CONSTITUTION DAY ON BOARD THE 'PRAM.; 147 



I myself stood behind the camera, as the representative of 

 history, for the purpose of immortalizing the northernmost Seven- 

 teenth of May procession for that year. 



When the procession reached the gaily decorated stand, the 

 doctor stepped up on it and made his speech ; and, that ended, 

 came dinner, which consisted of oxtail soup (real polar), our 

 national fish-pudding, roast beef (also real polar), asparagus, 

 stewed cloudberries, and rice, with jam. Our wines were ten- 

 year-old ' akvavit ' and malt extract. 



Our spirits were soon of the best, and I think we all left the 

 table in the good humour incidental to a good dinner. "We then 

 had coffee and curapoa, and after this the greater number of the 

 party had a nap in preparation for the exertions of the evening. 

 Then the punch-bowl arrived on the table, and about midnight 

 there was more coffee and curapoa in Fosheimseeter, as we called 

 the hut which Fosheim and Braskerud had built during the winter. 

 Latterly they had been working at it night and day, as we wanted 

 to inaugurate it on the Seventeenth of May, and it was now 

 almost ready. Several speeches were made, everybody was in 

 good spirits, and the evening did not come to an end before one 

 o'clock. 



It had been a tiring time for most of us, particularly for the 

 steward, for in addition to taking a spirited part in all the dis- 

 tractions of the day, he had had to look after the cooking and 

 serving of all the food, and, moreover, keep his own birthday. 



The men's spirits seemed often to be in accordance with the 

 weather ; this time the weather took its cue from our spirits. On 

 the 17th there was brilliant sunshine, with life and merriment on 

 board ; on the 18th heavy dark clouds hung over the mountains, 

 and we all felt at a very low ebb. The speakers of the previous 

 day went about in silence, and the steward looked as if he was 

 filled with lead. I see I wrote in my diary : ' Verdens Gang once 

 proposed that " Bededag " * should be changed to the 18th of May. 

 I quite agree with it in that proposal.' 



Bay and I went for a turn in the evening to Eice Strait. For 

 long distances together the ice was extremely weak, and we passed 



* A day intended to bo set apart for general humiliation and prayer. 



