434 
TIIE NIGHT-WATCH. 
oi' our smoke-pipes, for the pitch-pine which we burn, 
to save up our oak for the greater cold, is redundantly 
charged with turpentine. Yet we do not want an in¬ 
creased draught to consume our seventy pounds; the 
fiat ‘ No more wood’ comes soon enough. 
“ Then for the night-watch. I have generally some¬ 
thing on hand to occupy me, and can volunteer for 
the hours before my regular term. Every thing is 
closed tight; I muffle myself in furs, and write; or, if 
the cold denies me that pleasure, I read, or at least 
think. Thank heaven, even an Arctic temperature 
leaves the mind unchilled. But in truth, though our 
hourly observations in the air range between —46° and 
_30°, we seldom register less than +36° below. 
“ December 5, Tuesday.—McGary is no better, but 
happily has no notion how bad he is. I have to give 
him a grating of our treasured potatoes. He and 
Brooks will doubtless finish the two I have got out, 
and then there will be left twelve. They are now 
three years old, poor old frozen memorials of the dear 
land they grew in. They are worth more than their 
weight in gold.” 
