1902] CHRISTMAS DAY 47 



gorgeous feed. Each meal and each item of each meal we 

 discussed and rediscussed. The breakfast was to be a glorious 

 spread ; the Primus was to be kept going ten or even fifteen 

 minutes longer than usual. Lunch for once was to be warm 

 and comforting ; and supper ! — well, supper was to be what 

 supper has been. 



1 In fact, we meant this to be a wonderful day, and every- 

 thing has conspired to make it so. 



'When we awoke to wish each other "A merry Christmas " 

 the sun was shining warmly through our green canvas roof. 

 We were outside in a twinkling, to find the sky gloriously clear 

 and bright, with not a single cloud in its vast arch. Away to 

 the westward stretched the long line of gleaming coastline ; 

 the sunlight danced and sparkled in the snow beneath our 

 feet, and not a breath of wind disturbed the serenity of the 

 scene. It was a glorious morning, but we did not stay to 

 contemplate it, for we had even more interesting facts to 

 occupy us, and were soon inside the tent sniffing at the 

 savoury steam of the cooking-pot. Then breakfast was ready, 

 and before each of us lay a whole pannikin-full of biscuit and 

 seal-liver, fried in bacon and pemmican fat. It was gone in 

 no time, but this and a large spoonful of jam to follow left a 

 sense of comfort which we had not experienced for weeks, 

 and we started to pack up in a frame of mind that was wholly 

 joyful. 



' After this we started on the march, and felt at once the 

 improvement of surface that came to us last night ; so great was 

 it that we found we three alone could draw the sledges, and 

 for once the driver was silent and the whip but rarely applied. 

 The dogs merely walked along with slack traces, and we did 

 not attempt to get more out of them. No doubt an outsider 

 would have thought our procession funereal enough, but to us 

 the relief was inexpressible; and so we trudged on from 11.30 

 to 4 p.m., when we thoroughly enjoyed our lunch, which con- 

 sisted of hot cocoa and plasmon with a whole biscuit and 

 another spoonful of jam. We were off again at 5.30, and 

 marched on till 8.30, when we camped in warmth and comfort 



