IN SCHAROK CAMP 205 
idiots ; most birds behave foolishly when courtship is on, 
but these were passing words. 
I only found a single willow-grouse. There could be no 
doubt that we were on a very poor ground for these birds. 
The accompanying sketch (p. 206) I made at mid- 
night, while Hyland went up the long creek. Here he 
thought he saw some geese with young, but could not 
come within shot of them. 
On comparing notes this evening we both found that 
our hands, which had been so much swollen upon our 
walk, were now shrunk to that extent. The skin seemed 
almost dead, and was so shrivelled and loose that I can 
compare its appearance to nothing better than a baked 
apple. Also, we had lost all feeling in our finger-tips, 
except a numbed sensation like ‘ pins and needles.’ This 
curious state I could only account for on the supposition 
that it was due to an abnormal condition of the nerve 
terminals from excessive exertions. 
Sunday, July 15th.—The ice all day boomed like 
cannons, and was moving up, so that we began to have 
good hope that the Saxon would be able to come round 
all right. 
The sun was very hot at mid-day, and the thermometer 
rose to 70° in the tent. 
All day long great flocks of king eider, long-tailed. 
ducks, and dunlins were crossing the sands. For the 
first time we had musquitoes in the tent. 
