266 FARTHEST NORTH 



rudder. Beautiful weather, but cold, — 18^ C. at 8 p.m. 

 The result of the medical inspection to-day was the dis- 

 covery that we still have bugs on board ; and I do not 

 know what we are to do. We have no steam now, and 

 must fix our hopes on the cold. 



" I must confess that this discovery made me feel quite 

 ill. If bugs got into our winter furs the thing was hope- 

 less. So the next day there was a regular feast of purifi- 

 cation, according to the most rigid antiseptic prescriptions. 

 Each man had to deliver up his old clothes, every stitch 

 of them, wash himself, and dress in new ones from top to 

 toe. All the old clothes, fur rugs, and such things, were 

 carefully carried up on to the deck, and kept there the 

 whole winter. This was more than even these animals 

 could stand; 53" C. of cold proved to be too much for 

 them, and we saw no more of them. As the bug is made 

 to say in the popular rhyme : 



" ' Put me in the boiling pot, and shut me down tight ; 

 But don't leave me out on a cold winter night ! ' 



"Friday, October 6th. Cold, down to 11° below zero 

 (Fahr.). To-day we have begun to rig up the windmill. 

 The ice has been packing to the north of the Frams 

 stern. As the dogs will freeze if they are kept tied up 

 and get no exercise, we let them loose this afternoon, 

 and are going to try if we can leave them so. Of course 

 they at once began to fight, and some poor creatures 

 limped away from the battle-field scratched and torn. 



