206 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



The dog mentioned as being sick died during the 

 night, and we have now but thirty-eight left, and one 

 of these is dying slowly, too, having been bitten through 

 the nose in a fight at St. Michael's. Alexey opened the 

 dead dog, and found in his stomach a wad of oakum as 

 big as my fist, which of course caused his death. These 

 dogs will eat anything, and in spite of all attempts to 

 prevent them. They are given a dried fish each daily, 

 but all the same are prowling around day and night 

 among empty meat cans and ash heaps, and making a 

 rush every time a pan of dish water even is thrown 

 over the side. 



December olst, Wednesday. — The last day of the 

 year is, so far as weather is concerned, dull and gloomy. 

 The earliest trace of dawn occurred at 8.16 a. m. Occa- 

 sional flurries of snow, very fine and driving, seem to 

 promise us some relief from our expenditure of fuel in 

 distilling, but as soon as we begin to think it really will 

 snow, the snow flurries cease. 



Danenhower was placed on the sick list to-day, his 

 eye having regularly broken down. 



To give an impetus to the social feeling in seeing the 

 old year out and the new year in, T sent four quarts of 

 brandy forward for the crew, while Melville heated the 

 water for a savory compound aft, and as midnight ap- 

 proached our little colony of thirty-three people waited 

 for the sound of the ship's bell to say good-by to the 

 year 1879, and welcome to the year 1880. 



1880, Janum'y 1st, Thursday. — The birth of the new 

 year was announced by the rapid ringing of the ship's 

 bell by the man on watch, and the crew, all assembled 

 on the quarter deck, gave three cheers for the " Jean- 

 ne tte," and sent a deputation of two men into the cabin 

 to wish us all a happy New Year. The year opened 



