272 PREPARING FOR WINTER 



carpenter's shop. This had to be dug considerably 

 deeper, as the drift was rounded off a little to the side. 

 We therefore dug first into the drift, and then right 

 down; as far as I remember, we went 6 feet down into 

 the Barrier here. The shop was made roomy, with space 

 enough for both carpenters and length enough for our 

 sledges. The planing-bench was cut out in the wall 

 and covered with boards. The workshop terminated at 

 its western end in a little room, where the carpenters 

 kept their smaller tools. A broad stairway, cut in the 

 snow and covered with boards, led from the shop into 

 the passage. As soon as the workshop was finished, 

 the workmen moved in, and established themselves 

 under the name of the Carpenters' Union. Here the 

 whole sledging outfit for the Polar journey was re- 

 modelled. Opposite the carpenters came the smithy, 

 dug to the same depth as the other; this was less used. 

 On the other side of the smithy, nearer to the hut, a 

 deep hole was dug to receive all the waste water from 

 the kitchen. Between the Carpenters' Union and the 

 entrance to the pent-house, opposite the ascent to the 

 Barrier, we built a little room, which, properly speak- 

 ing, deserves a very detailed explanation ; but, for want 

 of space, this must be deferred till later. The ascent to 

 the Barrier, which had been left open while all these 

 works were in progress, was now closed by a con- 

 trivance which is also worth mentioning. There are a 

 great many people who apparently have never learnt 



