d
discuss the details of the last sledge trip, or talk over the plans for
the next one. There was always something going on, and the minds of the
men were so occupied that they did not have time to yield themselves to
the traditional, maddening winter melancholy of the Arctic. Moreover,
men of sanguine temperament had been selected, and much material in the
rough had been carried along in order to keep everybody busy working it
into shape for use.

On Sunday mornings I breakfasted in my cabin, thus leaving the men to
themselves. On these occasions conversation was less technical and
ranged from books to table manners, and sometimes Bartlett seized the
opportunity to give his companions half-serious, half-humorous advice on
the matter of table conduct, telling them that the time would come when
they must return to civilization, and that they must not allow
themselves to get into careless habits. Thus the academic and the
practical elements of the party met on even ground.

I have never adopted rigorous rules for the members of my expeditions,
because it is not necessary. There were regular hours for meals in the
mess rooms. It was understood that lights should be out at midnight, but
if any man wanted a light later, he could have it. These were our rules.

The Eskimos were allowed to eat when they pleased. They might sit up
late at night, if they chose, but their work of making sledges and fur
clothing had to proceed just the same the next day. There was only one
rigid rule for them: that no loud noises, such as chopping dog meat or
shouting, were to be made from ten o'clock at night until eight in the
morning.

While living on the _Roosevelt_, in winter quarters, we abandoned much
of the routine of ship life afloat. The only regular bells were those at
ten and twelve at night, the first a signal for all loud noises to
cease, the latter a signal for lights to be turned out. The only watches
were those of the regular day and night watchmen.

With the exception of a few cases of grip, the health of the party was
good during the whole period of our life at winter quarters. Grip in the
Arctic, coincident with epidemics in Europe and America, is rather an
interesting phenomenon. My first experience with it was in 1892,
following one of the peculiar Greenland storms, similar to those in the
Alps--a storm which evidently swept over the entire width of Greenland
from the southeast, raising the temperature from the minus thi