The Winter Night. 367 



" After a long rest the ship got a shake this afternoon. 

 I went on deck. Pressure was going on in an opening 

 just in front of the bow. We might almost have expected 

 it just now, as it is new moon ; only we have got out of 

 the way of thinking at all about the spring tides, as they 

 have had so little effect lately. They should of course 

 be specially strong just now, as the equinox is approach- 



ing. 



" Friday, March Qth. The net line pointed slightly 

 south-west this morning ; but the line attached to a 

 cheese which was only hanging a few fathoms below the 

 ice to thaw faster, seemed to point in the opposite 

 direction. Had we got a southerly current together with 

 the wind now? H'm! in that case something must 

 come of it ! Or was it, perhaps, only the tide setting 

 that way ? 



" Still the same northerly wind ; we are steadily 

 bearing south. This, then, is the change I hoped the 

 March equinox w y ould bring ! We have been having 

 northerly winds for more than a fortnight. I cannot 

 conceal from myself any longer that I am beginning 

 to despond. Quietly and slowly, but mercilessly, one 

 hope after the other is being crushed and .... have 

 I not a right to be a little despondent ? I long 

 unutterably after home, perhaps I am drifting away 

 farther from it, perhaps nearer ; but anyhow it is not 

 cheering to see the realisation of one's plans again and 

 again delayed, if not annihilated altogether, in this 



