A month remained before the Arctic night would set in, but the labor of building the house left little time for explorations, which were deferred until the following summer.

Life at the station was not disagreeable.

The house, stoutly built, withstood the bitter cold.

Within there were books and games, and through the long winter night the officers beguiled the time with lectures and reading.

Music was there, too, in impressive quantity, if not quality.
"An organette with about fifty yards of music," writes Lieutenant Greely, "afforded much amusement, being particularly fascinating to our Esquimau, who never wearied grinding out one tune after another." The rigid routine of Arctic winter life was followed day by day, and the returning sun, after five months' absence, found the party in perfect health and buoyant spirits.