308 Chapter VI. 



And along with all this that Ringnes bock-beer which 

 is so famous in our part of the world. Was this the 

 sort of dinner for men who are to be hardened against 

 the horrors of the Arctic night ? 



" Every one had eaten so much that supper had to be 

 skipped altogether. Later in the evening coffee was 

 served, with pine-apple preserve, gingerbread, vanilla- 

 cakes, cocoanut macaroons, and various other cakes, all 

 the work of our excellent cook, Juell ; and we ended up 

 with figs, almonds, and raisins. 



" Now let us have the breakfast, just to complete the 

 clay : coffee, freshly baked bread, beautiful Danish 

 butter, Christmas cake, Cheddar cheese, clove-cheese, 

 tongue, corned beef, and marmalade. And if any one 

 thinks that this is a specially good breakfast because it is 

 Christmas Day, he is wrong. It is just what we have 

 always, with the addition of the cake, which is not part 

 of the every-day diet. 



"Add now to this good cheer our strongly built, safe 

 house, our comfortable saloon, lighted up with the 

 large petroleum lamp and several smaller ones (when we 

 have no electric light), constant gaiety, card-playing, and 

 books in any quantity, with or without illustrations, good 

 and entertaining reading, and then a good sound 

 sleep what more could one wish ? 



". . . . But, O Arctic night, thou art like a woman, 

 a marvellously lovely woman. Thine are the noble, 

 pure outlines of antique beauty, with its marble coldness. 



