137 



CHAPTER VI. 



The ' Assistance.' Winter Fittings. Moisture between Decks. Me- 

 teorological Investigations. Tide Gauge. Anatomical Shrimps. 

 Washhouse. Thoughts on Arctic Fittings. Terraced Levels. 

 Effects of Tidal Action. Tidal Fissures. Experiments on Ice. 

 Last View of the Sun. Her Majesty's Arctic Theatre. A Gale. 

 The Observatory. A Snow-storm. 



OUR own miseries terminated, turn we now to the good 

 ship ' Assistance.' As I had anticipated, the ship had 

 not been a whit too secure, and the absence of our party 

 might have entailed censure on me, had any serious mis- 

 chief occurred. I was informed that the ice had broken 

 up to within a hundred yards of her bow ; and that, in 

 the expectation of its proceeding further, warps had been 

 carried to the main floe to secure her. Had the ice 

 broken up here, as it did at Hungry Island, there can be 

 no doubt that she would have been driven on shore ; 

 but the want of tide prevented this. As it was, the 

 ice had cleared out up to the southern point of the 

 Sound, and a sporting party had visited it in one of the 

 boats, but without any view of relieving our necessities. 

 Any of the above misfortunes, viewed singly, might 

 be deemed trivial; but the loss of the principal petty 



