Two days were spent in the house at Baadsfiord, from which they again set out on 18th October. On the 19th they were stopped by open water beyond Stormkap, and here formed a dépôt in which was also placed the most of the meat from two bears which had been shot on the way. In returning they explored a large fiord between Baadsfiord and Stormkap, where they shot twenty-six polar oxen. The fiord received the appropriate name of “Moskusfiord.” It was a large task to carry all the meat to the ship, but after several trips it was completed by the 18th of November. In Sverdrup’s opinion, Eskimo dogs should be fed once every day. He believes that if well fed and protected from cold in suitable kennels there is no reason why so many should die during the winter. He found his dogs in full vigour even at the darkest period of the year. The winter passed in making preparations for the spring journeys. On the 23rd February 1900 four men set out for the westernmost dépôt, where they were to leave their loads. When they reached it they found it destroyed by bears, and nearly the whole of the food eaten. Sverdrup now decided that a man should remain at the dépôt as long as any sledge-parties were travelling west of it. Bay at once applied for the post, and was appointed “Commandant of Bjorneborg.” Here he lived alone for three months. On the 20th March the great spring expedition started off. On the 17th a party of four had left for the dépôt. The larger party consisted of six men, who were ultimately to form three parties of two men each. The dogs numbered fifty-five. The provisions consisted of bread, butter, sugar, coffee, chocolate, pea-soup, vegetables, figs, French plums, raisins, nectarines, egg-powder, groats, potatoes, meat-fat, pemmican, golden syrup, and fish-flour. The dietary allowed each man per day weighed 2-1/5 lb. The loads amounted to over 670 lb. each.