112 THE GERMAN AEOTIC EXPEDITION. 



the cabin-lamp, books, cigars, boxes of games, &c. The 

 snow-roof, too, and the sails were brought on to the ice ; 

 but still all necessary work was not yet accomplished. 

 Round about the ship lay a chaotic mass of heterogeneous 

 articles, and groups of feeble rats struggling with death, 

 and trembling with the cold ! All articles, for greater 

 safety, must be conveyed over a fissure to about thirty 

 paces farther inland. The galley we at once took on a 

 sledge to the house, as we should want it to give us 

 warm coffee in the evening. We then looked after the 

 sailor Max Schmidt, who was suffering from frost bite, 

 and brought him on planks under the fur covering to the 

 coal-house. By nine a.m. all were in the new asylum, 

 which was lit by the cabin-lamp, and looked like a dreary 

 tomb. Pleased with the completion of our heavy day's 

 work, though full of trouble for the future, we prepared 

 our couch. A number of planks were laid upon the 

 ground, and sail-cloth spread over them. Upon these we 

 lay down, rolled in our furs. A man remained to watch 

 the stove, as the temperature in the room had risen from 

 2° Fahr. to27h° F. It was a hard, cold bed ; but sleep soon 

 fell upon our weary over-worked limbs. On the morning 

 of the 21st we went again to the ship to get more fuel. 

 The coal-hole was, however, under water. We therefore 

 chopped down the masts, and hauled them, with the 

 whole of the tackle, on to the ice, a work which took us 

 nearly the whole day. At eleven, the foremast fell ; at 

 three, the mainmast followed, and now the Hansa 

 really looked a complete, comfortless wreck. For the last 

 time, the captain and steersman went on deck, and about 

 six o'clock loosed the ropes, which, by means of the ice- 

 anchor, held the ship to the field, as we feared that our 



