the midnight sun
Stephen Young left the deck after giving a longing look round at the lovely sky , and feeling as if he had more to think of than he could well manage . Ten minutes later he was lying in his comfortable berth , listening to the gliding motion of the water as it lapped against the vessel 's side . Then he began to wonder why the constant sunshine did not melt all the ice and snow in the arctic circle ; and lastly he did not wonder at all , for he was fast asleep , just as the vessel passed through the piled-up masses of rock which guarded the northern entrance to the fiord , and acted as breakwaters to keep the inner straits so lake-like and still . For directly the _ Hvalross _ had passed the last rocks there was a disagreeable heaving , and soon after the vessel had little waves splashing against her bows , and within an hour she was careening over to the full breeze , and making her way north at a rate which promised well for Stephen seeing the midnight sun twelve hours sooner than he had been told . The swilling and scrubbing of the planks roused Steve the next morning , and , hurriedly dressing , he went on deck to find the sun shining brightly , the blue sea sparkling , and a dim line that might have been cloud away to the right . The breeze was just such a one as a sailor would like to continue , and the _ Hvalross _ , though not fast , being built for strength and resistance to the ice , was making good progress , thanks to the height of her spars and the grand spread of canvas she could bear . The new men were all very busy with bucket and swab , just as if they had been on board a month ; and the last traces of the coal dust , which had worried Captain Marsham in his desire for perfect cleanliness , had been sent down the scuppers .