Water expended during the preceding 24 hours: 31 gallons
Water distilled during the preceding 24 hours: 31 gallons
Coal consumed during the preceding 24 hours: 398 lbs
Coal remaining on hand at noon: 97 tons 1789 lbs 

AM
At 2.30 the opening in the floe on the starboard side of the ship began to close, the newly formed ice 
breaking with crashes, and the usual grinding noise as the two floe edges came together. No movement 
to the ship except repeated jars and tremblings as the pressure caught her under water body. At 3 the 
ice was again in motion; and frequent shocks were experienced during the forenoon.
The day opened clear and pleasant with rapidly freshening westerly winds, falling barometer and rising 
temperature. Early daylight at 8, later than usual on account of cloudy horizon. Light flurries of driving 
snow at times. Sounded at noon in 30 fathoms, muddy bottom, and slight S.E. drift indicated.
At 1 auroral arch through zenith with radiating center, also an arch to the N. 20° in altitude with elliptical 
cloud-like form and undulating movement, extending from N.E. to W. x N. At 2 an auroral form in N. with 
broken semi-circle from E. to W. enclosing faint diffused light; and at 2.30 an arch passing through 
zenith from E. to W., simultaneously with ice movement.

PM
Fresh winds from W. by N. with rising barometer after 1 and falling temperature. Several shocks to ship 
up to 7 o'clock from ice movement and pressure, but she retained the same heel, 2 1/2° to starboard. At 
10 an auroral arch was visible to the S.S.W. At 11 there were four auroral arches: one 15° in altitude 
with its crown in the N., one 25° in alt with its crown in N.W. x W., one 15° in altitude with its arch in 
S.W., and one 10° in altitude with its crown in south. The amount of sky included by these arches was 
from N.E. around by N. to S.E. The beginning of the second arch was alongside of its ending of the first, 
and so on. From these intermediate points streamers ran upward toward the zenith. At midnight there 
were three arches to the S'd, 12°, 15° and 18° respectively in altitude, and extending from E.S.E. to 
W.N.W. Through the middle one there were continued pulsations of light from E. to W., and at intervals 
of a few seconds only, globes of light showing prismatic colors (red and green principally) rolled across 
from E. to W. against the wind*, and ended at about 5° from the horizon. Three of these globes in transit 
were in sight at one time. This display lasted five minutes when the pulsations of light recommenced. 
Two arches were also visible in the N. 15° and 20° in altitude respectively with bands of light crossing 
them horizontally like chords. Northern and southern sets both originated in the E.S.E. and ended in 
W.N.W. while from both sets there radiated faint arches through zenith.

Moon 7° 30' N. 
New moon

*Editor's note: Evidently the aurora borealis was deemed a weather phenomenon, as George W. 
Melville, Chief Engineer of the Jeannette, wrote is his own book "In the Lena Delta":
"Thunder and lightning are entirely unknown in the Arctic Ocean. Towards the pole the aurora is the only 
form in which the presence of electricity in the atmosphere is displayed; and the question arises, why 
the aurora, instead of the discharges of light, attended by thunder-claps, seen at the equator? 
To bring about the usual atmospheric phenomena heat must be applied or extracted. Perhaps, then, the 
want of heat in the polar regions may account for the absence of thunder and lightning, or can it be that 
the immense blanket or non-conductor of ice and snow prevents the discharge of the electric current? 
So that, if a certain degree of heat were introduced, the aurora would burst forth into vivid flashes?" 
https://archive.org/stream/inthelenadelta002487mbp#page/n347/mode/2up