404 FARTHEST NORTH 



I must say that I see no appearance of the sunken, 

 wasted faces which this night ought to have produced; 

 in the clearest dayHght and the brightest sunshine I can 

 only discover plump, comfortable - looking ones. It is 

 curious enough, though, about the light. We used to 

 think it was like real day down here when the incan- 

 descent lamps were burning ; but now, coming down 

 from the daylight, though they may be all lit, it is like 

 coming into a cellar. When the arc lamp has been 

 burning all day, as it has to-day, and is then put out and 

 its place supplied by the incandescent ones, the effect is 

 much the same. 



"Tuesday, February 27th. Drifting E. S.E. My 

 pessimism is justified. A strong west wind has blown 

 almost all day ; the barometer is low, but has begun to 

 rise unsteadily. The temperature is the highest we have 

 had all winter; to-days maximum is 15° Fahr. above zero 

 ( — 9.7° C). At 8 P.M. the thermometer stood at 70° Fahr. 

 below zero ( — 22° C). The temperature rises and falls 

 almost exactly conversely with the barometer. This after- 

 noon's observation places us in about 80° 10' north lati- 

 tude. 



" Wednesday, February 28th. Beautiful weather to- 

 day, almost still, and temperature only about 15° Fahr. to 

 22° Fahr. below zero ( — 26° to —30° 5' C). There were 

 clouds in the south, so that not much was to be seen 

 of the sun ; but it is light wonderfully long already. 

 Sverdrup and I went snow-shoeing after dinner — the 



