704 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1912. 



be done but to put together the various numbered parts. In order 

 that the house might brave all storms, its bottom rested in an exca- 

 vation 4 feet beneath the surface. On January 28, 14 days after our 

 arrival, the house was completed, and all provisions had been landed. 

 A gigantic task had been performed; everything seemed to point 

 toward a propitious future. But no time was to be lost; we had to 

 make use of every minute. 



The land group had in the meantime been divided into two parties, 

 one of which saw to it that the provisions and equipment still lacking 

 were taken out of the sliip. The other party was to prepare for an 

 excursion toward the south which had in view the exploration of the 

 immediate environs and the establishment of a depot. 



On February 10 the latter group marched south. There were 4 of 

 us with 18 dogs and 3 sleds packed with provisions. That morning 

 of our start is stUl vividly in my memory. The weather was calm, 

 the sky hardly overcast. Before us lay the large, unlimited snow 

 plain, behind us the Bay of Whales with its projecting ice capes and 

 at its entrance our dear sliip, the Fram. On board the flag was 

 hoisted; it was the last greetmg from our comrades of the ship. No 

 one knew whether and when we should see each other again. In all 

 probability our comrades would no longer be there when we returned ; 

 a year would probably elapse before we could meet again. One 

 more glance backward, one more partmg greetmg and then — 

 forward. 



Our first advance on the Barrier was full of excitement and sus- 

 pense. So many questions presented themselves: Wliat wdll be the 

 nature of the region we have to cross ? How will the sleds behave ? 

 Will our equipment meet the requirements of the situation ? Have 

 we the proper haulmg power? If we were to accomplish our object, 

 everything had to be of the best. Our equipment was substantially 

 different from that of our English competitors. We placed our 

 whole trust on Eskimo dogs and skis, while the English, as a result 

 of their own experience, had abandoned dogs as well as skis, but, on 

 the other hand, were well equipped with motor sleds and ponies. 



We advanced rapidly on. the smooth, white snow plain. On 

 February 14 we reached 80° S. We had thus covered 99 miles. We 

 established a depot here mamlyof 1,300 pounds of provisions, which 

 we intended to use on our main advance to the south in the sprmg. 

 The return journey occupied two days; on the first we covered 40 

 miles and on the second 57 miles. When we reached our station 

 the Fram had already left. The bay was lonely and deserted; only 

 seals and penguins were in possession of the place. 



This first excursion to the south, although brief, was of great 

 importance to us. We now knew definitely that our equipment and 

 our pulling power were emmently suited to the demands upon them. 



