The song did not fail of its effect; it was difficult to see in the subdued light, but I fancy that among the band of hardy men that sat round the table there was scarcely one who had not a tear in the corner of his eye.  The thoughts of all took the same direction, I am certain —­ they flew homeward to the old country in the North, and we could wish nothing better than that those we had left behind should be as well off as ourselves.  The melancholy feeling soon gave way to gaiety and laughter; in the course of the dinner the first mate fired off a topical song written by himself, which had an immense success.  In each verse the little weaknesses of someone present were exhibited in more or less strong relief, and in between there were marginal remarks in prose.  Both in text and performance the author fully attained the object of his work —­ that of thoroughly exercising our risible muscles.

In the after-cabin a well-furnished coffee-table was set out, on which there was a large assortment of Lindstrom’s Christmas baking, with a mighty kransekake from Hansen’s towering in the midst.  While we were doing all possible honour to these luxuries, Lindstrom was busily engaged forward, and when we went back after our coffee we found there a beautiful Christmas-tree in all its glory.  The tree was an artificial one, but so perfectly imitated that it might have come straight from the forest.  This was also a present from Mrs. Schroer.

Then came the distribution of Christmas presents.  Among the many kind friends who had thought of us I must mention the Ladies’ Committees in Horten and Fredrikstad, and the telephone employees of Christiania.  They all have a claim to our warmest gratitude for the share they had in making our Christmas what it was —­ a bright memory of the long voyage.

By ten o’clock in the evening the candles of the Christmas-tree were burnt out, and the festivity was at an end.  It had been successful from first to last, and we all had something to live on in our thoughts when our everyday duties again claimed us.

In that part of the voyage which we now had before us —­ the region between the Australian continent and the Antarctic belt of pack-ice —­ we were prepared for all sorts of trials in the way of unfavourable weather conditions.  We had read and heard so much of what others had had to face in these waters that we involuntarily connected them with all the horrors that may befall a sailor.  Not that we had a moment’s fear for the ship; we knew her well enough to be sure that it would take some very extraordinary weather to do her any harm.  If we were afraid of anything, it was of delay.