If the bad weather thus put hindrances in the way of the work we were anxious to do, it made up for it by providing us with a lot of extra work which we could very well have done without.  There was incessant shovelling of snow to keep any sort of passage open to the four dog-tents that were left standing, as well as to our own underground dwelling, over which the snow covering had been growing constantly higher.  The fairly high wall that we had originally built on the east side of the entrance door was now entirely buried in the snow-drift.  It had given us good protection; now the drift had unimpeded access, and the opening, like the descent into a cellar, that led down to the door, was filled up in the course of a few hours when the wind was in the right quarter.  Lindstrom shook his head when we sometimes asked him how he would get on by himself if the weather continued in this way.  “So long as there’s nothing but snow in the way, I’ll manage to get out,” said he.  One day he came and told us that he could no longer get at the coal, and on further investigation it looked rather difficult.  The roof of the place where the coal was stored had yielded to the pressure of the mass of snow, and the whole edifice had collapsed.  There was nothing to be done but to set to work at once, and after a great deal of hard labour we got the remainder of the precious fuel moved into the long snow tunnel that led from the house to the coal-store.  With that our “black diamonds” were in safety for the time being.  This job made us about as black as the “diamonds.”  When we came in the cook, as it happened, had just been doing a big wash on his own account —­ a comparatively rare event —­ and there was surprise on both sides.  The cook was as much taken aback at seeing us so black as we were at seeing him so clean.

All the snow-shovelling that resulted from the continued bad weather, in conjunction with the necessary preparations for the sledge journey, gave us plenty of occupation, but I will venture to say that none of us would care to go through those days again.  We were delayed in our real work, and delay, which is unpleasant enough in any circumstances, was all the more unwelcome down here, where time is so precious.  As we only had two sledges on which to transport supplies for three men and sixteen dogs, besides all our outfit, and as on our trip we should have no depots to fall back on, the duration of the journey could not be extended much beyond six weeks.  In order to be back again by Christmas, we had, therefore, to leave before the middle of November.  It would do no harm, however, to be off before this, and as soon as November arrived we took the first opportunity of disappearing.

On account of getting on the right course, we preferred that the start should take place in clear weather.  The fact was that we were obliged to go round by the depot in 80deg.  S. As King Edward Land lies to the east, or rather north-east, of Framheim, this was a considerable detour; it had to be made, because in September we had left at this depot all the packed sledging provisions, a good deal of our personal equipment, and, finally, some of the necessary instruments.