159 



CHAPTER VII. 



Transit Telescope. Extremes of Cold. Effects of the Gale. Re- 

 marks on Equipment. Sensations of Cold. Paraselena. Schools 

 Established. Society of Loyal Arctic Engineers. Deflections of 

 the Magnetometer. Experiments ou Freezing. Ice Crystals. 

 The Aurora. 



I HAD shortly before this constructed a fixed transit 

 telescope, by fitting a good two-feet with the necessary 

 wires, and setting it, by our final observations, in the 

 meridian. The results were dependent on the stability 

 of the house, and of this now I had no further doubt. 

 In few words, intelligible to ruost astronomers, I se- 

 lected from Baily's Catalogue one of the principal stars 

 which would, with others of a nearly similar declina- 

 tion, pass the wires throughout the winter, so as con- 

 veniently to afford me times for five- or ten-day compa- 

 risons, and thus verify my rates. Selecting 13 7 Pegasi 

 and 197Q a Herculis as my standard stars, I possessed 

 a range of seventeen horn's to work upon until April, 

 with all the intermediate stars, some of which happen 

 to be more numerous than the Catalogue gives any no- 

 tice of, but which are of equal value, unknown, for the 

 mere purpose of rating chronometers. 



