THE WHITE WORLD 



of rations went into effect that morning with particularly 

 disagreeable results, not wholly unexpected, and which 

 tended to lower the social atmosphere quite to the zero 

 point. The allowance of alcohol for fuel was not nearly 

 sufficient to bring the chocolate to the boiling point, and 

 our stew of corned beef and broken hard bread was just 

 barely warm. The regulation pint of fluid was not at all 

 satisfactory, neither was it sufficient for the tired, chilled, 

 and hungry men, who had been laboring and perspiring 

 incessantly for several hours in a low temperature. Later, 

 however, when the cooks became more familiar with the 

 cooking apparatus, and knew better how to economize fuel 

 and time and make the most of their opportunities, the 

 allowance of alcohol was found to be ample. Strange as 

 it may appear, thirst was our greatest enemy and was more 

 dreaded than the cold. The work of hauling a heavily laden 

 sledge through rubble ice was so trying, even under the 

 most favorable conditions, that the traveler was kept con- 

 stantly bathed in a profuse perspiration, inducing a burning, 

 exasperating thirst, from which there was no escape, and 

 which could in no way be alleviated. 



Our position on the floe in this place, a few miles from 

 shore, was exposed to the chilling blasts sweeping relent- 

 lessly down from the north; the temperature was about 50 

 below zero, and this unwelcome combination rendered sleep 

 almost an impossibility. To add to our discomfort the 

 sleeping-bags, which had become saturated with moisture 

 during the previous nights, through the melting of the 

 accumulated frost, and which while occupied were kept in 

 a pliable state by the warmth of our bodies, had become 

 frozen during the day to the rigidity of iron. In order 

 that they should occupy as little space as possible on the 

 sledges, they had been rolled up tightly on leaving camp, 

 and had frozen in that position. We were not able to get 

 into them at once, but were compelled, from necessity, to 

 thaw our way gradually in by sitting on the roll, and insert- 

 ing the feet under the outer edge. As the warmth of the 

 body was imparted to the frozen folds, they yielded slightly 

 to the pressure and the feet were pushed still farther in, 

 until in time the whole body found its way inside the pro- 

 tecting skin and the flap was pulled down over the end 

 in the vain effort to shut out the cold. 

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