The Winter Night. 307 



obliged to dispose of them in this way. The clothes are quite fresh, 

 having been in salt for a long time." 



After the reading of the newspaper came instrumental 

 music and singing, and it was far on in the night before 

 we sought our berths. 



O 



" Monday, December 25th. Christmas Day. Ther- 

 mometer at 36 F. ( 38 C.) below zero. I took a walk 

 south in the beautiful light of the full moon. At a newly 

 made crack I went through the fresh ice with one leg and 

 got soaked ; but such an accident matters very little in 

 this frost. The water immediately stiffens into ice ; it does 

 not make one very cold, and one feels dry again soon. 



"They will be thinking much of us just now at home 

 and giving many a pitying sigh over all the hardships 

 we are enduring in this cold, cheerless, icy region. 

 But I am afraid their compassion would cool if they 

 could look in upon us, hear the merriment that goes on, 

 and see all our comforts and good cheer. They can 

 hardly be better off at home. I myself have cer- 

 tainly never lived a more sybaritic life, and have never 

 had more reason to fear the consequences it brings in 

 its train. Just listen to to-day's dinner menu : 



1. Ox-tail soup ; 



2. Fish-pudding, with potatoes and melted butter : 



3. Roast of reindeer, with peas, French beans, potatoes, 



and cranberry jam ; 



4. Cloudberries with cream : 



5. Cake and marzipan (a welcome present from the baker 



to the expedition ; we blessed that man). 



X 2 



