NEW LAND. 



forgotten to bring any with us in our otherwise so well-equipped 

 expedition, but there was hope that it might be found somewhere 

 north in the Arctic Ocean, and this appeared to console the 

 sufferers. 



On July 1 we sailed in fair weather along the Orkney 

 Islands, through the sound by the beautiful Fair Isle. It was 

 like a breath from Norway, and I can well understand that the 

 Norsemen of old were fond of these islands, and were loth to give 

 them up. 



A fresh breeze from the south sprang up during the afternoon 

 of the same day, and soon the last glimpse of Europe faded from 

 our eyes. On July 3 the breeze went over to a gale from the 

 north-west. The seas were high ; the ' Fram ' dipped her nose in 

 the waves till her whole hull quivered, and we nearly lost one of 

 our boats, which was saved, however, at the last moment. In the 

 'tween decks, cases, chests, zinc buckets and other paraphernalia 

 chased one another from windward to leeward, amid deafening 

 noise from men and dogs. When we went down to dinner on 

 July 6, the food had left the saloon, and we found it again in 

 Baumann's cabin, and also, partially, on the floor and walls of the 

 first-mentioned apartment. 



The bad weather had taken us right up to lat. 62 30' N., and 

 we had therefore to alter our course considerably to the south- 

 ward. The storm lulled by degrees, but wind and weather were 

 against us the whole of the voyage, and we had a long crossing. 



The time went quickly enough, however, for there was always 

 plenty to be done on board, and every one lent a hand, the men of 

 science as well as the others. The relations between the members 

 of the expedition were good from the very first ; we soon felt like 

 friends ; and the work went swimmingly that is to say, when 

 they were not a prey to sea-sickness. In such circumstances their 

 faces wore an entertaining expression of sadness ; and even the 

 dogs were silent, and hung their ears. 



In fine weather, on the other hand, our four-footed sea-folk 

 throve and increased in weight every day, and they fought so 

 energetically that at last we had to separate them with the hose, 



