222 Chapter VI. 



ture to rejoice in it ? Now I begin to divine it. 

 This is the coming earth here are beautv and death. 



O J 



But to what purpose ? Ah, what is the purpose of all 

 these spheres ? Read the answer if you can in the 

 starry blue firmament. 



"Wednesday, September 27th. Grey weather and 

 strong wind from the south-south-west. Nordahl, who 



o 



is cook to-day, had to haul up some salt meat which, 

 rolled in a sack, had been steeping for two days in the 

 sea. As soon as he got hold of it he called out, horrified, 

 that it was crawling with animals. He let go the sack, 

 and jumped away from it, the animals scattering round 

 in every direction. They proved to be sand-hoppers, 

 or anipJiipodfC, which had eaten their way into the meat. 

 There were pints of them, both inside and outside of 

 the sack. A pleasant discovery ; there will be no need 

 to starve when such food is to be had by hanging a sack 

 in the water. 



" Bentzen is the wag of the party ; he is always 

 playing some practical joke. Just now one of the men 

 came rushing up and stood respectfully waiting for me 

 to speak to him. It was Bentzen that had told him I 

 wanted him. It won't be long before he has thought of 

 some new trick. 



" Thursday, September 28th. Snowfall with wind. 

 To-day the dogs' hour of release has come. Until now 

 their life on board has been really a melancholy one. 

 They have been tied up ever since we left Khabarova. 



