366 FARTHEST NORTH 



low up his ideals, exempting him from the wearing strain 

 of every-day cares, that he may with clearer vision strive 

 towards a lofty goal. 



" ' Where there is work, success will follow,' said a 

 poet of the land of work. I am working as hard as I 

 can, so I suppose success will pay me a visit by-and-by. 

 I am lying on the sofa, reading about Kane's misfortunes, 

 drinking beer, smoking cigarettes. Truth obliges me to 

 confess that I have become addicted to the vice I con- 

 demn so strongly — but flesh is grass ; so I blow the 

 smoke clouds into the air and dream sweet dreams. It 

 is hard work, but I must do the best I can. 



'' Thursday, January 4th. It seems as if the twilight 

 were increasing quite perceptibly now, but this is very 

 possibly only imagination. I am in good spirits in spite 

 of the fact that we are drifting south again. After all, 

 what does it matter? Perhaps the gain to science will 

 be as great, and, after all, I suppose this desire to reach 

 the North Pole is only a piece of vanity. I have now a 

 very good idea of what it must be like up there. (' I like 

 that !' say you.) Our deep water here is connected with, 

 is a part of, the deep water of the Atlantic Ocean — of 

 this there can be no doubt. And have not I found 

 that things go exactly as I calculated they would when- 

 ever we get a favorable wind } Have not many be- 

 fore us had to wait for wind } And as to vanity — 

 that is a child's disease, got over long ago. All calcu- 

 lations, with but one exception, have proved correct. 



