The Spring and Summer of 1894. 447 



to the land of wistful longing. And it is just at these 

 glittering glaciers in the distance that we direct our 

 longing gaze. Why should not a summer day be as 

 lovely here ? Ah, yes ! it is lovely, pure as a dream, 

 without desire, without sin, a poem of clear white 

 sunbeams refracted in the cool crystal blue of the ice. 

 How unutterably delightful does not this world appear 

 to us on some stifling summer day at home ? 



" Have rested and ' kept Sunday.' I could not 

 remain in the whole day, so took a long trip over the 

 ice. Progress is easy except for the lanes. 



" Hansen practised kayak-paddling this afternoon on 

 the pool around the ship, from which several channels 

 diverge over the ice, but he was not content with 

 paddling round in them, but must, of course, make an 

 experiment in capsizing and recovering himself as the 

 Eskimos do. It ended by his not coming up again, 

 losing his paddle, remaining head downwards in the 

 water, and beating about with his hands till the ' kayak ' 

 filled, and he got a cold -bath from top to toe. Nordahl, 

 who was standing by on the ice to help him, at last 

 found it necessary to go in after him and raise him 

 up on an even keel again, to the great amusement of 

 us others. 



" One can notice that it is summer. This evening a 

 game of cards is being played on deck, with ' Peik's ' 



* The name given to the cnoking-stove. 



