422 THE GEKMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



side causino; a feelinsf as tlioiiofli the collar-bone was 

 being forced into the chest, and the shoulders cruslied. 

 Each lies upon his arm (which of course goes to 

 sleep), and is often prevented from breathing by the 

 smell of train-oil proceeding from his neighbour's seal- 

 skin. The breath condenses over the face and upon the 

 sloping tent-side, in long snow webs, which fall at the 

 slightest movement. 



The misery of tent life reaches its maximum during an 

 uninterrupted snow-storm of sometimes three days' dura- 

 tion. So long as this assumes the form of a hurricane, 

 no one can leave the tent without danger of either being 

 suffocated or blown away. These Greenland snow-storms, 

 which carry small stones with them, greatly resemble 

 "West Indian hun^icanes, only that the sun is completely 

 darkened by the rush of snow. 



Of course our tents would soon have been blown over, 

 if some precautions had not been taken. Great distress 

 reigned within. The wind greatly lessened the already 

 small space by pressing in the walls. Through the canvas, 

 through every stitch or smallest opening, spurts a small 

 flood of the finest snow, like flour out of a flour-mill, or 

 collects itself on the inner surface, where its ever-increas- 

 ing weight at length brings it down like small avalanches. 

 As long as the storm rages the cold is alleviated from the 

 equalization of warm air over the sea, though it seldom 

 allows any heat to remain in the tent, so that we were 

 still in a cold of from 14° to 5° Fahr. 



By degrees a covering of snow at least an inch thick lies 

 on the sack, under which we must patiently wait till the 

 storm ceases. We scrape it away witb the knife, but it 

 soon returns again. On some occasions this snow began 



