TIMELY ASSISTANCE 329 



almost notliing, and we had not enough to be able to 

 leave the port. I had been told that a sum had been 

 placed to the credit of the Fram for our stay in Buenos 

 Aires, but I neither saw nor heard anything of it 

 while we were there, and it was no doubt somewhat 

 imaginary. 



If we were to be at all able to go down and take 

 off the shore party money must be found. We had 

 come to the end of sail-cloth and ropes, we had too 

 little food and a minimum of oil ; all this would have to 

 be provided. At the worst the oceanographical cruise 

 could be cut out, and we could lie still at Buenos 

 Aires; then, as our comrades could not very well be 

 left to perish on the ice, enough would have to be sent 

 us from Norway to enable us to go down there; but 

 that would finish the whole expedition, as in such a 

 case the Fram had orders to go back to Norway, 



As usual, however, the Frams luck helped her again. 

 A few days before we left Norway our distinguished 

 compatriot in Buenos Aires, Don Pedro Christophersen, 

 had cabled that he would supply us with what pro- 

 visions we might require, if, after leaving Madeira, we 

 would call at Buenos Aires. Of course, he did not 

 know at that time that the voyage would be extended 

 to include the South Pole, and that the Fram on arrival 

 at Buenos Aires would be almost empty instead of 

 having a full cargo, but that did not prevent his helping 

 us. I immediately called on him and his brother, the 



VOL. II. 47 



