322 THE VOYAGE OF THE " FRAM " 



410, and 546 fathoms), in all, fifteen samples from each 

 station, and from this time forward we went on regularly 

 with one station every day. Finally, we managed to 

 heave up two water-cylinders on the same line by hand 

 without great difficulty. At first this was done with 

 the motor and sounding-machine, but this took too 

 long, and we afterwards used nothing but a light hand- 

 winch. Before very long we were so practised that the 

 whole business only took two hours. 



These two hours were those we liked best of the 

 twenty-four. All kinds of fminy stories were told, 

 especially about experiences in Buenos Aires, and every 

 day there was something new. Here is a little yarn : 



One of the members of the expedition had been 

 knocked down by a motor-car in one of the busiest 

 streets ; the car stopped and of course a crowd collected 

 at once. Our friend lay there, wondering whether he 

 ought not to be dead, or at least to have broken a leg, 

 so as to get compensation. While he lay thus, being 

 prodded and examined by the public, he suddenly 

 remembered that he had half a dollar in his pocket. 

 With all that money it didn't matter so much about the 

 compensation; up jumped our friend like an india- 

 rubber ball, and in a second he had vanished in the 

 crowd, who stood open-mouthed, gazing after the 

 " dead " man. 



Our speed on this cruise was regulated as nearly as 

 possible so that there might be about 100 nautical miles 



