204 ABSENCE OP FROST-BITES. \Jamary, 



We leave (I am as bad as the rest) our warm cabins, at 

 say 50, rush ou deck and on to the floe, after science 

 or Bruin, it matters not, at take the mean, 49; 49 

 + 32 = 81 below freezing, and 50 + 49 = 99 change 

 of temperature, without damage ! 



We have throughout been thinking, or rather talking, 

 of ourselves we do happen to think more deeply of the 

 crew ; but thanks to the unremitting attention of our 

 medical men, and to the general care taken to prevent 

 exposure, I should be disposed to assert, in my proper 

 capacity of the Commander, that no official report of 

 frost-bite has yet reached my ears. To descend perhaps, 

 and allow that once one of my men " took his Captain 

 by the nose," under pretence that he thought his Cap- 

 tain's nose was frost-bitten, and his warm (?) hand could 

 restore it, " is not quite true." But I totally and indig- 

 nantly repel the very low insinuation, and believe that 

 the blood from his heart flowed so rapidly to the end 

 of his arm, that it saved my nose by the application of 

 the back of his warm hand, and I thank him : even 

 if it was a deceit, I forgive him. We command here ; 

 no bed of roses nevertheless no absolute command is ! 

 Ask the fathers of families, and this is not a small one ! 



To continue the matter of low temperatures. They 

 made no impression here ; the pains of forehead or lungs 

 some might have experienced, but they were never men- 

 tioned in my presence. The only projection. about which 

 I felt interest was my nose, and upon this point (not a 

 very prominent feature) I felt a sort of monomania, some- 

 thing like, going into action, that I must be wounded in 

 a leg, and nowhere else. I never intended to be killed, 



