The Spring and Summer of 1894. 429 



how little damp we have on board. No doubt this is 

 due to the Frauis solid construction, and to the deck 

 over the hold being panelled on the underside. I am 

 getting fonder and fonder of this ship." 



" Saturday, June 9th. Our politician, Amundsen, is 

 celebrating the day with a white shirt and collar."" 

 To-day I have moved with my work up into the deck- 

 house again, where I can sit and look out of the window 

 in the day-time, and feel that I am living in the world 

 and not in a cavern, where one must have lamplight 

 night and day. I intend remaining here as long as 

 possible out into the winter : it is so cosy and quiet, 

 and the monotonous surroundings are not constantly 

 forcing themselves in upon me. 



" I really have the feeling that summer has come. 

 I can pace up and down the deck by the hour together 

 w r ith the sun, or stand still and roast myself in it, while 

 I smoke a pipe, and my eyes glide over the confused 

 masses of snow and ice. The snow is everywhere wet 

 now, and pools are beginning to form every here and 

 there. The ice too is getting more and more permeated 

 w T ith salt water ; if one bores ever so small a hole in it, 

 it is at once filled with water. The reason, of course, 

 is that owing to the rise in the temperature, the particles 

 of salt contained in the ice begin to melt their sur- 



With reference to the resolution of the Storthing, on June 

 1880. 



