HOMEWARD ! 



447 



assiduously than we pumped the unfortunate man who took us 

 in to Stavanger. 



We had spent a great part of the last few days writing tele- 

 grams, but they were never finished, for the nearer we approached 

 home the more telegrams we remembered which ought to be sent. 

 I numbered them and put them in order, so that they should be 

 ready for sending off, and they amounted to a bundle of imposing 

 size. At the outer part of Boknfjord we were welcomed by the 



BAUMAXX WITH THE SEXTANT. 



first boats from Stavanger, the pilot at Utsire having telephoned 

 that the ' Fram ' had passed that place at eight o'clock, and had 

 taken a pilot for Stavanger. The farther we went the more ships 

 and boats we met, packed full of gaily dressed people. We, too, 

 had put on our best, had washed and scrubbed ourselves to good 

 purpose, and fancied ourselves very smart, but we soon saw that 

 our best efforts were lost by the side of these more brilliant 

 habiliments. 



At the entrance to Stavanger harbour the town authorities 



