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CHAPTER IX. 



Rise of Temperature. A Bear shot. Termination of Darkness. Re- 

 appearance of the Sun. Death of a Marine. Cold Period of March. 

 Table of Temperatures. A She-Bear and her Cubs. Sledges in- 

 spected. Feet Wrappers. Departure of the Sledges. Beacons. 

 Cairns. Parhelia. Inland Excursion. Wavy Ice. Cooking Ap- 

 paratus. Lamps. Return of Depot Division. 



ON the 26th of January we experienced the wind strong 

 from the southward, with heavy snow-drift ; the tempe- 

 rature rising with the wind and spring-tide from 42 

 to 31. From habit we now consider 40 as our 

 scale, 30 being talked of as the comfortable, or not 

 unbearable, travelling temperature : I dissent from any 

 such absurdity. If we should remain many years longer 

 in these regions, I really begin to fancy, provided we 

 could bring our inclinations to agree with Esquimaux 

 food and condition, etc., that we could endure any cold 

 under the moon, for we are now perfectly satisfied that 

 nothing here, under the sun, would be unpleasant. Lat- 

 terly I have extended my walks to the summit of Mount 

 Beaufort, with a temperature of 44; but, although the 

 simple exertion of ascent proved unpleasant to the lungs, 

 no sensation of cold equal to that produced by a low 



