BEFORE THE POLAR NIGHT. 105 



temperature was -40 to -57 Fahr. (-40 to -50 Cent.). 

 Day after day the wind blew with merciless strength ; sometimes 

 as a stiff breeze, sometimes as a gale, with a velocity of 32, and 

 even 52 and 56 feet per second. The air was clear, but the fjord 

 and valley smoked with the snow that was whirled up and about ; 

 and as the ship lay broadside to the wind we soon found it 

 growing fairly cold down below. In the corners on the weather 

 side of the cabin a quantity of ice and rime formed where a 





^f^^** 



THE FIRST SMITHY IX GAA8EFJOBD. 



crack let in a little cold air. It now became a question of 

 protecting ourselves to the best of our ability. 



As usual on the approach of winter we put tarpaulin covers 

 over the skylights, and banked them round with walls of snow ; 

 but on the inner side we now nailed in addition some old sleeping- 

 bags, which for aesthetic considerations were furthermore covered 

 with sailcloth. Before all the doors too, which were not in 

 constant use, we likewise nailed old sleeping-bags. 



Then, too, there were our four-footed friends to be remembered. 



