THE START 



97 



to US on a bare crag. Her cottage lay some distance 

 inland. " I wonder if it can really be us she is wav- 

 ing to," I said to the pilot, who was standing beside 

 me. " You may be sure it is," was the answer. " But 

 how can she know who we are ?" " Oh ! they know all 

 about the Frain up here, in every cabin, and they will 

 be on the lookout for you as you come back, I can tell 

 you," he answered. Aye, truly, it is a responsible task 

 we are undertaking, when the whole nation are with us 

 like this. What if the thino^ should turn out a huee 

 disappointment ! 



In the evening I would sit and look around — lonely 

 huts lay scattered here and there on points and islets. 

 Here the Norwegian people wear out their lives in the 

 struggle with the rocks, in the struggle with the sea ; 

 and it is this people that is sending us out into the great 

 hazardous unknown; the very folk who stand there in 

 their fishing-boats and look wonderingly after the Fram 

 as she slowly and heavily steams along on her northward 

 course. Many of them wave their sou'-westers and shout 

 " Hurrah !" Others have barely time to gape at us in 

 wonderment. In on the point are a troop of women wav- 

 ing and shouting; outside a few boats with ladies in light 

 summer-dresses, and orentlemen at the oars entertainino: 

 them with small-talk as they wave their parasols and 

 pocket-handkerchiefs. Yes ; it is they who are sending 

 us out. It is not a cheering thought. Not one of them, 

 probably, knows what they are paying their money for. 



