and then--forward.

Our first advance on the Barrier was full of excitement and suspense.
So many questions presented themselves: What will be the nature of the
region we have to cross? How will the sleds behave? Will our equipment
meet the requirements of the situation? Have we the proper hauling
power? If we were to accomplish our object, everything had to be of the
best. Our equipment was substantially different from that of our
English competitors. We placed our whole trust on Eskimo dogs and skis,
while the English, as a result of their own experience, had abandoned
dogs as well as skis, but, on the other hand, were well equipped with
motor-sleds and ponies.

We advanced rapidly on the smooth, white snow plain. On February 14th
we reached 80 deg. S. We had thus covered ninety-nine miles. We established
a depot here mainly of 1,300 pounds of provisions which we intended to
use on our main advance to the south in the spring. The return journey
occupied two days; on the first we covered forty miles and on the
second fifty-seven miles. When we reached our station the _Fram_ had
already left. The bay was lonely and deserted; only seals and penguins
were in possession of the place.

The first excursion to the south, although brief, was of great
importance to us. We now knew definitely that our equipment and our
pulling power were eminently suited to the demands upon them. In their
selection no mistake had been made. It was now for us to make use of
everything to the best advantage.

Our sojourn at the station was only a short one. On February 22d we
were ready again to carry supplies to a more southern depot. We
intended to push this depot as far south as possible. On this occasion
our expedition consisted of eight men, seven sleds, and forty-two dogs.
Only the cook remained at "Framheim."

On February 27th, we passed the depot which we had established at 80 deg.
S.; we found everything in the best of order. On March 4th we reached
the eighty-first parallel and deposited there 1,150 pounds of
provisions. Three men returned from here to the station while the five
others continued toward the south and reached the eighty-second
parallel on March 8th, depositing there 1,375 pounds of provisions. We
then returned, and on March 22d were again at home. Before the winter
began we made another excursion to the depot in 80 deg. S., and added to
our supplies there 2,400 pounds of fresh salt meat and 440 pounds of
other provi