354 Chapter VI. 



between ; and from the main top I could see four, or 

 even five such horizontal lines directly over one another, 

 and all of equal length ; as if one could only imagine 

 a square dull-red sun with horizontal dark streaks across 

 it. An astronomical observation we took in the after- 

 noon showed that ihe sun must in reality have been 

 2 22' below the horizon at noon ; we cannot expect to 

 see its disc above the ice before Tuesday at the earliest : 

 it depends on the refraction, which is very strong in this 

 cold air. All the same, we had a small sun-festival 

 this evening, on the occasion of the appearance of its 

 image a treat of figs, bananas, raisins, almonds, and 

 gingerbread. 



"Sunday, February i8th. I went eastwards yester- 

 day on snow-shoes, and found a good snow-shoeing and 

 driving road out to the flats that lie in that direction. 

 There is a pretty bad bit first, with hummocks and 

 pressure-ridges, and then you come out on these great 

 wide plains, which seem to extend for miles and miles to 

 the north, east, and south-east. To-day I drove out 

 there with eight dogs ; the driving goes capitally now ; 

 some of the others followed on snow-shoes. Still 

 northerly wind. This is slow work ; but anyhow we are 

 having clear, bright weather. Yes, it is all very well- 

 we snow-shoe, sledge, read both for instruction and 

 amusement, write, take observations, play cards, chat, 

 smoke, play chess, eat and drink ; but all the same it is 

 an execrable life in the long run, this at least, so it 



