182 NORTHWARD 



the dogs over the side, and then we were ready. It 

 was quite curious to see how several of the old veterans 

 seemed at home again on the F ram's deck. Wisting's 

 brave dog, the old Colonel, with his two adjutants, 

 Suggen and Arne, at once took possession of the places 

 where they had stood for so many a long day on the 

 voyage south — on the starboard side of the mainmast; 

 the two twins, Mylius and Ring, Helmer Hanssen's 

 special favourites, began their games away in the corner 

 of the fore-deck to port, as though nothing had hap- 

 pened. To look at those two merry rascals no one 

 would have thought they had trotted at the head of the 

 whole caravan both to and from the Pole. One solitary 

 dog could be seen stalking about, lonely and reserved, 

 in a continual uneasy search. This w^as the boss of 

 Bjaaland's team. He was unaffected by any advances; 

 no one could take the place of his fallen comrade and 

 friend, Frith j of, who had long ago found a grave in the 

 stomachs of his companions many hundreds of miles 

 across the Barrier. 



No sooner was the last dog helped on board, and the 

 two ice-anchors released, than the engine-room telegraph 

 rang, and the engine was at once set going to keep us 

 from any closer contact with the ice-foot in the Bay of 

 Whales. Our farewell to this snug harbour took almost 

 the form of a leap from one world to another; the fog 

 hung over us as thick as gruel, concealing all the sur- 

 rounding outlines behind its clammy curtain, as we 



