582 FARTHEST NORTH 



there was still so much of our former piratical appearance 

 left that no one recognized us; the}' scarcely looked at 

 us, and the only being that took any notice of the re- 

 turned wanderers was an intelligent cow, which stopped 

 in the middle of a narrow street and stared at us in aston- 

 ishment as we tried to pass. That cow was so delight- 

 fully summery to look at that I felt inclined to go up and 

 pat her; I felt now that I really was in Norway. When 

 I got to the telegraph -station I laid a huge bundle down 

 on the counter, and said that it consisted of telegrams 

 that I should like to have sent as soon as possible. There 

 were nearly a hundred of them, one or two rather long, of 

 about a thousand words each. 



The head of the telegraph-of^ce looked hard at me, 

 and quietly took up the bundle; but as his eye fell upon 

 the signature of the telegram that lay on the top, his 

 face suddenly changed, he wheeled sharp round, and 

 went over to the lady clerk who was sitting at the table. 

 When he again tinned and came towards me his face was 

 radiant, and he bade me a hearty welcome. The tele- 

 grams should be despatched as quickly as possible, he said; 

 but it would take several days and nights to get them 

 all through- And then the instrument beo-an to tick and 

 tick and to send through the country and the world the 

 news that two members of the Norwegian Polar Expedi- 

 tion had returned safe and sound, and that I expected 

 the Frani home in the course of the autumn. I pitied 

 the four young ladies in the telegraph - ofBce at Vardo ; 



