1853.] A SLEDGE-MARK. 249 



tive seals were playing, and frequently raising their busts 

 out of water, as if to inquire the cause of our visit. 

 About 4.30 the sledges reached the low point, when we 

 encamped for the night, the men much blown and fa- 

 tigued from the effects of the sun, which already pro- 

 duced symptoms of snow blindness. It is yet an unex- 

 plained fact, but we found a broad and deep sledge-mark 

 in the gravel from the cairn to the point. Part of the 

 officers and crews of every sledge which had visited this 

 point last season were present, but no one could recall 

 to mind any sledge taking such an unusual direction, 

 and dragged, too, entirely on gravel : most of them had 

 crossed at right angles ; but the runner width exactly 

 coincided with that of the sledges used last season, and 

 therefore I conclude must have belonged to our Expedi- 

 tion. At our first encampment the temperature at six 

 P.M. was + 9'5, and the prevailing temperature during 

 the night was about + 1 5 in the tent, with +10 outside. 

 About seven A.M. on the 3rd we moved forward; wea- 

 ther not pleasant, but better for travelling : the tem- 

 perature at starting was 10. Our object at present be- 

 ing to make the shortest cut over the space examined 

 last season, we steered for the depot point, passed near 

 to the Avrecks of dog and bear, left by Mr. Loney, of 

 which the rib-timbers were noticed, probably picked by 

 wolves and foxes ; and about six, finding that the in- 

 shore course would lead us through very rough ice, we 

 pitched for the evening at the south end of Coffin Island, 

 which afforded us most convenient shelter from the then 

 prevailing wind ; the temperature had fallen to 5, and 

 at midnight reached zero. Here we constructed a cairn, 



