tied them with long ropes. When this
was done we got into our bags and soon were fast asleep.

At about three o'clock Mikel awoke me, saying, "Paulus, it is about time
to go."

"Oh, Mikel," I replied, "let me sleep one hour more, for I need more
sleep. I want another snooze."

"There is no time to be lost," he replied; "you will have a snooze later
in the day."

So I rubbed my eyes to get fully awake, and washed my face with snow,
and felt ready for another start.

That morning the sky was very clear, and after a while the sun shone
brightly and the glare on the snow was so great that it would have been
impossible to travel without green or blue goggles. I had two pairs
with me, in case I should lose or break one by some accident.

On account of the strength of the sun's rays, which melted the snow, we
had to stop our travelling by eleven o'clock. Our reindeer were
exhausted.

I took my short pair of skees, covered with sealskin, and went ptarmigan
hunting. I killed four. The birds had already dropped many of their
white feathers, which had been replaced by gray ones. They were getting
their summer coats, and would soon be entirely gray.

After killing these I went further, and saw something in the distance
moving on the snow. Soon I discovered it was a fox of a peculiar color
which I had not seen before. I lay flat on the snow, as the animal was
coming in my direction. He was evidently hungry, and was hunting
ptarmigans himself. When he came within shooting distance I fired and
killed him. He was a white fox, but much of his snowy-white fur had
dropped, and was replaced by bluish. I wondered if the change took place
for his own protection and advantage. When white he could not be seen so
easily by the creatures upon which he preyed, and when bluish he could
not be so easily seen as if he had remained white.

When I returned Mikel was stretched on his back on the snow with his
arms spread out, and was snoring like a good fellow. Oh, what a noise he
made! He had succeeded in frightening our reindeer, which had moved
away as far as the rope would allow them. I did not wonder that they did
not like Mikel's snoring.

After looking at Mikel I stretched myself on the snow, but quite a
distance from him, not to be disturbed by his snoring. Now we did not
require any masks on our faces, and during the day slept without being
obliged to get into our bags.

Soon I fell asleep, and dreamed that I was attacked by a bi