But we did not let our talk make us forget other things.  As we had got no noon altitude, we should have to try and take one at midnight.  The weather had brightened again, and it looked as if midnight would be a good time for the observation.  We therefore crept into our bags to get a little nap in the intervening hours.  In good time —­ soon after 11 p.m. —­ we were out again, and ready to catch the sun; the weather was of the best, and the opportunity excellent.  We four navigators all had a share in it, as usual, and stood watching the course of the sun.  This was a labour of patience, as the difference of altitude was now very slight.  The result at which we finally arrived was of great interest, as it clearly shows how unreliable and valueless a single observation like this is in these regions.  At 12.30 a.m. we put our instruments away, well satisfied with our work, and quite convinced that it was the midnight altitude that we had observed.  The calculations which were carried out immediately afterwards gave us 89deg. 56’ S. We were all well pleased with this result.

The arrangement now was that we should encircle this camp with a radius of about twelve and a half miles.  By encircling I do not, of course, mean that we should go round in a circle with this radius; that would have taken us days, and was not to be thought of.  The encircling was accomplished in this way:  Three men went out in three different directions, two at right angles to the course we had been steering, and one in continuation of that course.  To carry out this work I had chosen Wisting, Hassel, and Bjaaland.  Having concluded our observations, we put the kettle on to give ourselves a drop of chocolate; the pleasure of standing out there in rather light attire had not exactly put warmth into our bodies.  As we were engaged in swallowing the scalding drink, Bjaaland suddenly observed:  “I’d like to tackle this encircling straight away.  We shall have lots of time to sleep when we get back.”  Hassel and Wisting were quite of the same opinion, and it was agreed that they should start the work immediately.  Here we have yet another example of the good spirit that prevailed in our little community.  We had only lately come in from our day’s work —­ a march of about eighteen and a half miles —­ and now they were asking to be allowed to go on another twenty-five miles.  It seemed as if these fellows could never be tired.  We therefore turned this meal into a little breakfast —­ that is to say, each man ate what he wanted of his bread ration, and then they began to get ready for the work.  First, three small bags of light windproof stuff were made, and in each of these was placed a paper, giving the position of our camp.  In addition, each of them carried a large square flag of the same dark brown material, which could be easily seen at a distance.  As flag-poles we elected to use our spare sledge-runners, which were both long —­ 12 feet —­ and strong, and which we were going to take off here in any case, to lighten the sledges as much as possible for the return journey.