The Winter Night. 363 



rise unsteadily. The temperature is the highest we 

 have had all winter ; to-day's maximum is 1 5 F. above 

 zero ( 97 C.). At 8 p.m. the thermometer stood at 

 7 F. below zero ( 22 C.). The temperature rises and 

 falls almost exactly conversely with the barometer. 

 This afternoon's observation places us in about 80 10' 

 N. lat." 



"Wednesday, February 28th. Beautiful weather 

 to-day, almost still, and temperature only about 15 F. 

 to 22 F. below zero ( 26 to 30 5' C.). There were 

 clouds in the south, so that not much was to be seen 

 of the sun ; but it is light wonderfully long already. 

 Sverdrup and I went snow-shoeing after dinner the 

 first time this year that we have been able to do 

 anything of the kind in the afternoon. We made 

 attempts to pump yesterday and to-day ; there ought 

 to be a little water, but the pump would not suck, 

 though we tried both warm water and salt. Possibly 

 there is water frozen round it, and possibly there is no 

 water at all. In the eno-me-room there has been no 



o 



appearance of water for more than a month, and none 

 comes into the forehold, especially now that the bow is 

 raised up by the pack-ice ; so if there is any it can 

 only be a little in the hold. This tightening may be 

 attributed chiefly to the frost. 



" The wind has begun to blow again from the S.S.W. 

 this evening, and the barometer is falling, which ought 

 to mean good wind coming ; but the barometer of 



