1853.] OBSERVATIONS OP ARAGO. 201 



This amusement, remarkably well got up, consisted 

 of a selection of very good songs ; and what rendered 

 them to many the more interesting, particularly to the 

 officer part of the audience, was their almost perfect ori- 

 ginality. 



The lower deck of the ' Pioneer,' warmed by Arnott's 

 stove, dry, and much more comfortable than my cabin, 

 accommodated both crews, mustering about eighty-six. 

 The entertainment closed with the National Anthem. 

 The temperature has not risen above 46 the last 

 four days, exhibiting a mean temperature for the inter- 

 val of 53-20, or 55'61 for three days. 



January 15. The following may prove interesting to 

 inquirers after the extreme cold of our position. 



I observe, in that excellent work of Sir Henry De la 

 Beche (on Geology), that M. Arago asserts, " that in no 

 part of the earth, and in no season, will a thermometer 

 raised two or three metres above the ground, and pro- 

 tected from all reverberation, attain the 46th Centigrade 

 degree." Secondly, " In the open air, the temperature 

 of the air, whatever be the place or season, never at- 

 tains the 31st Centigrade degree." Thirdly, " The great- 

 est degree of cold which has been observed upon our 

 globe with the thermometer suspended in air, is 50 

 Centigrade degrees below zero." Fourthly, " The tem- 

 perature of the water of the sea, in no latitude and in 

 no season, rises above 30 Centigrade degrees." We have 

 been informed that Sir James Ross registered the air 

 a t 60; of this however I have not at present any 

 direct evidence. As to any question arising to affect 

 the registry of our instruments, there can be no possible 



