THE WINTER NIGHT 361 



" Yes ; lead us, if not to our goal — that would be too 

 early — at least towards it; strengthen our hope; but 

 perhaps — no, no perhaps. These brave boys of mine 

 deserve to succeed. There is not a doubt in their minds. 

 Each one's whole heart is set on getting north. I can 

 read it in their faces — it shines from every eye. There 

 is one sigh of disappointment every time that we hear 

 that we are drifting south, one sigh of relief when we 

 begin to go north again, to the unknown. And it is in 

 me and my theories that they trust. What if I have 

 been mistaken, and am leading them astray ? Oh, I 

 could not help myself ! We are the tools of powers be- 

 yond us. We are born under lucky or unlucky stars. 

 Till now I have lived under a lucky one ; is its light to 

 be darkened } I am superstitious, no doubt, but I be- 

 lieve in my star. And Norway, our fatherland, what has 

 the old year brought to thee, and what is the new year 

 bringing } Vain to think of that ; but I look at our 

 pictures, the gifts of Werenskjold, Munthe, Kitty Kiel- 

 land, Skredsvig, Hansteen, Eilif Pettersen, and I am at 

 home, at home ! 



" Wednesda}^ January 3d. The old lane about 1 300 

 feet ahead of the Fram has opened again — a large rift, 

 with a coatino: of ice and rime. As soon as ice is formed 

 in this temperature the frost forces it to throw out its 

 salinity on the surface, and this itself freezes into pretty 

 salt flowers, resembling hoar-frost. The temperature is 

 between 38^ Fahr. and 40° Fahr. below zero (—39° C. to 



