216 COLD PERIOD OF MARCH. [Marc/1, 



life. Commander Richards, attended by the officers and 

 crews of both vessels, officiated. 



February 28. Time flies ! here is the last day of 

 February : daylight at eight, temperature still hanging 

 between 37 and 47, and our "third portion" of the 

 winter fast approaching. 



March 6. The temperature for the last two days has 

 maintained a mean of 52'S3and 52'29; maximum 

 47'5, minimum 57'3; enough to satisfy the great- 

 est epicure that there is a cold season between February 

 27 and March 10! Possibly I should be one of the 

 foremost to ridicule any man who asserted that any laws 

 guide these matters ; but rain is expected at St. Swi- 

 thin's, summer commences in Canada and Nova Scotia 

 almost to a day, and if any one will take the trouble to 

 consult meteorological journals of cold climates, he will be 

 able to fear cold, at all events, at particular dates : many 

 chances at dice are calculated to much greater mischief 

 and with almost unerring precision. But I shall not be 

 satisfied until the 10th, or even the 15th, is past: no 

 travellers will move before the latter date, and my move- 

 ments depend very much on the matter. My chief ob- 

 ject is to push across the depots to the south side, be- 

 tween the 10th and 25th, for I have my misgivings if 

 the final change, adapted to long journeys, will take place 

 until the 25th. The orders however still stand for the 

 15th of March, and on that day the crews will be mus- 

 tered. 



March 13. On the next page will be found a table 

 of temperatures, embracing the last ten days, with the 

 preceding maximum temperature. 



