348 FARTHES2' NORTH 



present for sale, by private arrangement, at No. 2 Pump Lane.* Repeated 

 requests to remove them having been of no etifect. I am obliged to dispose 

 of them in this way. The clothes are quite fresh, having been in salt for a 

 long time." 



After the reading of the newspaper came instrumental 

 music and siniiino- and it was far on in the ni<yht before 

 we sought our berths. 



"Monday, December 25th (Christmas - day). Ther- 

 mometer at 36° Fahr. below zero (-38^ C). I took a walk 

 south in the beautiful light of the full moon. At a newly 

 made crack I went through tlie fresh ice with one leg and 

 got soaked ; but such an accident matters very little in 

 this frost. The water immediately stiffens into ice; it does 

 not make one very cold, and one feels dry again soon. 



" They will be thinking much of us just now at home 

 and giving many a pitying sigh over all the hardships 

 we are enduring in this cold, cheerless, icy region. But 

 I am afraid their compassion would cool if they could 

 look in upon us, hear the merriment that goes on, and 

 see all our comforts and good cheer. They can hardly 

 be better off at home. I myself have certainly never 

 lived a more sybaritic life, and have never had more 

 reason to fear the consequences it brings in its train. 

 Just listen to to-day's dinner menu: 



1. Ox-tail soup ; 



2. Fish-pudding, with potatoes and melted butter; 



3. Roast of reindeer, with pease, French beans, potatoes, 



and cranberry jam ; 



* This was the nickname of the starboard four-berth cabin. 



