Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/206

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out." An hour later we breakfast, and at one o'clock we lunch. We dine at six, and at eleven we put out the lights and "turn in,"—that is, everybody but the writer of this journal and the "watch." After dinner I usually join the officers at a game of whist, or in my own cabin have a game of chess with Sonntag or Knorr. One day differs very little from another day. Radcliffe shows me the record of the weather when he has made it up, in the evening; and it is almost as monotonous as the form of its presentation. The daily report of ship's duties I have from McCormick, but that does not present any thing that is peculiarly enlivening. I make a note of what is passing, in this voluminous journal,—partly for use, partly from habit, and partly for occupation. The readings of the magnetometer and the barometers and thermometers, and the tide-register, and of the growth of the ice, and all such like useful knowledge, find a place on these pages; but novelties are rare, and when they do come I set opposite to them marginal notes, that I may pick them out from time to time as one does a happy event from the memory.

The ship's duties go on thus:—After breakfast the men "turn to" under the direction of Dodge, and clear up the decks and polish and fill the lamps; and a detail is made to go out to the iceberg for our daily supply of water. Then the fire-hole is looked after, the dogs are fed, the allowance of coal for the day is measured out, the store-room is unlocked and the rations are served; and before lunch-time comes round the labors of the day are done. After lunch we take a walk for exercise, and I make it a rule that every one who has not been at work two hours must spend at least that much time in walking for his health.