UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN. 315 



be plainly visible, and then flew to and disappeared 

 among the rough ice about one hundred yards from 

 us. Mr. Newcomb started after him to add him to the 

 collection, but failed to find him. 



April lith, Wednesday. — To-day our steward went 

 to work clearing out the ice from the tiller-room. This 

 is a new name in my record, and requires explanation. 

 Last fall I had the doors opening from the cabin into 

 the chart-room unhung, and mounted between the pro- 

 peller well and chart-room bulkheads, completely shut- 

 ting off the after part of the cabin containing the 

 rudder head and tiller. This shut-out space has acted 

 as a perfect condensing chamber for the cabin, keep- 

 ing our mess-room dry during the lowest temperature 

 of the winter. I am stating; nothing; new when I 

 say that all moisture will fly to a cold surface and 

 condense. Shutting off the after part of the cabin 

 has made a cold room into which the moisture has 

 penetrated, through cracks and the key-holes when 

 the doors have been closed, and in volumes through 

 the doorways when the doors have been opened, 

 and ice has formed there from tlie condensation. Now 

 that milder weather is coming, this must be removed, 

 or else melting, it will run in streams. Of course the 

 condensing chamber has not benefited Chipp's room 

 or mine, for our air ports, forward bulkhead, and 

 the bulwark being exposed outside to the tempera- 

 ture of the air have supplied the cold surfaces nearer 

 at hand for the condensation. The chart-rooms have 

 had some ice, but not much, form on the bulwark 

 and book-shelves against the side, and of course the 

 air ports have been one mass of frost. I am firmly 

 convinced that had our deck-house extended forward 

 to entirely cover the berth deck, the berth deck would 



