INTRODUCTION. 



35 



Fig. 25. Hut for Magnetic Observations. 



On the 28th September, the "Wladimir" came again, bringing Saeland to inspect the station. The 

 vessel remained for three days, and it soon appeared that she had been none too early in getting away, 

 as the winter came unusually early. About a week after her departure, ice covered the sea after a 

 snow-storm and a week of cold weather had cooled the water. 



The first part of the winter was severe. As early as November, the thermometer showed as a 

 rule between 20 and 30 degrees of frost. There was, however, comparatively more clear weather than 

 at other times of the year. But it was the same here as in other places; calm weather and from 30 to 

 40 degrees of cold gave no inconvenience. It was worse, however, when there were about 20 

 degrees C. and a snow-storm, which might continue for a week or two at a time. 



We had a great deal of aurora during 

 the first part of the winter. It would begin 

 with an arc low down in the north, which 

 gradually moved upwards and increased in 

 brightness, and at last often stood almost 

 magnetic east and west through the zenith. 

 There then sometimes developed several large 

 arcs, with a flaming rosette in the zenith; 

 now and then the entire northern heavens 

 seemed like a sea of fire. Sometimes the re- 

 flection would be so bright, that every object 

 upon the ground could be distinctly seen. 



As the winter advanced, the days be- 

 came quickly shorter. From November, the 

 sun was always below the horizon, and in the latter half of November, in December and January, we 

 had to burn lamps all day long. At first there was no difficulty in doing without daylight, but as it 

 continues, the constant darkness has a depressing effect. 



The severest part of the winter was the month of January. We then had for long periods at a 

 time from 30 to 40 degrees of frost. It is strange that even in this severe part of the winter, a wind 



from the south could send the thermometer 

 up above freezing-point. The lowest tem- 

 perature observed was 42 C. 



On the 22nd February, a very remark- 

 able thing occurred. The barometer sud- 

 denly fell to the lowest level of the year. 

 In the morning, when we looked out of the 

 window, the whole mass of ice in the strait, 

 which had been fast since November, and was 

 very thick, was drifting westwards. Soon 

 after we had open water everywhere. The 

 wind, which otherwise is the most impor- 

 tant cause of changed ice-conditions, had 

 nothing to do with this freezing of the ice. 

 At the beginning of March, the weather 

 again became cold, the strait froze over once more, and the ice became fast as before. 



In the latter half of February, the polar bear appeared. This animal, while at other seasons of 

 the year remaining in the north of the Kara Sea, wanders farther afield in the latter half of the winter, 

 Matotchkin Strait being one of its favorite haunts. 



Kig. 26. Samoyed and Team. 



