SMARTENING UP THE SHIP 323 



between each station, and I must say we were un- 

 commonly lucky in the weather. We made two 

 fairly parallel sections with comparatively regular 

 intervals between the stations; as regular, in any 

 case, as one can hope to get with a vessel hke the 

 Fram, which really has too little both of sail area and 

 engine power. The number of stations was 60 in all 

 and 891 samples of water were taken. Of plankton 

 specimens 190 were sent home. The further examina- 

 tion of these specimens in Norway will show whether 

 the material collected is of any value, and whether the 

 cruise has yielded satisfactory results. 



As regards the weather on the trip, it was uniformly 

 good the whole time; we had a good deal of wind now 

 and then, with seas and rolling, but for the most part 

 there was a fresh breeze. In the south-east trade we 

 sailed for four weeks at a stretch without using the 

 engine, which then had a thorough overhauling. At 

 the same time we had a good opportunity of smartening 

 up the ship, which she needed badly. All the iron was 

 freed from rust, and the whole vessel painted both 

 below and above deck. The decks themselves were 

 smeared with a mixture of oil, tar and turpentine, after 

 being scoured. All the rigging was examined. At the 

 anchorage at Buenos Aires nearly the whole ship was 

 painted again, masts and yards, the outside of the vessel 

 and everything inboard, both deck-houses, the boats and 

 the various winches, pumps, etc. In the engine-room 



