On the 9th April all the long and many preparations were finished, and we left Tromsö at five in the morning. The expedition had two ships. The motor ship “Hobby,” which should bring the two seaplanes up to Spitzbergen, and the Navy’s transport ship “Fram” which the State had placed at our disposal for the undertaking. On board the “Hobby” were Riiser-Larsen, Dietrichson, Omdal, Berge, the photographer, and the Rolls-Royce mechanic Green. On board the “Fram”--Captain Hagerup, the second in command Lieut. Torkeldsen, ice-pilot Ness, Dr. Matheson, Director of the Pisaverkene Schulte-Frohlinde with two mechanics Feucht and Zinsmayer, the journalists Ramm and Wharton, the meteorologist Dr. Bjerknes, the guide Calwagen, also Devold, the cook Olsen, Sailmaker Rönne, Horgen, the chemist Zapffe, Lincoln Ellsworth and myself. This may appear almost unbelievable, but that part of the journey was regarded by us as one of the most anxious. It was still early in the year and the fairway between Norway and Spitzbergen was anything but safe for two smacks like ours. The “Fram” is a midsummer boat, intended for an ice-free sea, sunny and calm. But in the month of April one must not reckon with these three factors. One would be much cleverer to expect lots of ice, no sun, and heavy storms, and for that “Fram” is not a suitable ship. “Hobby” was more of an ice-ship and would in general plow her way as well as any other, but this was an extraordinary occasion. The tremendous cases which the flying boats were packed in had no other place to lie but on deck and in consequence of this “Hobby” became in very truth not much of a sea ship. The ubiquitous prophet had foretold her death and her sinking, and I must say that I was almost inclined to agree with him when I saw the big boxes lifted in the air. After leaving Tromsö “Hobby” had already given up trying to be a boat; she looked like a mass of gigantic cases which was wandering along over the sea. The arrangements were that both ships should keep together in order to be of mutual assistance and cheer. It is always comforting in the loneliness of the sea to be cheered by the near presence of another ship; assistance too we might both have need of.