ELEPHANT ISLAND 
crements from the smoking stove, blubber-lamps, and cooking- 
gear are unnoticed. It is at least comforting to feel that we 
can become no filthier. Our shingle floor will scarcely bear 
examination by strong light without causing even us to shudder 
and express our disapprobation at its state. Oil mixed with 
reindeer hair, bits of meat, sennegrass, and penguin feathers 
form a conglomeration which cements the stones together. 
From time to time we have a spring cleaning, but a fresh supply 
of flooring material is not always available, as all the shingle is 
frozen up and buried by deep rifts. Such is our Home Sweet 
Home/' 
" All joints are aching through being compelled to lie on 
the hard, rubbly floor which forms om- bedsteads." 
Again, later on, one writes : " Now that Wild's window 
allows a shaft of light to enter our hut, one can begin to ' see ' 
things inside. Previously one relied upon one's sense of touch, 
assisted by the remarks from those whose faces were inad- 
vertently trodden on, to guide one to the door. Looking down 
in the semi-darkness to the far end, one observes two very 
small smoky flares that dimly illuminate a row of five, endeavour- 
ing to make time pass by reading or argument. These are 
Macklin, Kerr, Wordie, Hudson, and Blackborrow — the last 
two being invalids. 
The centre of the hut is filled with the cases which do 
duty for the cook's bed, the meat and blubber boxes, and a 
mummified-looking object, which is Lees in his sleeping-bag. 
The near end of the floor space is taken up with the stove, with 
Wild and Mcllroy on one side, and Hurley and James on the 
other. Marston occupies a hammock most of the night — and 
day — ^which is slung across the entrance. As he is large and 
the entrance very small, he invariably gets bumped by those 
passing in and out. His vocabulary at such times is interesting. 
" In the attic, formed by the two upturned boats, live ten 
unkempt and careless lodgers, who di'op boots, mitts, and other 
articles of apparel on to the men below. Reindeer hairs rain 
down incessantly day and night, with every movement that 
they make in their moulting bags. These, with penguin feathers 
and a little grit from the floor, occasionally savour the hooshes. 
229 
