We had expected to reach the Equator by October 1, but the unfavourable conditions of wind that we met with to the north of it caused us to be a little behind our reckoning, though not much.  On the afternoon of October 4 the Fram crossed the line.  Thus an important stage of the voyage was concluded:  the feeling that we had now reached southern latitudes was enough to put us all in holiday humour, and we felt we must get up a modest entertainment.  According to ancient custom, crossing the line should be celebrated by a visit from Father Neptune himself, whose part is taken for the occasion by someone chosen from among the ship’s company.  If in the course of his inspection this august personage comes upon anyone who is unable to prove that he has already crossed the famous circle, he is handed over at once to the attendants, to be “shaved and baptized.”  This process, which is not always carried out with exaggerated gentleness, causes much amusement, and forms a welcome variety in the monotonous life of a long sea voyage, and probably many on board the Fram looked forward with eagerness to Neptune’s visit, but he did not come.  There simply was no room for him on our already well-occupied deck.

We contented ourselves with a special dinner, followed by coffee, liqueurs, and cigars.  Coffee was served on the fore-deck, where by moving a number of the dogs we had contrived to get a few square yards of space.  There was no lack of entertainment.  A violin and mandolin orchestra, composed of Prestrud, Sundbeck, and Beck, contributed several pieces, and our excellent gramophone was heard for the first time.  Just as it started the waltz from “The Count of Luxembourg,” there appeared in the companion-way a real ballet-girl, masked, and in very short skirts.  This unexpected apparition from a better world was greeted with warm applause, which was no less vigorous when the fair one had given proof of her skill in the art of dancing.  Behind the mask could be detected Gjertsen’s face, but both costume and dance were in the highest degree feminine.  Ronne was not satisfied until he had the “lady” on his knees —­ hurrah for illusion!

The gramophone now changed to a swinging American cake-walk, and at the same moment there opportunely appeared on the scene a nigger in a tail-coat, a silk hat, and —­ a pair of wooden shoes.  Black as he was, we saw at once that it was the second in command who had thus disguised himself.  The mere sight of him was enough to set us all shrieking with laughter, but he made his great success when he began to dance.  He was intensely amusing.