1853.] 



THERMOMETER BLOCK. 



223 



candidly say, that I never saw but two that stood their 

 work, and they belonged to a water-bottle, constructed 

 for rue for obtaining water and determining the tempe- 

 rature at extreme depths (twelve hundred fathoms or 

 more), that could be relied on. The block of snow in 

 question measured sixteen feet by eight on the surface, 

 was eight feet in height above the ice of the floe, and 

 constructed of large blocks of solid snow, cemented at 

 the joints, or " pointed," with wet snow, which in a few 

 minutes formed into ice. The interior was filled in and 

 well trodden with loose snow, spars being placed where 

 the thermometers were to be inserted : their withdrawal 

 left firm cylindrical holes. Next to the more perfect ope- 

 rations of Dame Nature, this, I believe, comprehended 

 all that was desirable. The diagram will exhibit the dis- 

 position of the thermometers, inserted when the tempe- 

 rature was at zero and their indices set. 



c- 



O3 



No. 1, centre, 4 feet from N.E. and S.W. sides, 8 from N.W., 



6 feet deep. 



No. 2, 2 feet deep, 2 feet from sides. 

 No. 3, 3 3 

 No. 4, 4 ,,4 



No. 5, 5 ,,5 from S. and E., 3 from N. 

 No. 6, 6 ,,2 from sides. 



