102 THE GERMAN ARCTIO EXPEDITION. 



the Willielmine, from Texel. On tlie other side, there 

 floated before our eyes the equally dangerous circum- 

 stances of the journey carried out by the Fox, 

 blocked up in the ice under MacCHntock, as well as 

 Kane's first voyage. Our ship was provided with every 

 improvement which could make an Arctic expedition in 

 the present day less dangerous than formerly. It would 

 have been unwise on our part to rest content with these 

 facts ; indeed, in the second part of September, the more 

 frequent pressure of the ice warned us that we must 

 prepare for the worst, namely the loss of the ship. 



A winter passed in the boats on the ice with only sail- 

 roofs was conceivable ; but apparently, both in regard of 

 health and life, it would be in the highest degree dan- 

 gerous. How protect oneself from the storms, the cold, 

 and the increasing down- whirling masses of snow, which 

 sometimes last for weeks together? How provide the 

 indispensable warm nourishment? The erection of a 

 winter-house on the ice must be taken into consideration. 

 Immediately the building of the aforesaid coal-house was 

 clamoured for. Bricks were already there in the shape 

 of coal-tiles, an excellent building material, which would 

 absorb the damp and keep the warmth in the room. 

 Water and snow formed the mortar. For the roof, in 

 ease of a real settlement on the ice-field on account of 

 the loss of the ship, we purposed taking the snow roofing 

 of the deck of the Hansa. Before anything else was 

 done the boats were cleared out, and two of them, the 

 Hope and the Bismarck, covered with the snow 

 roof. For each of these, provisions were kept ready on 

 deck. Captain Hegemann sketched the plan for the 

 building. The length was 20 feet, the breadth 14 feet, 



