174 THENORTHPOLE 



A hole just large enough for a man to crawl through 

 is cut close to the bottom on one side, and any super- 

 fluous snow inside the igloo is thrown out through this 

 hole. In the rear or larger end, the sloping floor is 

 leveled off to form a bed platform, and in front of this 

 the floor is dug down a foot or more for a standing space 

 and a place for the cookers. 



Then the sleeping gear and cooking outfit are passed 

 into the igloo, and, after the dogs have been fed and 

 tethered for the night, the members of the party enter, 

 the opening at the bottom is closed by a large block of 

 snow, the edges of which have been shaped and chipped 

 by a saw knife to make a tight joint, and everything 

 is ready for the night. 



After the cookers are lighted, the igloo is soon com- 

 paratively warm, and in the arctic regions, when men 

 are tired out from a long march, they generally fall 

 asleep easily. Insomnia is not one of the arctic 

 annoyances. 



We never carry alarm clocks in the field to arouse 

 us in the morning. The first man who has had his 

 sleep out looks at his watch, and if it is time to be on the 

 march again, he wakes the others. After breakfast 

 we break camp and are out again. 



I did not join the field parties during the winter 

 moons this time, but remained on the ship, going over 

 and perfecting the plans for the spring campaign — the 

 sledge journey toward the Pole — and giving consid- 

 erable study to the new type of Peary sledge, to the 

 improvement of details of clothing, and to experiment- 

 ing with the new alcohol stove which I had designed 

 for the spring work — determining the most effective 



