meters from each other for the antenna of the wireless. Between the masts ran also three wires, about one or two feet above the ground. We had only receivers, and were therefore not able to send any messages. VON KAULL was responsible for the wireless. The trouble with our dry batteries was that the current was finished after four minutes. The dryness of the air and the warmth that prevails at this time of the year were probably the batteries' worst enemies. We were not in the slightest interested in keeping ourselves informed of world events — rather was it a relief and a rest to be without all news from the outer world. All we wanted was to pick up the time-signals from Nauen (18050 m), Bordeaux, Cavite or Batavia, in order thus to get the longitudes gratis and assured. But we realized well enough that for inexplicable and insuperable reasons we might not succeed, and were therefore quite prepared to find the longitudes in the usual and time-honoured way.
Daily observations were made at Dr HAVDE's observatorium at the internationally accepted times — 7 a. m., 2 p. m. and 9 p. m. — and in addition, in a permanent camp like No. VIII, every hour of the twenty-four. This work was entrusted, at night, to those on sentry duty.
As aids to the observations on atmospheric pressure, temperature and moisture, a barograph, a thermograph and a hygrograph were installed in the meteorological cage. Dr HAVDE took an especial interest in the height, form and direction of movement of clouds, and he secured a large series of uncommonly beautiful photographs of different types of clouds.' Both in the camp itself and on the crown of a hillock, twenty-six meters in height, the velocity of the wind was regularly measured. The maximum had so far been between twenty-eight and thirty second-meters, which amounts to eleven on BEAUFORT's scale, or violent storm. In the tract where we were encamped the wind was nearly always blowing, and in a very characteristic way. It began at eight o'clock in the morning, increased until midday, and died away about six or rather later. The nights were as a rule perfectly calm and clear. In the beginning of July a cloudiness that waxed from day to day made increasingly obvious the warming up of the continent. Thus far, the clouds had given but little rain; but one none the less saw it raining, now here and now there, every day. One saw also, however, how the lower fringes of the draperies of rain hung in the air without reaching the earth. The greater part of the rain evaporated on its way to the ground. This notwithstanding, rain-frequency had risen steadily throughout the month of June. In camp VIII we were at an altitude of 1595 meters. We had therefore to reckon with a rising mobility of the atmosphere. On the way to Ghashun-nor the ground fell away, and at the lake one was probably boo meters lower than in the camp.
1 Some of these are, reproduced in HAUDE'S Ergebnisse (Vol. IX: I of this series) Bild 12 and 1820, as well as in Vol. IX: 2 Bild 5-7, 9-12. F. B.
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