CHAPTER XV. 



DOCTOR SVENDSEN'S FATE. 



To our great sorrow we found the doctor dead. 



We gathered from his diary that he had overrated his strength. 

 The great mistake had been that, whereas all the other members 

 of the expedition had undergone strict medical examination, the 

 doctor had never been examined. 



After the experience which I have had, it is my very strong 

 advice to future explorers to be particularly careful in their choice 

 of a doctor. Almost before the other members of the expedition, 

 he must have a sound and resisting constitution. The responsi- 

 bility he has undertaken must not be overlooked ; he it is who 

 must watch over the health of each individual, and on him the 

 welfare of the expedition may, in certain circumstances, be almost 

 wholly dependent. If one or other member of the expedition 

 should fail, there is always another who can take his place, but a 

 doctor is not to be replaced, for, as a rule, he is the only medical 

 man on board. 



In my diary for Sunday, June 10, 1 wrote : ' This, then, was to 

 be the end here here where we have spent so many happy hours, 

 and where for so long we have had our second home. There is 

 nothing to be done. We must be reasonable and submit to what 

 has happened, be it never so heavy.' And again on Monday I 

 write : ' The sun is shining as usual, everything looks bright and 

 peaceful. The birds twitter as joyously as ever ; they, at any rate, 

 are happy ; they do not feel anything of that which is affecting 

 us human beings. 



'We cannot get away to-day; the dogs are so footsore that 

 they can hardly move. Schei's sledge, too, must be mended 



1G5 



