IVjS make a start ioi 



we are no doubt getting on towards the north, all the 

 same. Yesterday we were 83° 47'; to-day I suppose we 

 are at least 83° 50'." 



At last, on Thursday, February 28th, we started again 

 with our six sledges. Sverdrup, Hansen, Blessing, Hen- 

 riksen, and Mogstad saw us off. When we started, most 

 of the others also accompanied us some distance. We 

 soon found that the dogs did not draw as well as I had 

 expected, and I came to the conclusion that with this 

 load we should get on too slowly. We had not pro- 

 ceeded far from the ship before I decided to leave be- 

 hind some of the sacks with provisions for the dogs, 

 and these were later on taken back on board by the 

 others. 



At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we stopped, our 

 odometer* showed that we had gone about 4 miles from 

 the Frarji. We had a pleasant evening in the tent, to- 

 gether with our friends who were going back the next 

 day. To my surprise a punch-bowl was prepared, and 

 toasts were proposed for those who were starting and 

 those who remained behind. It was not until 1 1 o'clock 

 that we crept into our sleeping-bags. 



There were illuminations in our honor that night 

 on board the Frani. The electric arc lamp was hoist- 

 ed on the maintop, and the electric light for the first 



* This odometer had been made on board, shortly before starting, out 

 of the works of an old anemometer. The odometer was fastened behind 

 the last sledge, and indicated fairly correctly the distance covered by us. 



