158 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
ing these few days past, the wolves still continue 
to prowl about, and are often heard howling at 
night in the neighbourhood of the ships: I have 
said at night, perhaps, improperly, for ever since 
the sun left us, and until it returns, it may be 
said to be one continued night; but, as it is most 
convenient to distinguish the different parts of the 
twenty-four hours, in the way to which we 
have been accustomed, I shall still make use of 
the common distinctive words, of morning, noon, 
evening, and night, in the same manner as if 
these distinctions were apparent in nature; and I 
may remark, that it is not more incongruous to 
continue these appellations now, than to make use 
of them in the summer time, or when the-sun is 
never below the horizon. 
Wednesday, 24th. — Another play was perform- 
ed by the officers this evening, which amused 
the people very much, and, I believe, it is in- 
tended to repeat one every fortnight during the 
winter, if the weather does not get so cold as to 
hinder it. The weather has of late, indeed, been 
very severe, but when there is no wind, we can 
take exercise in the open air without any incon- 
venience, although the thermometer is generally 
between 40° and 50° below zero. A person cannot, 
however, make much use of his hands in the man- 
ner in which they are obliged to be covered, to pre- 
vent them being frost-bitten : they have, therefore, 
left off cutting the ice round the ships, having 
found that it was impossible to continue that 
operation with safety to the men; two or three 
of them indeed, got their toes slightly frost-bitten, 
