178 NORTHWARD 



we shared quarters with light and warmth and comfort. 

 What wonder was it that this spot exercised a strong 

 attraction upon each of us at the moment when we 

 were to turn our backs upon it for good? Outside the 

 great world beckoned to us, that is true; and it might 

 have much to offer us that we had had to forego for a 

 long time; but in what awaited us there was certainly 

 a great deal that we would gladly have put off for as 

 long as possible. When everyday life came with its 

 cares and worries, it might well happen that we should 

 look back with regret to our peaceful and untroubled 

 existence at Framheim. 



However, this feeling of melancholy was hardlj^ so 

 strong that we could not all get over it comparatively 

 quickly. Judging by the faces, at any rate, one would 

 have thought that joy was the most predominant mood. 

 And why not? It was no use dwelling on the past, 

 however attractive it might seem just then, and as to 

 the future, we had every right to expect the best of 

 it. Who cared to think of coming troubles? No one. 

 Therefore the Fram was dressed with flags from stem to 

 stern, and therefore faces beamed at each other as we said 

 good-bye to our home on the Barrier. We could leave 

 it with the consciousness that the object of our year's 

 stay had been attained, and, after all, this consciousness 

 was of considerably more weight than the thought that 

 we had been so happy there. One thing that in the 

 course of our two years' association on this expedition 



