134 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



did the weatlier begin to mend, allowing us to leave tlie 

 shelter of our asylum. 



At four in the morning, the second officer, to whom a 

 longer stay in the boat was painful, caught sight of a 

 star, and with a thankful heart brought us news of the 

 good sign. The driving snow had not quite left off, but 

 one could at least take breath. Our first steps were 

 directed to the boat King William, which lay on the 

 other side of the half-foot-broad fissure running through 

 the house. It was brought to the flag-stafi" near the two 

 other boats, which were fast frozen in, in spite of all the 

 storm. We provided this conveyance with a roof of 

 boards, covered with sail-cloth, and six of the men made 

 it their sleeping apartment, whilst the house was cleared 

 from the snow. 



For five nights we slept in the boats. The days to the 

 19th were employed, it being tolerable weather, in raising 

 our settlement from its ruins, and laying the foundations 

 of a necessary and satisfactory abode. Soon a wooden 

 kitchen was built. A new dwelling-house, exactly like 

 the one destroyed, but only half as big (14 feet long, 10 

 broad, 6^ high in the middle), was built, with all requisite 

 arrangements, store room, wooden beds, stove and window, 

 and so on. Unfortunately the first night we moved in being 

 stormy weather, the roof flew off ; the inside was at once 

 filled with snow, and we had to migrate to the boats 

 once more. The mischief was repaired on the following 

 day. As there was only sleeping room in our new house 

 for six men, the rest from this time had to sleep in the 

 boats. Throughout all the discomfort, want, hardship, 

 danger of all kinds, the frame of mind among the men 

 was good, undaunted, and exalted. The cook kept a 



