THE WINTER NIGHT 241 



was to drive the dynamo and produce the electric light. 

 While the ship was going, the dynamo was driven by 

 the engine, but for a long time past we had had to be 

 contented with petroleum lamps in our dark cabins. The 

 windmill was erected on the port side of the fore-deck, 

 between the main- hatch and the rail. It took several 

 weeks to get this important appliance into working 

 order. 



As mentioned on page 71, we had also brought with 

 us a " horse-mill " for driving the dynamo. I had 

 thought that it might be of service in giving us exercise 

 whenever there was no other physical work for us. But 

 this time never came, and so the "horse-mill " was never 

 used. There was always something to occupy us ; and 

 it was not difficult to find work for each man that gave 

 him sufficient exercise, and so much distraction that the 

 time did not seem to him unbearably long. 



There was the care of the ship and rigging, the in- 

 spection of sails, ropes, etc., etc. ; there were provisions 

 of all kinds to be got out from the cases down in the 

 hold, and handed over to the cook ; there was ice — 

 good, pure, fresh - water ice — to be found and carried 

 to the galley to be melted for cooking, drinking, and 

 washing water. Then, as already mentioned, there was 

 always something doing in the various workshops. Now 

 "Smith Lars" had to straighten the long-boat davits, 

 which had been twisted by the waves in the Kara Sea; 

 now it was a hook, a knife, a bear-trap, or something 



