DAMAGE DURING THE STORM. 385 



whistled through the cracks of the planks, covering the 

 cabin walls with ice. It cost us a whole day's work to 

 shut out the unwelcome guest. 



To get some little motion we paced the deck by the 

 melancholy light of a lantern ; but that did not last long. 

 The everlasting rushing noise deafened one, and the tent 

 seemed to crush us, though spanned to its uttermost. 

 In a few minutes we were thickly covered with snow, 

 and had to be scraped down so as not to carry too much 

 wet below. 



On the 20th mattei's somewhat improved. The astro- 

 nomers were iil despair; for the 21st was a magnetic 

 period, and the whole twenty -^four hours must be passed in 

 the observatory. But everything has an end, even an East 

 Greenland winter's storm; Towards evening we could get 

 to laud comfortably without danger, and the astronomers 

 were able to arrange the instruments and the observatory 

 to their satisfaction. 



The icy case had lasted well this time ; only through 

 a few small holes had the snow penetrated. In the ob- 

 servatory, however, there Was more. The " Robinson " 

 was again wingless ; the bar on which the wings worked 

 was much worn and bent to the south. The provision 

 depot was unharmed. We, however, found the flood- 

 pole broken and frozen firm in the thick ice, and the 

 snow-walls of the ship were pai*tly blown away, and 

 partly eaten away, and riddled with holes. 



But how had the storm dealt with the ice ? this we 

 must ascertain next. And soon, through the pale . 

 twilight, to the south we saw a dark strip shining — the 

 open water. It must have come nearer to us than the 

 last time ; that was evident. We were, however, 



c c 



