COOKING-ROOM ON FIRE. 
443 
sledges were only taken to save their lives; and I there¬ 
upon returned them. 
“The party took a sound sleep, and a second or 
rather a continuous feed, and left again on their return 
through the hummocks with apparent confidence and 
good-humor. Of course they prigged a few knives and 
forks;—but that refers itself to a national trait. 
“December 23, Saturday.—This uncalculated acces¬ 
sion of numbers makes our little room too crowded 
to be wholesome: I have to guard its ventilation 
with all the severity that would befit a surgical 
ward of our Blockley Hospital. We are using the 
Esquimaux lamp as an accessory to our stove: it 
helps out the cooking and water-making, without 
encroaching upon our rigorously-meted allowance of 
wood. But the odor of pork-fat, our only oil, we 
have found to be injurious; and our lamps are there¬ 
fore placed outside the tossut, in a small room bulk¬ 
headed off for their use. 
“ This new arrangement gave rise yesterday to a 
nearly fatal disaster. A watch had been stationed in 
charge of the lamp, with the usual order of ‘No un¬ 
covered lights.’ He deserted his post. Soon afterward, 
Hans found the cooking-room on fire. It was a hor¬ 
rible crisis; for no less than eight of our party were 
absolutely nailed to their beds, and there was nothing 
but a bulkhead between them and the fire. I gave 
short but instant orders, stationing a line between the 
tide-hole and the main hatch, detailing two men to 
work with me. and ordering all the rest who could 
