THE S2\4RT lOl 



Lovunen and Traenen, far out yonder in the sea; past 

 Lofoten and all the other lovely places — each bold gigan- 

 tic form wilder and more beautiful than the last. It is 

 unique — a fairyland — a land of dreams. We felt afraid 

 to iro on too fast, for fear of missinc: something. 



On July 1 2th we arrived at Tromso, where we were to 

 take in coal and other things, such as reindeer cloaks, 

 "komager" (a sort of Lapp moccasin), Finn shoes, 

 "senne" grass, dried reindeer flesh, etc., etc., all of which 

 had been procured by that indefatigable friend of the ex- 

 pedition, Advocate Mack. Tromso gave us a cold recep- 

 tion — a northwesterly gale, with driving snow and sleet. 

 Mountains, plains, and house-roofs were all covered with 

 snow down to the water's edge. It was the very bitter- 

 est July day I ever experienced. The people there said 

 they could not remember such a July. Perhaps they 

 were afraid the place would come into disrepute, for in 

 a town where they hold snow-shoe races on Midsummer 

 Day one may be prepared for anything in the way of 

 weather. 



In Tromso the next day a new member of the expe- 

 dition was engaged, Bernt Bentzen — a stout fellow to 

 look at. He originally intended accompanying us only 

 as far as Yugor Strait, but as a matter of fact he went 

 the whole voyage with us, and proved a great acquisi- 

 tion, being not only a capital seaman, but a cheerful and 

 amusing comrade. 



After a stay of two days we again set out. On the 



