captain of a ship many years. He is married, and has four children.

Lars Pettersen, second engineer of the Fram, was born in 1860, at
Borre, near Landskrona, in Sweden, of Norwegian parents. He is a
fully qualified smith and machinist, in which capacity he has served
in the Norwegian navy for several years. Is married, and has children.

Frederik Hjalmar Johansen, lieutenant in the Reserve, was born at
Skien in 1867, and matriculated at the University in 1886. In 1891-92
he went to the Military School and became a supernumerary officer. He
was so eager to take part in the expedition that, as no other post
could be found for him, he accepted that of stoker.

Peter Leonard Henriksen, harpooner, was born in Balsfjord, near Tromsoe,
in 1859. From childhood he has been a sailor, and from fourteen years
old has gone on voyages to the Arctic Sea as harpooner and skipper. In
1888 he was shipwrecked off Novaya Zemlya in the sloop Enigheden,
from Christiansund. He is married, and has four children.

Bernhard Nordahl was born in Christiania in 1862. At the age of
fourteen he entered the navy, and advanced to be a gunner. Subsequently
he has done a little of everything, and, among other things, has
worked as an electrical engineer. He had charge of the dynamo and
electric installation on board, acted, moreover, as stoker, and for
a time assisted in the meteorological observations. He is married,
and has five children.

Ivar Otto Irgens Mogstad was born at Aure, in Nordmoere, in 1856. In
1877 passed his examination as first assistant, and from 1882 onward
was one of the head keepers at the Gaustad Lunatic Asylum.

Bernt Bentzen, born in 1860, went to sea for several years. In 1890
he passed his mate's examination, since which he has sailed as mate
in several voyages to the Arctic Sea. We engaged him at Tromsoe, just
as we were starting. It was 8.30 when he came on board to speak to me,
and at 10 o'clock the Fram set sail.

CHAPTER III

THE START

"So travel I north to the gloomy abode
That the sun never shines on--
There is no day."

It was midsummer day. A dull, gloomy day; and with it came the
inevitable leave-taking. The door closed behind me. For the last time
I left my home and went alone down the garden to the beach, where the
Fram's little petroleum launch pitilessly awaited me. Behind me lay
all I held dear in life