82 NEW YEAK'S DAY, . Chap. V. 



N. for twenty-four hours, low scud flying from 

 the E., snow constantly falling. An hour ago 

 the wind suddenly changed to S.S.E. ; the snow- 

 ing has ceased; thermometer falls and baro- 

 meter rises. 



2nd Jan. 1858. — New Year's day was a 

 second edition of Christmas, and quit^ as plea- 

 santly spent. We dwelt much upon the antici- 

 pations of the future, being a more agreeable 

 theme than the failure of the past. I confess to 

 a hearty welcome for the new year — anxious, of 

 course, that we may escape uninjured, and 

 sufficiently early to pursue the object of our 

 voyage. 



Exactly at midnight on the 31st December 

 the arrival of the new year was announced to 

 me by our band — two flutes and an accordion — 

 striking up at my door. There was also a pro- 

 cession, or perhaps I should say a continuation 

 of the band ; these performers were grotesquely 

 attired, and armed with frying-pans, gridirons, 

 kettles, pots, and pans, with which to join in 

 and add to the effect of the other music ! 



We have a very level hard walk alongside 

 the ship ; it is narrowed to two or three yards 

 in width by a snow-bank four feet high. In 

 the face of this bank some twenty-five holes 

 have been excavated for the dogs, and in them 



