The Winter Night. 253 



opened so much this morning that the Frain was afloat 

 in her cutting ; later on it closed again, and about 1 1 

 there was some strong pressure ; then came a quiet time ; 

 but in the afternoon the pressure began once more, and 

 was violent from 4 to 4.30. The Frcuii was shaken 

 and lifted up ; didn't mind a bit. Peter gave it as his 

 opinion that the pressure was coming from the north- 

 east, for he had heard the noise approaching from that 

 direction. Johansen let clown the silk net for me about 

 1 1 fathoms. It was all he could do to get it up again in 

 time, but it brought up a good catch. Am still 

 keeping in." 



"Wednesday, October 25th. We had a horrible 

 pressure last night. I awoke and felt the Frain being 

 lifted, shaken, and tossed about, and heard the loud 

 cracking- of the ice breaking against her sides. After 



o o o 



listening for a little while I fell asleep again, with a snug- 

 feeling that it was good to be on board the Frain ; it 

 would be confoundedly uncomfortable to have to be ready 

 to turn out every time there was a little pressure, or to 

 have to go off with our bundles on our backs like the 

 'TegethofT people." 



"It is quickly getting darker. The sun stands lower 

 and lower every time we see it ; soon it will disappear 

 altogether, if it has not done so already. The long- 

 dark winter is upon us, and glad shall we be to see 

 the spring ; but nothing matters much if we could only 

 begin to move north. There is now south-westerly 



