520 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANNETTE. 



" piece of brass served in it " meant a brass eyelet, one 

 of a number along the edge for lacing. Though many 

 times since we have hunted for our old resting place, 

 it has remained hidden. Chipp will go out to-morrow 

 with a sled and bring in the valuable relic. Another 

 absolutely cloudless day, except for a suspicion of stra- 

 tus clouds seen by the doctor at three A. m. 



February 19th, Saturday. — Our anticipations of yes- 

 terday with respect to the house which Aneguin found 

 have been verified. Chipp went out this morning and 

 brought the trophy into the ship. He found it about 

 three miles southeast of the ship, and in a location 

 which gave evidence of about six feet of the surround- 

 ing ice having melted last summer. Nothing was found 

 of two barrels, which, being empty, were not looked 

 after when we broke away. 



February 20th, Sunday. — The bright sunlight seems 

 to make us forget that we have gone through anything 

 in the past, and makes me at least hope implicitly in a 

 successful future. 



February 22d, Tuesday. — Washington's birthday, 

 and celebrated by us for the second time north of the 

 Arctic Circle by mast-head and flagstaff ensigns and 

 the jack forward. With all patriotic solemnity we 

 hoisted them at sunrise and hauled them down at sun- 

 set, and " another of them was gone." A bright, cold 

 day ; temperature, minus 40.5°. 



February 23d, Wednesday. — Bright and pleasant 

 weather, and the cheerful temperature of minus 42.5°. 

 Light airs from southward and westward, then a calm ; 

 and afternoon a light breeze springs up from the east- 

 ward with which the temperature rises, and I hope will 

 continue to rise, for I do not want our good average 

 for February to be spoiled. 



