6 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



first putting them on in this state, as they were sure to 

 be thoroughly wet in a quarter of an hour after commencing 

 our journey ; while, on the other hand, it was of vital 

 importance to keep dry things for sleeping in. Being 

 ' rigged ' for travelling, we breakfasted upon warm cocoa 

 and biscuit, and after stowing the things in the boats 

 and on the sledges, so as to secure them, as much as 

 possible, from wet, we set off on our day's journey, and 

 usually travelled from five to five and a half hours, then 

 stopped an hour to dine, and again travelled four, five, or 

 even six hours, according to circumstances. After this we 

 halted for the night, as we called it, though it was usually 

 early in the morning, selecting the largest surface of ice 

 we happened to be near, for hauling the boats on, in 

 order to avoid the danger of its breaking up by coming 

 in contact with other masses, and also to prevent drift 

 as much as possible. The boats were placed close along- 

 side each other, with their sterns to the wind, the snow 

 or wet cleared out of them, and the sails, supported by 

 the bamboo masts and three paddles, placed over them 

 as awnings, an entrance being left at the bow. Every 

 man then immediately put on dry stockings and fur 

 boots, after which we set about the necessary repairs of 

 boats, sledges, or clothes ; and, after serving the provisions 

 for the succeeding day, we went to supper. Most of the 

 officers and men then smoked their pipes, which served to 

 dry the boats and awnings very much, and usually raised 

 the temperature of our lodgings 10° or 15°. This part 

 of the twenty-four hours was often a time, and the only 

 one, of real enjoyment to us : the men told their stories 

 and ' fought all their battles o'er again, 1 and the labours 

 of the day, unsuccessful as they too often were, were for- 

 gotten. A regular watch was set during our resting- 

 time, to look out for bears or for the ice breaking 

 up round us, as well as to attend to the drying of 



