THE WINTER NIGHT 40/ 



finely, covering over the pressure - ridge as far as the 

 scanty supply of material has permitted. 



" Tuesday, March 6th. No drift at all. It has been 

 a bitter day to-day, 47 Fahr. to 50 Fahr. below zero 

 ( — 44° to —46° C), and wind up to 19 feet. This has 

 been a good occasion for getting hands and face frost- 

 bitten, and one or two have taken advantage of it. 

 Steady northwest wind. 1 am beginning to get indif- 

 ferent and stolid as far as the wind is concerned. I 

 photographed Johansen to-day at the anemometer, and 

 during the process his nose was frost-bitten. 



" There has been a general weighing this evening 

 again. These weighings are considered very interesting 

 performances, and we stand watching in suspense to see 

 whether each man has gained or lost. Most of them 

 have lost a little this time. Can it be because we have 

 stopped drinking beer and begun lime-juice.'* But Juell 

 goes on indefatigably — he has gained nearly a pound 

 this time. Our doctor generally does very well in this 

 line too, but to-day it is only 10 ounces. In other ways 

 he is badly off on board, poor fellow — not a soul will turn 

 ill. In despair he set up a headache yesterday himself, 

 but he could not make it last over the night. Of late 

 he has taken to studying the diseases of dogs ; perhaps 

 he may find a more profitable practice in this depart- 

 ment. 



" Thursday, March 8th. Drifting south. Sverdrup 

 and I had a good snow-shoeing trip to-day, to the north 



