SECOND AUTUMN IN THE ICE 557 



velocity up to 39 feet and higher, but Hansen has taken 

 an observation this evening in spite of it. He is, as al- 

 ways, a fine, indefatigable fellow. We are going north- 

 west (81° 32' 8" north latitude, 118° 28' east longitude). 



" Sunday, October 14th. Still the same storm going 

 on. I am reading of the continual sufferings which 

 the earlier Arctic explorers had to contend with for 

 every degree, even for every minute, of their northward 

 course. It gives me almost a feeling of contempt for 

 us, lying here on sofas, warm and comfortable, passing 

 the time reading and writing and smoking and dream- 

 ing, while the storm is tugging and tearing at the ngging 

 above us and the whole sea is one mass of drivino; 

 snow, through which we are carried degree by degree 

 northward to the goal our predecessors struggled tow- 

 ards, spending their strength in vain. And yet . . . 



"'Now sinks the sun, now comes the night.' 



" Monday, October 15th. Went snow -shoeing east- 

 ward this morning, still against the same wind and the 

 same snowfall. You have to pay careful attention to 

 your course these days, as the ship is not visible any 

 great distance, and if you did not find your way back, 

 well — But the tracks remain pretty distinct, as 

 the snow - crust is blown bare in most places, and the 

 drifting snow does not fasten upon it. We are moving 

 northward, and meanwhile the Arctic night is making 

 its slow and majestic entrance. The sun was low to-day; 



