Had the watchman not called for help immediately, undoubtedly some of the cases would have been blown out to sea. The wind got stronger and stronger during the time that people were busy securing the cases, and they all had to move with the greatest caution to prevent themselves being blown off the quay. The explanation of this strong wind lies, I believe, with the high hills which surround the harbor.
Several ore-boats drifted off in the dock and were damaged. As it continued to blow all Sunday we had to discontinue loading. During Monday we got the second engine case and both wing crates on board. Those which were loaded aft we had managed to place alongships, but we decided to lay the forward ones crosswise on the deck, well forward, where they (on account of the curve in the boat’s build) lay higher and out of line of any waves which the boat might ship and which would leave her decks awash.
On Thursday, the 7th, by midday both propellers were on board, stowed above the wing cases. It was a long, tedious piece of work, but the main point was that everything went well. S. S. “Hobby’s” deck cargo looked alarmingly high and when one realized that our course lay amongst the ice, it made one apprehensive. For my part, when I thought of what a bill for damages would mean to us—the sacrifice of the expedition for that year—it was little wonder that I trembled. There were plenty of people to utter cautions, but “Hobby’s” captain (Captain Holm) and the ice pilot Johansen both said things would be all right “if only luck went with us.”
The top weight was not alarming, but it was an anxious moment all the same when we saw the deck cargo piled so high. As soon as we got away from the quay and got up a little speed, we put the rudder hard over to see if the boat was specially “tender.” S. S. “Hobby” listed over considerably less than I had expected. I trusted we should have only a small swell before we reached Tjellsund, but fortunately we found smooth water. In view of what we learned later we have great reason to be glad of this, for had we had an example there of “Hobby’s” rolling abilities, we should certainly never have assailed the ice conditions ahead. We should certainly have chartered the extra ship which I mentioned and would have had 20,000 kronen bigger debt to-day.
We arrived at Tromsö on Wednesday, the 9th, at 9 A.M. It was a great day for us all, and for me especially. Roald Amundsen and the other members of the expedition had arrived. S. S. “Fram” was there as well. For the first time we were all gathered together. I felt so confident when Amundsen took over the direct leadership, that I went off to do a little business of my own.
During the day Amundsen went through the whole outfit, and everything which had been ordered in Tromsö was placed on board. The entire day was given up to work and it was late at night when we began to make ready for sea. All questions in connection with transport insurance were attended to with the greatest of skill and of kindness by my friend, Herr R. Wesmann.
In Narvik, during the loading, I had stepped inadvertently on a nail which had penetrated my right foot. The day in Tromsö therefore proved a very hard one, as I suffered extreme pain with every step I took. The worst part of my affliction, however, was that so many people showed their sympathy with me by relating all the dreadful things which had happened to this acquaintance or to that one who had had a similar accident, and they threatened me with blood-poisoning or something equally unpleasant. Blood-poisoning would have rendered me useless for flying and I swore to myself that I would go right round the old boat many times in future without trying to take a near cut in rubber-soled shoes along a plank or something similar, running the risk of treading on another nail.
A newspaper suddenly made the discovery that Thursday was the expedition’s lucky day, as we started from Spitzbergen on a Thursday and came back with the “Sjöliv” on a Thursday! I can supplement these facts by adding that some of us traveled home on a Thursday and the expedition left Tromsö on a Thursday, which was also a day full of fateful happenings during the entire course of the expedition.
On the morning of Thursday in Easter week at five o’clock we left Tromsö with “Fram” just ahead of us. On board S. S. “Hobby” we were busy fastening the last lashings to the deck-cargo, until 7 A.M., when I went to bed. At 9:30 I was awakened suddenly by some one shouting, “‘Fram’ is signaling.” Expecting something of the kind to happen, I had gone to bed fully dressed, and was therefore prepared to rush on deck almost before my eyes were opened. A man on board the “Fram” was semaphoring ... I signaled that I was ready, and the communications started. I had just received the words “We are going to ...” when the “Fram’s” rudder was put hard over, and the rest of the sentence was lost by the aftermast swinging round in my line of vision, cutting off the signaler and his message from view. He missed my “repeat” signal probably because I had not taken my flag with me in the hurry, and was only replying with my arms. He must apparently have seen something which he took for confirmation that his signals had been understood, for he hopped away seemingly quite satisfied and the “Fram” continued on her way. If “Hobby” had had her steam whistle in readiness I would at once have blown the “repeat” blast, but it would have been necessary to have got in touch with the engine-room first in order to get air into the whistle. I gave it up, therefore, and came to the conclusion that the “Fram” had no more serious intentions than merely to maneuver. I had heard something about a good landmark on the other side of the fairway, and thought thus that they were making a deviation from the usual course. Knowing that the “Fram,” with her greater speed, could soon overhaul us again, we continued straight on to prevent delay. S. S. “Fram” in the meantime hurried across the fjord and, as it turned westwards out of its course, I knew it had some special move in view. We turned as quickly as possible, following behind with all possible speed, but it was too late and “Fram” disappeared in the distance. We believed it would appear again westward of Fugleö and stood by in the hope of meeting it.
We had not been long in the open sea before we met heavy weather. How the “Hobby” rolled! The wing-cases which lay across the decks were dipped in the water at each side. I carefully surveyed the various lashings to see that none were working loose as the boat tossed and rolled. It was midday and a heavy sea was striking us abeam. Soon I noticed that the securing-ropes of the forward case had slackened, and it was sliding a couple of feet backwards and forwards as “Hobby” continued rolling. We “hove to,” therefore, until we managed to fix the cases with new lashings.