THE NEW YEAR IO3 



through the twenty-inch depth of snow three quarters of the 

 way to the iceberg. It is astonishing how httle I feel these 

 low temperatures : Mr. Peary, however, always sees that I am 

 properly protected. In many of the Httle details I should be 

 negligent, and would probably suffer in consequence, but I 

 have to undergo an inspection before he will let me go out. 



The daylight was bright enough to-day to enable us to read 

 ordinary print, and we feel that ere long we shall have the 

 sun with us again for at least a portion of the twenty-four 

 hours. We stayed out only half an hour, but my dress for 

 about two feet from the bottom was frozen stiff as a board, 

 my kamiks were frozen to the stockings, and the stockings to 

 the Arctic socks next my feet; yet I have felt much colder 

 at home when the temperature was only a little below the 

 freezing-point. 



The remainder of the day we spent in marking, clipping, 

 and sorting newspaper cuttings. This occupation we found 

 so interesting that we prolonged it until after midnight. 



Monday, January 18. The day has been bright and calm. 

 Mr. Peary, with Dr. Cook and Astrup, took his first snow- 

 shoe tramp of the season, and went nearly to the berg. This 

 is the first time the broken leg has been given such vigorous 

 exercise, but it stood the strain remarkably well. I have been 

 busy on the sleeping-bag cover all day. I find it very incon- 

 venient, not to say disagreeable, sewing in a temperature of 

 44° ; but as I am dependent on the stoves in the other room 

 for my heat, it cannot be helped. Verhoeff has a mania for 



