IN SCHAROK CAMP 205 



idiots ; most birds behave foolishly when courtship is on, 

 but these were passing- words. 



I only found a single willow-grouse. There could be no 

 doubt that we were on a very poor ground for these birds. 



The accompanying sketch (p. 206) I made at mid- 

 night, while Hyland went up the long creek. Here he 

 thought he saw some geese with young, but could not 

 come within shot of them. 



On comparing notes this evening we both found that 

 our hands, which had been so much swollen upon our 

 walk, were now shrunk to that extent. The skin seemed 

 almost dead, and was so shrivelled and loose that I can 

 compare its appearance to nothing better than a baked 

 apple. Also, we had lost all feeling in our finger-tips, 

 except a numbed sensation like 'pins and needles.' This 

 curious state I could only account for on the supposition 

 that it was due to an abnormal condition of the nerve 

 terminals from excessive exertions. 



Sunday, Jtily i$tk. — The ice all day boomed like 

 cannons, and was moving up, so that we began to have 

 good hope that the Saxon would be able to come round 

 all right. 



The sun was very hot at mid-day, and the thermometer 

 rose to 70° in the tent. 



All day long great flocks of king eider, long-tailed 

 ducks, and dunlins were crossing the sands. For the 

 first time we had musquitoes in the tent. 



