Let us follow one of these morning drives.  The men are all ready and have their dogs well harnessed.  One, two, three, and we let them all go at once.  We are off like the wind, and before one has time to swing the whip one finds oneself in the middle of a heap of building materials.  The dogs have achieved the desire of their lives —­ to be able to make a thorough investigation of these materials in the way that is so characteristic of the dog and so incomprehensible to us.  While this process is going on with the greatest enjoyment, the driver has got clear of the sledge and begins to distentangle the traces, which have wound themselves round planks and posts and whatever else maybe lying handy.  He is far from having achieved the desire of his life —­ to judge from the expressions he uses.  At last he is clear again.  He looks round first and finds he is not the only one who has met with difficulties in the way.  Over there among the cases he sees a performance going on which makes his heart leap with joy.  One of the old hands has come to grief, and in so decisive a fashion that it will take him a long time to get clear again.  With a triumphant smile he throws himself on the sledge and drives off.  So long as he is on the Barrier as a rule everything goes well; there is nothing here to distract the dogs.  It is otherwise when he comes down to the sea-ice.  Here seals lie scattered about in groups basking in the sunshine, and it may easily happen that his course will be rather crooked.  If a team of fresh dogs have made up their minds to turn aside in the direction of a herd of seals, it takes a very experienced driver to get them in the right way again.  Personally, on such occasions, I used the only remedy I could see —­ namely, capsizing the sledge.  In loose snow with the sledge upset they soon pulled up.  Then, if one was wise, one put them on the right course again quietly and calmly, hoisted the sledge on to an even keel, and went on.  But one is not always wise, unfortunately.  The desire to be revenged on the disobedient rascals gets the upper hand, and one begins to deal out punishment.  But this is not so easy as it seems.  So long as you are sitting on the capsized sledge it makes a good anchor, but now —­ without a load —­ it is no use, and the dogs know that.  So while you are thrashing one the others start off, and the result is not always flattering to the driver.  If he is lucky he gets on to the capsized sledge again, but we have seen dogs and sledges arrive without drivers.  All this trouble in the early morning sets the blood in active circulation, and one arrives at the ship drenched with perspiration, in spite of a temperature of -5deg.F.  But it sometimes happens that there is no interruption, and then the drive is soon over.  The dogs want no encouragement; they are willing enough.  The mile and a quarter from the lower camp to the Fram is then covered in a few minutes.