Preparations for the “grand sledge journey” of the spring kept the men busy during the winter and early in the season Isachsen, Bay, Schei, and Stolz, each man with a full load, went to examine the outlying depots placed the previous fall. At Björneborg, the ravages of bears had caused loss of food and damaged equipment, and this serious menace to the success of the future journeys decided Captain Sverdrup to place a watchman at this lonely and isolated spot. Bay, the zoölogist, volunteered for the duty and was appointed “Commandant of Björneborg.”
“On March 7,” writes Sverdrup, “Fosheim and I started west in company with the newly appointed commandant. A little after twelve the following day we arrived at the boat-house.... After finishing our work we had dinner, which was as sustaining as it was splendid, and consisted of boiled beef, sausage, soup, and green peas. After dinner we had drams and coffee, and after supper grog. Early next morning, and on good ice, we drove on, running by the side of the loads nearly the whole day to increase the pace. We reached Björneborg in the evening, where we found our new depot in good order.
“Next day we set to work on the erection of the Commandant’s residence. We built a very respectable house.... Like other residences of the kind, ‘Björneborg’ must have its flag, we thought, and as we were in possession of a flagstaff, which, considering our circumstances, was irreproachable, we secured it to the roof, and ran up a 17th of May flag. But our Commandant was economical, and would only use it on occasions of especial ceremony.
“Here Bay lived, absolutely alone, for three months, and during the first part of the time without so much as a living being for company; afterwards he had a garrison consisting of a whole watch-dog. During all this long period I never saw him out of spirits.”
The following day, Sverdrup and Fosheim made an examination of the ice, which in the fiords was rugged and hummocky. Upon the return to the ship it was decided that Banmann, leading the supporting party, should leave the ship Saturday, March 17, with full loads, “with Björneborg as their destination; returning thence to the boat-house to fetch provisions and dog-food, which were to be used on the approaching journeys westward.”
For these journeys, Isachsen and Hassel were to make one party, Fosheim and Sverdrup the second, Schei and Peder the third. All were to meet at Björneborg on March 21, later to separate and journey in different directions.
The following rations were allotted to the different parties:—
| Banmann and his men, | 240 days’ rations, about 530 pounds. |
| Isachsen and Hassel, | 100 days’ rations, about 220 pounds. |
| Sverdrup and Fosheim, | 100 days’ rations, about 200 pounds. |
| Schei and Peder, | 80 days’ rations, about 175 pounds. |
| Bay, | 90 days’ rations, about 200 pounds. |
SLEDGE JOURNEYS