330 THE VOYAGE OF THE " FRAJVI " 



Norwegian Minister; fortunately, they were both very 

 enthusiastic about our Chief's change of plan. 



When, on a subsequent occasion, I expressed my 

 astonishment at not hearing from home, I was told that 

 the funds of the Expedition were exhausted, and Mr. 

 Christophersen promised me, on hearing what straits we 

 were in, to pay all our expenses in Buenos Aires, and 

 to supply us with provisions and fuel. That brought 

 us out of our difficulties at a bound, and we had no 

 more need to take thought for the morrow. 



Everyone on board received a sum of money for his 

 personal expenses from the Norwegian colony of the 

 River Plate, and we were invited to their dinner on 

 Independence Day, May 17. 



Our second stay at Buenos Aires was very pleasant; 

 everyone was amiability itself, and festivities were even 

 got up for us. We took on board provisions that had 

 been sent out from Norway by Mr. Christophersen's 

 orders, about 50,000 litres (11,000 gallons) of petroleum, 

 ship's stores, and so on; enough for a year. But this 

 was not all. Just before we sailed Mr. Christophersen 

 said he would send a relief expedition, if the Fram 

 did not return to Australia by a certain date; but, as 

 everyone knows, this was happily unnecessary. 



During the three weeks we were lying at the quay in 

 Buenos Aires we were occupied in getting everything 

 on board, and making the vessel ready for sea. We 

 had finished this by the afternoon of Wednesday, 



