The rest of the vessel was absolutely full.  To take an example, in the fore-saloon we had placed forty-three sledging cases, which were filled with books, Christmas presents, underclothing, and the like.  In addition to these, one hundred complete sets of dog-harness, all our ski, ski-poles, snow-shoes, etc.  Smaller articles were stowed in the cabins, and every man had something.  When I complained, as happened pretty often, that I could not imagine where this or that was to be put, the Chief of the expedition used generally to say:  “Oh, that’s all right; you can just put it in your cabin!”

Thus it was with every imaginable thing —­ from barrels of paraffin and new-born pups to writing materials and charts.

As the story of this voyage has already been told, it may be rapidly passed over here.  After much delay through headwinds in the Channel, we picked up the north-east trade in about the latitude of Gibraltar, and arrived at Madeira on September 6.

At 9 p.m. on September 9 we weighed anchor for the last time, and left Madeira.  As soon as we were clear of the land we got the north-east trade again, and it held more or less fresh till about lat. 11deg.  N.

After our departure from Madeira I took over the morning watch, from 4 to 8 a.m.; Prestrud and Gjertsen divided the remainder of the twenty-four hours.

In order if possible to get a little more way on the ship, a studding-sail and a skysail were rigged up with two awnings; it did not increase our speed very much, but no doubt it helped a little.

The highest temperature we observed was 84deg.  F. In the trade winds we constantly saw flying-fish, but as far as I know not one was ever found on deck; those that came on board were of course instantly snapped up by the dogs.

In about lat. 11deg.  N. we lost the north-east trade, and thus came into the “belt of calms,” a belt that extends on each side of the Equator, between the north-east and south-east trades.  Here, as a rule, one encounters violent rain-squalls; to sailing ships in general and ourselves in particular this heavy rain is welcome, as water-tanks can be filled up.  Only on one day were we lucky enough to have rain, but as it was accompanied by a strong squall of wind, we did not catch all the water we wanted.  All hands were on deck carrying water, some in oilskins, some in Adam’s costume; the Chief in a white tropical suit, and, as far as I remember, clogs.  As the latter were rather slippery, and the Fram suddenly gave an unexpected lurch, he was carried off his legs, and left sitting on the deck, while his bucket of water poured all over him.  But “it was all in his country’s cause,” so he did not mind.  We caught about 3 tons of water, and then had our tanks full, or about 30 tons, when the shower passed off; later in the voyage we filled a bucket now and again, but it never amounted to much, and if we had not been as careful as we were, our water-supply would hardly have lasted out.