236 INTEODUCTION OF DOMESTIC KEINDEER INTO ALASKA. 



December 15: School. 28°; light .southeast wiud; cloudy. 



December 16: School. 20"^; northeast wind strong; fair. 



December 17: Saturday. 10°; snow; very strong northeast gale. 

 The " warm spell " has come to an end. Attended to many sick people. 



December 18: A very heavy cold prevented me from holding Sunday 

 school. 



December 19: Sick. Could not hold school. The thermometer reg- 

 istered 6° below zero. 



December 20: Sick. Unable to hold school. 12° below zero. 



December 21: Convalescent, but weak eyes interfered with my desire 

 to resume school. The use of artificial light during the greater part 

 of each school period and my cold together have played havoc with my 

 eyes. The thermometer registered 17° below zero at the stated times 

 of observation, but in the early part of the afternoon 18° below zero. 

 As I had not been out of doors during many days, and feeling rest- 

 less, I took a 10-mile walk. I succeeded in having my cheeks and nose 

 frost-bitten as well as three fingers on my left hand. 



December 22: No school. 16°; light northeast wind; clear, fine 

 da3^ Gave a Christmas dinner by way of anticipation, as all the 

 people were constantly inquiring of late as to the date of the great 

 holiday. I had representatives from each house bring a bucket and 

 wooden plates to the schoolhouse. Abrahamsen and I then filled the 

 buckets with cofi'ee, and put pork and beans, cakes, candies, nuts, 

 pilot bread, and for the exterior of the body a cake of soap. Proba- 

 bly more than 300 people later partook of the viands. 



December 23: Holiday, 19°; northeast wind, very strong; a gale; 

 cloudy. 



December 25: Christmas. Held Sunday school. I was pained to- 

 day because of the long interval both in space and time that separated 

 me from the family circle. It would have been soul refreshing to 

 spend this day as in former years in the sweet fellowship of ray 

 kindred. 



December 26: School. 10°; northeast wind, moderate; snow. 



December 27: School. 10°; very light north wind; fair. Fine sun- 

 set and a glorious moonlight afternoon. Treated a number of the 

 boys who were suffering from frostbites on cheeks, noses, and hands. 

 They did not use snow to overcome the frost, which greatly surprised 

 me, and I learned that this excellent remedy is not resorted to at all 

 by the Massinga people. I told them to try it and invariably set the 

 example after one of my members had been "nipped." 



December 30: A strong southeast wind brought the mercury up to 

 31°, which meant a relief to me for a brief space of time in which to 

 give my face and hands a chance to heal from recent severe frostbites. 



December 31: Saturday. The thermometer still indicates 31°. X^e 

 snowstorm which set in yesterday has continued during this day. 

 Spent the time "straightening up" the library and bedroom. 



