372 Chapter VI. 



and wolf's skin cloak, or a common woollen suit with 



a light sealskin jacket over it. For the first time in 



my life I felt my thighs frozen, especially just over the 



knee, and on the kneecap ; my companions also suffered 



in the same way. This was after going a long while 



against the wind. We rubbed our legs a little, and 



they soon got warm again, but had we kept on much 



longer without noticing it, we should probably have been 



severely frost-bitten. In other respects we did not 



suffer the least inconvenience from the cold, on the 



contrary found the temperature agreeable ; and I am 



convinced that 10, 20, or even 30, lower would not 



have been unendurable. It is strange how one's 



sensations alter. When at home, I find it unpleasant if 



I only go out of doors when there are some 20 degrees 



of cold, even in calm weather. But here I don't find it 



any colder when I turn out in 50 degrees of cold with a 



wind into the barg'ain. Sitting in a warm room at home 



one gets exaggerated ideas about the terribleness of the 



cold. It is really not in the least terrible : we all of us 



find ourselves very well in it, though sometimes one or 



another of us does not take quite so long a walk as usual 



when a strong wind is blowing, and will even turn back 



for the cold ; but that is when he is only lightly clad and 



has no wind clothes on. This evening it is 51 '2 F. 



below zero, and 14! feet N.N.E. wind. Brilliant northern 



lights in the south. Already there is a very marked 



twilight even at midnight. 



