THE WINTER NIGHT 303 



times; but that was self -deception, intoxication. A se- 

 cret doubt lurked behind all the reasoning. It seemed 

 as though the longer I defended my theory, the nearer I 

 came to doubtinsf it. But no, there is no orettina: over 

 the evidence of that Siberian drift-wood. 



" But if, after all, we are on the wrong track, what 

 then ? Only disappointed human hopes, nothing more. 

 And even if we perish, what will it matter in the endless 

 cycles of eternity } 



" Thursday, November 9th. I took temperatures and 

 sea-water samples to-day every 10 yards from the surface 

 to the bottom, The depth was g.j fathoms. An extraor- 

 dinarily even temperature of 30^ Fahr. (—1.5 C.) through 

 all the layers. I have noticed the same thing before as 

 far south as this. So it is only polar water here ? There 

 is not much pressure ; an inclination to it this morning, 

 and a little at 8 o'clock this evening; also a few squeezes 

 iater, when we were playing cards. 



" Friday, November loth. This morning made de- 

 •spairing examinations of yesterday's water samples with 

 Thornoe's electric apparatus. There must be absolute 

 stillness on board when this is going on. The men are 

 all terrified, slip about on tiptoe, and talk in the lowest 

 possible whispers. But presently one begins to hammer 

 at something on deck, and another to file in the engine- 

 room, when the chief's commanding voice is at once 

 heard ordering silence. These examinations are made 

 by means of a telephone, through which a very faint 



