The Winter Night. 365, 



so much of it. I expected we had come a long way 

 south, but yesterday's observation still shows 79 54' N. 

 lat. We must have drifted a good way north during the 

 last days before this wind came. The weather yesterday 

 and to-day has been bitter, 35 F. and 36^ F. below zero 

 ( 37 and 38 C.), with sometimes as much as 35 feet of 

 wind per second must be called cool. It is curious that 

 now the northerly winds bring cold, and the southerly 

 warmth. Earlier in the winter it was just the opposite. 



" Monday, March 5th. Sverdrup and I have been a 

 long w r ay north-east on snow-shoes. The ice was in good 

 condition for it ; the wind has tossed about the snow 

 finely, covering over the pressure-ridge, as far as the 

 scanty supply of material has permitted. 



" Tuesday, March 6th. No drift at all. It has been a 

 bitter day to-day, 47 F. to 50 F. below zero ( 44 to 

 46 C.), and wind up to 19 feet. This has been a good 

 occasion for getting hands and face frost-bitten, and one 

 or two have taken advantage of it. Steady north-west 

 wind. I am beginning to get indifferent and stolid as 

 far as the wind is concerned. I photographed Johansen 

 to-day at the anemometer, and during the process his 

 nose was frost-bitten. 



" There has been a general weighing this evening again. 

 These weighings are considered very interesting per- 

 formances, and we stand watching in suspense to see 

 whether each man has gained or lost. Most of them 

 have lost a little this time. Can it be because we have 



