest difficulty had been in the undulating surface; 

 for long stretches at a time they were in the hollows 

 between the waves, which shut in their view entirely. 

 Ridge succeeded ridge, endlessly. We had taken care 

 that everytliing was ready for their return — above all 

 great quantities of water. Water, water was the first 

 thing, and generally the last, that was in request. When 

 their thirst was a little quenched, great interest was 

 shown in the pemmican. While these two were being 

 well looked after, the depot they had brought in was 

 divided between the two sledges, and in a short time all 

 was ready for our departure. Meanwhile, the weather 

 had been getting finer and finer, and before us lay the 

 mountains, sharp and clear. We thought we recognized 

 Fridtjof Nansen and Don Pedro Christophersen, and 

 took good bearings of them in case the fog should 

 return. With most of us the ideas of day and night 

 began to get rather mixed. " Six o'clock," someone 

 would answer, when asked the time. " Yes, in the 

 morning," remarks the other. "No; what are you 

 talking about?" answers the first one again; " it's even- 

 ing, of course." The date was hopeless; it was a good 

 thing if we remembered the year. Only when writing 

 in our diaries and observation books did we come across 

 such things as dates; while at work we had not the 

 remotest idea of them. 



Splendid weather it was when we turned out on the 

 morning of January 3. We had now agreed to go as 



