The Winter Night. 347 



skins are smarting with the cold ; but we are going north 

 at full speed, and are in the wildest of gay spirits. 



"Thursday, February ist. The same sort of weather 

 as yesterday, except that it has turned quite mild 7^ F. 

 below zero ( 22 C.). The snow is falling exactly as 

 it does in winter weather at home. The wind is more 

 southerly, S.S.E. now, and rather lighter. It may be 

 taken for granted that we have passed the Soth degree, 

 and we had a small preliminary fete this evening figs, 

 raisins, and almonds and dart-shooting, which last 



o 



resulted for me in a timely replenishment of my cigarette 

 case. 



" Friday, February 2nd. High festival to-day in 

 honour of the Soth degree, beginning with fresh rye- 

 bread and cake for breakfast. Took a long w r alk to get 

 up an appetite for dinner. According to this morning's 

 observation, we are in 80 10' N. lat. and 132 10' E. 

 long. Hurrah ! Well sailed ! I had offered to bet 

 heavily that we had passed 80, but no one would 

 take the bet. Dinner menu : Ox-tail soup, fish 

 pudding, potatoes, rissoles, green peas, haricot beans, 

 cloudberries with milk, and a whole bottle of beer to 

 each man. Coffee and a cigarette after dinner. Could 



o 



one wish for more ? In the evening we had tinned 



o 



pears and peaches, gingerbread, dried bananas, figs, 

 raisins, and almonds. Complete holiday all day. We 

 read aloud the discussions of this expedition published 

 before we left, and had some good laughs at the many 



