THE WORLD OF ICE. 238

rejoiced on being taken below, and leaped up in the
men’s faces for sympathy, and whined, and all but
spoke with excess of satisfaction.

The effect of the monotony of long-continued dark-
ness and the absence of novelty had much to do also
with the indifferent health of many of the men. After
the two expeditions were sent out, those who remained
behind became much more low spirited, and the symp-
toms of scurvy increased. In these circumstances
Captain Guy taxed his inventive genius to the utmost
to keep up their spirits and engage their minds. He
assumed an air of bustling activity, and attached a
degree of importance to the regular performance of
the light duties of the ship that they did not in reality
possess apart from their influence as discipline. The
cabin. was swept and aired, the stove cleaned, the
fittings dusted, the beds made, the tides, thermometers,
and barometers registered ; the logs posted up, clothes
mended, food cooked, traps visited, ete. with the regu-
lavity of clockwork, and every possible plan adopted
to occupy every waking hour, and to prevent the men
from brooding over their position. When the labours
of the day were over, plans were proposed for getting
up a concert, or a new play, in order to surprise the
absentees on their return. Stories were told over and
over again, and enjoyed if good, or valued far beyond
their worth if bad. When old stories failed, and old
books were read, new stories were invented; and here
the genius of some was drawn out, while the varied
information of others became of great importance.