188 SEVERE WEATHER. Chap. XII. 



The seal nets have produced nothing ; and as there are 

 no seals, we no longer wonder at not seeing bears. Three 

 foxes have been trapped and a hare seen. Our canine force 

 numbers twenty-four serviceable dogs and six puppies ; but 

 these, I fear, will not be strong enough for sledging by 

 March. 



The monotony of our lives is vastly increased by want of 

 occupation, and confinement by severe gales to the ship, for 

 five days out of every seven. Those who have spent an 

 arctic winter in a government expedition will please to 

 remember, when they read this admission, how differently 

 we are circumstanced; only twenty-four souls, including 

 Petersen the Dane, and the two Esquimaux, confined in one 

 small vessel. We are, of course, unable to get up bals 

 masques, or theatres, newspaper, skittle-alley, or ice billiard- 

 table as was ingeniously devised on board the ' Enterprise ; ' 

 and this being our second winter, we know all each other's 

 stories by rote, in fact we take a malicious pleasure in cor- 

 recting each other when telling them. Captain Collinson's 

 skittle-alley and billiard-room were splendid edifices — snow 

 walls and ice windows — genuine crystal palaces. 



But if our dulness and monotony is intense, it will also be 

 brief, for we shall recommence sledging as soon as there is 

 sufficient light (early in February), which will be about two 

 months sooner than has been usual hitherto. 



The general health is good, but there is a natural craving 

 for fresh meat and fresh vegetables — in great measure, per- 

 haps, because they cannot be obtained; but a well-filled 

 letter bag would be more welcome than anything I know of. 



26//;. — Upon four days only during the last fourteen has 

 the weather permitted us to take walks on shore. I allude 

 to the wind as the obstacle to our exercise; for low tem- 

 perature, when the air is still, is no bar to any reasonable 

 amount of it. Three or four coveys of ptarmigan have been 



