It will thus be seen that from the autumnal to the vernal equinox the North Pole is in darkness and has a night of six months' duration, during which time the sun is not seen. Therefore, any point near the pole is, during any given twenty-four hours, longer in darkness than in light. The number of days of constant darkness depends on the latitude of the observer. At the pole the sun is not seen for six months, at the Arctic Circle it is invisible, as I have said, for only one day in December. At North Cape and Nordkyn the sun disappears November 18th, and is not seen again till January 24th. That is the reason I have called the land between North Cape and the Arctic Circle "The Land of the Long Night." This "Land of the Long Night" commences at Nordkyn, or the most northern point of the continent of Europe,--or at North Cape, but five miles distant--on the 16th of November. The whole sun appears on that day, its lower rim just touching above the horizon at noon. The next day, 17th of November, the lower half of the sun has disappeared, and the following day, the 18th, it sinks below the horizon and does not show itself again until the 24th of January--hence the night there lasts sixty-seven days of twenty-four hours each. And at the Arctic Circle the sun is only completely hidden on the 22nd of December. The following table shows you the dates of the disappearance of the sun, and of its reappearance at the principal places to which we are going. THE CONTINUOUS NIGHT _Where the sun is last seen, begins at:_ Karasjok November 26th Vardoe 22nd Hammerfest 21st North Cape or Nordkyn 18th _Where the sun is first seen again, begins at:_ Karasjok January 16th Vardoe 20th Hammerfest 21st North Cape or Nordkyn 24th I hope that I have been successful in giving you an idea of day and night in the Frigid Zone. CHAPTER VI FINE WEATHER LEAVING HAPARANDA.--WINDSTORMS SUCCEED.--A FINLANDER'S FARM.--STRANGE FIREPLACE.--INTERIOR OF A COW-HOUSE.--QUEER FOOD FOR CATTLE.--PASSING THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. I left Haparanda in the beginning of January, surrounded by the friends who had taken such an interest in me. The atmosphere was clear, and not a cloud was to be seen in the pale blue sky, turning into greenish as it approached the horizon. There was not a breath of wind. Once the thermometer marked 30 degrees below zero. "Be careful," said my friends. "This is treacherous weather for ears and noses, there is danger of their getting frozen; rub them, and also your face, now and then with snow. Keep your ears covered, and protect them with your hood. If it becomes colder put on your mask."