PREPARATIONS FOR SUNDAY 101 



The Primus hums softly during the whole meal, and 

 the temperature in the tent is quite pleasant. 



When the meal is over, one of them calls for scissors 

 and looking-glass, and then one may see the Polar 

 explorers dressing their hair for the approaching Sunday. 

 The heard is cut quite short with the clipper every 

 Saturday evening; this is done not so much from 

 motives of vanity as from considerations of utility and 

 comfort. The beard invites an accumulation of ice, 

 which may often be very embarrassing. A beard in 

 the Polar regions seems to me to be just as awkward 

 and unpractical as — well, let us say, walking with a tall 

 hat on each foot. As the beard-clipper and the mirror 

 make their round, one after the other disappears into his 

 bag, and with five " Good-nights," silence falls upon the 

 tent. The regular breathing soon announces that the 

 day's work demand its tribute. Meanwhile the south- 

 easter howls, and the snow beats against the tent. The 

 dogs have curled themselves up, and do not seem to 

 trouble themselves about the weather. 



The storm continued unabated on the following day, 

 and on account of the dangerous nature of the ground 

 we decided to wait awhile. In the course of the morn- 

 ing — towards noon, perhaps — the wind dropped a little, 

 and out we went. The sun peeped through at times, 

 and we took the welcome opportunity of getting an 

 altitude— 86° 47' S. was the result. 



At this camp we left behind all our delightful rein- 



