212 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. December 



fine puppy by cramp, the only one which managed to 

 survive for a time out of six. An Eskimo is anything 

 but a good nurse, and although Frederick is a valuable 

 man in other ways he cannot be induced to take suf- 

 ficient care of the young dogs. A female before pup- 

 ping can be readily enticed on board and placed in a 

 kennel ; but at no other time can an Eskimo dog be 

 induced to sleep in a covered-in place. Two females 

 are domiciled comfortably enough at present in casks 

 on the upper-deck. 



6 The temperature of the land a foot and a half below 

 the surface is minus 3°, that of the snow-huts is minus 

 5° ; and the snow-protected fire-hole remains upwards 

 of 20° warmer than the outside air, 



' It is difficult to keep the heels of the cloth boots 

 from slipping ; consequently the heels of the socks 

 and boot-hose wear out very quickly. The officers 

 walking briskly can wear blanket wrappers and moc- 

 casins without feeling cold in the feet, but the crew 

 while at work, having to stand about a great deal, are 

 necessarily unable to wear the thin- soled moccasins, 

 and are obliged to keep to the warm but clumsy cork- 

 soled cloth boots. 



'As is usual in Arctic ships, all expected that 

 during the winter there would be ample time for reading 

 and writing ; now the general complaint is how little 

 can be done in that way. 



' The men breakfast at 7.30 a.m., then clear up the 

 lower-deck. After an hour's work on the ice we 

 muster at divisions, and read daily prayers at a quarter 

 past 10 a.m. The officers breakfast at 8.30, after 

 which there is too little time to settle down to any 



