The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-25

Christmas I shall make vigorous effort to
abstain from eating it before then"
He adds that he put these articles in charge of
Bnderbeck as an additional safeguard. On
Dec % he writes:
I'VE lock forward to tomorrow and Christ
mas. 1 offered to give any one a roast turkey
on reaching home for q single dog bis
cult now, but found TO takers" He
says on the next day: 81 saved nearly
all my hard bread for Christmas, though
needed it sorely," and that to make the Christ
dinner grander he made tremendous
effort and went without his rum in order to have
it for Christmas to add to the punch.
scanty savings for next days feast
half his bread and his piece o: lemon. The
entry for Christmas day is as follows:
December 25-Barometerr, $685. thermom
eter, L275-Ch ristmas. We have all been
talking and waiting anxiously for the
hour, and now it is here, and Is p NJ. nearly
gone. Breakfast consisted Of thin soup Of peas
and carrots, with little blubber and some
o'clock The boys served out two cans to each
mess At P. d. Long lighted up for the event
of the day-dnner Dinner consisted of o fine
rich stew of all seal meat, with onions,
a little blubber, potPtoes and bread crumbs.
After this we had, in the course of an hour or So
a fine nice stew, with raisins and little blUb-
Der and milk. These We're pretty much
the same az Thanksgiving, but the
and the meals seemed better The cooks are
now preparing some fae chocolate, and that will
be followed by punch Of one gill Ofrum to each
man. The party have been in fine spirits to-day.
It was agreed that we should give each of the es
quimaux fifty cents apiece from each member
of the expedition, to be kept for next Christmas.
Kistlingburg was kind enough to make for each
OF the party cigarette. Many of US now are
out of tobacco entirely"
On the day after Christmas he writes as fol
lows
yesterday has passed but find my notes Of
Yesterday very imperfect, The day was great
success. and we all had enough, or nearly enough.
l had eight ounces extra, which had saved up,
one ounce of butter besides, and the rum of the
Sunday before. 1t was agreed early in the
morning that nothing should be said to
mar the pleasures of the day. Many
kindly thoughts were expressed for those at
home. and obi how often spoke of what was
going or at our several homes. After dinner we
had songs in several languages, including
French. German Danish and Innuit The
punch was extremely fine. We had chocolate
about o'clock, and by this time most of us
were too full for utterance, and CONVEX
sation gradually slackened of, and with the
songs the day ended. To-day we have all been
feeling extremely well all day, nice and warm
and comfortable in the extreme. Some of us
ate too much yesterday but only so much
as to feel little uncomfortable
at times but we all slept we'll Our talk this
morning was of homo and our families
l have extended general invitation to all mem
bers of the expedition to visit my fathers
house. 1 spoke this morning of the reunions
of my family, and how enjoyable they are. My
remarks about my father brought tears. the
first time 1 have shed tears since have been in
this cOuutrvn