Deneb. The meteor had disappeared in the neighborhood of Epsilon
Cygni (constellation Swan), but its light remained for a long time
floating in the air like glowing dust. No one had seen the actual
fire-ball, as they had all had their backs turned to it, and they
could not say if it had burst. This is the second great meteor of
exceptional splendor that has appeared to us in these regions. The
ice has a curious inclination to slacken, without pressure having
occurred, and every now and then we find the ship floating in open
water. This is the case to-day.

"Saturday, October 28th. Nothing of any importance. Moonshine night
and day. A glow in the south from the sun.

"Sunday, October 29th. Peter shot a white fox this morning close in to
the ship. For some time lately we have been seeing fox-tracks in the
mornings, and one Sunday Mogstad saw the fox itself. It has, no doubt,
been coming regularly to feed on the offal of the bears. Shortly after
the first one was shot another was seen; it came and smelt its dead
comrade, but soon set off again and disappeared. It is remarkable
that there should be so many foxes on this drift-ice so far from
land. But, after all, it is not much more surprising than my coming
upon fox-tracks out on the ice between Jan Mayen and Spitzbergen.

"Monday, October 30th. To-day the temperature has gone down to 18 deg.
below zero (-27 deg. C.). I took up the dredge I had put out yesterday. It
brought up two pails of mud from the bottom, and I have been busy all
day washing this out in the saloon in a large bath, to get the many
animals contained in it. They were chiefly starfish, waving starfish,
medusae (Astrophyton), sea-slugs, coral insects (Alcyonaria), worms,
sponges, shell-fish, and crustaceans; and were, of course, all
carefully preserved in spirits.

"Tuesday, October 31st. Forty-nine fathoms (90 m.) of water to-day,
and the current driving us hard to the southwest. We have good wind
for the mill now, and the electric lamps burn all day. The arc lamp
under the skylight makes us quite forget the want of sun. Oh! light is
a glorious thing, and life is fair in spite of all privations! This is
Sverdrup's birthday, and we had revolver practice in the morning. Of
course a magnificent dinner of five courses--chicken soup, boiled
mackerel, reindeer ribs with baked cauliflower and potatoes, macaroni
pudding, and stewed pears with milk--Ringnes ale to wash it down.

"Thursday, November 2d. The te