i 9 ii] THE WAYS OF STOREKEEPERS 349 
which such a gale effects and must conclude that poten- 
tially warm upper currents arc pouring into our Polar 
area from more temperate sources. 
The dogs are very gay and happy in the comparative 
warmth. I have been going to and fro on the home 
beach and about the rocky knolls in its environment — in 
spite of the wind it was very warm. I dug myself a hole 
in a drift in the shelter of a large boulder and lay down 
in it, and covered my legs with loose snow. It was so 
warm that I could have slept very comfortably. 
I have been amused and pleased lately in observing 
the manners and customs of the persons in charge of our 
stores ; quite a number of secret caches exist in which 
articles of value are hidden from public knowledge so 
that they may escape use until a real necessity arises. 
The policy of every storekeeper is to have something up 
his sleeve for a rainy day. For instance, Evans (P.O.), 
after thoroughly examining the purpose of some individual 
who is pleading for a piece of canvas, will admit that he 
may have a small piece somewhere which could be used 
for it, when, as a matter of fact, he possesses quite a 
number of rolls of that material. 
Tools, metal material, leather, straps, and dozens of 
items arc administered with the same spirit of jealous 
guardianship by Day, Lashly, Oatcs and Meares, while 
our main storekeeper Bowers even affects to bemoan 
imaginary shortages. Such parsimony is the best guaran- 
tee that we are prepared to face any serious call. 
Wednesday, July 12. — All night and to-day wild gusts 
of wind shaking the hut ; long, ragged, twisted wind- 
