CHAPTER V 



THE THIRD SUMMER 



On the Seventeenth of May the Fram was in about 83° 45' 

 north latitude and 12° 50' east longitude. We again celebrated 

 the day with a flag procession, as on the previous Seventeenth of 

 May. Mogstad sat on the bearskins in the sledge, driving a 

 team of seven dogs, and with the band {i.e., Bentzen) at his side. 

 Just as we were arranging the procession for the march upon 

 the ice, five female narwhals suddenly appeared, and immediately 

 afterwards a small seal was seen in the lane abreast of the ship 

 ■ — an enlivening sight, which we accepted as a good omen for 

 the coming summer. 



The great hummock, which was the scene of our merry-mak- 

 ings on the Seventeenth of May last year, was now so far away 

 and so difficult to reach on account of lanes and rugged ice that 

 the festivities in the open air were limited to the flag procession. 

 The cortege took its way southward, past the thermometer-hut, 

 to the lane, thence northward along the lane, and then back to 

 the ship, where it dispersed, but not before it had been photo- 

 graphed. 



At 12 o'clock a salute was fired, after which we sat down to 

 an excellent dinner, with genuine " Chateau la Frajn,"' vintage 

 1896.''' The table was laid with great taste, and there was an 

 elegant paper napkin at each cover, with the word Fram in the 

 corner and the following inscription : 



* This claret was made for the occasion, and consisted of the juice of 

 dried red whortleberries and bilberries, with the addition of a little spirits. 

 I was highly complimented on this beverage, and served it again ou other 

 occasions. 



