THE COMMANDANT'S HERMIT LIFE. 461 



hoping to get on board for breakfast which we actually did, at 

 eight o'clock, but we had hard work to do it. 



Our companions on board caught sight of us driving up the 

 bay, and came out on the ice to greet us. They were all in good 

 health, and everything had gone well with them; but a serious 

 event had taken place, the most serious which had happened to 

 the expedition during the whole of the voyage. 



The ' Fram ' had nearly been burned to ashes. 



