Report concerning the remaining part of the expedition. 155 
rule I was the forerunner — then came the dogs, afterwards the other 
two by the sledge, one on either side of it, both harnessed. In this manner 
we sledged the whole way, and it turned out to be a very practical 
arrangement, as one got the utmost work out of the dogs, by letting 
them have a man to pull after, all the more as among the six dogs there 
was not a single one which was specially fit to act as leader. Until we 
parted company we had each of us driven our special team, which we 
were accustomed to from previous tours, but between Capt. MIKKELSEN 
and myself the arrangement was made, that when we separated, he was 
to have the best fifteen of the twenty-one dogs; which was only reason- 
able, considering that he was going to undertake the big tour. So, as 
far as we were concerned, we got the six poorest dogs, and there was 
not one among them which had ever been a leader. 
On the first day we sledged about twelve miles — one mile — a nau- 
tical mile — 1852 metres — crossing the very fissured ground we had 
passed on the 7th of April, and pitched our tent well south of this 
ground, our object being to let the tent remain, and sledge down to the 
depot from which we were to take our stores, and with these we were 
to return to the tent, a matter of a day’s march of twelve miles. 
We did not wish to exceed this distance the first few days, for fear of 
exhausting the dogs, which by this time had already begun to fall 
off and get wearied. 
But on April 11th there was no sledging. Already during the night 
a gale sprang up, and in the morning it was quite impossible to sledge 
ou account of the gale, especially as it was snowing hard at the same 
time, so that it was impossible for us to see our way. Neither was it 
any better on the 12th, so that we had to remain in the tent. Not until 
the 13th did the storm abate, and we were able to make a start. 
Enforced idleness on a sledge tour is, as a rule, a terrible nuisance. 
The first day it may be all right, there is always some repairing to be 
done to clothes or so on, but if the delay is extended over several days, 
it is certainly not pleasant. The only thing to be done is to attempt 
to sleep, but this is rendered difficult by thinking over how one is to get 
ahead. 
But there was one advantage with these two and a half days of 
stoppage; they gave the dogs a good chance to rest, which was what 
they were badly in need of. 
Until the 17th we were on ground we were familiar with, as we had 
moreover a day and a half’s delay on account of a fresh storm. As soon 
as an opportunity offered through the cessation of the bad weather 
we sledged further, but the heavy sledge and the bad ground caused 
us much trouble, and we decided to throw away a lot of things which 
we could dispense with, such as the sledge mast (pole), sealskin mittens, 
canvas mittens etc., and in this way we were able to reduce the load 
on the sledge by 17 to 20 kg. 
