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THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



no expedition need fear the lack of emergency fuel. 

 There was no perceptible smell from the blubber in 

 burning, though fumes came from the bit of hairy 

 hide generally attached to it. The thickness of the 

 blubber varied from two to four inches. Some watch- 

 men during the night felt disinclined to do anything 

 but read and take the observations, and I was amongst 

 this number, for though I often made plans and resolu- 

 tions as to washing and other necessary jobs, when the 

 time came these plans fell through, with the exception of 

 the bath. 



Towards the middle of winter some of our party 

 stayed up later than during the time when there was 

 more work outside, and there gradually grew into 

 existence an institution known as eleven o'clock tea. 

 The Professor was greatly attached to his cup of tea 

 and generally undertook the work of making it for men 

 who were still out of bed. Some of us preferred a cup 

 of hot fresh milk, which was easily made from the 

 excellent dried milk of which we had a large quantity. 

 By one o'clock in the morning, however, nearly all the 

 occupants of the hut were wrapped in deep and more 

 or less noisy slumber. Some had a habit of talking 

 in their sleep, and their fitful phrasqs were carefully 

 treasured up by the night-watchman for retailing at the 

 breakfast-table next morning; sometimes also the 

 dreams of the night before were told by the dreamer to 

 his own great enjoyment, if not to that of his audience. 

 About five o'clock in the morning came the most trying 

 time for the watchman. Then one's eyes grew heavy 

 and leaden, and it took a deal of effort to prevent one- 

 self from falling fast asleep. Some of us went in for 

 cooking more or less elaborate meals. Marshall, who 

 had been to a school of cookery before we left England, 

 turned out some quite respectable bread and cakes. 



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