THE START 31 



was also a photograph of our home on Eagle Island, 

 and a fragrant pillow made by my daughter Marie 

 from the pine needles of that island. 



The pianola, a gift from my friend H. H. Benedict, 

 had been my pleasant companion on my previous 

 voyage, and again on this it proved one of our great- 

 est sources of pleasure. There were at least two hun- 

 dred pieces of music in my collection, but the strains 

 of "Faust" rolled out over the Arctic Ocean more often 

 than any other. Marches and songs were also pop- 

 ular, with the "Blue Danube" waltz; and sometimes, 

 when the spirits of my party were at rather a low ebb, 

 we had ragtime pieces, which they especially enjoyed. 



There was also in my cabin a fairly complete, 

 arctic library — absolutely complete in regard to all 

 the later voyages. These books, with a large assort- 

 ment of novels and magazines, could be depended upon 

 to relieve the tedium of the long arctic night, and very 

 useful they were found for that purpose. Sitting up 

 late at night means something when the night is some 

 months long. 



On the second day out the carpenter began the 

 repairs on the crushed whale-boat, using lumber which 

 we carried for such purposes. The sea was rough, 

 and the waist of the ship was awash nearly all day. 

 My companions were gradually getting settled in 

 their cabins; and if any man had qualms of homesick- 

 ness, he kept them to himself. 



Our living quarters were in the after deckhouse, 

 which extends the full width of the Roosevelt from a 

 little aft of the mainmast to the mizzenmast. In the 

 center is the engine-room, with the skylight and the 



