everyone to be busy during the hours that were set apart for work.  At the end of the day each man was free to do what he pleased.  We had also to keep some sort of order and tidiness, as well as circumstances permitted.  It was therefore decided that each of us should take a week’s duty as “orderly.”  This duty consisted in sweeping the floor every morning, emptying ash-trays, etc.  To secure plenty of ventilation —­ especially in our sleeping-places —­ a rule was made that no one might have anything under his bunk except the boots he had in wear.  Each man had two pegs to hang his clothes on, and this was sufficient for what he was wearing every day; all superfluous clothing was stuffed into our kit-bags and put out.  In this way we succeeded in maintaining some sort of tidiness; in any case, the worst of the dirt was got rid of.  Whether a fastidious housekeeper would have found everything in order is doubtful.

Everyone had his regular work.  Prestrud, with the assistance of Johansen, looked after the astronomical observations and the pendulum observations.  Hassel was set in authority over coal, wood, and paraffin; he was responsible for the supply lasting out.  As manager of the Framheim coal and wood business, he, of course, received the title of Director, and this dignity might possibly have gone to his head if the occupation of errand-boy had not been combined with it.  But it was.  Besides receiving the orders, he had to deliver the goods, and he discharged his duties with distinction.  He succeeded in hoodwinking his largest customer —­ Lindstrom —­ to such an extent that, in the course of the winter, he saved a good deal of coal.  Hanssen had to keep the depot in order and bring in everything we required.  Wisting had charge of the whole outfit, and was responsible that nothing was touched without permission.  Bjaaland and Stubberud were to look after the pent-house and the passage round the hut.  Lindstrom was occupied in the kitchen —­ the hardest and most thankless work on an expedition like this.  No one says anything so long as the food is good; but let the cook be unlucky and burn the soup one day, and he will hear something.  Lindstrom had the excellent disposition of a man who is never put out; whatever people might say, it was “all the same” to him.

On April 19 we saw the sun for the last time, since it then went below our horizon —­ the ridge to the north.  It was intensely red, and surrounded by a sea of flame, which did not disappear altogether until the 21st.  Now everything was well.  As far as the hut was concerned, it could not be better; but the pent-house, which it was originally intended to use as a workroom, soon proved too small, dark, and cold, besides which all the traffic went through that room, so that work would be constantly interrupted or stopped altogether at times.  Except this dark hole we had no workroom, and we had a lot of work to do.  Of course, we might use our living-room,