THE WINTER NIGHT 369 



above the edge of the ice in the south. It twinkled 

 and changed color; it looked just as if some one were 

 coming carrying a lantern over the ice; I actually be- 

 lieve that for a moment I so far forgot our surround- 

 ings as to think that it really was some person ap- 

 proaching from the south. It was Venus, which we see 

 to-day for the first time, as it has till now been beneath 

 the horizon. It is beautiful with its red li^ht. Curious 

 that it should happen to come to-day. It must be Liv's 

 star, as Jupiter is the home star. And Liv's birthday 

 is a lucky day — w^e are on our way north again. Ac- 

 cording to observations we are certainly north of 79° 

 north latitude. On the home day, September 6th, the 

 favorable wind began to blow that carried us along the 

 coast of Asia; perhaps Liv's day has brought us into a 

 good current, and we are making the real start for the 

 north under her star. 



"Friday, January i3th. There was pressure about 

 10 o'clock this morning in the opening forward, but I 

 could see no movement when I was there a little later. 

 I followed the opening some way to the north. It is 

 pretty cold work walking with the thermometer at 40° 

 Fahr. below zero, and the wind blowing with a velocity of 

 16 feet per second straight in your face. But now we 

 are certainly drifting fast to the north under Liv's star. 

 After all, it is not quite indifferent to me whether we 

 are going north or south. When the drift is northward 

 new life seems to come into me, and hope, the ever- 



