328 Chapter VI. 



on the sofa reading after dinner, Peter put his head in at 

 the door and asked me to come up and look at a strange 

 star which had just shown itself above the horizon, 

 shining like a beacon flame. I got quite a start when 

 I came on deck and saw a strong red light just above 

 the edge of the ice in the south. It twinkled and 

 changed colour ; it looked just as if some one were 

 coming carrying a lantern over the ice ; I actually 

 believe that for a moment I so far forgot our surround- 



O 



ings as to think that it really was some person 

 approaching from the south. It was Venus, which we 

 see to-day for the first time, as it has till now been 

 beneath the horizon. It is beautiful with its red litrht. 



o 



Curious that it should happen to come to-day. It must 

 be Liv's star, as Jupiter is the home star. And Liv's 

 birthday is a lucky clay we are on our way north again. 

 According to observations we are certainly north of 

 79 N. lat. On the home day, September 6th, the 

 favourable wind began to blow that carried us along the 

 coast of Asia ; perhaps Liv's clay has brought us into a 

 good current, and we are making the real start for the 

 north under her star. 



"Friday, January i2th. There was pressure about 

 ten o'clock this morning in the opening forward, but I 

 could see no movement when I was there a little later, 

 I followed the opening some way to the north. It is 

 pretty cold work walking with the thermometer at 40 F. 

 below zero, and the wind blowing with a velocity of 



